Report Designer Wizard
You can convert an Explorer query into a standard Greentree report using a wizard that is launched directly from Explorer. The wizard walks you through the process of designing a basic report. Once the report is generated, you can use the Report Designer to enhance the report.
To start the wizard, select Report writer from the Export menu on the main Explorer form. Then:
- Set up report page features:
You can preview the report design by clicking the Preview button on the form:
You can complete the report design by clicking the Finish button. This opens the report in Greentree Report Designer.
- Click Next to define report
column formats:
- Display Name - Column headings are passed through from the Explorer results table by default but you can change that.
- Decimal Places - All numeric properties included in the Explorer query may have their decimal places reassigned here. The default value displayed is taken from the database attribute definition. Any sub-totals or totals of the property will inherit the decimal place assignment made here.
- Sub-Total - All numeric properties included in the Explorer query enables users to indicate whether or not a sub-total is required to be calculated for the report. This will be inappropriate for some properties, such as an exchange rate or a unit price, and user discretion is required here.
- Total - In the same manner as for sub-totals (above), all numeric properties included in the Explorer query enables users to indicate whether or not a total is required to be calculated for the report.
- Add lines to sub-total columns - Select this option to add lines (over and under) around sub-totals.
- Add lines to total columns - Select this option to add lines (over and under) around totals.
- Set Font Options - Click these buttons as applicable to assign specific font styles, colours and effects to report Heading, Column, Sub-Total and Total sections. In each case, a font design form displays.
- Click Next from the column format form to define report
level breaks, according to
the sort order assigned during the construction of the Explorer query:
The options on this form relate specifically to any sub-totals defined in the previous wizard form. If no sub-totals have been defined for the report, then selecting a property to group by will have no effect on the report output.
An Explorer query is limited to a single collection within the nominated data class (for example, APControl.allInvoices) and the report writer is also limited to the assignment of a single level break within a particular repeating section (which corresponds to a data collection in an Explorer query). You can only select one of the properties listed in the group table above as a level break for the nominated sub-totals defined in the previous wizard form.
The output can continue to be previewed immediately to reflect the on-going design of the report.
- Click Next from the level break form to define the report
name:
Open in report writer
Select this options to open a completed report in the Report Designer when you click the Finish button.
If the Save as option is not also selected, the report will not save to the database. However, this can be done from within the Report Designer application.
Save as
Select this option and enter a report name to save the report when the wizard is complete.
Finish
Click this button to open the report in the Report Designer.