) in the Format column. When a user attempts to view a secure PDF report from the report history list or when a user downloads the report and attempts to view it, the user is prompted to enter the report password.Note: This feature is only available in subscriptions with Report Share enabled. See About Report Share for more information.
With the Secure PDF Distribution feature enabled, Managers and Unit Managers have the option to generate encrypted PDF reports, and securely distribute them to users via an email distribution list. Encrypted PDF reports may be distributed to users inside the subscription and outside of the subscription. Provide a password to encrypt the report during report generation, and create a distribution list of email addresses. Email recipients will receive a link to download the report. Note that the email recipients must be given the report password by the report owner in order to view and download the report. If the report is deleted from Report Share, then the email link can no longer be used to access the report.
Enable Secure PDF Distribution
Encrypt and Distribute PDF Reports
Managers can enable the Secure PDF Distribution feature for the subscription. To do so, go to Setup > Report Share and select the Enable Secure PDF Distribution option. When enabled, Managers and Unit Managers have the option to encrypt PDF reports at run time and distribute them to users via email.
When you run a PDF report, and the Secure PDF Distribution feature is enabled, then you have the option to encrypt the report and distribute it to an email distribution list. This option is available for all report types that may be generated in PDF format.
During report generation, select Portable Document Format (PDF) from the Report Format menu. Then click the Add Secure Distribution link. Note that this link only appears when the Secure PDF Distribution feature is enabled for the subscription. Additional options appear on the page for providing a report password for encryption and adding a list of recipients.
Enter a password in the Password field and then confirm the password in the Confirm field. The password must be communicated by the report owner to the email recipients in order for them to view and download the report. When a user attempts to view or download the report from Report Share or from the email link, the user will be prompted to enter the report password.
Managers have the ability to set certain password security options for the subscription. Password security options are set on the Security Setup page (Setup > Security). When Managers enable the option to allow user defined passwords, then they may also set password security guidelines. Those guidelines apply to both user account passwords and report passwords. Managers can enforce a minimum password length and specify whether users are required to enter both alpha and numeric characters when defining passwords. To learn more about password security options, see Setting Password Security Options.
When Managers do not allow user defined passwords, then the service enforces certain report password guidelines as described below:
• The password must have a minimum of 8 characters.
• The password must contain both alpha and numeric characters.
• The password cannot be the same as the user login password.
Click the Add Group link to select and create distribution groups. Each group may include one or more email addresses. Email recipients will receive a link to view the report as soon as it is finished. When you create a new distribution group, provide a title for the group and add email addresses for users in the group. Then add the group to the distribution list for the report. The total number of email recipients for the distribution list may not exceed 50. For more information, see Managing Distribution Groups.
If you do not add a distribution list, the report is not distributed to any users via email. The report is saved to the report history list where it is automatically available to the user who created the report and all other users with role-based access privileges.
Note: Adobe Acrobat 7 or greater is required to view secure PDF reports.
Users who are distributed the report via the email distribution list can access the report using the link in the email that was sent to them. When the email link is selected, the user is prompted to enter the report password to view the report.
Secure PDF reports appear in the report history list with a gold lock () in the Format column. When a user attempts to view a secure PDF report from the report history list or when a user downloads the report and attempts to view it, the user is prompted to enter the report password.
The report appears automatically on the report history list for the user who created the report and all other users with role-based access privileges. Note that these are the same access privileges as other report types. If the report was created by a Manager, then the report appears in the report history list for that Manager plus other Managers in the subscription. If the report was created by a Unit Manager, then the report appears for that Unit Manager, other Unit Managers in the same business unit, and all Managers in the subscription. Managers and Unit Managers have the ability to grant other users access to reports outside of the normal access privileges. For example, to allow Scanners and Readers to view a secure PDF report from their report history list, you must grant those users access to the report. To learn more, see Grant Report Access Privileges.
When a report is expired or deleted from the report history list, then it is no longer available to users. When a user attempts to access an expired or deleted report from the email link, a message will appear informing the user that the report is no longer available.