Decision Support

How To Get Setup to Add Metadata to a Report

Report authors are responsible for collecting report metadata for each report they run. This metadata is then added to the report metadata database for inclusion in the report. The following instructions provide an overview of the steps necessary to get setup to add metadata to a report.

Steps:

  1. Request access to Publish Reports (in the Report Metadata database) (one-time step)
  2. Install the MS Access Report Metadata Front End Tool
  3. Connect to the Report Metadata database

Install the MS Access report metadata Front End Tool

Copy the MS Access database called RptMetaData.accdb into any directory on your computer.

Connect to the ReportMetadata Database

Once you have been granted access to the Microsoft SQL ReportMetadata database, you must create an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) connection to access the database. The following instructions apply to PCs with XP or Vista operating systems.

  1. Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then do one of the following:
    • Vista
      • In Category View, click System and Maintenance and then click Administrative Tools.
      • In Classic View, click Administrative Tools.
    • XP
      • In Category View, click Performance and Maintenance and then click Administrative Tools.
      • In Classic View, click Administrative Tools.
  2. Double-click Data Sources (ODBC).
    • Vista - The User Account Control confirmation dialog box appears. Click Continue
    • XP - The ODBC Data Source Administrator dialog box appears.
  3. Click the System DSN tab.  (Use User DSN if you don’t have permission to save System DSNs on your machine)
  4. Click Add.
  5. Select SQL Server
  6. Click Finish
  7. Enter:
    • ReportMetaData for the Name and for the Description
    • edwtest1.admin.washington.edu\Pres for the Server
    • Click Next

  • Leave the defaults for the next window and click Next

  • Click the box: Change the default database to:
  • Select ReportMetadata
  • Click Next

  • Leave the defaults and click Finish

  • Click Test Data Source, then click OK, and OK