Report Agent App Overview
Generate custom workforce reports using AI-powered natural language, a visual step-by-step builder, or reusable templates — across 21 data domains with auto-charts, scheduling, and multi-format export.
What is the Report Agent?
The Report Agent is a unified reporting platform inside MangoApps Workforce that gives managers and admins three ways to create reports: describe what you need in natural language via the AI assistant, build reports visually with the step-by-step builder, or start from a saved template. The agent covers 21 data domains — from headcount and attendance to recruiting, succession planning, and OKRs — and produces formatted tables, auto-selected charts, and exportable data in seconds.
Under the hood, the agent uses semantic search and LLM-powered query parsing to match requests to the right data domain, translate natural language into structured query DSLs, execute the query against live business data, and render rich HTML previews. Reports can be saved for reuse, shared with colleagues, scheduled for automatic delivery, and exported in multiple formats.
Core Value Proposition:
- 🤖 AI + Visual Builder — Two paths to the same report: describe it in English or pick columns and filters visually
- 📊 21 Data Domains — Employee, attendance, shifts, performance, service desk, compensation, leave, training, recruiting, succession, OKRs, and more
- 💾 Saved Report Library — Save, favorite, duplicate, share, and start from templates
- ⏰ Scheduled Delivery — Automate recurring reports via email or webhook on daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly cadences
At a Glance
| 🤖 Two Creation Paths | 📊 21 Data Domains | 💾 Templates & Sharing | 📤 4 Export Formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI chat or visual builder | HR, ops, finance data | Save, share, reuse | CSV, Excel, PDF, JSON |
| ⏰ Scheduled Reports | 🔍 AI-Powered Suggest | 🔗 Ask AI Integration | ⚙️ Granular Admin Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily to quarterly delivery | AI fills builder selections | Generate from sidebar chat | Per-domain and per-format toggles |
Perfect For:
- 👥 Managers — Get quick team analytics: headcount, attendance trends, shift coverage, performance ratings
- 🏢 HR / Admin — Run workforce reports across all domains, configure data access, manage sharing policies, schedule compliance reports
- 📊 Analysts — Build precise reports with the visual builder, save configurations as templates, automate recurring deliveries
How It Works
Two Paths to Every Report
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TWO PATHS TO EVERY REPORT │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ PATH A: AI-Powered PATH B: Visual Builder │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ "Show me │ │ 1. Pick │ │
│ │ headcount │ │ data source │ │
│ │ by dept" │ └──────┬───────┘ │
│ └──────┬───────┘ │ │
│ │ ┌──────┴───────┐ │
│ ┌──────┴───────┐ │ 2. Select │ │
│ │ AI parses │ │ columns & │ │
│ │ & executes │ │ metrics │ │
│ └──────┬───────┘ └──────┬───────┘ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌──────┴───────┐ │
│ │ │ 3. Add │ │
│ │ │ filters │ │
│ │ └──────┬───────┘ │
│ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ SAME RESULT: Query DSL │ │
│ │ columns + metrics + filters + grouping │ │
│ └────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌───────────────┼───────────────┐ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────┐ ┌───────────┐ ┌───────────┐ │
│ │ Preview │ │ Save │ │ Export │ │
│ │ & Chart │ │ & Share │ │ or Sched │ │
│ └─────────┘ └───────────┘ └───────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Ask AI Integration
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ASK AI ↔ REPORT AGENT │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Ask AI │───▶│ Context │───▶│ Reporting Agent │ │
│ │ Sidebar │ │ Router │ │ (Agentic LLM) │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ User asks a Router detects Agent picks the │
│ reporting reporting intent right tool, parses │
│ question and delegates query, executes │
│ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐ │
│ │ HTML │◀───│ Render │◀───│ Query Result │ │
│ │ Preview │ │ Service │ │ (data + chart) │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ Preview shows table, chart, row count, and action buttons: │
│ [Open Full Report] [Save Report] [Export CSV] │
│ │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Features
🛠️ Visual Report Builder
Build reports step-by-step without writing queries. The single-page builder uses collapsible sections that progressively assemble a report configuration.
| Step | Section | What You Do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data Source | Pick from 21 data domains (Employee, Attendance, Shifts, etc.) — columns and metrics load dynamically |
| 2 | Columns & Metrics | Check the data fields to include and the aggregations to compute (headcount, avg tenure, etc.) |
| 3 | Filters | Add filter rows with column + operator (=, >=, <=, contains) + value — dropdowns pre-populated with actual values |
| 4 | Group & Sort | Set grouping column (required for metrics), sort column/direction, and row limit |
| 5 | Report Details | Name, description, chart type, date range, visibility, and save options |
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| AI Suggest | Type a description like “headcount by department” and click AI Suggest — the builder auto-selects the right columns, metrics, and grouping |
| Live Preview | Click Preview to execute the query and see results in a table below the builder before saving |
| Template Picker | Start from a saved template instead of building from scratch — templates appear at the top of the new report page |
| Edit Mode | Opening an existing report in the builder pre-fills all sections from the saved query configuration |
| Tool Switching Warning | Changing data source after selecting columns prompts a confirmation to prevent accidental data loss |
Use Case — Building a Custom Compensation Report:
An HR analyst opens the builder, selects “Compensation” as the data source, checks “Department,” “Change Reason,” and “New Annual Salary” columns plus the “Average Salary” metric, groups by department, and filters for changes in the current quarter. They click Preview to verify the data, then save with the name “Q1 Compensation Changes by Dept.”
Pro Tip: Use AI Suggest to get a quick starting point, then fine-tune with the builder. Type “show me late arrivals by department” — the AI selects the right columns and grouping — then manually add a date filter for the specific period you need.
🤖 Natural Language Report Generation
Describe the data you need in plain English and the AI agent translates your request into a structured query, selects the appropriate data domain, and executes it against live business data.
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Semantic Query Matching | Uses pgvector embeddings and keyword indexing to match queries to the best reporting tool across 21 data domains |
| LLM-Powered Parsing | Translates natural language into structured query DSLs with columns, filters, grouping, metrics, and sorting |
| Natural Date Normalization | Understands phrases like “this quarter,” “last 30 days,” “since January” and converts them to date ranges |
| Conversational Refinement | Follow up with “filter for Engineering” or “group by location instead” to modify the previous report without starting over |
| Error Recovery | Provides user-friendly suggestions when a query can’t be matched or parsed |
Example Queries:
- “Show me headcount by department”
- “Who has the most late arrivals this month?”
- “Compare attendance this month vs last month”
- “Show open shifts by location”
- “List overdue training enrollments”
- “What’s the average compensation change by department?”
Pro Tip: Use conversational follow-ups to refine reports. After getting headcount by department, type “now filter for just Engineering and sort by tenure” — the agent modifies the existing query rather than starting from scratch.
📊 Chart Visualization
The Report Agent automatically suggests and renders chart types based on the data structure. Charts are rendered using Chart.js in both the Ask AI preview and the full report view.
| Chart Type | Best For |
|---|---|
| Bar Chart | Comparing values across categories (headcount by department, hours by team) |
| Line Chart | Trends over time (attendance over weeks, performance scores by quarter) |
| Pie / Doughnut | Proportional breakdowns (department distribution, status composition) |
| Area Chart | Cumulative trends with filled regions |
| Table View | Detailed row-level data with sortable columns |
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto-Suggest | Chart type is inferred from query shape (grouping + metrics = bar, time series = line, proportions = pie) |
| Chart Themes | Three built-in themes: Modern, Classic, Minimal — configurable per business |
| PDF Charts | Native Prawn-drawn charts in PDF exports (true vector graphics) |
| Preview in Ask AI | Compact chart + table preview rendered inline in the Ask AI sidebar |
💾 Saved Reports Library
Save any generated report to your personal library for quick re-runs, sharing, and scheduling.
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Save from Ask AI | One click to save a report generated in the Ask AI sidebar |
| Save from Builder | Build and save in a single flow — the builder form includes all metadata fields |
| Re-Run on Demand | Run any saved report to get fresh data with the same query configuration |
| Favorites | Mark frequently-used reports as favorites for quick access |
| Duplicate | Clone any report (including shared reports) to create a customized copy |
| Templates | Admins can mark reports as templates that appear in the template picker for new reports |
| Search & Filter | Filter reports by ownership (mine, shared, favorites), data domain, or search by name |
Visibility Levels:
| Level | Who Can See |
|---|---|
| Private | Only the report creator |
| Shared | Creator + specific users added by ID |
| Public | All users in the business with report access |
👥 Report Sharing
Share reports with colleagues so they can view and run them without recreating the query configuration.
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Share with Users | Add specific users by searching within the business — shared users get view + run access |
| Unshare | Remove individual users from a shared report’s access list |
| Automatic Visibility | Sharing automatically sets the report visibility to “shared” |
| Auto-Revert | Removing the last shared user automatically reverts visibility to “private” |
| Admin Override | Business admins can access all reports regardless of visibility settings |
📤 Multi-Format Export
Export reports in four formats with configurable business-level controls.
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| CSV | Standard comma-separated values with quoted fields and UTF-8 encoding |
| Excel | CSV with UTF-8 BOM for Excel compatibility, title row, metadata row, and truncation notices for large datasets (100K+ rows) |
| Professional PDF with business branding, summary metrics, native Prawn-drawn charts, and paginated data table | |
| JSON | Structured JSON with column metadata and typed data |
⏰ Scheduled Reports
Automate recurring report generation and delivery on configurable schedules.
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Schedule Types | Daily, weekly (pick day of week), monthly (pick day of month), quarterly |
| Delivery Methods | Email (with attachment), webhook (HTTPS POST with JSON payload), or download-only |
| Export Formats | CSV, Excel, PDF, or JSON — selected per scheduled report |
| Timezone Support | Schedule times honor the user’s configured timezone |
| Link to Saved Reports | Optionally link a scheduled report to an existing saved report |
| Enable / Disable | Toggle scheduled reports on or off without deleting them |
| Run Now | Manually trigger an immediate run of any scheduled report |
| Auto-Disable | Reports are automatically disabled after 5 consecutive failures |
| Failure Notifications | Email notification sent to the report owner when a scheduled run fails |
| Retry with Backoff | Failed jobs retry up to 3 times with exponential backoff |
Use Case — Automated Weekly Headcount Report:
An HR admin creates a saved report for “Headcount by Department” and schedules it for every Monday at 8:00 AM. The report runs automatically, exports as Excel, and is emailed to the HR distribution list. If the report fails three weeks in a row, it auto-disables and notifies the admin.
🔍 21 Data Domains
The Report Agent covers the full spectrum of workforce data across 21 specialized reporting tools, each with domain-specific columns, metrics, filters, and grouping options.
| Category | Domains | Example Queries |
|---|---|---|
| People | Employee, Promotion, Compensation | Headcount by department, tenure distribution, salary changes |
| Time & Attendance | Attendance, Shifts, Leave | Hours worked, overtime, late arrivals, PTO usage, shift coverage |
| Talent | Performance, Competency Assessment, Feedback Cycle, Feedback Response | Rating distributions, competency gaps, 360-feedback completion |
| Learning | Training Enrollment, Onboarding | Course completion, overdue enrollments, new hire progress |
| Recruiting | Recruiting Candidate, Recruiting Job | Pipeline analysis, source effectiveness, time-to-fill |
| Planning | Succession Plan, Succession Candidate, Merit Cycle, Merit Calculation | Bench strength, readiness levels, merit budget allocation |
| Goals | Objective, Key Result | OKR progress, completion rates, at-risk key results |
| Operations | Service Desk | Ticket volumes, SLA compliance, resolution times, CSAT |
Each domain can be independently enabled or disabled per business through the admin settings. When a domain is disabled, its reports are hidden from the library and neither the builder nor the AI agent will use it.
⚙️ Admin Settings
Administrators configure the Report Agent through a dedicated settings page with granular controls.
| Setting Group | Options |
|---|---|
| Data Domains | Enable/disable each of the 21 data domains independently |
| Chart Configuration | Default chart theme (Modern, Classic, Minimal), auto-suggest charts toggle |
| Report Sharing | Enable/disable saved reports, enable/disable report sharing, max saved reports per user (default: 50) |
| Export Options | Toggle CSV, Excel, and PDF export formats independently |
| Performance Limits | Max rows per query (default: 10,000), preview rows in Ask AI, query caching toggle and TTL |
| Analytics & Feedback | Detailed audit log, collect user feedback, show AI reasoning toggles |
Interaction Tracking & Analytics
Every interaction with the Report Agent is tracked for analytics and optimization.
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Reports Run | Count of reports executed this month |
| Saved Reports | Total saved reports in your library |
| Avg Response Time | Average agent response time over the last 30 days |
| Popular Tools | Most-used data domains across the business |
| Success Rate | Percentage of successful report generations |
| Common Queries | Most frequently asked report queries for template suggestions |
The dashboard shows quick report buttons, recent activity, saved reports, shared reports, and usage stats at a glance.
User Roles & Permissions
| Role | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Super Admin / Admin | Full access: all reports, settings, scheduled reports, all domains, share/export controls |
| Manager | Generate reports (AI + builder), save/share/export, create scheduled reports, view team data |
| Member | No access by default. Can be granted via allowed_roles configuration |
Reports enforce strict business scoping — all queries filter by the current business, and cross-business data access is prevented at both the model and controller layers.
How We Compare
See how MangoApps Workforce stacks up against leading enterprise people analytics solutions:
| Feature | MangoApps Workforce | Visier | Workday People Analytics | BambooHR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Language Queries | ✅ | ✅ (Vee AI) | ⚡ Limited | ❌ |
| Visual Report Builder | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| AI Column/Metric Suggestions | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 21+ HR Data Domains | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚡ Limited |
| Scheduled Report Delivery | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 💰 |
| Multi-Format Export (CSV/Excel/PDF/JSON) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚡ CSV only |
| Saved Templates & Sharing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Unified with HRIS Platform | ✅ | ❌ (standalone) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Conversational Report Refinement | ✅ | ✅ (Vee) | ❌ | ❌ |
| Legend: ✅ Included | ❌ Not Available | 💰 Paid Add-on | ⚡ Limited |
Why MangoApps Workforce?
- 🔗 Unified Platform — Reports pull live data from the same system where employees clock in, submit leave, complete training, and get reviewed — no data integration needed
- 💰 No Hidden Costs — All 21 data domains, the visual builder, AI suggestions, and scheduled delivery are included
- 🤖 AI-Native — Natural language and AI suggestions are built into the core experience, not bolted on as add-ons
Getting Started
For Managers
- Go to Apps > Report Agent and click Build Report to open the visual builder
- Select a data source (e.g., Employee), check the columns and metrics you need
- Click Preview to verify the data, then Save Report to add it to your library
- Alternatively, click Create with AI or use the Ask AI sidebar to describe what you need in plain English
For HR / Administrators
- Navigate to Report Agent > Settings to enable/disable data domains and configure export formats
- Use the Build Report button to create standard reports, then mark them as Templates for your team
- Set up Scheduled Reports for recurring compliance or workforce reports (weekly headcount, monthly attendance)
- Share key reports with managers so the entire team uses consistent data definitions
For Quick One-Off Reports
- Open the Ask AI sidebar from any page
- Type your question: “Show me headcount by department” or “Who has the most overtime this month?”
- Review the preview, then Save, Export, or Open Full Report directly from the sidebar
Best Practices
- ✅ Use the builder for precision, AI for speed — The visual builder gives you exact control over columns and filters; AI is faster for common queries
- ✅ Start from templates — If a similar report already exists, duplicate it or start from a template rather than building from scratch
- ✅ Save frequently-used reports — Re-running a saved report is faster than recreating the query each time
- ✅ Use scheduled reports for compliance — Set up weekly or monthly reports for attendance, performance, or staffing and have them delivered automatically
- ✅ Leverage sharing — Share standard reports with your management team so everyone uses the same data definitions
- ✅ Export strategically — Use CSV for data analysis, PDF for stakeholder presentations, JSON for integrations
- ✅ AI Suggest + refine — Use AI Suggest to get a quick starting point in the builder, then manually adjust columns and filters for precision
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the difference between “Build Report” and “Create with AI”?
A: “Build Report” opens the visual builder where you pick columns, metrics, and filters step by step. “Create with AI” opens the Ask AI sidebar where you describe what you need in natural language. Both produce the same report format — choose whichever feels faster for your use case.
Q: Can I turn off data domains my organization doesn’t use?
A: Yes. Go to Report Agent > Settings and toggle each of the 21 data domains on or off. Disabled domains are hidden from the builder, the AI agent, and the reports library.
Q: What happens if a scheduled report fails repeatedly?
A: After 5 consecutive failures, the scheduled report is automatically disabled and the owner receives an email notification. You can fix the issue and re-enable it from the Scheduled Reports page.
Q: Can non-managers access reports?
A: By default, only managers and above can access the Report Agent. Admins can configure allowed_roles in settings to grant access to additional roles.
Related Resources
- Ask AI — The AI assistant that powers conversational report generation
- Workforce Bots — Automate workflows that reference reporting data
Turn workforce data into actionable insights — whether you prefer to ask in plain English or build it yourself.