> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.oviond.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Monthly Client Report

> Automate a recurring monthly report email for a client.

This guide sets up a monthly automated report that delivers to your client's inbox on the 1st of every month. You'll end with an automation that runs without any manual work month to month.

## Before you start

* You have a [project](/projects/add) — report or dashboard — ready to send.
* You've configured a [sender](/email-settings/senders) so the email comes from your own domain (optional — Oviond falls back to a default address).
* You've tested the project's widgets with live data.

## 1. Verify the report is ready to send

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the project">
    Make sure every widget is configured against the right data source and date range.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use a relative date range">
    Plan to set the automation's date range to a relative period such as **Last Month**. Relative dates are essential for automations — each monthly run pulls its own month's data.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Preview a PDF">
    Open the project's **Share** dialog, switch to the **Download** tab, and click **Generate New PDF**. Generation runs in the background; check that the rendered report looks clean. See [PDF export](/automations/pdf).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## 2. Create the automation

You can create an automation from the top-level **Automations** screen or from the project editor's **Automations** tab. See [Add an automation](/automations/add).

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Automations">
    Click **Automations** in the left sidebar, then click **New automation**. (From the project editor's **Automations** tab, click **Add automation** instead, and the project is pre-selected.)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name and set the schedule">
    Enter a **Name**. Set **Frequency** to **Monthly**, **Day of month** to `1`, and **Send at** to a morning hour. The schedule is evaluated against your account timezone. See [Scheduled delivery](/automations/scheduled).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick the project and date range">
    Choose the **Client** and **Project** you validated, then set **Date range** to **Last Month**. The report is rendered fresh for that range on every run.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the email">
    Add the client contact under **Recipients** (you can add several). Choose the **From** sender, and pick an **Email template** — or choose **Custom message** to compose a **Subject** and **Message** inline. Placeholders like the client name and date range fill in from the project. See [Email delivery](/automations/email).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create">
    Click **Create**. The automation is saved and the next run is scheduled automatically.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## 3. Test before going live

Always test before relying on an automation:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the automation">
    From the **Automations** list, use the row menu or open the details slide-over.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Test">
    A test send bypasses the schedule and emails the report immediately. The recipient dialog is pre-filled with the saved recipients — edit it to send the test to yourself. See [Test an automation](/automations/test).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the email">
    Subject, sender, body copy, and the rendered report should all look exactly how the client will see it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  A test send doesn't advance the schedule, but it does appear in run history flagged as a **Test** run.
</Note>

## 4. Monitor the first real run

After the first scheduled delivery (on the 1st of next month):

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open run history">
    From an automation, click **Executions**, or open the project's run history. See [Run history](/automations/history).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the status">
    **Success** — the run rendered and sent. **Failed** — a rendering or delivery problem; the error detail is stored with the run. **Skipped** — the run was skipped, e.g. the automation was paused when it was due.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check email delivery">
    See [Email logs](/email-settings/logs) for per-recipient delivery events.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## If the client changes their address

Edit the automation, update the **Recipients** list, and save. No need to re-test unless you also changed the sender or subject.

## If you need to pause

Use **Pause / Resume** on the automation to suspend sending without losing the configuration. The schedule stops firing until you resume. See [Scheduled delivery](/automations/scheduled).