---
title: "Basic Temporary HOLD File"
canonical: "https://kb.uconn.edu/space/DMRA/10883138174/Basic%20Temporary%20HOLD%20File"
format: markdown
---
A HOLD file is valuable when you want to do the following:

- Extract fields from a large data source for faster and more efficient retrieval in subsequent requests. This reduces processing time, enabling you to create reports and charts rapidly against a smaller, more specialized data set. This improves efficiency while giving you the flexibility that you need when working with smaller subsets of your data.
- Store virtual field values or summary values calculated in one request for further processing in another request. This allows you to reuse calculated values, decreasing the effort required to recreate certain scenarios.

HOLD files can be created for immediate use and saved temporarily or they can be stored for future and repeated use. This gives you the flexibility to use and store HOLD files, as needed, based on how you want to use the files that you create.

## Creating Temporary HOLD Files 

> ℹ️ See [Creating Basic Reports](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DMRA/pages/10883891289) for more information on creating, [modifying](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IKB/pages/10883138204), [adding fields](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DMRA/pages/10883138219), [filtering](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DMRA/pages/10883891311), and [saving reports](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DMRA/pages/10883138166).

1. Navigate to your saved report and right-click.
2. From the right-click menu, select **Edit With..**, and then click **InfoAssist**.
3. On the ribbon, select the **Home **tab, and click **File** from the **Format** group.
4. From the **Temporary** hold dialog box, confirm ***Temporary*** is selected above the left navigation pane.
5. Enter text into the **Title **field.
6. Confirm **Binary (*.ftm) ** is the selected file format.
7. Once a file name and file format is identified, click **Save. **The Temporary File dialog box will close.
8. You should now see a **Query pane** (top center) as well the **Create Report** function (bottom right).
9. Note that the hold file has been created; see the name in the **Query** pane.   
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10. Click **Create Report **at the bottom right to use the Hold file to create a report to join the Hold file to another UC_SADM data table.
11. Notice that the workspace changes again. The system assumes you want to create a report using data from that Hold File. To join the Hold file to another table, click the** Data tab** and then click** Join.**
12. Notice that the Hold file displays in the join dialog box. Click the **Add New **drop-down and then click **Existing**.
13. Navigate to ***rec_student_groups_dim*** from the dialog box that displays.
14. Click **Open.  **
15. Notice that a second table displays in the Join dialog box. Join the tables together. Refer to the [Basic Table Joins](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DMRA/pages/10883138186) article for more instruction.
16. Click **OK.  **
17. Now create the report, pulling in fields from the Hold file, as well as from the additional table that we just added.
  1. In this example, the fields are added under the **By **header, within the **Query **pane.
18. Add new filters specific to the new table that was just joined. See [Filtering a Report](https://uconn.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DMRA/pages/10883891311) for additional instruction.
19. Click **OK** to confirm.
20. Click** Run **to view the output of the report.
21. Complete the info within the **Parameters **dialog box.
22. Click** Run. **
23. Review the output.

> ℹ️ <span style="color: #333333">See </span>[WebFOCUS InfoAssist Manual 8.2.06](https://webfocusinfocenter.informationbuilders.com/WFDESIGNER/pdfs6/wfinfoasst.pdf)<span style="color: #333333"> for additional information.</span>

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