Release Notes

2023 Data Services Change Log and Known Issues

2022 Change log is here.

Data Analytics Maintenance

Starting Sunday, December 18, 2022, and continuing each Sunday, Bitfocus engineers will perform maintenance on the Looker system from 6 AM - 7 AM PST (9 am - 10 am ET). To ensure the best performance possible for Looker, we are making necessary improvements to the infrastructure of the Clarity Looker configuration. The Looker application may be unavailable to customers during that period of time. Standalone, embedded, and API Looker functions may be unavailable for 1 hour. Looks and Dashboards scheduled for 6-7am Pacific Time on Sundays may not run and should be changed from this time. Please avoid scheduling any new looks or dashboards from 6 am - 7 am Pacific time on Sundays. No action from customers is required.


Known Issues

We use Looker as our analytics tool. There are some issues that are vendor specific issues and require support from Looker engineers. Our Data Services engineers work with Looker engineers for investigation, troubleshooting and fixes. 

Here is a list of the current known issues:  Known Looker Issues


Change Log

  • 02/19/2024 - Updated Looker connections for some instances as databases were under maintenance
  • 02/18/2024 - Clarity has been updated to use the Looker 4.0 API
  •  12/20/2023
    • Removed the datagroup trigger for the chronic_homeless table and removed the persist_for on the chronic_homeless_pit table so the pdts don't run unless they are used.
    • Updated the chronic homeless fields in the following LookML dashboards to the correct field names.
      • Client Status
      • Coordinated Entry: Currently on a Community Queue
      • Coordinated Entry: Enrollment Overview
      • Coordinated Entry: Length of Time
  •  12/18/2023
    • The persistence time of the chronic_homeless_pit derived table was updated from every 4 hours to every 12 hours to prevent performance issues.
  • 12/15/2023
    • Updated the logic regarding "Overlapping Residential Stays" data and the "Residential Start Date" to exclude Rapid Re-Housing enrollments for projects identified as "RRH: Services Only". This is in the DQ Sys Admin view in the Data Quality Model.
    • The “B ii) Non-HMIS Participating Program with Enrollments” Look on the “LSA Data Cleanup: Project Descriptor Data Issues” LookML dashboard did not have the Reporting Period Filter applied to the secondary query, which was causing programs to get flagged as having a HMIS participation issue when they were not.
    • Multiple Issues were addressed with calculations on the "HMIS Data Quality Supplemental Dashboard."
    • Refactored the underlying table for "Is First Enrollment > In System" and "Is Last Enrollment > In System" fields for improved performance. No customer action required.
  • 11/09/2023
    • Made updates to the "Building Unit Configurations: RRH Subtype" field to correct an issue created by the 2024 Data Standards updates. This is in the Inventory and Project Descriptor models.
  • 10/29/2023 - 6:00 AM PT
    • Fixed an issue in the "Client UDE: Exit Destination Error" field in the Data Quality Model
    • Fixed an issue with filters on the following lookml dashboards -
      • APR Prep
      • CE Configuration and System Review
      • CE Length of Time Overview
      • CE Accepted and Completed Referrals
      • CE Referrals and Outcomes
      • CE Denied and Expired Referrals
      • Data Quality
      • LSA Data Cleanup: Funding Source and Configuration Issues
      • Program Performance
      • Program Roster
      • Recidivism

10/17/2023 - 4:30 AM PT -- Unscheduled Looker Maintenance

    • Restarted Looker B to address persisted data stores failing to rebuild
  • 10/16/2023 - 6 PM PT
    • An update was made to synchronize project type references and fix an issue with SPM and Inbound Recidivism fields in the HMIS Performance Model.
    • Updated visualizations that were not working correctly on the following LookML dashboards-
      • Program Performance
      • Clarity Usage and System Stats
      • Client Status
      • CE Configuration and System Review
      • CE Currently on a Community Queue
      • CE Enrollment Overview
      • CE Referrals - Accepted and Completed Referrals
      • CE Referrals - Denied and Expired Referrals
      • Data Quality
  • 10/02/2023 - 8 PM PT
    • The "RRH Subtype" dimension has been updated to correct the "Sub-query returns more than 1 row" error.  
  • 9/21/2023 - 6 PM PT -
    • Corrected label for "DQ Client Program Specific: Safe and Appropriate Exit Error: Client has Permanent Positive Peer Connection Outside of Project Error" field.
    • Fixed issues In the Data Quality model, under the "Enrollments" view: 
      • updated fields to display text values as expected rather than numeric codes.
      • moved some fields that were incorrectly showing in a "Retired" group.
  • 09/06/2023 - 6 PM PT -- The field "Latest Note By Enrollment" has been updated to exclude deleted notes from the field calculation.  This change will impact the Client model and the HMIS Performance model.
  • 09/04/2023 - 6 PM PT --
    • Client Model: Addressed a problem in the fields "Client Referral Status:Client Currently On Specific Queue (Yes/No)" and "Client Referral Status:Client Ever On Specific Queue (Yes/No)" to make them more performant.
    • Coordinated Entry Model: Addressed a problem in the field "Client Referral Status:Client Ever On Specific Queue (Yes/No)". Historical records of community queues that clients had been on were not being displayed correctly.
    • The "Client Contacts" join was updated in the HMIS Performance model to include restored records.
  • 08/31/2023 - 6 PM PT -- Addressed issue with in Client model's "Client SSN Views"  and Project Descriptor model's "Client SSN Views"
  • 08/20/2023 - 6 AM PT -- Looker Routine Maintenance
    • Turned on "In App Guides"
  • 08/13/2023 - 6 AM PT -- Looker Routine Maintenance
    • Upgraded Looker and Looker-B to Looker 23.12
  • 08/06/2023 -
    • Released 23_29 to training instances
    • The logic behind the "Data Quality Model" dimension "Client UDE Relationship to Head of Household Error" field has been updated to remove deleted enrollments from consideration.
  • 07/26/2023 - LookML Patch Release
    • An update was made in the Client, CE, HMIS Perf and Services Models to remove some obsolete code.
  • 07/12/2023 - LookML Patch Release
    • Updated the "Unused Field" dimension  to account for some Core fields that appear on screens, but are not recorded in the usual way.
    • Fixed an issue with the "Exiting Analysis Period" Dashboard Filter on the "Recidivism LookML Dashboard".

    • Updated the Client Assessments join in the HMIS Performance model to address an issue where Assessments unrelated to Enrollments were not showing correctly.
  • 07/09/2023 - 6 AM PT -- Looker Routine Maintenance
    • Updated the load balancing strategy to help address long wait times when updating dashboard filters
  • 06/18/2023 - 6 AM PT -- Looker Routine Maintenance
    • Addressed an issue with the Looker API where users could see the names of other users where they may not have had direct access
  • May 2023 - we made updates to the process by which custom fields are published in Looker. There may have been some issues with custom fields not appearing in Looker as expected. Most issues can be resolved by resaving any published custom field, which will cause all published custom fields to refresh in Looker. If issues continue please notify the Clarity Help Desk.
  • 05/21/2023 - 6 AM PT -- Looker Routine Maintenance
    • Filemodes updated on all Clarity based LookML files
  • 05/14/2023 - 6:00 AM PT -- Looker Routine Maintenance
    • Customer projects were updated to use main as the default branch instead of master
  • 05/07/2023 - 8:00 AM PT -- Looker Routine Maintenance
    • Downgraded Chromium version to 97 after Looker released supported version guidance

    • Updated load balancer access log settings for Looker A and B
  • 05/03/2023 - 5:00 - 5:40 PM PT -- Started Deployment of Minor Update to Address:
    • Updated the relationship definition for "Coordinated Entry" and "Current Living Sections" of Data Quality model. This should address issues with custom Looker measures built on fields from these views.
    • Updated the LookML data type of "Client Services Attendance Service Date" to ensure correct formatting upon download to CSV or Excel.
  • 04/26/2023 -
    • New fields “VA Non-Service-Connected Disability Pension Error” , “VA Non-Service_Connected Disability Pension Error Count” were added to the “DQ Client Programs View” and  “VA Non-Service_Connected Disability Pension Error Count” is now included in the “Total Income Errors Count” in the Data Quality Model
    • Updated SSVF dimensions, measures, aggregate, and drill fields in the  Data Quality model to conform to 2022 Data Standards Updates. Modified group labels to retired for dimensions and measures no longer used to reflect these are retired fields. Removed retired fields from drills.
  • 04/09/2023 - Made improvements to the file system for LookML models
  • 03/31/2023 -
    • The Outbound Recidivism view in the HMIS Performance model has been updated to correct a bug that caused some client exit records to be excluded from calculations.
    • The filter "Enrollments Reporting Period Filter" and the field "Is Last Enrollment per Reporting Period" have been updated in the Client Model, HMIS Performance Model, Data Quality Model, and Inventory Model to allow for use of the timeframe options of "is before", "on or after" and "is any time".
    • An update was made to fix a bug in the calculation of Inbound Recidivism Days Since Last Exit with Stable Housing.
    • The dimension "User Created" from "Clients" view has been updated to improve the accuracy. 
    • Fixed a bug in the 'LSA Data Cleanup: Funding Source and Configuration Issues' Lookml Dashboard.
  • 03/26/2023 -
    • Increased  cache capacity policies for Looker A and B dashboards, looks, and schedules
    • Increased the internal system logs capacity from 90 to 730 days
    • Updated SMTP credentials for Looker A and B emailed content
  • 03/05/2023 - Applied security features to Looker
  • 02/21/2023 - Deployed bug fixes to Program CoC, Client Assessment Enrollments.
  • 02/19/2023 -
    • Upgraded Looker and Looker-B to Looker 23.0.
    • Raised cache limit size for Looker and Looker-B
    • Deployed bug fixes to Program CoC, LookML Dashboards, and issue causing some fields to show as "No longer accessible."
  • 02/02/2023 - Custom Encampment fields are now active in the Encampments Custom View in the Outreach Model. If there are custom fields in encampment screens, the encampment screen will need to be saved for the custom fields to be activated in looker.
  • 01/23/2023 - Updated "Unit Custom" files in all projects to addressed failed schedules due to missing fields, as well as "Project Descriptor" model access issues.
  • 01/23/2023 - Updated references for Chronic Homeless tables in Client, Coordinated Entry, Data Quality, Services, and Population Over Time models. This has fixed a MariaDB error.  Refactored code that was throwing validation errors in development. No action is required.
  • 01/22/2023 - During regular maintenance window, all production Looker projects were updated to generate LookML for custom Clarity fields in a more robust manner.
  • 01/12/2023 - Updated outbound recidivism fields to use the head of household move-in date for the household's members. This means that non head of household members will not be counted as clients reentering  a homeless project when they were transferring.
    • Updated the joins with the CE events views in the project descriptor model so that all disabled categories appear in the explores.
    • A fix was released to improve performance on the inventory model. Previously a piece of code caused more data to be joined in to the model than was necessary. This code was removed.
    • A join optimization has been added to the SQL of a derived table used in the SPM calculations to improve performance.
    • A missing `include:` tag has been added in the proper file to fix a validation error.
  • 01/11/2023 - Updated a trigger that was causing tables to rebuild at the incorrect frequency.
  • 01/09/2023 - Unusually high traffic on Looker servers due to LSA caused it to become overwhelmed. The Looker application was restarted and additional resources added.
  • 01/08/2023 - Updated how migration and training Clarity instances write Clarity custom fields to Looker.
  • 01/05/2023 - Fixed (01/08/2023) We have identified an issue where the changes that were released in the December release are no longer showing in Looker. This seems to be related to the known Looker issue that has been causing release delays and we are working on a resolution. We will note here when the issue is resolved.