Apple Remote Desktop Help
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# Setting the Client's Data Reporting Policy

To speed up reporting and allow reporting from offline clients, Apple Remote Desktop uses saved client system and file information. You can automate the collection of this information by setting the data reporting policy, a schedule that determines how often the client updates its system and file information for reports.

In accordance with the collection schedule you set, each client computer connects to a central reporting database and uploads the information you specify. There are trade-offs to the frequency of these updates. If you require all the clients to update their information too often, you run the risk of increased network traffic and slower client performance during updates. If you don't require the clients to update often enough, the report data that you receive may be out of date. You should balance your reporting needs and your network and client performance needs.

The collection policy includes four kinds of information: system data, file data, user accounting data, and application usage data.

System data includes information for the following reports:

- System Overview
- Storage
- USB Devices
- FireWire Devices
- Memory
- Expansion Cards
- Network Interfaces

File data includes information for the following reports:

- File Search
- Software Version
- Software Difference

User accounting data includes information for the following report:

- User History

Application usage data includes information for the following report:

- Application Usage

1. Select a computer list in the Remote Desktop window.
2. Select one or more computers in the selected computer list.
3. Choose File > Get Info.
4. Select the Data Settings tab and click the Edit button.
5. Select "Upload on a schedule."

   To disable a client's automatic data collection, deselect "Upload on a schedule."

6. Choose the day or days, and time that the data collection should occur, and click Done.

   If you have already made a default schedule, you can use it to automatically fill in the appropriate information by clicking "Use default schedule." For more information about setting a default schedule, see Creating a Template Data Reporting Policy.

7. Select which data types to upload: System data, File Search data, Application Usage data, User Accounting data, or any combination.
8. In order to upload Application Usage data and User Accounting data, you need to specify collection of that data.

   Select "Collect Application Usage data" to tell a client computer to save report information for the Application Usage Report.

   Select "User Accounting data" to tell a client computer to save report information for the User History Report.

9. Click Apply.

See also:

- Creating a Template Data Reporting Policy
- Setting Up the Task Server