# Creating a report

The report creation flow allows you to configure **custom analytics exports** adapted to your organization’s structure and needs. Reports can be scheduled or generated once, with powerful filtering, data sampling, and file delivery options.

To create a new report, go to: https://desk.collectiveaudience.co/settings/reports/new

## ✏️ 1. Report Name

* This is the name that will be used for the exported file.
* You can use **macros** inside the name to personalize each export:
  * `[DATE]` → injects the generation date
  * `[ACCOUNT_USERNAME]` → injects the username of the account owner (useful for media groups with multiple child accounts)

Example: `Weekly_Report_[ACCOUNT_USERNAME]_[DATE].xlsx`

## 📁 2. Report Type

Select the **report type** that fits your use case. Each type comes with its own set of **dimensions**, **metrics**, and **filters**.

👉 A dedicated section later in this documentation will provide a detailed breakdown of all available report types.

## 🧱 3. Dimensions

Once a report type is selected, you'll be able to choose from the available **dimensions** specific to that type (e.g. campaign name, creative ID, placement...).

## 📊 4. Metrics

Select the **KPIs** you want to track (e.g. impressions, clicks, CTR, conversions...).

## 🔍 5. Filters

Apply one or more filters to narrow down the dataset.

> **Note:** A default invisible filter is always applied to **isolate the data per account**. A user can only access statistics belonging to their own account or its children. For more details, contact your account manager.

## 🌍 6. Timezone

Choose a timezone used for:

* report generation schedule (e.g. "send at 9AM Paris time")
* data sampling reference

Options available:

* `UTC`
* `Europe/Paris`
* `America/Los_Angeles`
* `America/New_York`

## 🔁 7. Recurrence Mode

Choose between:

* **Once**: one-time export, generated now or at a later date
* **Recurring**: schedule regular exports (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly)

### If `Once`:

* Select an optional future date to receive the report.

### If `Recurring`:

* Choose the frequency: `Daily`, `Weekly`, `Monthly`, or `Yearly`
* Fill in required time parameters:
  * Hour
  * Day of week / day of month / day & month
* Select a **start date** and an **end date** for the recurrence

## ⏱️ 8. Data Sample (Time Range)

Choose the time range for the data to be included in the report.

* For **Recurring reports**, you can use **relative timeframes like**:
  * `Previous day`
  * `Past 24 hours`
  * `Previous week`
  * `Past 7 days`
  * `Current week`
  * `Previous month`
  * `Current month`
  * `From specific date`
* For **Once reports**, you can also select a **custom start and end date**.

## 📂 9. File settings

### Export format

Choose the format of the data **inside** the export:

* `CSV`
* `Excel (.xlsx)`
* `JSON`

For CSV exports, you can optionally include metadata headers in the first rows.

### Password-protect export (optional)

In the same **File settings** block, you can enable **Password-protect export**.

When enabled:

* The report still uses the format you selected (CSV, Excel, or JSON).
* At delivery time, Collective Audience™ does **not** send that file as-is.
* It is placed inside a **password-protected ZIP archive** (one file per archive).
* Recipients need the password you configured to open the ZIP and access the export inside.

**Important for recipients**

| Delivery method | What they receive |
|-----------------|-------------------|
| SFTP, S3, GCS   | A `.zip` file (not a raw `.csv`, `.xlsx`, or `.json`) |
| Email with **download link** | The link points to the **ZIP** file |
| Email with **attachment** | The **ZIP** is attached directly |

**Configuring the password**

* **New report:** turn on the toggle and set a password before saving. A password is required when protection is enabled.
* **Existing protected report:** the UI indicates that a password is already set (the value is never displayed again). Leave the password field **empty** when saving if you do not want to change it.
* **Change password:** enter a new password and save.
* **Remove protection:** turn off **Password-protect export** and save.

Passwords are stored **encrypted** on our side (same approach as other transfer secrets). They are never shown again in clear text in the app.

**Duplicating a report**

Copying a report does **not** copy the export password. Configure protection again on the duplicate if needed.

> **Security note:** Share the ZIP password with recipients through a **separate channel** from the file delivery when possible (for example, do not send the password in the same email as the download link unless your policy allows it).

## 👥 10. Recipients

Set up one or more recipients via the **Transfer** module.

➡️ See [Transfers documentation](../transfers) for details on how to manage and send reports to external systems or email.

## ✅ 11. Generate

Click the **"Generate"** button to save your configuration and:

* schedule the report (if recurring)
* or trigger it (if once)

👉 Next up: Report Types Reference — an in-depth breakdown of each available report type, with all associated dimensions, metrics, and filters.