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DADAS reporting overview

An introduction to DADAS reporting - web-based viewer, report types, exports and practical advice.

Purpose

This article explains what DADAS reports are, how to use the web-based report viewer, the available report types and export formats, how to schedule automated exports, and the configuration choices that support effective operations and incident analysis.

What are DADAS reports?

DADAS (Data Acquisition and Data Analysis System) reports collect time-stamped measurements, system status, and diagnostics into a single document. They are used for shift summaries, troubleshooting, incident analysis, and providing evidence during acceptance or audits. Reports can cover a single instantaneous snapshot, a short interval (for example 10 or 60 minutes), or an extended window (for example 24 hours).

Web-based reporting and the report viewer

DADAS includes a web-based report viewer where you can preview, edit, print, and export reports. The toolbar provides actions for printing, page navigation, and on-screen editing, letting you review pages before saving or sending the report. The viewer supports multiple export formats so you can choose the best format for your audience. To open the report viewer, navigate to the Reports section of your DADAS web interface and select the report you want to view or generate. Required access: you must be logged in with an account that has at least Viewer permissions; contact your DADAS administrator if the Reports section is not visible.

Common report types

  • Generic site reports — non-regulatory reports that combine weather, motion, sea state and system status as available; used for operations and support.

  • Template reports — predefined layouts for specific needs such as helideck reporting; templates ensure consistent fields and presentation across sites. To use a template, open the report viewer, select New Report, and choose the relevant template from the template library. If the required template is not listed, contact your DADAS administrator to have it installed or configured for your site.

  • Scheduled or automated reports — recurring exports sent by email, FTP/SFTP or other endpoints for daily logs and audit trails.

Export formats and practical guidance

The report viewer supports a range of export formats. Choose the format that best fits the recipient:

  • PDF — best for operator summaries and human reading; use WYSIWYG and embedded fonts for fidelity.

  • CSV — best for engineers and historians; check CSV options such as separator, codepage and the “data only” setting before export. CSV is ideal when you need raw tables for analysis.

  • Excel, HTML or RTF — useful when recipients need editable tables or spreadsheet features.

  • FPX / native format — preserves the full report layout for later re-opening and editing within the DADAS report viewer (the same web-based tool described in the section above). Not suitable for sharing with recipients outside the DADAS environment.

Before exporting, review these key options: - **Page breaks** — control where content splits across pages. - **Embedded fonts** — ensure text renders correctly on systems that lack the original fonts. - **WYSIWYG mode** — matches the exported layout to the on-screen preview. - **Codepage** — sets the character encoding; important for non-ASCII characters in sensor names or operator notes. These settings affect file size, readability, and compatibility with downstream systems. As a starting point, enable WYSIWYG mode and embedded fonts for PDF exports, and confirm the codepage before any CSV export that may contain non-ASCII characters in sensor names or notes.

Scheduling and automated exports

You can schedule reports to run automatically and deliver output by email, FTP, or SFTP. To set up a scheduled report, navigate to the Scheduler section in the DADAS administration interface, define the report type and time interval, and configure a delivery destination. Before enabling scheduled reports:

  • Agree on a clear file naming convention (for example: SITE_REPORTTYPE_YYYYMMDD_HHMM).
  • Define a retention policy so archived files do not accumulate indefinitely.
  • Confirm that the delivery destination (email inbox or FTP/SFTP server) has sufficient storage and the correct access permissions.

Scheduled reports are well suited to daily operations logs, shift summaries, and routine audit evidence.

Time handling and averaging windows

Reports often show both instantaneous samples and reduced values (for example 10-minute means). Always check the report’s time standard (UTC is recommended) and the averaging windows used. Differences between UI values and report values usually come from aggregation or unit differences. For example, the UI may show the latest instantaneous reading while the report displays a 10-minute mean; check both the averaging window and the engineering unit (for example m/s versus knots) for each affected parameter.

What to include for useful support reports

For support and incident analysis include:

  • Start and end timestamps in UTC.

  • A tag list with short descriptions and units.

  • Averaging windows or reduction methods for each field.

  • Sensor status, quality flags and last-update timestamps.

  • Active alarms for the period.

  • A short operator note describing what was observed and any operator actions.

Troubleshooting common report issues

  • Frozen or stale values: check sensor last-update timestamps and communications indicators. If a timestamp has not advanced beyond the expected scan interval, the sensor or its communication link may have failed — restart the data acquisition service or escalate to your site engineer.

  • Different values in UI and report: verify averaging windows and units.

  • Missing sections: the data module for that section may not be licensed or installed at this site, or the report template has not been configured to include it. Contact your DADAS administrator to verify module availability or update the template.

  • Export failures (FTP/SFTP): work through the following checks in order — (1) credentials are correct and have not expired, (2) firewall rules permit outbound connections on the configured port, (3) the destination server has sufficient disk space, and (4) the DADAS server can reach the export host (test with a ping or traceroute).

What support needs from you

When you open a ticket, include:

  • A generic DADAS report covering the incident window (or the scheduled report name and timestamp).

  • The exact UTC range and a short operator note.

  • Any screenshots, alarm IDs and the “last update” times for affected sensors. Good reports help support reconstruct the incident quickly and reduce back-and-forth.

Key recommendations

  • Use UTC timestamps and document averaging windows explicitly.

  • Use PDF for summaries and CSV for engineering analysis.

  • Always include sensor quality flags and last-update times.

  • Attach a brief operator note when contacting support.