Add Reserved Word Dates to File Names in Scheduler

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Article Goal

Learn how to insert reserved word dates into file names when scheduling jobs in VDM. This allows users to control the date format shown in exported file names, even if the job is run on a different day.

Why Use Reserved Words?

Using reserved word dates helps format your file names with dynamic date values, such as the last day of the previous month, even when the job runs on a different schedule.

Tip: For example, if a report runs on the 1st of every month but needs to display the last day of the previous month in the filename, you can use:
@LastDayofLastMonth

Where Do You Add Reserved Words to File Names?

Reserved words can be added on the Export Options page of the Scheduler Wizard inside VDM. The file name’s date can be added before or after the base name using a reserved word such as @Date, @Yesterday, or others.

Note: Ranged reserved words (like @ThisMonth or @Last7Days) should not be used in file names—they are intended for filters, not filenames.

Steps to Add Reserved Words to File Names

Step 1: Launch VDM

Open your VDM application as usual.

Step 2: Access the Scheduler

Click on the Scheduler tab and select your desired Job.

Step 3: Create or Edit a Job

Create a new job or right-click and edit an existing one using the Scheduler Wizard.

Step 4: Navigate to Export Options

In the wizard, proceed to the Export Options section.

• Enable the "Add Date Before" or "Add Date After" checkbox based on your naming preference.

• Enter your desired reserved word (e.g., @LastDayofLastMonth, @Date, @Today, etc.)

• The default reserved word is @Date.

Important Reminder: Ranged reserved words (like @ThisMonth or @Last7Days) should not be used in file names. They are intended for filters, not filenames.

Preview: You’ll see a real-time preview of the file name format as you enter the reserved word.

Step 5: Save the Job

Complete the wizard and save your changes. Your scheduled job will now export with the date value you defined using the reserved word.

Article Summary

Reserved word dates give users flexible file naming options in the VDM Scheduler. By using tokens like @LastDayofLastMonth or @Yesterday, you can tailor filenames to represent the data's reporting period, not just the execution date. This is ideal for end-of-month, weekly, or trailing reports that run on one day but reflect a different reporting timeframe.

Use Case: A monthly sales report runs on the 1st of each month, but the filename should indicate the last day of the previous month. Using @LastDayofLastMonth solves this with no manual file renaming needed.