Alpha reports: QBRs, saved reports and schedules

What this does Alpha can build reports for you, such as a QBR (quarterly business review) for a client. Ask for one in the chat and Alpha saves it to…

What this does

Alpha can build reports for you, such as a QBR (quarterly business review) for a client. Ask for one in the chat and Alpha saves it to Reports. From there you can download a PDF, run it again, put it on a schedule, or send it automatically by email, SMS, Teams, Slack or webhook.

Before you start

• Alpha must be turned on for your company. Any role can use Reports.
• You see reports shared with you. A report is visible to Everyone using Alpha, Admins only, or You and admins.
• Only the person who created a report, or an admin, can archive it, run it again or schedule it.
• An admin must allow Alpha to save reports. Go to Alpha > Permissions > MSP Process > Support and set Reports to Ask first or Automatic. It starts as Off. While it is Off, Alpha can’t save reports, and scheduled reports pause.
• Scheduled runs only happen while Run scheduled reports and dashboards is on (admins: Alpha > Settings > Reports).
• Sending reports automatically uses Workflows, which is only on the Pro plan.

Create a report

1. Click Ask Alpha in the top bar.
2. Ask for the report, for example “Make a QBR for Contoso for last quarter”.
3. If Reports is set to Ask first, Alpha shows a confirmation card. Click Confirm.
4. Alpha shows “Saving the report…” and then “Saved the report”.
5. Open it from AI Service Desk > Reports.

Find a saved report

1. Go to AI Service Desk > Reports.
2. Make sure the Reports tab is selected.
3. Type in Search reports to filter the list.
4. Click the report’s title to open it.

The Status column shows OK, Some data missing, Failed, Paused or Skipped. The Schedule column shows the schedule, or Not scheduled.

Download a PDF

1. Open the report.
2. To see an older version, use the Version N of M picker.
3. Click Download PDF.

Run a report again

1. Open the report.
2. Click Run now.
3. You’ll see “Running this report. The new version shows here when it’s ready.”
4. When it’s done you’ll see “The new version is ready.” Click View the latest version.

If you run a report too often, you’ll see “Too many runs in the last hour. Try again later.”

Schedule a report

1. Open the report.
2. Click Schedule this report.
3. Choose Repeats: Daily, Weekly, Every 2 weeks or Monthly.
4. For weekly reports, choose the Day. For monthly reports, choose the Day of the month (1st to 28th, or Last day).
5. Set the Time and Time zone.
6. Turn on Rewrite the summary each run if you want a fresh written summary every time.
7. Click Save schedule. You’ll see “Schedule saved.” and the next run time.

If the report covers fixed dates, you’ll see “This report has fixed dates; each run will show the same period.” Ask Alpha for a report over a rolling period, such as “last month”, if you want each run to move forward.

Change, pause or delete a schedule

1. Open the report.
2. Click Edit schedule to change it, or Pause / Resume.
3. To remove it, click Delete schedule. The window Delete this schedule? explains that the report “will stop running on its schedule. The versions it already made stay.”

Why a schedule pauses or skips a run

The open report shows the schedule’s state: Next run, Last run with its result, and the reason if it is paused. In the Reports list, a paused schedule shows a Paused chip. Hover it to see the reason.

A schedule pauses by itself in these cases. It stays paused until you fix the cause and click Resume:

Reason shown	What to do
Paused after 3 failed runs. Check the report and resume.	The last three runs failed in a row. Click Run now to check that it works, then click Resume.
Paused: the Reports permission is set to Off.	Set Reports to Ask first or Automatic on the Permissions page, then click Resume.
Paused: scheduled reports are turned off in Alpha Settings.	Turn on Run scheduled reports and dashboards in Alpha Settings, then click Resume.
Paused: Alpha is turned off for this organization.	Contact MSP Process support.
Paused: [name] can no longer run Alpha reports.	Scheduled reports run as the person who created them. This shows when that person was removed or no longer has a Technician or admin role. Ask Alpha to make the report again as someone who can run it.
Paused: this report was archived.	Archived reports don’t run.
Paused: this schedule’s settings couldn’t be read. Set the schedule again.	Click Edit schedule and save it again.
This schedule is paused.	Someone clicked Pause. Click Resume.

A run is Skipped when the report was changed while that run was going, for example by another run or an edit. You’ll see “Skipped: the report was updated during this run.” The run’s result isn’t saved, and the next run includes the change. A skipped run doesn’t pause the schedule and doesn’t count as a failure.

While Run scheduled reports and dashboards is off, due runs are passed over quietly and the next run time moves forward. Turn it back on and the schedule continues from the next run time.

Send a report automatically

1. Open the report and click Deliveries.
2. This opens Workflows on the Alpha Report Workflows tab, filtered to this report (“Showing workflows for this report”).
3. Create a workflow. Its source is Alpha report.
4. In Report or dashboard, pick the report.
5. Turn on the channels you want: email, SMS, webhook, Slack or Teams.
6. Under What each channel sends, choose Link only or Link and summary.
7. Turn on Only scheduled runs if you don’t want manual runs sent.
8. Save the workflow.

If none exist yet, you’ll see “No workflows deliver this report yet”. Click Show all to see workflows for every report.

Archive a report

1. In the Reports list or on the open report, click Archive.
2. The window Archive this report? explains: “[Title] will no longer appear in Reports. Archived reports are deleted after 30 days.”
3. Click Archive.

Troubleshooting

What you see	What to do
No reports yet. Ask Alpha for a QBR or a report in the chat.	Ask Alpha for a report first.
No Run now or Schedule this report button	Only the creator or an admin sees these, and only for reports Alpha can rebuild.
Status: Some data missing	Alpha couldn’t get all the data, or couldn’t rewrite the summary. The report shows a note such as “The summary couldn’t be written this time because your organization’s Alpha usage limit was reached.” Check the connected systems on the Alpha Overview page, and see “AI spend and budget”.
Status: Paused	Hover the chip to see the reason, fix it, then click Resume. See “Why a schedule pauses or skips a run” above.
Last run: Skipped	Nothing to do. The report changed while the run was going, and the next run includes the change.
Status: Failed	Click Run now to try again. After 3 failed scheduled runs in a row, the schedule pauses.
Alpha says it isn’t allowed to make changes to Reports yet	An admin must set Reports to Ask first or Automatic under Alpha > Permissions > MSP Process > Support.
Too many runs in the last hour. Try again later.	Wait and try again.
Report runs are turned off in Alpha Settings. Ask an admin to turn them on, then try again.	An admin must turn on Run scheduled reports and dashboards in Alpha > Settings > Reports.
This report is already running. Try again when its new version appears.	Wait for the current run to finish.
This report can’t be re-run. Ask Alpha to rebuild it.	Ask Alpha in the chat to make the report again.
No Workflows menu	Workflows are on the Pro plan only.

FAQ

Can I turn a report into a dashboard?

Yes. Open the report and click Turn into a dashboard. You’ll see “Dashboard created.” See “Dashboards and cards”.

What happens to a report I archive?

It disappears from Reports straight away and is deleted after 30 days.