Pentaho User Console

The Pentaho User Console (PUC) is a web-based design environment where you can analyze data, create interactive reports, dashboard reports, and build integrated dashboards. You can also use PUC for Pentaho Server administration.

In this topic

• Log in

• Modern Design

• Classic Design

Log in to the Pentaho User Console

Get started with the User Console by following these steps to log in:

1. Launch a Web browser and enter the URL of the Pentaho Server.

   The Welcome page appears.

   

   Welcome page
2. Enter your user name and password and click Log in.

   The Home perspective appears.

   You are now logged in to the User Console and ready to start creating and running reports and dashboards.

Change your password

Users can change their passwords in the User Console if the server is configured with Pentaho security.

Perform the following steps to change your password:

1. Click the user menu and select Change Password.

2. In the Change Password dialog box, enter your existing password in the Old Password field.

3. Enter your new password in the New Password and Confirm Password fields and click OK.

   Note: If the Change Password command does not appear on the user menu, then clear your browser cache and try again.

   Your password is changed.

Modern Design

The Modern Design interface for the Pentaho User Console (PUC) offers an improved user experience that is intuitive, responsive, and secure. Additionally, the following components are exclusively available in the Modern Design interface: Plugin Manager, Semantic Model Editor, and Pipeline Designer.

The Modern Design interface is installed when you install PUC. By default, it includes the following components:

• Home

• Browse Files

• Plugin Manager

• Data Connections

• Scheduler

• Pipeline Designer

Other components, like the Semantic Model Editor and Settings, can be installed in the Plugin Manager. For details, see Plugin Manager.

Access Modern Design

To access the Modern Design interface, log into PUC and click Switch to Modern Design.

Modern Design toolbar

In the top right corner of any page in the Modern Design interface, you can use the Modern Design interface toolbar to access the following options:

Option	Description
Plus menu (+)	Provides links to open the following Pentaho Business Analytics web-based components: Interactive Report Dashboard Analysis Report
Pentaho Help Link	Opens the Pentaho Documentation site at https://docs.pentaho.com.
Switch color mode	Switches the Modern Design interface between dark mode and light mode.
Switch to Classic Design	Opens the Classic Design interface for the PUC in a new browser tab.
User menu	Indicates the name of the user currently logged into PUC. You can logout of PUC by clicking the User menu and selecting Logout.

Modern Design menu

On the left side of any page in the Modern Design interface, you can use the Modern Design interface menu to access the following options:

Option	Description
Home	Opens the Home component, which serves as the portal for accessing Pentaho tools and features in the Modern Design interface for PUC.
Browse Files	Opens the Browse File component, which helps you keep your files and folders organized to make them easier to find and use.
Plugin Manager	Opens the Plugin Manager. You can use the Plugin Manager to extend PUC by installing plugins that add new capabilities, such as new visualizations, dashboards, and content access extensions.
Data Connections	Opens the Data Connections component. You can use Data Connections to connect Pentaho to third-party services that store your data. While connected, you can use that data to create analysis reports, interactive reports, and dashboards.
Scheduler	Opens the Scheduler component, which you can use to manage all scheduled tasks across your system, including scheduled jobs, transformations, and reports.
Settings	Expands to display options for configuring settings in the Modern Design interface. Currently, you can configure settings for managing roles across the Pentaho platform.
Semantic Model Editor	The Semantic Model Editor (SME) enables you to create and manage semantic data models for multidimensional analysis, bridging the gap between data integration and business analytics.
Pipeline Designer	Pipeline Designer is a web-based interface that you can use to design, execute, and manage data integration workflows directly in your browser. A wide range of database connections, advanced transformation steps, and robust execution monitoring is supported in Pipeline Designer.

To collapse or expand the Modern Design menu, select the chevron icon at the bottom of the menu.

Home

Home is a portal that is dynamically updated to give you access to your installed components and features in the Modern Design interface for the Pentaho User Console (PUC). Home includes a Quick Access and a table of files that you can manage directly from Home.

Navigate to Home

To navigate to Home, complete the following steps:

1. Log into PUC.

2. Open Home by taking one of the following actions:

   1. If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Home.

   2. If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to the Modern Design.

   Home opens with the Quick Access section expanded.

   Note: You can collapse the Quick Access section by clicking the chevron icon next to its name.

What to do next: Use links in the Quick Access section to access Pentaho components or work with the files table at the bottom of the page. For details, see the Quickly access Pentaho components and Manage files sections on this page.

Quickly access Pentaho components

You can access installed Pentaho components directly from Home by clicking related links in each of the following group boxes:

• Data Sources

  Data Sources provides access to the Data Connections component, which you can use to manage data sources for projects. Click Manage Data Sources to access the Data Connections component.

• Browse Files

  The Browse Files component of the Modern Design interface helps you keep your files and folders organized, making them easier to find and use. Click Browse Files to access the Browse Files component.

• Semantic Model Editor

  The Semantic Model Editor (SME) enables you to create and manage semantic data models for multidimensional analysis, bridging the gap between data integration and business analytics. By providing a centralized, reusable semantic layer, SME helps teams standardize business logic, simplify report creation, and improve data accessibility for analysts and decision-makers. Click View models to access SME.

• Pipeline Designer

  Pipeline Designer is a web-based interface that you can use to design, execute, and manage data integration workflows directly in your browser. A wide range of database connections, advanced transformation steps, and robust execution monitoring is supported in Pipeline Designer. Click View ETL Designs to access the Pipeline Designer.

Manage files

Use the Home file table to open and manage recently opened and favorite files, including transformation and job files.

To open or manage files directly from Home, complete the following steps:

1. In the table at the bottom of Home, select one of the following tabs:

   • Recently opened

   • Favorites

2. Search for or browse to the file you want to manage.

3. Open or manage files by taking one of the following actions:

   • To open the file, click Open.

   • To manage the file, click the More Actions icon, and then select one of the following options:

     Option	Description
     Not favorite (click to add)	Adds the file to the Favorites tab and changes the heart icon in the Favorite column from empty to red.
     Favorite (click to remove)	Removes the file from the Favorites tab and changes the heart icon in the Favorite column from red to empty.
     Download	Downloads the file to your default download folder.
     Move	Opens the Move to window. In the Move to window, you can navigate to a different folder or create a new folder and click Move here to move the file to that folder.
     Duplicate	Opens the Duplicate to window. In the Duplicate to window, you can navigate to a different folder or create a new folder and click Paste here to create a duplicate of the file in that folder.
     Send to trash	Opens the Send to trash? dialog box. You can click Yes to move the file into the trash.
     Info	Opens File Name window, where you can view information about the file. You can also copy the file path by clicking Copy source.
     Rename	Important: If the file you rename is a transformation or job, any dashboards, schedules, or favorites linked to it become inactive and stop functioning. Makes the file editable in the table. After you enter a new name, you must click OK to rename the file.

Browse Files

The Browse Files component of the Modern Design interface helps you keep your files and folders organized, making them easier to find and use. The available folders, files, and actions in the Browse Files component depend on your role and permissions.

Note: The Browse Files component is required to use the Scheduler.

Find files or folders to manage

To find files or folder to manage in the Browse Files component, complete the following steps:

1. Log into the Pentaho User Console (PUC).

2. Open the Browse Files component by taking one of the following actions:

   1. If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Browse Files.

   2. If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to Modern Design, and then select Browse Files.

   The Browse Files component opens.

3. To display the list of files or folders that contains the one you want to manage, take one of the following actions:

   • In the left sidebar navigation menu, select one of the following options:

     Menu option	Description
     Browse Files	Displays a list files and folders in the Home folder of your repository.
     Recently opened	Displays a list of recently opened files.
     Favorites	Displays a list of files that you have marked as favorites.
     Trash	Displays a list of files and folders that you sent to the trash.

   • In the Folders pane, expand folders to find the one that contains the file or folder you want to manage and then select that folder.

   The list of files and folders is displayed in a table on the main pane of the Browse Files component.

Plugin Manager

Use the Plugin Manager to install, update, and uninstall plugins for the Pentaho User Console (PUC). Plugins extend the Pentaho Platform by adding new components and new capabilities, such as new visualizations, dashboards, and content access extensions. The Plugin Manager is available exclusively in Modern Design interface of PUC.

Before you begin

• Back up your environment before making any changes to plugins. This is a recommended best practice.

• Verify that you meet the following requirements:

  • You have internet access. The environment within which Pentaho Server is deployed must have internet access. If this is not the case, please contact Support to deploy plugins.

  • You have Write permissions to the plugin directory.

  • If a plugin requires administrative privileges to manage, verify that you have those privileges.

• If you want to install plugins in a custom location, set the custom paths in the system properties. By default, the Plugin Manager detects writable plugin directories and avoids restricted locations, such as tomcat/bin.

Install plugins

Install plugins to extend the Pentaho Platform by adding new components and new capabilities, such as new visualizations, dashboards, and content access extensions.

To install a plugin, complete the following steps:

1. Log into PUC.

2. Open the Plugin Manager by taking one of the following actions:

   1. If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Plugin Manager.

   2. If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to the Modern Design, and then in the menu on the left side of the page, click Plugin Manager.

   The Plugin Manager opens with a list of plugins shown in a table.

3. Search for or browse to the plugin you want to install.

4. Install the plugin by taking the following actions:

   1. Click the table row for the plugin. The Plugin name dialog box opens.

   2. Select the plugin from the Select the plugin version list and click Install.

   3. If prompted, confirm the installation to proceed.

   The plugin is installed.

5. Restart the Pentaho Server.

   Note: Newly installed plugins are not active until the server is restarted.

6. Refresh PUC in the browser.

7. To verify that the plugin is installed, complete the following steps:

   1. In the Plugin Manager for PUC, search for or browse to the plugin.

   2. Verify the version you installed is listed in the Installed Version column.

Notes:

• If you cannot use Plugin Manager, you can download plugin installation files and documentation from the Customer Portal.

• Plugins installed outside of the Plugin Manager might not be listed in the Plugin Manager and must be maintained manually.

Update plugins

Update existing plugins to a later version that is compatible with your installed version of Pentaho.

To update a plugin, complete the following steps:

1. Log into PUC.

2. Open the Plugin Manager by taking one of the following actions:

   • If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Plugin Manager.

   • If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to the Modern Design, and then in the menu on the left side of the page, click Plugin Manager.

   The Plugin Manager opens with a list of plugins shown in a table.

3. To the right of the Search box, open the list and select Update Available. A list of plugins with available updates is shown.

4. Search for or browse to the plugin you want to update.

5. Click Update. The plugin is updated.

6. Restart the Pentaho Server.

7. Refresh PUC in the browser.

8. To verify that the plugin is updated, complete the following steps:

   1. In the Plugin Manager for PUC, search for or browse to the plugin.

   2. Verify the plugin's new version is listed in the Installed Version column.

Uninstall plugins

Uninstall plugins that you no longer need.

To uninstall a plugin, complete the following steps:

1. Log into PUC.

2. Open the Plugin Manager by taking one of the following actions:

   • If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Plugin Manager.

   • If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to the Modern Design, and then in the menu on the left side of the page, click Plugin Manager.

   The Plugin Manager opens with a list of plugins shown in a table.

3. To the right of the Search box, open the list and select Installed. A list of installed plugins is shown.

4. Search for or browse to the plugin you want to uninstall.

5. Click the table row that contains the plugin. The Plugin name dialog box opens.

6. In the list at the bottom of the dialog box, select the version of the plugin that you want to uninstall.

7. Click Uninstall. A confirmation dialog box opens.

8. Click OK. A dialog box with the status of the plugin opens.

9. Click OK.

10. Restart the Pentaho Server and PDI client.

11. To verify that the plugin is uninstalled, complete the following steps:

    1. Log into PUC.

    2. Open the Plugin Manager by taking one of the following actions:

       • If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Plugin Manager.

       • If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to the Modern Design, and then in the menu on the left side of the page, click Plugin Manager.

       The Plugin Manager opens with a list of plugins shown in a table.

    3. To the right of the Search box, open the list and select Not Installed. A list of plugins that are not installed is shown.

    4. Verify the plugin is uninstalled by searching for or browsing to the plugin in the Not Installed table.

Data Connections

Use the Data Connections component to connect Pentaho to third-party services that store your data. While connected, you can use that data to create analysis reports, interactive reports, and dashboards.

Add a data connection

To add a data connection, complete the following steps:

1. Log into the Pentaho User Console.

2. Open Data Connections by taking one of the following actions:

   1. If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Data Connections.

   2. If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to the Modern Design, and then in the menu on the left side of the page, click Data Connections.

   Data Connections opens with a list of connections shown in a table.

3. Click + Add Connection. The Where is your data? window opens.

4. For the database to which you want to connect, click Connect. You can connect to the following options:

   • Generic database

   • Hypersonic

   • MonetDB

   • PostgreSQL

   • Snowflake

5. In the configuration window that opens, enter database connection information for your new connection. The type of database connection information entered depends on your access protocol. Refer to the examples in the following sections of this topic for Native (JDBC) protocols:

   • Native (JDBC) protocol information

   • JNDI protocol information

6. (Optional) To test the connect, in the Connection information section, click Test connection.

7. Click Connect. The connection is established and saved in the Modern Design of PUC.

Native (JDBC) protocol information

Create a Native (JDBC) connection in the Database Connection dialog box by completing the following steps:

1. In the Connection Name field, enter a name that uniquely describes this connection.

   The name can have spaces, but it cannot have special characters (such as #, $, and %).

2. In the Connection Type list, select the database you want to use (for example, MySQL or Oracle).

3. In the Access Type list, select Native (JDBC). The access protocol which appears depends on the database type you select.

4. In the Settings section, enter the following information:

   Field	Description
   Host Name	The name of the server that hosts the database to which you are connecting. Alternatively, you can specify the host by IP address.
   Database Name	The name of the database to which you are connecting. If you are using an ODBC connection, enter the Data Source Name (DSN) in this field.
   Port Number	The TCP/IP port number (if it is different from the default)
   Username	Optional user name used to connect to the database
   Password	Optional password used to connect to the database

5. Click Test Connection. A success message appears if the connection is established.

6. Click OK to close the connection test dialog box.

7. To save the connection, click Save. The database connection is saved and appears in the Database Connections list.

JNDI protocol information

If you are publishing to the Pentaho Server from the Modern Design of the Pentaho User Console, edit your connection information to match the JNDI connection information of your application server data sources.

By configuring a JNDI connection in the Modern Design of PUC, your application server will not be continuously running during the development and testing of transformations.

Edit a data connection

1. Log into the Pentaho User Console.

2. Open Data Connections by taking one of the following actions:

   1. If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Data Connections.

   2. If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to the Modern Design, and then in the menu on the left side of the page, click Data Connections.

   Data Connections opens with a list of connections shown in a table.

3. Browse or search for the connection you want to edit.

4. In the rightmost column of the Connections table, for the connection you want to edit, click the More Actions icon, and then select Open.

5. In the connection page that opens, click Edit.

6. In the configuration window that opens, edit database connection information.

Edit data connections

To delete one or more connections, complete the following steps:

1. Log into the Pentaho User Console.

2. Open Data Connections by taking one of the following actions:

   1. If you are using the Modern Design of PUC, in the menu on the left side of the page, click Data Connections.

   2. If you are using the Classic Design of PUC, click Switch to the Modern Design, and then in the menu on the left side of the page, click Data Connections.

   Data Connections opens with a list of connections shown in a table.

3. Browse or search for the connections you want to delete.

4. Select one or more connections to delete.

   Note: You can select all connections by clicking the checkbox at the top of the page that shows that selected versus available values.

5. Click Delete.

Classic Design

The Classic Design interface for the Pentaho User Console (PUC) includes perspectives and additional features, such as themes and access to the Data Source Wizard and Data Source.

• About Pentaho User Console perspectives

  The User Console uses perspectives to expand your ability to work on different tasks at any given time. By default, the User Console contains the Home, Browse Files, Opened, Schedules, and Administration perspectives. In addition, you can also extend certain perspectives with plugins from the Pentaho Marketplace.

• Additional features

  In PUC, you can set themes, activate plugins, and access the Data Source Wizard and the Data Source Model Editor.

The User Console uses perspectives to expand your ability to work on different tasks at any given time. By default, the User Console contains the Home, Browse Files, Opened, Schedules, and Administration perspectives. In addition, you can also extend certain perspectives with plugins from the Pentaho Marketplace.

• Home

  The Home perspective serves as the portal for you to access Pentaho tools and features. Home contains easy access buttons so that you can browse your existing files, create new reports, dashboards, data sources, view Pentaho documentation, and quickly open recently viewed or favorite files.

• Opened

  The Opened perspective uses plugins to provide access to different analytic capabilities. This perspective activates after you open a file from Recents, Favorites, or Browse Files. It provides report and dashboard examples and a straightforward environment in which to work with your files.

• Browse Files

  The Browse Files perspective helps you keep your files and folders organized to make them easier to find and use. In the Browse Files perspective, the available folders, files, and actions depend on your role and permissions.

• Schedules

  All your active scheduled reports appear in the list of schedules in the Schedules perspective.

• Administration

  If you are logged in to the User Console as a user with administration permissions, you can use the Administration perspective to manage security, specify system configurations, perform maintenance tasks, and install Pentaho software licenses.

The Pentaho User Console uses perspectives to help you focus on one task at a time.

By default, the User Console includes Home, Opened, Browse Files, Schedules, and Administration.

In this article

• Home perspective

• Opened perspective

• Browse Files perspective

  • Run files in background

• Schedules perspective

  • Schedule reports

  • Schedule a report

    • Quartz cron attributes

  • Edit a schedule

  • Delete a schedule

  • Relative date scheduling

    • Enable relative date scheduling

    • Use relative date scheduling

    • Examples

  • Manage schedules (administrators)

    • Prevent scheduling of a single report or file

    • Prevent scheduling by setting blockout times

    • Schedule deletion of generated files

    • Set up emails for scheduled reports

    • Change schedule owner

  • Set up a VFS location for schedule outputs

  • Set up a Local VFS location for schedule outputs

• Administration perspective

  • Manage users and roles

    • View sample users, default roles, and permissions

    • Add users

    • Change user passwords

    • Set password requirements

    • Delete users

    • Assign users to roles

    • Add roles

    • Assign permissions to roles

    • Assign roles to users

    • Delete roles

  • Set the authentication method

  • Set up the Mail Server page

  • Create an email group

  • Import emails from data sources

    • Import emails from JDBC

    • Import emails from LDAP

    • Import emails from a custom source

Home perspective

The Home perspective is a portal to Pentaho tools and content.

It gives quick access to files, creation workflows, and learning resources.

Home perspective

Item	Name	Function
1	User menu	Shows the current user. Use it to log out or change your password.
2	Home	Shows the active perspective. Use the drop-down to switch perspectives.
3	Getting Started	Learning resources. Includes welcome content, samples, and tutorials.
4	Browse Files	Opens Browse Files.
5	Create New	Create new content, based on your permissions.
6	Manage Data Sources	Manage data sources. Opens the Data Source dialogs. See Data Source Wizard and Data Source Model Editor.
7	Documentation	Opens help documentation in a new tab.
8	Recents	Recently opened files. Star a file to add it to Favorites.
9	Favorites	Favorite files for quick access.

Opened perspective

The Opened perspective is a working area for opened files.

It activates after you open a file from Recents, Favorites, or Browse Files.

Depending on your subscription, you may have access to these plugins:

• Analyzer. Analytical visualizations and drill-down.

• Interactive Reports. Browser-based report design.

• Dashboard Designer. Dashboards with minimal training.

• CTools. Community tools installed on Pentaho Server.

Opened perspective

Item	Name	Function
1	Opened	Indicates the Opened perspective.
2	Open icon	Opens a file. Selected files open in new tabs.
	New icon	Creates a new report, dashboard, or data source, based on permissions.
	Edit content icon	Opens the file for editing. Options depend on file type and permissions.
	Save icon	Saves the file.
	Save As icon	Saves a copy under a new name or location.
	Print icon	Opens print options for applicable content.
3	Report window	Shows the active file.

Browse Files perspective

Browse Files helps you organize and find content.

Available actions depend on your role and permissions.

Browse Files perspective

Item	Name	Function
1	Browse Files perspective	Indicates the Browse Files perspective. Shows the location of your files and the actions you can perform. Your files can be local, in the repository, or available through a virtual connection to a file system.
2	Folders pane	Shows folders you can browse. You can also create or delete folders. Sources include: Repository. Contains your Home folder. Shows Public when enabled. VFS Connections. Virtual folder locations, based on root path and permissions. Supported locations include Amazon S3/Minio/HCP, Azure Data Lake Gen 1, Azure Data Lake Gen 2/Blob, Google Cloud Storage, HCP REST, Local, and SMB/UNC Provider. After you select a folder, the Actions pane lists available folder operations. When you select Trash, the UI shows the Trash Contents pane.
3	Files pane	Shows files in the selected folder. After you select a file, the Actions pane lists available file operations. VFS Connections can show generated output files. Visible file types can include HTML, PDF, Excel, CSV, RTF, and text. Note: Contact your administrator to enable additional file types.
4	Actions pane	Shows actions based on your selection. Folder Actions can include: create, delete, and rename folders; paste files; upload and download; and view Properties including permissions. Note: No actions are available for folders in VFS Connections. File Actions can include: open, open in new window, edit, delete, cut, copy, paste, share, add to favorites, view properties, and scheduling-related actions. See also: Run files in background Schedule reports Actions for Trash can include: empty trash, restore, and permanently delete.

Run files in background

You can run reports in the background using Run in background.

Supported types include Report Designer (.prpt), Analyzer (.xanalyzer), and Interactive Reports (.prpti).

You must be connected to a Pentaho Repository.

1. Log in to the User Console.

2. Click Browse Files.

3. In the Folders pane, select the folder.

4. In the Files pane, select the file.

5. In the File Actions pane, click Run in background.

6. In Run in Background, set values for:

   • Generated Content Name

   • Append timestamp to generated content

   • Generated Content Location

   • Overwrite existing files with same name and timestamp

7. Click Next.

8. Set any required report parameters, then click Finish.

The file runs and saves output to the selected location.

Schedules perspective

The Schedules perspective lists active schedules.

It also shows blockout times, if configured.

Schedules perspective

On this perspective, the User Console shows a list of schedules you create, a toolbar, and blockout times.

Item	Description	Function
1	Schedules	Indicates the Schedules perspective.
2	Manage Schedules toolbar	Icons to edit and maintain schedules.
3	Manage Schedules table	A list of your scheduled reports.
4	Blockout Times	Times when schedules cannot run. See Prevent scheduling by setting blockout times.

Manage Schedules toolbar

Icon	Name	Function
	Refresh	Refreshes the list of schedules.
	Start Scheduled Task	Starts scheduled transformations or jobs.
	Stop Scheduled Task	Stops a running schedule.
	Execute Now	Runs a schedule immediately.
	Pause Scheduler	Pauses a schedule. Use Start Scheduler to resume.
	Start Scheduler	Resumes a paused schedule.
	Filter Schedules	Filters schedules by time range and criteria.
	Remove Filters	Clears filtering.
	Edit Scheduled Task	Edits an existing schedule.
	Remove	Deletes a schedule. Running schedules continue but do not run again.

Manage Schedules table

Column	Description
Schedule Name	The schedule name. Sort ascending or descending.
Repeats	The recurrence pattern. Time and time zone depend on product version and configuration.
Type	The file type.
Source File	The source file name.
Output Location	Where generated content is saved.
Parameters	Parameters and variables. Click the number to view details.
Last Run	The last run time. In 10.2.0.2 and later, this uses the server time zone.
Next Run	The next run time. In 10.2.0.2 and later, this uses the server time zone.
Owner	The schedule owner.
Status	The schedule state: Normal or Paused.

Schedule reports

You can schedule a report to run at regular intervals.

You can also email scheduled output, if an administrator configured email.

Administrators can also configure blockout times for maintenance windows.

Schedule a report

You can schedule reports to run during off-peak hours or on a recurring basis.

1. Log in to the User Console.

2. Click Browse Files.

3. In the Folders pane, open the folder that contains the report.

4. In the Files pane, select the report.

5. In the File Actions pane, click Schedule.

   The New Schedule dialog box opens.

   

   New Schedule dialog box
6. Set values on the first panel:

Field	Description
Schedule Name	The schedule name. It also becomes the generated content name. If blank, the report name is used.
Append timestamp to generated content	Adds a timestamp. Use Preview to validate the naming format.
Generated Content Location	Where the output is saved. You can select repository folders or configured VFS connections.
Overwrite existing files with the same name and timestamp	Overwrites matching generated output.
Owner	The schedule owner. Click Change to select a user.

1. Click Next.

2. Configure recurrence on the second panel:

Section	Description
Recurrence	Choose how often the report runs. Use Cron for a custom interval.
Start Time	The time when the report runs.
Ignore daylight saving adjustment (Use 24 hour interval)	Runs in 24-hour increments. Useful for consistent intervals across DST changes.
Recurrence pattern	Values vary by recurrence type (daily, weekly, monthly, cron).
Range of recurrence	Start and end dates for the schedule.
Cron String (Cron)	Quartz cron syntax. See Quartz cron attributes.
Details	Logging and performance options.
View Blockout Times	Lists server blockout times. See Prevent scheduling by setting blockout times.

1. Click Next.

2. If prompted, set report parameters such as output type:

   • HTML

   • PDF

   • Excel

   • Comma Separated Value

   • Rich Text-Format

   • Text

3. Click Next.

4. If email is configured, choose whether to email output:

   • Select No to skip email.

   • Select Yes to email output.

5. If you selected Yes, add recipients in To or click Select to choose email addresses and groups.

To make attachment names unique, enable Append timestamp to generated content.

1. Click Finish.

The schedule appears in the Schedules list.

Quartz cron attributes

Quartz cron expressions use seven attributes:

seconds minutes hours day-of-month month day-of-week year

Each attribute is separated by a space.

Value ranges:

• Seconds and minutes: 0-59

• Hours: 0-23

• Day of month: 1-31

• Month: 1-12

• Day of week: 1-7 or SUN ... SAT

• Year: four digits

Common operators:

• * all values

• - range

• , list

• ? no specific value (day-of-month or day-of-week)

• / step values (for example, 0/15)

• L last (day-of-month or day-of-week)

• W weekday (day-of-month)

• # nth weekday in a month (for example, 6#2 is the second Friday)

Attribute	Conditionals and operators
Seconds	, - * /
Minutes	, - * /
Hours	, - * /
Day of month	, - * ? / L W
Month	, - * /
Day of week	, - * ? / L #
Year	, - * /

Example: run at 10:15 AM on the last Friday of every month:

0 15 10 ? * 6L *

Edit a schedule

You can edit a schedule to change recurrence, parameters, and email options.

1. Log in to the User Console.

2. Open Home and select Schedules.

3. Select the schedule in the list.

4. Click Edit Scheduled Task.

5. Update values as needed, then click Next through the wizard.

6. Update report parameters and email options, if applicable.

7. Click Finish.

Delete a schedule

Deleting a schedule stops future runs.

The source report remains in the repository.

1. Open Home and select Schedules.

2. Select the schedule in the list.

3. Click Remove in the toolbar.

Relative date scheduling

Relative dates let a scheduled report compute over a moving date range.

The schedule uses parameter values that change relative to the run date.

Before you can use it, enable relative date scheduling.

Enable relative date scheduling

1. Open server/pentaho-server/tomcat/webapps/pentaho/WEB-INF/classes/classic-engine.properties.

2. Add these parameters:

Parameter	Description
org.pentaho.reporting.engine.classic.core.scheduler.startDateRangeParamName	Report parameter for the start of the date range.
org.pentaho.reporting.engine.classic.core.scheduler.endDateRangeParamName	Report parameter for the end of the date range.
org.pentaho.reporting.engine.classic.core.scheduler.fiscalYearStart	First day of the fiscal year. Default is January 1.

1. Save the file.

2. Restart Pentaho Server.

Use relative date scheduling

For reports with startDate and endDate parameters, the scheduling wizard shows:

• Use Specific Date

• Use Relative Date

Use Specific Date keeps the same start and end values for every run.

Use Relative Date replaces Start Date and End Date with timeframe options.

New Schedule Use specific date dialog box

New Schedule Use relative date

Timeframe parameters:

Parameter	Description
This	From the start of the current unit to today.
Units	The time unit to use.
Last	The most recent fully completed period, in the selected unit.
Value	The number of units. This appears when Last is selected.

Examples

Assume the current date is February 1, 2022.

Assume the fiscal year starts on January 1.

Data for February 1, 2022 (the last complete day):

Option	Value
Timeframe	Last
Value	1
Units	Day

Data for January 19 – February 1, 2022 (the last 2 complete calendar weeks):

Option	Value
Timeframe	Last
Value	2
Units	Week

Data for February 1, 2022 (the current day):

Option	Value
Timeframe	This
Value	(not applicable)
Units	Day

Data for January 31 – February 1, 2022 (the current week to date):

Option	Value
Timeframe	This
Value	(not applicable)
Units	Week

Manage schedules (administrators)

Administrators can create, run, delete, stop, edit, and resume schedules.

Administrators can also prevent scheduling and configure blockout times.

Email delivery requires email server configuration.

Prevent scheduling of a single report or file

New reports can be scheduled by default.

You can disable scheduling for specific files.

1. From Home, click Browse Files.

2. Select the report file.

3. Click Properties in the actions pane.

4. On General, clear Allow Scheduling.

5. Click OK.

Prevent scheduling by setting blockout times

Blockout times stop schedules from running during specific periods.

Use them for maintenance windows and peak-time protection.

1. From Home, click Schedules.

2. Click Create Blockout Time.

3. Set Recurrence, Start Time, and Duration or End Time.

4. Click OK.

New Schedule Blockout Time dialog box

Schedule deletion of generated files

You can delete older generated files to free repository space.

1. From Administration, click Settings.

2. To delete now, set the age and click Delete Now.

3. To schedule deletion, click Schedule Deletion and set:

   • Age in days

   • Recurrence

   • Start Time

   • Recurrence Pattern

   • Start Date and End Date

4. Click OK.

Settings for Deleting Generated Files

Set up emails for scheduled reports

You can email scheduled output, but you do not need to configure email immediately.

If you skip it, you can configure it later.

See:

• Set up the Mail Server page

• Create an email group

• Import emails from data sources

Change schedule owner

You can change schedule ownership when the original owner is inactive.

Prerequisites:

• You have administrator privileges.

• The report file allows scheduling.

• The new owner has schedule permissions.

• The new owner has write access to the destination folder.

• The new owner has read access to the source file.

1. From Home, select Schedules.

2. Select the schedule.

3. Click Edit Scheduled Task.

4. Next to Owner, click Change.

5. Select New owner, then click OK.

6. Click Next, then Finish.

Edit schedule wizard

Set up a VFS location for schedule outputs

VFS Connections let you store generated output in supported storage providers.

You must be an administrator to create, edit, or delete VFS connections.

Supported locations include:

• Amazon S3/Minio/HCP

• Azure Data Lake Gen 1

• Azure Data Lake Gen 2 / Blob

• Google Cloud Storage

• HCP REST

• Local

• SMB/UNC Provider

To use a local filesystem output folder, see Set up a Local VFS location for schedule outputs.

1. Click Home > Administration.

2. Click VFS Connections, then click +.

   

   New VFS Connection dialog box
3. Enter Connection Name and optional Description.

4. Select Connection Type.

5. In Access Roles, select one or more roles.

6. Click Next.

7. Enter connection details for the selected type.

8. Click Test.

9. Click Next.

10. Set Root Folder Path.

11. Click Test, then click Next.

12. Review the summary.

13. Click Finish to create the connection.

To edit, select a connection and click Edit Connection.

To delete, select a connection and click Delete Connection.

Set up a Local VFS location for schedule outputs

Local VFS uses the server’s local filesystem for generated output.

You must know the full path.

There is no browse picker for local VFS paths.

1. Click Home > Administration.

2. Click VFS Connections, then click +.

3. Set Connection Name and optional Description.

4. Set Connection Type to Local.

5. In Access Roles, select roles.

6. Click Next.

7. Enter Root Folder Path.

8. Click Test.

9. Click Next.

10. Review the summary, then click Finish.

Administration perspective

Administration is available to users with admin permissions.

Use it for security, configuration, maintenance, and licensing.

If you do not have admin permissions, Administration is not available in the perspective drop-down.

Item	Control name	Function
1	Administration	Indicates the Administration perspective.
2	Users & Roles	User and role management. See Manage users and roles.
3	Authentication	Sets the authentication method. See Set the authentication method.
4	Mail Server	Email server configuration. See Set up the Mail Server page.
5	Licenses	License management. See the Administer Pentaho Data Integration and Analytics documentation.
6	VFS Connections	VFS configuration. See Set up a VFS location for schedule outputs.
7	Settings	Generated output cleanup. See Schedule deletion of generated files.
8	Email Groups	Email group management. See Create an email group.

Manage users and roles

You can manage users and roles in Users & Roles.

You must be an administrator or have Administer Security.

You can also refine access through folder and file permissions in Browse Files.

View sample users, default roles, and permissions

Sample users and roles can help you model your own setup.

1. Log in to the Pentaho User Console.

2. Click Home > Administration.

3. On Manage Users, select a user.

Sample users:

Sample user	Default role	Default operation permissions
admin	Administrator	Administer Security, Schedule Content, Read Content, Execute Schedules, Publish Content, Create Content, Execute, Manage Data Sources
bob	Schedule Power user	Read Content, Execute Schedules
pat	Business Analyst	Publish Content
suzy	Power User	Schedule Content, Read Content, Publish Content, Create Content, Execute
tiffany	Report Author	Schedule Content, Publish Content

Add users

1. Click Manage Users.

2. Click +.

3. Enter User Name and Password.

4. Confirm the password, then click OK.

Change user passwords

1. Click Manage Users.

2. Select the user.

3. Click Edit.

4. Enter New Password and Confirm Password.

5. Click OK.

If you cannot change the administrator password, see Cannot change Administrator password in PUC.

Set password requirements

This applies when the server uses local Pentaho security authentication.

See also: Set the authentication method.

1. Open server/pentaho-server/pentaho-solutions/system/security.properties.

2. Set:

   PUC_USER_PASSWORD_LENGTH=0
   PUC_USER_PASSWORD_REQUIRE_SPECIAL_CHARACTER=false

3. Update values to your requirements.

4. Save the file.

5. Restart Pentaho Server.

Delete users

1. Click Manage Users.

2. Select one or more users.

3. Click X.

4. In the confirmation dialog, click Yes, Delete.

Assign users to roles

1. Click Manage Users.

2. Select a user.

3. Select a role in Available.

4. Click > to move the role to Selected.

Add roles

1. Click Manage Roles.

2. Click +.

3. Enter the role Name, then click OK.

Assign permissions to roles

1. Click Manage Roles.

2. Select a role.

3. Select check boxes in Operation Permissions.

Assign roles to users

1. Click Manage Roles.

2. Select a role.

3. Select users in Available.

4. Click > to move users to Selected.

Delete roles

1. Click Manage Roles.

2. Select one or more roles.

3. Click X.

4. Confirm deletion.

The default role for all users is Authenticated.

Set the authentication method

Authentication controls where users and credentials are managed.

1. Log in to the Pentaho User Console.

2. Click Home > Administration > Authentication.

3. Select an authentication method:

   • Local. Pentaho authentication.

   • External. LDAP or Active Directory.

See the Administer Pentaho Data Integration and Analytics documentation for more details.

Set up the Mail Server page

Use Mail Server to configure email delivery for scheduled output.

1. From Home, click Administration.

2. Click Mail Server.

   

   Mail Server page in PUC
3. Enter email server settings:

Setting	Description
Connection Protocol	SMTP, SMTPS, or Microsoft Graph API. Use Graph API for Exchange servers requiring OAuth.
Host Name (SMTP)	SMTP server host. Not used for Graph API.
Port	SMTP port. Common values: 25, 587. Not used for Graph API.
Authentication Type	OAuth 2.0, Basic, or No Auth.
User Name	Username for the mail account.
Password	Password. Only used with Basic.
Client ID	OAuth client ID.
Client Secret	OAuth client secret.
Scope	OAuth scope. For Graph API and others, see Microsoft and provider documentation.
Grant Type	Client Credentials, Authorization Code, or Refresh Token.
Token URL	OAuth token endpoint.
Refresh Token	Used for Refresh Token grant type.
Authorization Code	One-time code for Authorization Code flow.
Redirect URI	Redirect URI for Authorization Code flow.
Email "From" Name	Display name for the sender. Default is Pentaho Scheduler.
Email "From" Address	Sender address. Default is Pentaho Scheduler.
Use Start TLS	Enables StartTLS. Not used for Graph API.
Use SSL	Enables SSL. Not used for Graph API.

1. Click Test Email Configuration, then click Save.

Create an email group

Email groups make it easier to select recipients during scheduling.

1. From Home, click Administration.

2. Click Email Groups.

   

   Email Groups page
3. On Manage Groups, click +.

4. Enter the group Name, then click OK.

5. Select the group.

6. Add emails using > (one) or >> (all).

Large email groups can take time to load.

Import emails from data sources

You can import email addresses from external sources.

This is configured through the scheduling plugin’s settings.xml.

Import emails from JDBC

Prerequisites:

• Administrator privileges.

• A JDBC driver in /jdbc-distribution/lib when not using Postgres.

1. Open /pentaho-server/pentaho-solutions/system/scheduler-plugin/settings.xml.

2. Set email-source to jdbc.

3. Update applicationContext-email-import.properties with JDBC settings and a query.

Import emails from LDAP

1. Open /pentaho-server/pentaho-solutions/system/scheduler-plugin/settings.xml.

2. Set email-source to ldap.

3. Update applicationContext-email-import.properties with LDAP settings and a query.

Import emails from a custom source

You can implement a custom import source (for example, CSV).

This requires extending the scheduler plugin’s email import framework.

Additional Features

Use these additional features in PUC (Classic Design).

Themes

The User Console includes three themes: Crystal, Ruby, and Sapphire.Ruby is the default theme.To change the theme:Save any in-progress edits before you change the theme.

1. Select View in the upper-left menu bar.

2. Select Themes.

3. Select a theme.

4. When prompted, select Yes, Change Theme.

The Home page refreshes with your selected theme.This example shows the Crystal theme:Crystal theme

Plugins

Plugins can extend PUC with extra capabilities.To install, update, or uninstall plugins, use Plugin Manager.Plugin Manager is available in the Modern Design interface.

Data source tools

Data Source Wizard

The Data Source Wizard helps you define a data source. It guides you through creating your first relational or multidimensional models for reporting and analysis. See Data Source Wizard.

Data Source Model Editor

The Data Source Model Editor lets you change relational and multidimensional models.This can make your data more accessible.See Data Source Model Editor.