History: Trackers
Preview of version: 91
Trackers (Overview)
What are Trackers?
Using Trackers, you can create forms for collecting data and make reports from that data. Trackers can combine structured information collected from users; the feature is a powerful, flexible tool. Originally, trackers were used to collect and manage bugs. They evolved into an open-ended system where you can track any kind of user input in a customizable form. Each tracker has its own mini database. Trackers operate as a standalone feature, and can be fully integrated within wiki pages. Users with the appropriate permissions can devise trackers to collect any kind of information they want. Combining trackers and the wiki makes Tiki a Structured Wiki.
Think of Tiki Trackers as a web-based version of Microsoft Access or FileMaker Pro.
Trackers can:
- be used to collect additional data from users upon registration.
- be used like a customizable articles feature with admin definable forms
- assist workflows by tracking tasks.
- act as expanded polls, surveys or quizzes
- import and export their settings and data.
- edit tracker items inline from full (or partially filtered) item lists
- Have customized templates to submit and display your information with a Pretty Tracker
Trackers can't yet: (but it improves with each version)
- do extensive calculations - the calculations are limited. For advanced calculations, use the Spreadsheet. Tighter integration between trackers and the spreadsheet is under development.
Four Steps to make a Tracker
-
| Step | Details | Help Page |
| 1. Create the Tracker | Admin names the tracker and assigns overall parameters and permissions | Creating a Tracker |
| 2. Add Fields to the Tracker | Admin defines the columns and type of information collected | Adding fields to a tracker |
| 3. Submit Items to the tracker | Users fill out the forms to create items in the tracker | Adding items to a tracker |
| 4. View or List the results | Use tracker plugins to view a customized tracker output in a page | Viewing Tracker Results |
| 5.Assign Trackers to Groups | optional - trackers can also be used upon registration. | Assigning Trackers to groups |
What can Trackers be used for?
-
Trackers can recreate online any kind of table or spreadsheet, not including the fancy formatting or calculations.
- support tickets
- contact managers
- feature requests
- purchase orders
- bug reports
- feedback reports
- news submissions
- project management
- application forms
Next Page . . .
Example: Department Staff
Demos of Trackers used for production
- Visit http://tiki.org/Trackers to see a list of some Tiki sites (as examples) using them at production level.
- You can import the tracker definition used for dev.tiki.org
Related links
- Export trackers
- User Tracker
- Tracker Inline edit
- Tracker Synchronization
- Tracker Events
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_wiki
Tracker Plugins:
- PluginTracker : Create a form in a wiki page (to populate a tracker)
- PluginTrackerFilter : Display a dynamic report in a wiki page (from the data in a tracker)
- PluginTrackerItemField : This plugin allows you to display or to test the value of a field of a tracker item.
- PluginTrackerList : Display a report in a wiki page (from the data in a tracker)
- PluginTrackerPrefill
- PluginTrackerStat : Display some statistics about a tracker.
- PluginTrackerTimeline: Displays tracker items in a dyanmic timeline widget
- PluginTrackerCalendar: Displays tracker items in a dynamic calendar widget
- PluginPrettyTrackerViews
- Plugin Tracker Advanced
- PluginList and PluginCustomSearch which work with any data in Tiki, including trackers.
- Reports (which also works for trackers)
- PluginTrackerQueryTemplate A new simplified way of building complex tracker templates made easy
- PluginPivotTable
Profiles
Profiles making use of trackers
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Bug_Tracker
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Bug_Tracker_15
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Dynamic_items_list
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Tracker_as_Calendar_12
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Voting_System
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Collaborative_Community_12x
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Time_Sheet
- http://profiles.tiki.org/CartoGraf
- http://profiles.tiki.org/r_rest
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Execute+on+List
- http://profiles.tiki.org/Work_Custom_Pricing
- http://profiles.tiki.org/GeoCMS_Maps
Alias
- Tracker
- Form
- Forms
- Form Generator
- Questionnaire
- Questionnaires
- Database
- Database creator
- Base
- CRUD Create, read, update and delete (CRUD) is done with Trackers.
Note regarding notify_user on tracker fields
If your smtp server is not configured correctly; saving a tracker that contains one or more of these fields, will result in a timout, thus freezing the current session until the server's php execution timeout is reached. This will result in an Error 500 unless PHP is setup to allow remote errors.