CounselLink Answer Center for Clients

Creating and Running Reports

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The steps in this article are for Reporting (Microstrategy) users only. If you use Dashboards & Analytics (Amazon Q), proceed to these articles instead.

This article covers the following:

Using the Reports Page

Clicking the Reports tab at the top of your page brings you to the Reports homepage.

Click this link to access a free course on reporting, including how to run and customize standard reports in CounselLink.

Browse Section

The Browse section contains both standard and customized reports. Click a folder name or use the side panel to access its contents.

Item Description
Shared Reports Contains over 70 standard report layouts organized into folders.
My Reports Contains reports you have modified and saved. These reports are not visible to other users.
History List Provides quick access to previously run reports.
My Subscriptions Contains saved email and personal view subscriptions.

Within each folder, you can run, edit, or share reports.

Dashboard Section

The Dashboard section provides access to the Legal Spend Dashboard, which displays financial data for a selected time period.

Develop Section

The Develop section contains quick actions for you to create reports or objects within reports.

Item Description
Create Report Create a new report from scratch or from a template.
Create Document Create a new document from scratch or from a template.
Create Filter Create a new filter for reports.
Create Prompt Create a new prompt that appears when users run a report.
Create Custom Group Create a new data group for reporting.

Creating a Report

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You can create a report from scratch or use an existing template. Guided templates help ensure only appropriate data is included.

For a full, detailed explanation on all reporting creation options see this topic.

  1. Click Create Report on the Reports homepage. The Create Report page displays.

  1. Select one of the following options:
    • Blank Report: Build a report from scratch.
    • Report Template: Start from an existing report template.
    • Report Builder: Start from a blank report template filled with existing prompts.
    • Report Wizard: This option lets you build a report by selecting a combination of existing templates and filters.
  2. Add attributes, metrics, filters, and prompts to your new report, as follows:
    • To add an attribute to the report, drag and drop it from the All Objects list. Attributes are generally placed on the rows of a report.
    • To add a metric to the report, drag and drop it from the All Objects list. Metrics are generally placed on the columns of a report.
    • A filter controls which data is included or excluded. 
    • A prompt is a question the system presents to a user when the report runs. To add a prompt to the report, drag and drop it from the All Objects pane onto the report. 
    • Search for an object by typing the name in one of the Search fields.
  3. Format the report as needed.
  4. Click Save.

Legal Spend Dashboard

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The Legal Spend Dashboard displays financial data for a selected time period.

Snapshot amounts

Displayed at the top of the dashboard:

  • Overall Billed Amount – Total charges for the selected time frame after discounts or taxes.

  • Approved Amount – Portion of the billed amount that was approved.

  • Savings Amount – Total realized savings from invoice adjustments (excluding discounts).

  • Savings % – Percentage difference between the Overall Billed Amount and the Approved Amount.

Panels

The main visual part of the dashboard. These areas contain detailed, interactive information (via charts and tables) which can be further explored by clicking an item and seeing relationships, or by drilling-down into an item.

You cannot drill down to the matter or charge level. Access the appropriate report if you need this level of detail.

  • Approved Amount by Year – Displays year-over-year approved amounts (typically the three most recent years).

  • Approved Amount by Matter Type

  • Approved Amount by Division

  • Approved Amount by Firm (includes billed hours)

Creating a Report Document

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A document allows you to combine multiple reports, grids, charts, images, and text into a single formatted output.

Click this topic to find more information on documents in Reporting. There are extensive features and formatting options available.

  1. Click Create Document on the Reports homepage. The Create Document page displays.

  2. Select a template or choose a blank document.

    It is recommended to start a document from an existing template.

    The selected template or blank document displays.

  1. Click Add a dataset. The Select Dataset window displays.

  2. Select a report from the list.
  3. Click OK.

  4. Fill out the prompt as required. The Dataset Objects are added to your document.

  5. Modify the document as necessary.

    Item Description
    Text fields Click a text field to enter in any text (e.g. a title).
    Add Content

    Click this to enter specific content into a panel.
    Arrange and Edit Panels

    Hover over a panel to rearrange it, delete it, or create a new one.
    Drag and drop Drag and drop specific objects from your report into a panel.
  6. Click Save when finished.

Creating a Filter for Reports

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Filters can be reused across reports and documents.

Click this topic to find more information on creating filters in reporting.

  1. Click Create Filter on the Reports homepage. The Create Filter page displays.

  2. Use the Object Browser to search for the attributes, metrics, filters, prompts, or reports to use in your filter.

    The Object Browser only displays objects that are supported for that filter.

  1. Drag and drop any objects for your filter into the empty list.

  2. Modify the selections in your list by the fields provided. Different objects contain different fields. Here is an example of the First Invoice Approved Date attribute:

  3. Click Apply.
  4. Repeat as necessary.

  5. Click Save. The Save As window displays.

  6. Select a location for the new filter.
  7. Enter a name.
  8. Enter a description if needed.
  9. Click OK.

Creating a Report Prompt

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Prompts allow users to refine data when running a report.

Click this topic to find more information on creating prompts in reporting. There are many different prompts available, and each is outlined in detail.

  1. Click Create Prompt on the Reports homepage. The Create Prompt page displays.

  2. Select the kind of prompt you wish to create.
  3. Click Save.

Creating a Custom Group

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Custom groups allow you to apply grouped filtering logic within templates.

Click this topic to find more information on custom groups in reporting.

  1. Click Create Custom Group on the Reports homepage. The Custom Group Editor window displays.

  2. Click New Custom Group Element. The Condition Editor displays.
  3. Click Browse, and select an attribute, metric, report, or filter. 
  4. Define conditions in the Condition Editor.
  5. Repeat as necessary.
  6. Click the Save button.

Running a Report

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  1. Find the Shared (Standard) Reports you wish to run.

  2. Complete any required prompts (such as selecting a date range).

    In the following example, the report needs a date range before it can run.

  3. Click Run Report.

    While the report executes, you may:

    • Check status again
    • Add to my History List
    • Show report details
    • Cancel

    When the report is ready, it displays with the Report Details section confirming the filters applied.

Printing a Report

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  1. Run the report.

  2. Click the Print icon under the Report Home toolbar.

    The Print options page displays.

    If you've selected the Do not prompt me again option in a previous session, the Print options page will not display.

  3. Edit the fields as necessary.

    Field Description
    Print

    Select one of the following from the dropdown:

    • Whole Report: Generates a printable version of the report that includes all pages.
    • Portion displayed only: Generates a printable version of the page with the only the page displayed on the report overview.
    Page Header and Footer

    Click Edit Custom Settings... to edit the header and footer options.

    Click the question mark icon to see more information about formatting the header and footer.
    Scaling Select options for font size and pages of the report displayed on the printable version.
    Report Header

    Click Edit Custom Settings... to edit the header for your printable report.

    Click the question mark icon for more information about formatting the header.
    Orientation Select portrait or landscape.
    Print cover page If you select yes, choose if the cover page should contain the report's filter details or report details.
    Show advanced options Click this box to view more options related to the paper size, margins, and header or footer sizes.
    Do not prompt me again. Save your print settings and bypass the Print options page in the future.
  4. Click Show Printable Version.

A PDF of your generated report displays with options for sharing and saving.

Scheduling a Delivery to Your History List

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You can schedule reports or documents to be delivered automatically to your History List.

  1. Find the report and run it.

  2. Click Schedule Delivery to History List in the toolbar.

    The Subscribe to History List window displays.

  3. Fill out the fields as necessary.

    Field Description
    Name Enter a name for the subscription.
    Schedule Select a schedule or event from the drop-down list.
    Run subscription immediately Have the report delivered immediately after the subscription is created.
    Advanced Options

    Expand this section and edit the following if necessary:

    • The new scheduled report will overwrite older versions of itself: Select this option to ensure that newer versions of the report will overwrite previous versions. It is selected by default.
    • Delivery: Specify a date which you would like to stop the subscription delivery.
    Delivery Notification Select send notification to email address, and specify an email to notify when the subscription is delivered. 
  4. Click OK.