REPORTER Guide

Learn how to use REPORTER to generate professional Word document reports with emissions data, charts, and analysis via an external API.

What is REPORTER?

REPORTER is a tool that generates downloadable Word (.docx) reports via an external Reporter API, containing:

  • Emissions data for selected geographic areas
  • Professional charts and graphs (bar and donut charts)
  • Formatted text and analysis
  • Ready-to-use documents for presentations and documentation

This is useful for:

  • Creating press releases with emissions data
  • Generating reports for planning documents
  • Preparing materials for public meetings
  • Documenting analysis results

Accessing REPORTER

  1. Click "REPORTER" in the sidebar (REPORT section)
  2. Or click "REPORTER" from the Welcome page under "Share & Report"
  3. The REPORTER page will load

Understanding the Interface

The Reporter has a sidebar layout:

  • Left Sidebar: Selection controls (table, year, pollutant)
  • Main Area: Report configuration and preview

Step-by-Step: Generating a Report

Step 1: Select Geographic Area

  1. In the "SEARCH" dropdown (left sidebar), select a table:
    • Granddata tables: Public data (e.g., "granddata.d36109")
    • Orderdata tables: Your custom order data (e.g., "orderdata.d36109_u8_o1")
  2. The table name includes the FIPS code for the county

Step 2: Select Year

  1. In the "YEAR" dropdown, select the year for your report
  2. Available years depend on the selected table

Step 3: Select Pollutant

  1. In the "POLLUTANT" dropdown, select the pollutant:
    • CO2e: Carbon dioxide equivalent
    • CO: Carbon monoxide
    • NOx: Nitrogen oxides
    • And others

Step 4: Choose Report Type

  1. In the main area, find "Report Type"
  2. Currently, "Press Release" is the available option
  3. Select your desired report type

Step 5: Select Graph Type

  1. Find "Graph Type" in the main area
  2. Choose between:
    • Bar: Bar chart visualization
    • Donut: Donut/pie chart visualization
  3. A preview image will update to show the graph style

Step 6: Choose Aggregation Level

  1. Find "Aggregation" in the main area
  2. Select how you want data grouped:
    • By Vehicle Type: Groups by source type (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, etc.)
    • By Fuel Type: Groups by fuel (gasoline, diesel, CNG, electric, etc.)
    • By Road Type: Groups by road classification (rural/urban, restricted/unrestricted)
    • By Regulatory Class: Groups by regulatory class (light duty, medium/heavy duty, etc.)

Step 7: Preview Your Report

  1. A preview image shows the graph style you selected
  2. The image updates when you change graph type
  3. This gives you an idea of what the report will look like

Step 8: Download Report

  1. Click the "DOWNLOAD" button
  2. A loading modal will appear: "Downloading... Will take a moment..."
  3. The system generates your report via the external Reporter API
  4. After a few seconds, the report will download as report.docx
  5. The modal will close automatically

Note: Report generation uses an external API service. If the API is unavailable, you may see an error message. Contact support if you experience issues.

Understanding Report Types

Press Release

The Press Release report type generates:

  • Formatted Word document with emissions data
  • Charts showing emissions breakdowns
  • Text suitable for public release
  • Professional formatting

This is useful for:

  • Public announcements
  • Media releases
  • Public meeting materials
  • Documentation for stakeholders

Understanding Graph Types

Bar Chart

  • Visualization: Vertical or horizontal bars
  • Best for: Comparing categories side-by-side
  • Example: Comparing emissions by vehicle type

Donut Chart

  • Visualization: Circular chart with center hole
  • Best for: Showing proportions and percentages
  • Example: Showing distribution of emissions by fuel type

Understanding Aggregation Levels

By Vehicle Type

Groups emissions by:

  • Motorcycles
  • Passenger Cars
  • Light Trucks
  • Medium/Heavy Duty Trucks
  • Buses
  • And other vehicle types

Use when: You want to see which vehicle types contribute most to emissions.

By Fuel Type

Groups emissions by:

  • Gasoline
  • Diesel
  • Electric
  • CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)
  • Ethanol
  • And other fuels

Use when: You want to see the impact of different fuel types.

By Road Type

Groups emissions by:

  • Off-Network
  • Rural Restricted Access
  • Rural Unrestricted Access
  • Urban Restricted Access
  • Urban Unrestricted Access

Use when: You want to see where emissions occur geographically (rural vs. urban).

By Regulatory Class

Groups emissions by:

  • Motorcycles
  • Light Duty Vehicles
  • Medium Duty Vehicles
  • Heavy Duty Vehicles
  • Buses

Use when: You want regulatory/classification-based analysis.

Tips for Using the Reporter

  1. Preview First: Check the preview image to ensure the graph type looks good
  2. Choose Appropriate Aggregation: Select the aggregation level that best shows what you want to highlight
  3. Try Different Options: Generate multiple reports with different settings to see what works best
  4. Use Public Data: Granddata tables work well for public-facing reports
  5. Customize After Download: You can edit the Word document after downloading to add your own text

Common Tasks

Task 1: Generate Press Release

  1. Select a granddata table (public data)
  2. Select current or recent year
  3. Select CO2e (most common for press releases)
  4. Choose Press Release report type
  5. Select Donut chart (visually appealing)
  6. Choose By Fuel Type aggregation
  7. Download and review

Task 2: Create Analysis Report

  1. Select your orderdata table (your custom data)
  2. Select the year you modeled
  3. Select the pollutant of interest
  4. Choose Press Release report type
  5. Select Bar chart (good for comparisons)
  6. Choose By Vehicle Type aggregation
  7. Download and customize

Task 3: Compare Scenarios

  1. Generate report for baseline scenario
  2. Generate report for alternative scenario
  3. Compare the two reports side-by-side
  4. Use in presentations or documentation

Understanding the Report Content

What's Included

The generated report typically includes:

  • Title/Header: Report identification
  • Introduction: Context about the data
  • Data Summary: Key statistics
  • Chart/Graph: Visual representation based on your selections
  • Analysis: Text describing the findings
  • Conclusion: Summary and implications

Report Format

  • File Format: Microsoft Word (.docx)
  • Compatibility: Opens in Word, Google Docs, and other word processors
  • Editable: You can edit the document after downloading
  • Professional: Formatted for presentations and publication

Troubleshooting

Download Not Starting

If the report doesn't download:

  1. Check your browser's download settings
  2. Ensure pop-up blockers aren't preventing the download
  3. Wait a bit longer (generation can take 10-30 seconds)
  4. Try again if it times out

Report Generation Error

If you see an error:

  1. Verify your table selection has data for the selected year
  2. Check that the year is available for that table
  3. Try a different year or table
  4. Contact support if problem persists

Report Content Issues

If the report doesn't look right:

  1. Try a different graph type
  2. Try a different aggregation level
  3. Verify your table/year/pollutant selections
  4. Generate again with different settings

Tutorial Feature

The Reporter includes an interactive tutorial:

  1. Click "Start Tutorial" button (if available)
  2. Follow the step-by-step guide
  3. Learn about each feature as you go
  4. Complete the tutorial to understand all options

Next Steps

After generating a report:

  1. Review the Report: Open the downloaded .docx file
  2. Customize: Edit the document to add your own text or analysis
  3. Use in Presentations: Include charts and data in your presentations
  4. Share: Distribute the report to stakeholders or the public

Ready to explore your data first? See Visualizer Guide to view interactive charts before generating reports.