How to open and download an entry
Check what an Inbox entry contains before you download it, and adjust which columns future copies include.
Before you begin
You need the entry in your Inbox.
Inbox entries are snapshots. Each one holds the data as it was when it was generated. Downloading the same entry twice gives you the same numbers both times. For current data, go back to your Dashboard, click Refresh, and request a fresh download or wait for the next scheduled delivery.
This applies to your own Dashboard downloads as much as to scheduled deliveries. The entry captures the moment you requested it, not the moment you open it.
Steps
Step 1. Check what’s in it
Click Details on the entry’s row. A pop-up shows the filters that were applied and the columns that were included when the file was generated.
Worth a look before you send anything onward. The filters listed here tell you what the numbers actually cover, which isn’t always obvious from the file itself.
Step 2. Adjust columns for future copies, if you need to
If the Details pop-up shows a Column Preferences button, you can see which columns are included.
If the Columns under Column Preferences isn’t there, the Report wasn’t set up with it. You can also reach column preferences from the Report or Dashboard itself: three-dot menu → Preferences → Column Preferences.
Step 3. Download it
Click Download in the entry’s Actions column. The file downloads in the format shown in its Report Type.
Result
You know what the file contains before opening it, and you have a copy in the format it was generated in.
Common issues
- The Column Preferences button isn’t there. The Lens Designer didn’t enable it for this Report. Ask them to enable it.
- The download is empty or looks stale. The entry captured data that has since changed, or your access to some of it has changed. Re-run it from the Dashboard rather than relying on the older entry.
- The format isn’t what I wanted. Format is fixed when the entry is generated. For a different format, download from the Dashboard directly.
- The numbers don’t match my Dashboard. Expected. The entry is a snapshot from when it was generated; your Dashboard shows current data. Check Generated On and the filters in Details.
- I can’t tell what the file covers. Open Details. The applied filters are listed there.