Reporting Basics ( Cooking .. Reports … with Chuck )

1. Reporting Basics( Cooking .. Reports … with Chuck ) An ACEware Webinar

2. Today’s Agenda • Table Names and Data Structure • Modifying Reports • Always start with an existing Report • Report Designer • Tool Bars • Report Controls • Expression Box • Functions • Banding Basics • Examples (lets cook!) • Chuck’s Fab Five reports ( basic ingredients)

3. Report Ingredients…Table Naming All the fields in Student Manager are contained in tables.  In most of the tables, the first two letters of the field denote the table in which they are stored Co = Course (e.g. cocrse: course code) Lo = Location (e.g. locinfo: location info) Nm = Name (e.g. nmname1: first name) Li = Instructor Pay (e.g. lipayrate: pay rate) Rf = Reg. Additional Charges (e.g. rffee: fee amount) Le = Pocket Ledger (e.g. leclass:  expense class)   Fe = Course Fees (e.g. fedesc: fee desc.) In = Instructor (e.g. inname3: inst. last name) Rg = Register (e.g. rgaddate: reg add date) Py = Pay (e.g. pydate: payment date) Fm = Firm (e.g. fmfirm: firm title)

4. Data Structure Data Structure reference tables are available in the Help/Reference Guide

5. Data Structure / Field Names The Help/Reference Guide also contains a visual screen layout. Hovering over the field produces a bubble containing the field name

6. 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 additional reports, you also select the appropriate report from the User Defined list The report now opens in "modify" mode

7. Size (Screen) Matters • Setting up Screen Resolution.. • Use the SMALLEST screen Resolution your eyes can handle (Carrots anyone?) • 1078 X 768 is minimal • 1280 X 1040 or SMALLER is optimal Hit the Boss up for a Bigger Monitor

8. Bad (have to scroll all the time) 800 X 600

9. GOOD 1280 X 1040

11. Menu Items Report Controls Report Control Tool Bar

12. Report Controls Data Grouping: open the Data Grouping window to add/edit Group Bands. Data Environment:  view the fields available in the report cursor. Page Setup: opens Page Setup window. Report Controls:  opens the Report Control Toolbar Color Palette:  opens the Color Toolbar. Layout:  opens the Layout Toolbar. Font Properties: opens Font Properties window.

13. Command Bar Menu ( NOTE: it changes in Modify Mode) File – Close Report, Page Setup; and Print Preview. Edit – Cut, Copy, Paste, Select All, etc. View – No tools are listed on the View menu. Format - Alignment and Sizing options; Element Grouping and Order, Formatting options for text, lines, and boxes (e.g. color, font, line size, fill color and type). Tools – No tools are listed on the Tools menu. Report - Banding; Variables, Data Grouping; Set Default Font for Report. Window – Lists current report window. Help – Access Report Help.

14. Report Control Toolbar Pointer tool:  Select report elements to modify or move   Text Tool:  Create text entries up to 256 characters in length Expression Box Tool:  Draw expression boxes in which to place data Line Tool:  Draw vertical and horizontal lines Square Box Tool:  Draw rectangular boxes Round Rectangle Tool:  Draw round-edged boxes Picture Tool:  Add graphics to the report Button Lock Tool:  Keep the current tool selected for multiple additions

15. Docking a Floating Toolbar The first time you modify, your toolbar may be floating. To Dock it, click the blue header the toolbar, and drag it to the Header area. ( We like Dock !) Docked toolbar Floating toolbar

16. A Caution About Floating Toolbars Using the X to close the toolbar will close it permanently. To reset it, you must delete the user’s rp.dbf and rp.fpt files (eg: chuckrp.dbf and chuckrp.fpt).

17. Adding Text Entries You can add text entries  (e.g. report title, field label, etc.) to your report.  Each text can hold 256 characters--that DOES include spaces and carriage returns.   To add a text entry: Click the Text Tool on the Report Controls Toolbar Click where you want to place the text.  You'll see a blinking cursor where you clicked Begin typing your text.  

18. Adding Fields with an Expression Box Click the ab tool on the Report Controls Toolbar Click where you want the expression and draw (click and drag) a box New Expression Box

19. Lets you manage relative position of this field Adding Fields with anExpression Box When you finish drawing the box, the Report Expression window will open Accommodate different sizes of text Allows Conditional Display

20. Adding Fields with anExpression Box Type the field name in to the Expression Box Click the OK button to close the Report Expression window and return to the report template. The field will display in the report design window.

21. Adding a field with the Data Environment button Click a field and drag it to the report window NOTE: the field name also is included ( it may be deleted)

22. Report Functions Functions are mini-programs that can access information not available in the report cursor, format information in a specific manner, or perform calculations on report data

23. Function Example NICEDATE – returns the date in text format.  You must pass it the date field.

24. Where do you find list of functions? A list of report functions and their descriptions are available in the Help/Reference Guide

25. Chuck's Favorite Functions! • Adding • Addapay • Addcrse • Addreg • AddName • Clsteach • Formatting • Czsr • Namer • Nicedate • Showphon • Special Purpose • AGE • Quickcode • Whazzis

26. Report Banding Report bands have two purposes:   • Some bands differentiate areas of the page layout (e.g  Title, Page Header, Summary, etc.).    • bands allow for formatting information (header/footer) of data

27. Report Banding

28. Types of Bands and Their Uses • Title - information that appears at the beginning of the report (e.g. title, introduction, cover page). • Page Header* - information that is printed at the top of each page in the report (e.g. date, report title, logo). • Group Header - information that is printed at the beginning of each data group (e.g. course number and title, individual's name and address). • Detail* - data and text printed once for each record generated by the query (e.g. individuals registered in class, all individual's optional fees). • Group Footer - information printed at the end of each data group (e.g. total enrolled in course, total amount due for each individual). • Page Footer* - information printed at the bottom of each page in the report (e.g. special notes or instructions, signature lines). • Summary - information printed at the end of the report (e.g. summaries, conclusions, final totals). *Default bands which are part of every report and cannot be removed

29. Adding Title/Summary Bands Select Report | Title/Summary. Check the band you want to add to thereport.   Select the paging option (i.e. if you want the title or summary band information to be displayed on it's own page, select 'New Page').

30. Adding Grouping Bands Click the Data Grouping icon, opening the Data Grouping Window Click into the Group box and enter the field/expression on which to group (e.g. rgcrse, nmname3+nmname1+nmid, etc.).

31. Adding Grouping Bands Select the appropriate Group properties (e.g. start each group on a new page, reprint group header on each page, etc.). Click the OK button to save the Group band and close the Data Grouping window.  The group header and footer will be added to the report template.

32. The Raw Ingredients – Report Cursor

33. The ingredients MUST Match • The Order of the Report Cursor • The Banding on the Report NOTE: • Each report area has a default sort order • If you Change Sort order, your bands must ALSO change

34. DETAIL (s) MATTER ! • The DETAIL band is the most finite (fine grained) level for a report… • In Deadbeat – Detail is at Registration • In Roster – Detail is Optional Fee • In Label – Detail is Name Level • In Course – CEU Detail is Course level • In Courses with Fees – Detail is Course Fees

35. Report Case Study • Need a Name Roster that shows Gender and Age and County • In Landscape

36. Report Case Study II • Need a list of Upcoming Classes showing if it is a NEW class and the Web Publish Status

37. Chuck’s Fab Five Reports • Deadbeat - Default - One line per reg w/allname/reg/course/location info • Mailing Label - Default - Returns ONE record per name... • Cashbox - Show me the $$ • Course - CEU - Additional Report - Upcoming Classes • Statistics - Name - Demographic Summary - Default Remember, there are over 250 reports included in Student Manager!

38. Summary • Table Names and Data Structure • Modifying Reports • Always start with an existing Report • Report Designer • Tool Bars • Report Controls • Expression Box • Functions • Banding Basics • Examples (lets cook!) • Chuck’s Fab Five reports ( basic ingredients)

39. Questions?