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History: Trackers

Source of version: 100

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            ! {icon name="database"} Trackers
!! What are Trackers?
{DIV(class="row")}{DIV(class="col-sm-9 lead")}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 [http://wikis.wikia.com/wiki/Structured_wiki|Structured Wiki]. 

Think of Tiki Trackers as a web-based Free / Libre / Open Source software version of Microsoft Access or FileMaker Pro. See also: https://tikitrackers.org {DIV}{DIV(class="col-sm-3")}{img type="fileId" fileId="1425" link="display1425" rel="box[g]" imalign="center" desc="Click to expand" align="center" styleimage="border"}{DIV}{DIV}

__Trackers can:__
* be used to collect additional data from users upon ((User Tracker|registration)).
* be used like a customizable ((articles)) feature with admin definable forms
* assist workflows by tracking tasks.
* act as expanded ((polls)), ((Surveys|surveys)) or ((quiz))zes
* 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 . . .__
* ((Creating a Tracker))
* ((Adding Fields to a Tracker))
* ((Adding Items to a Tracker))

!! 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 [http://dev.tiki.org/DevTrackerStructure|tracker definition used for dev.tiki.org]

!! Related links
* ((Export trackers))
* ((User Tracker))
* ((Tracker Inline edit))
* ((Tracker Synchronization))
* ((Tracker Events))
* ((Tracker Tabular))
* 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))
# ((PluginTracker 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
* (alias(Tracker))
* (alias(Form))
* (alias(Forms))
* (alias(Form Generator))
* (alias(Questionnaire))
* (alias(Questionnaires))
* (alias(Database))
* (alias(Database creator))
* (alias(Base))
* (alias(CRUD)) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Create,_read,_update_and_delete|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.

!! See also
http://tikitrackers.org/
        

History

Advanced
Information Version
Marc Laporte 104
Marc Laporte 103
Bernard Sfez / Tiki Specialist Updating information hiding out-of-date link 102
Torsten Fabricius 101
Marc Laporte 100
Marc Laporte 99
luciash d' being 🧙 98
Marc Laporte 97
Gary Cunningham-Lee Fixed typo. 96
Gary Cunningham-Lee Added icon to h1 page title. 95
Gary Cunningham-Lee 94
Gary Cunningham-Lee Put top paragraph in div.lead. 93
Marc Laporte Wikipedia is no longer explaining this important concept 92
Xavier de Pedro added info of the new profiles 91
Xavier de Pedro 90
WizarDave 89
WizarDave added description 88
Marc Laporte 87
Xavier de Pedro 86
Xavier de Pedro 85
Tikij Removed dead link 84
Xavier de Pedro 83
Marc Laporte Comparing to products a lot of people know 82
robertplummer 81
lindon 80
lindon 79
lindon 78
lindon 77
Marc Laporte 76
Marc Laporte 75
Marc Laporte 74
Marc Laporte 73
Marc Laporte 72
Merbster Added a note regarding misconfigred SMTP server resulting in timeout when saving a tracker under certain conditions. 71
Marc Laporte 70
Marc Laporte Because of change in structure, this toc section is empty 69
Marc Laporte 68
mlpvolt reword pretty tracker part of "trackers can . . ." 67
Marc Laporte cosmetic 66
campbe13 65
Marc Laporte This is unnecessary FUD. I have huge trackers on my server and I have never seen an issue. In recent tracker optimizations, most of the issues were caused by poorly configured servers. 64
Marc Laporte 63
Rick Sapir / Tiki for Smarties Plugin modified by editor. 62
Marc Laporte 61
Marc Laporte 60
Marc Laporte 59
Marc Laporte 58
Marc Laporte let's be glass half-full 57
Xavier de Pedro 56
Marc Laporte 55