Reporting Aesthetics

1. Reporting Aesthetics An ACEware Webinar 1:00-2:00 pm February 14th, 2008

2. Today’s Agenda • Moving a Field • Fonts • Adding Text Entries • Adding Lines & Boxes • Graphics! • Adding & Editing Columns • Page Setup • Functions & Format Options

3. To modify a report Select the appropriate report area Check Modify Report on the Printing Options screen Select and run your query If you selected an additional report, select the appropriate report from the User Defined list The report now opens in "modify" mode

4. The Report Designer

5. Moving a field From Reports Control Toolbar select arrow tool • Select the field/object • Click and drag the field • “Nudge” with the arrow keys Arrow Tool

6. Field Positioning Double-click a field to bring up the Report Expression Box Allows the contents of a field to wrap to a new line, even if the Expression Box is not large enough

7. Field Positioning Double-click a field to bring up the Report Expression Box Text moves down according to length of field information above Contents will always display at the bottom of the band Text will always display at the top of the band

8. Changing Font Properties Click the expression box or text entry to bring up the Font Properties Select Format / Font / Color Make selections Click OK

9. Adding Text Entries Click the Text Tool on the Report Controls Toolbar Text Tool Click where you want the text to appear. A blinking cursor marks the spot. Begin typing! Remember If editing multiple items..lock ‘em

10. Editing Text Entries • Again, begin with the Text Tool • Select the text entry • Make changes, and click away from text HINT: This is very similar to working in a word processor

11. Adding Lines • Click the Line Tool on the Reports Control Toolbar • Click and drag the line--either vertically or horizontally, to the length you want.   Line Tool

12. Formatting Lines To change the thickness of the line, select Format | Pen Select the appropriate width. Remember, there are 72 points to an inch

13. Adding Boxes Boxes are excellent for calling attention to fields. Draw a box with one of the rectangle tools (select square or round rectangles) Rectangle Tools

14. Rounded Rectangles If you selected the Rounded Rectangle, you may also select the rounding style.  To do so, draw the rectangle, then double-click it to open the Round Rectangle window.  Then select the Style.

15. Rectangle Formatting • To change the thickness of the line, select Format | Pen then select a size option.   • To change the fill type, select Format | Fill then select the fill type. (great for Headers) • To change the fill color, select Format | BackgroundColor then select the color • To change the border color, select Format | Foreground Color then select the color

16. Adding Graphic (including your logo) Place a copy of the image in your Student Manager folder Click the Picture Tool on the Report Controls toolbar Picture Tool Click in the report where you want to place the graphic and draw a box. Releasing the mouse opens the Report Picture window

17. Adding Graphic (including your logo) cont. Ellipsis button • Click the Ellipsis button ([...] to the right of the File field).  This opens the Open window for you to find and select your graphic file. • Select the graphic and click OK • Set picture options REMEMBER: Your File MUST be on the network server TIP: Create a subfolder F:\manager7\images\

18. Adding Graphic (including your logo) cont. • Clip Picture – If the picture is bigger than the frame you created, only a section of the original picture will display. • Scale picture, retain shape - Displays the whole picture, filling as much of the frame as possible while retaining the relative proportions of the picture.   • Scale picture, fill the frame - Display the whole picture, filling the frame completely.  If necessary, the picture will be distorted

19. Adding Columns • Select File | Page Setup • Enter the number of columns you want on the report in the Number field.   • Set the width of each column in the Width field.   • Set the spacing between columns in the Spacing field • Click OK

20. Field Formatting Options

21. Field Formatting Options Double-click a field to open the Report Expression window Ellipsis Click the Ellipsis button to the right of the Format Field to open the Format window

22. Field Formatting Options Selecting the field type (Character, Numeric, Date) will enable the appropriate options

23. Number Formatting Options 999,999.99 Displays 6 digits of the amount and 2 decimal places with a comma in the 1,000 place.   Note:  if you want the dollar sign to be displayed, enable the Currency option (remember you must put in one more placeholder for the dollar sign). The ***.** in a report means your formatting is wrong (missing 9’s)

24. Date Formatting NICEDATE – returns the date in text format.  You must pass it the date field.  You can also pass it a second date and it will give you the date range in text format

25. Other Formatting Functions CERTDATE - Returns date in formal date format (i.e., 10th day of January, 2008). CMONTH - Returns the name of the month from the specified date expression LASTPLUS - Returns formatted name NAMER - Returns formatted Name NICETIME - Translates military time into civilian time SHOWPHON - Returns formatted phone number

26. Other Formatting Options (cont) SHOWPYNB - Returns credit card number formatted with dashes--OR--check number SHOWSSN - Returns formatted SSN/ID TNAMER - Returns formatted Instructor Name. TRIM - Trims spaces off the end of a character expression UPPER - Returns the specified field in Upper Case

27. Summary • Moving a Field • Fonts • Adding Text Entries • Adding Lines & Boxes • Graphics! • Adding & Editing Columns • Page Setup • Functions & Format Options

28. Questions? Upcoming Webinars…. Reporting Intermediate February 21st 1 PM CST Course Construction - Coordinators February 26th 2 PM CST