Sigma supports a wide variety of methods to deliver information to your user community. The platform supports on-demand, scheduled and event-driven content delivery to several different destinations.
Tell me about the delivery options.
Sigma provides a simple but flexible interface to allow users to create daily / weekly / monthly delivery as they see fit.
- Content authors can schedule delivery to one or multiple users anytime.
- End users (with the appropriate rights) can also schedule their own delivery schedule.
- Custom messages can also be added with the delivery schedule you prefer. Of course, they can always just elect to send content immediately.
Sigma even supports a “custom” schedule via a raw cron sting which allows for a more programmatic approach to scheduling.
What are the destinations Sigma supports?
Sigma Exports can be setup to deliver to:
- Slack
- Google Sheets
- Google Drive
- Cloud Storage (for example: AWS S3)
- Webhook
What format is actually sent?
The information arrives as either a PDF, Excel, CSV (comma separated value text file,) or Image.
How easy is it for the user to get to the Sigma Workbook if they want?
Just click the checkbox on “Include link to Workbook” when creating the Export schedule. After the export is delivered, users can then click the link to be taken directly to the relevant Sigma Workbook.
Can any user set up a schedule?
Sigma supports configurable RBAC (Role Based Access Control,) and if the user has the correct permissions, they are also able to schedule Exports. Roles are provided out-of-the-box, but can be customized by you (or your Administrator) to suit your needs. For example, you may want one group of people in a “Viewer” role to be able to Export, but not other “Viewers.”
What if I want only one part of a Workbook in my Export?
You can schedule Exports at any level of granularity you prefer. Sigma Workbooks have tabbed “Pages,” and each page has one or more “Elements” on them. For example, you may want an entire Workbook sent on Monday morning, but just one chart sent daily, and yet another KPI sent only when a threshold is reached.
You can also include multiple attachments (as described above) in a single Export. This allows you to pick only items of interest from a Workbook that has many Elements.
For example, a Dashboard may content multiple Elements (“pieces” of content). Below you see that the delivery consists only of three Elements from the Dashboard.
I just want my Export right now. Can I do that?
Yes! Users can get the Export any time (if they have the appropriate role granted,) by just clicking on the “Send now” option in their Workbook.
Can I unsubscribe too?
Absolutely, from your User Profile / Scheduled Exports / Your Subscriptions page.
Is it possible to limit the data sent based on the user who is subscribed to the Export?
Absolutely. Just check the box when setting up the Export to “Run queries as recipient,” and the information available in the Export will be limited to the user making the Scheduled Export. Simple as that!
What if we only want to know if there is new data?
Several options exist here, including one for the “new data” use case. Exports can be triggered in four different ways:
- Always
- If there is no data
- If there is data
- Custom condition
This flexibility greatly improves the end user experience by only sending them what they need, when they need to know it.
For example, a sales manager wants to be notified if the revenue target is less than 80% on the 20th day of each month. Here’s how you set that up:
Can I see all the schedules in one place?
As a Sigma user, you have access to view and manage a complete list of your own scheduled Exports directly in your user profile. This includes all existing document schedules that you have and/or receive as an email subscriber. You can Pause, Send Now, Edit or Delete each Export schedule.
In your User Profile, you are also able to see Exports owned by you. Additionally, you can see Exports you are subscribed to. These are the Exports that are being delivered to you, but were scheduled by someone else in your organization.
Learn more about managing your scheduled Exports..
As a Sigma admin, you have access to view and manage an organization-wide list of scheduled Exports directly from the Admin Portal.
Learn more about managing schedules for an organization.
What happens if a scheduled Export fails?
If a Scheduled Export fails more than five times in seven days, and none of the Exports succeed, Sigma will pause the Export and the user will receive an email notification.
Users can manually resume the Export anytime.
