Restricted database for reporting only

[sal88]

Hi all

Users are more frequently than ever requesting that custom reports be made. Up till now this has involved me creating layouts and scripts that can produce the data/reports in the form they want.

I'm wondering if now it might be possible to let them take control of reporting in a way that is separate from the current database (which is heavy on GUI and disabling of features for ordinary users).

I'm thinking of creating a totally new database which users would be able to completely edit from a design perspective, which would point to the main database as an external data source. However I would like it so that they would NOT be able to edit/create/delete those external records.

I've had a play with it and can't seem to get it to work (we're using external authentication via windows server active directory).

Is such a thing possible?
Many thanks

Edited September 25, 2017 by sal88

[Fitch]

Yes it's possible. But access privileges are defined in the file that holds the data.

[sal88]

Would they be able to have full access to data in the host file but limited in the reports file? To clarify:

Main database - users have full access to data (restricted only by layout features) but cannot edit scripts/layouts/database

Reports database - full access to design privileges, and access to data in main database but on a read only basis

I've tried to define the privileges in the host file but it doesn't appear to work, i'm guessing there's a conflict in defining privileges in the host file for files that reference it but NOT for users that are accessing the host file directly (in the usual manner).

Using external authentication might be complicating things also, perhaps when I am linking to the host file from the reports file it doesn't ask for authentication? Is native filemaker authentication better for this type of thing?

Thanks

[Fitch]

Would they be able to have full access to data in the host file but limited in the reports file?

No. You need to limit access in the main file.

i'm guessing there's a conflict in defining privileges in the host file for files that reference it ...

I wouldn't call it a conflict. It just doesn't work that way. Probably for good reason.

Using external authentication might be complicating things also, perhaps when I am linking to the host file from the reports file it doesn't ask for authentication? Is native filemaker authentication better for this type of thing?

Either way, the file has to authenticate, and your control of that process is limited. What needs to happen is that when the user opens the Reports file with design privileges, a script runs in the Main file that does a re-login with read-only privileges. Conversely, when a user logs into the Main file normally, the Reports file should re-login with restricted layout privileges. Or something like that.

Another possible alternative that might be less headache is to import data to the Reports file. It's not unusual to separate data entry concerns from reporting (see: data warehousing).

[sal88]

Thanks Fitch, I'll give it a go. Loving the importing option though so might just go for that!

[LaRetta]

Another thing to consider is that you can create duplicate privilege sets (in your primary file) - the second set with certain rights turned off and then require your Users to log in again using these 'report' privilege sets.