6.0 Reports

Troubleshooting Tips

The most common issue on this page is getting an error message after running a report.  The most common reasons for this are:

1.  There are corrupted images attached.  The fix is to find and delete the corrupted images.

2.  The Book Name has an invalid character such as a quotation mark.  The fix is to change the Book Name.

3.  An inserted PDF file is corrupted.  The fix is to find which PDF file is causing the issue by using a process of elimination.

Another common issue is that data is not showing up on the report.  This is likely due to a checkbox not being checked.  An example is the parameter is not checked as 'Active' or 'Visible'.  To fix this you would need to be an Admin level user, and then access the Company Parameter Setup page.  Check that the parameters are checked as Active and Visible.  The next area to check is the Summary Setup page.  Make sure the parameters are checked as Active.  The last place to check if parameters are Active and Visible is in the Equipment tab and clicking the piece of equipment.  Check that the Active and Visible boxes are checked.

This section will detail all of the reports available in Building Start and also all of the different features available in the Report and Document Center. Not all of the reports that can be printed will necessarily be wanted or needed, so each report will be illustrated and reviewed so the different report looks can be evaluated and compared. 

Topics covered in this section include: 

1. Report & Document Center Overview

The Report & Document Center is where Issue Logs, or any content that you have placed in the Building Start platform can be printed in a variety of different layouts which will be detailed individually. Printing can be done to PDF, Excel and Word for different output formats, although PDF is by far the best format for visual appeal. 

The Report & Document Center can be navigated to from the User Portal page by clicking the link "Reports" in the top menu bar which will access the Report & Document Center for the current selected project. The Report & Document Center can also be accessed by clicking the notebook icon in the all projects grid which would take you to the Report & Document Center for that particular project. The ability to navigate to the Report & Document Center is controlled by a permission and therefore if you do not see the top menu option for "Reports" or the notebook icon in the all projects grid, then you have not been given permission to access the Report & Document Center.

Shown above is a screen print of the Report & Document Center. It is broken down into several sections. First, there is a drop down allowing a user to select a different project from this screen. Below the project selector drop down is the Select Visible Equipment link & Set Project Parameters link. Next, there are seven tabs that provide various additional tools for printing reports. Last of all, there is the section of links where report output is actually generated. The Equipment Reports section is where the reports for all of the data collected for equipment is located. 

Important Note: There are 3 primary layouts for printing your equipment reports: Detail Data Report, Summary Data Report and Pivoted Summary Report. We will discuss these 3 layouts individually and in greater detail later in this section. The other important point is that the Building Start platform provides report output on a per equipment tree object basis. This means there is no single button printing. You can use a third party PDF bundling program to compile all of the individual PDF's into one PDF document. With a third party PDF bundling program, you can also add additional documentation like cover sheets, table of contents, sign-off sheets, diagrams, disclaimers, and add page numbers to all pages. Some common PDF editor programs are Adobe Acrobat & Bluebeam Revu.

The best way to view sample reports is to have a test project setup with items on the equipment tree and run the reports to view the differences. You can decide per project which reports you want to run.

2. Basic Project Reports

In the report section labeled A - Basic Project Reports are two reports: Project Cover Page & Equipment Comment Log. The Project Cover Page is a basic cover page with logo at top, your company name, address, phone numbers, project name, project number, date, contact name, and the Project Comment Notes from the Project Edit window. The Equipment Comment Log is the logged comments for the project.

3. Project Issue Report

In the report section labeled B - Project Issue Reports are two reports: Project Issue Report & Issue Report with Images. Both reports will give you a print out of the issues for the project one with images at end of the report and the other report without images. The images are taken with the android or iPad field tool & attached to the issue. The issue reports can be sorted & filtered in different combinations to get your final report. We will go through these options below in the Issue tab section.

4. Rolling Reports

The Rolling Reports section will only list the rolling reports that apply to the project based on the equipment & systems setup on the equipment tree for that project. For an example, a HVAC system with equipment under it will have to be setup in the project before it will be displayed. A rolling report will start with the first parent item & then any sub-items will follow on the report before it goes to the second parent item. To illustrate this the HVAC System - Air Distribution will start with AHU-01 then followed by Ductwork-01, Return Fan-01, & Supply Fan-01. When all sub-items for AHU-01 are finished, then the next page will be AHU-02 followed by its sub-items and so on.

5. Equipment Reports - Detail Data Report (FPT) (Unit/Data)

The Detail Data Reports are under each individual items on the right side Equipment Reports.

Building Test: This report does each item individually per page with FPT categories & parameters listed in boxes with responses, notes, initials, and date/time off to the right. This report is good if you don't have alot of the same items.

Airnab: This report does each item individually per page with its subitems arranged in boxed categories in two columns. Example categories are Unit Data, Starter Data, Test Data, Motor Data, Sheave Data, & Test Pressures.

6. Equipment Reports - Data Summary Report (Unit/Data) (PFT)

The Summary Data Reports are under each individual items on the right side Equipment Reports. This report does a summary of the selected item with the system/unit listed down the page & the unit/data categories listed across the page with the responses in boxes in the table. The notes if included will be shown below the table. This report is good if you have alot of the same items.

Building Test: These reports are often referred to as Prefunctional Tests.

7. Equipment Reports - Pivoted Summary Report (FPT) (Unit/Data)

The Pivoted Summary Reports are under each individual items on the right side Equipment Reports.

Building Test: This report does of the summary of the selected item with the system/unit listed across the page & the FPT categories listed down the page with the responses in boxes in the table. The notes if included will be shown below the table. This report is good if you have alot of the same items.

Airnab: This report does the Unit categories then the Data categories listed down the left side of the page with the parent equipment first followed by the subitems. The parent item names are listed across the top of the report. The responses are in boxes in the table. The notes if included will be shown below the table. This report is good if you have alot of the same items.

8. Equipment Reports - Zone Summary Report

The Zone Summary Report allows you to run a summary report for a piece of equipment and have the report separated by the zones that the equipment is split into. The equipment must have a zone assigned to it in order for this to work.  

9. Select Visible Equipment

The Select Visible Equipment Link at the top of the screen is used to limit the equipment included on the report you will run. Each level of system & equipment has its own line to be selected. You select your item/system from the pull down list. You can click the select all equipment, de-select all equipment, or uncheck the items/systems you don't want included in the report. Click Save Changes and then go run the report you want for the selected equipment.

10. Options Tab

The options tab will let you select the type of output format you want for your report to be displayed in PDF, Excel or Word, PDF is the most visually professional report. Excel & Word are good if you need to modify the report to meet your needs & then you can resave as PDF. 

You can use the default report title or select to modify the report title. To modify the title, you would select the Override Title Below & enter the custom title in the text box below & click Apply. Remember the title will be displayed just how you type it in the box so make sure you double check your spelling & capitalization.

You can use the default date or modify the date of the report. To modify the date, you would select the Use Custom Date, enter the date in the text box below & click Apply.

You can choose to show an authors name on the report by checking the Show Author Name, typing a name in the text box below & click Apply.

Your report has options to print the primary data, print secondary data or print both. Select the correct selection with the radial button.

11. Unit Tab

The unit tab has options to alter the unit & data output included on the reports. The options to choose for unit tab parameters are print all unit, hide private unit and hide all field data with a toggle button of only one selected. The options for the data tab parameters are print all data or print only required with a toggle button of only one selected. The other options that can be turned on or off are hide blank data and hide user initials by clicking on the box. A check mark in the box is turning the option on.

12. FPT Tab

The FPT tab has 3 print options. The options are print all FPT data, hide private FPT data or hide all FPT data with a toggle button of only one selected.

The unit tab & FPT tab working together can alter your report results. With the unit tab options selected to print all unit & print all data and with the FPT data options to hide all FPT data; the report will give you a prefunctional test report result. With the unit tab options selected to hide all field data and with the FPT tab options to print all FPT data; the report will give you a functional performance test report result.

13. Issue Tab

The issue tab has print options, sorting options, filters, and selections to include data. The print options are print all issue data, hide private issue data and hide all issue data with a toggle button of only one selected. Sorting options are sort by id, sort by name, sort by status, sort by type, and sort by date. The direction options are ascending or descending order. The status filters are show all status, hide all fixed, open, recheck, fixed, and accepted. The type filters are show all types, not assigned, incorrect installation, incorrect operation, defective part, parts on order, RFI, work in progress, observation, and warranty.

There are two options that can be selected to include data by clicking a box on or off. The first option is to merge open issue data into the FPT section. The second option is to include comment history. A check mark in the box is turning the option on.

14. Report Layout Tab

The report layout tab has the option to select the equipment detail report format. This is a pull down menu. Some options you might see are TAB, Startup, CX, and Retro CX. The options showing depend on what has been setup for your site. 

15. Colors Tab

The colors tab will let you select the header background color & the header text color. This tab also has a header preview sample based on your two selections.

16. Advanced Tab

The advanced tab has the page layout options, show options, and customizable report footer text. The page layout options are portrait or landscape. Most reports will run great in portrait but there might be a project where you are including more columns of data and need more room then you would select landscape. The options that you can turn on are print header logo, show table of contents, show project number, and show page numbers. If you are using a PDF editor program like Adobe Acrobat or Bluebeam Revu to include additional information in your final reports, you would not want to turn on show table of contents or show page numbers from your Building Start settings. You would want to do this in your PDF editor program after you have compiled all your reports together.

The customizable report footer text can be blank or contain address, website, or a slogan to promote your company. The customizable report footer text will be displayed at the bottom center of the reports.

On the Advanced Tab you will find many checkbox options that will effect how the report turns out.  Here is a description of what each checkbox does:

Hide Header Logo - will show/hide the header logo

Include Field Data/Issue Images - will show/hide images that have been attached to Field Data parameters and/or issue

Include Markups - will show/hide markups on images

Hide Project Number - will show/hide the project number

Hide Company Name - will show/hide the company name

Hide Page Numbers - will show/hide page numbers

Match Page Numbering To PDF - will shows page numbers on inserted PDFs

Hide Tested By Name and Date - will show/hide the tested by name and date

Hide Log Notes - will hide/show log notes

Include Equipment Image - will hide/show images that have been attached to equipment

Print Blank Copy - 

Hide Blank Data - will hide/show parameters that have not been filled out

Page Break After Each Object - will add a page break after every equipment object

Hide User Initials and Date - will hide/show user initials and date

Show Static Pressure Profile Image - will hide/show the Static Pressure Profile image