For more information about the availability of this feature, contact your Account Manager.

The bulk of report design occurs under the Design menu item, and there are many options here. Note the layout of this screen and some of the key sections. Basically, choose one or more Parts for the report in the Report Body. A Part can be a Chart, Form, Gauge, Grid, or KPI. Choose fields to include in each Part from the Selected Data Source section. Use the tabs on the far right to define Field Properties, Report Part Properties, and Format Properties. Add Filters if desired. Each of these basic steps is described in detail below.

Menu

1. Main menu items
2. Choices of fields to add, including calculated fields
3. Filter definition and Report Body sections which can be collapsed or expanded
4. Field Properties and Report Part Property tabs

The far left of the screen displays the menu icons for report design. The Design menu icon is highlighted in blue to indicate this is the screen currently being utilized.

Report Body/Report Parts

The Report Body is comprised of one or more Report Parts. Expand the Report Body section by clicking the small arrow located to the left of the description. You must include at least one Report Part. Click on the desired Report Part type to add the first Report Part.

The different report part types available are Chart, Form, Gauge, Grid, and KPI. Each of these is described later in this document. A Grid type is the most used. Although each type is different, there are many similarities in their designs.

Snap to Grid - When the Snap to Grid checkbox is checked, each report part aligns itself right beside or below the last report part that was added. If you have already put the report parts right beside or below the last report part you created manually, you will not see any difference.

When a Report Part is added, options appear to define the Report Part Properties. Notice the two tabs on the far right, Report Part Properties, and Field Properties.

Hover your cursor in the middle of the screen, at the top of every report part, to display a dark grey bar.

Options in the report part grey bar include:

• Field for part name - The default name for a Grid type is Grid. If you add a second Grid report type, the default name will be Grid 2. If desired, change the name of the report part in the middle of the dark grey bar, which displays when you hover at the top of a Report Type. This becomes important for future design edits. You need to select the report part name from the top dropdown field located in the Report Part Properties tab to make edits.

  

• Number of Records – Use this field to limit the number of records included in the report. For example, use this feature to include only the top five values in the report.
• Copy icon - Click this icon to copy the design of this Report Part to the clipboard.
• Full Screen icon – Click this icon to enlarge the details for this Report Part.
• Preview Mode icon – Click this icon to preview what a viewer sees for just this Report Part.
• Delete report part icon - Click this icon to remove this Report Part from the report.

Tip – To view the grey bar, remember to hover at the top of the Report Part. If the Report Part is wide, you may need to use the horizontal scroll bar to see the icon options located on the right side of the bar.

Add Report Part

Many reports contain just one report part. However, reports can contain more than one. For example, a report with one grid and two charts has three report parts.

To add more report parts, click Add Report Part located at the top of the Design window. When a report contains multiple report parts, they appear in the top dropdown in the Report Part Properties Tab. Use this dropdown to select an existing report part to edit or delete.

Delete Report Part

To delete a Report Part, in Design:

• Click the Report Part Properties tab
• Select the report part name from the first dropdown at the top of the Report Part Properties tab
• Hover over the top of the report part located in the middle of the screen to display the dark grey bar.
• Click the delete icon

Tip – You may need to use the scroll bars to locate the desired report part.

Report Part Properties

Each report part has a window where multiple properties of that report part can be defined and edited. To access the window, click the vertical tab located on the far right side of the Design window. Click the dropdown at the top of the window to select the desired report part. Depending on the type of report part selected, the available properties may vary slightly. The example used below is a Grid report type.

Important – Values in Report Part Properties are only available when the report part is viewed in configuration mode. They will not be available to view nor change when the report part is in preview mode. Hover the cursor over the top, right section of the report part to make the grey options bar for the report part appear. You can then switch between Preview Mode and Configuration Mode.

• General – Select a Grid Style and Separator Style from dropdowns.

  

• Table – Define a Border, Background Color, and Alternative Background.

  

• Columns – Define Width, Alignment, and Word Wrap.

  

• Headers – Define header formats

  

• Grouping – Check or un-check whether to use separators.

  

• View – Select options related to Data Refresh, Conditional Formatting, Pagination, and Columns per Exported Page.

  

• Printing – Check whether to include a Page Break After Separator when the report is printed.

  

Report Part Types

The different Report Part types available to be added to a report or template are:

Grid

This is the most used report part. The types of grids available are Vertical, Horizontal, Pivot, and Drilldown. The most used grid type is Vertical, where you select fields from a database table to include in columns, and the grid contains rows of data.

Chart

Include data in a visual, graphical format. The types of charts available are: Line, Column, Bar, Area, Pie, Funnel, Donut, and Combination.

Form

Use a form to include HTML-designed content in a report.

Gauge

Include data in a visual, graphical format. The types of gauges available are Linear Gauge, Simple Gauge, and Solid Gauge.

KPI - Key Performance Indicator

A KPI is a grid-oriented report part that displays a combination of simple metrics, images, and text in a more flexible layout. Users will be able to dynamically place various tiles along a grid for the organization.

Configuring a KPI includes three areas:

• Field Properties - Used to manipulate the field-based data being displayed in the KPI
• Tile Properties - Used to alter/edit the values for text and image tiles within the KPI
• Report Part Properties - Used for configuring the structure of the KPI layout and setting a background image

Fields

Adding Fields

Add fields from the Selected Data Sources to report parts. Exactly how and where the field is added depends upon the type of report part to which it is added. For example, in a grid-type report part, add one or more fields into the Columns area. To add, either drag and drop or click the small plus icon, located to the right of the Columns area, and check the desired fields.

Other Report Part types have similar areas which also state Drag or Add a Field.

Being familiar with the tables and fields available is helpful when designing reports. A separate document describes these relationships.

The available fields for a report are those in the selected tables and any calculated field.

Field Properties

Every field added to a report part has a window for field properties. To access the window, click the far-right vertical tab, labeled Field Properties.

View and change each field’s properties by selecting the report part where it is included and then the name of the field. Report part and field name are available in dropdown boxes.

Expand the section where the desired change is located:

• Data Source
• Data Formatting
• Header Formatting
• Drill Down

Options available in each section are described below.

Data Source

This section provides information about the field. Users can change the Field Name Alias and may check or un-check the box to make the field Visible.

Data Formatting

Expand and utilize this section to format the data in the field. Use the scroll bar on the right to scroll and see all formatting options.

Header Formatting

Expand and utilize this section to format the field’s header.

Drill Down

This option allows a report designer to link a report to a field. This sub-report will open when the viewer double-clicks on this field. Click the Sub Report Settings icon, which is shaped like a gear, to open the Subreport Settings window. Select the sub-report in the Reports dropdown. Be sure the sub-report contains the field that is being drilled on.

Calculated Fields

There are two main steps to including a calculated field in a report.

1. Design the calculated field.
2. Add the calculated to the report as you would a database field. Calculated fields are designed for each report or template. Calculated fields have a limitation for nesting up to 6 levels.

Tip - If the same calculated field is desired in multiple reports, it must be designed for each report.

Add & Design a Calculated Field

In this example, we use the date expressions to calculate whether a task is due in 30, 60 or 90 days or the task is overdue.

1. Navigate to the Design window of a report or template.

   

2. Click Add Calculated Field.

   

3. In the Add Calculated Field pop-up window, complete the fields.
   • Column Name – Type any name desired.
   • Expression – Click the light bulb icon to assist in creating valid syntax. Two tabs are available in the pop-up: Field Names and Functions/Operations. Clicking on a field name or function adds it to the Expression. Other calculated fields created in the report are also available for use in calculations. 

     

   • Expression syntax looks complicated; however, design is greatly assisted by the Expression pop-up.
     

   • Data Type – Select a data type from the dropdown.

     

   • Preview Result – Click the Preview button to view what the field values will look like in the report.

     

4. Once calculated fields are created, they appear at the bottom of the list of available fields. Add the field as you would add a field from a table.

   

Edit a Calculated Field

In the design window, scroll to the bottom of the included fields, as calculated fields are located at the end of the list, and highlight the desired field. Click the Field Properties tab. Notice the Expression box. Type in any edits, or click the tool icon to open the edit window.

Tip – When an argument requires a Datepart, these are the options available:

Delete a Calculated Field

Click the delete icon (shaped like an X) located to the right of the calculated field name.

Available Calculated Field Expressions

Although expressions can be fully typed, the easiest way to access field expressions is to click on the light bulb icon located within the Add Calculated Field pop-up window.

Separators

When a field is added to the separator section of a report part, the report groups together all records which have the same value in the selected field(s). Viewers can expand or collapse these groups. For example, a report which uses Department as a separator will group together records of users from the accounting department, HR department, IT department, etc. Report part types that allow Separators are: Grid, Chart, and Gauge.

Charts

Charts are type of Report Part. Adding a Chart is similar to adding a Grid report part however the properties are somewhat different. Charts can be added anywhere in a report and multiple charts may be included in a single report. Depending on how much data is included in your database, charts can take a while to render, so test the performance of a report before adding many charts to a single report.

To add a chart, in the Design window, click Chart. Next, in Report Part Properties, pick a chart type. Available chart types are: Line, Column, Bar, Area, Pie, Funnel, Donut and Combination. You can change the chart type later, if desired.

Next, select a label and a value. Add a title and description if desired. Then click Save.

Not all chart types have an x-axis and y-axis, so focus on adding labels and values. A value will be a count of the data value added to the field.

To change the look of your chart, use the additional options in Report Part Properties. These include options in the sections: General Info, Chart, Labels, Legends, Grouping, Data and View.

To add drilldown to a chart, include additional data values in the labels field. In this example, we include the Department, JobTitle and Name in the Labels field to give drilldown to the chart in this order.

Filters

Apply Filter

Filters are included in report designs to limit data included in a report to just those records which match the selected criteria. The designer uses the Filter area to define a filter and select default filter values. A viewer may or may not be able to change filter values. For a viewer to use a filter, the report designer must include the filter in the report design and check the box to Show Filters.

To add a filter to a report design:

• Navigate to Reports > Report List, located in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  
• Click on the name of the report design. Select whether the desired design is in Reports or Templates to locate the design.
  
• Click Edit and click Design.

  

• In the design window, expand the Filter area, located in the middle of the Design window, by clicking the arrow icon located to the left of Filter.

  

• Click the blue plus icon to add a filter.

  

• The Filter Selection window opens, listing the fields included in the report design. Check the boxes next to the fields you wish to filter on. Click OK.

  

• Notice the selected fields now appear in the Filter.

  

• If desired, select filter values for one or more fields by clicking on the edit icon, which is shaped like a pencil and located to the right of each field name in the filter area. Click Single or Multiple, to define if multiple values can be included in the filter. Click the dropdown and select one or more default filter values.

  

• If desired, enter AND/OR logic into the Filer Logic area to specify how filters are applied in the report. Click the Validate Syntax button to check for logic errors.

  

• Check the Show Filters checkbox if you want viewers to be able to change filter values. Click Apply Filter.

  

Tip – Apply Filter an Clear Filter buttons will appear as icons only if the browser window is too narrow.

Clear Filter

To clear a filter in a report design:

• Navigate to Reports > Report List, located in the upper-left corner of the screen.

  

• Click on the name of the report design. Select whether the desired design is in Reports or a Templates to locate the design.

  

• Click Edit and click Design.

  

• In the design window, expand the Filter area, located in the middle of the Design window, by clicking the arrow icon located to the left of Filter.
• Click Clear Filter.

  

Tip – Apply Filter an Clear Filter buttons will appear as icons only if the browser window is too narrow.

Cross Filtering

You can drill down on charts and graphs by including additional field values to the x or y-axis definition area of a chart or graph. Utilize Cross Filtering to tie the drill down to a grid, or to other charts and graphs include in the report. So, when a viewer double clicks on a graph to drill into one piece, the grid filters data to display in the grid just the values that are included in the 'drilled into' view of the chart.

To utilize Cross Filtering, you must have at least two report parts linked together. This is accomplished in the Report Part Selection window (see below). Charts and gauges utilizing drill down must have more than one field in the x-axis, and the order in the fields shown in the design determines the drill order.

View Cross Filtering - Example

In this example, Chart and Grid display aggregated data for Location and Job Description fields. When using cross-filtering, it is likely you will want to select All in the Preview Records dropdown.

Next in this example, we double-clicked on the Alexandria location bar in the chart. Notice we have drilled down in the chart and now see all the job positions held by users in Alexandria. Also, the filter shows the Alexandria breadcrumb and the grid contains only those users in Alexandria,

Next in this example, we double-clicked on the Carpenter job title, and now view the four users that hold that position in Alexandria. The Filter breadcrumb displays Alexandria|Carpenter. Click on any portion of the breadcrumb to drill up,

Design Cross Filtering

1. Navigate to the Design window of a report.
2. Design report parts. Include at least two parts of which at least one is a chart or gauge (where cross-filtering drill down will be available). Be sure to include two or more fields in the x-axis of these charts and gauges.
3. Set up report parts to have common data source fields. In this example Chart and Grid display aggregated data for Name, Location, and Job Title. This allows drill down first into different locations, and then into different job descriptions, ending with individual user names.

   

4. Click the Cross Filtering icon, located at the top of the Design window, and click OK.

   

5. Select related report parts to apply cross filtering. In this example Chart and Grid will be drilled up and down together.

   

6. View report and drill down on one report part by clicking on a data point in the chart.

   

7. The related report parts are filtered automatically and the Cross Filtering breadcrumb tells which report part is being drilled into.
8. The related report parts are filtered automatically and the Cross Filtering breadcrumb tells which report part is being drilled into.

   

Remove Cross Filtering

Click the small red x icon, located next to the Cross Filtering option.

Edit Report

To edit a report:

• Navigate to Reports > Report List, located in the upper-left corner of the screen.

  

• Select whether the desired design is in Reports or Templates to locate the design.

  

• There are two ways to access the Design menu item. Navigate to Reports>Report List and click Edit and click Design.

  

• Another way to access the Design menu item is to open and view the report by clicking on the report title in Reports > Report List, then click Edit and click Design.

  

• Depending on the desired changes, select the appropriate tab: Field Properties, Report Part Properties, Format Properties.

  

• Based on the tab selected, choose the field, report part, or format item from the top dropdown.
• Make desired changes to fields as described in the Design section of this document.

Tip – You may need to use the scroll bars to locate the desired report part.

Configuration Mode

When you don’t remember the name of the report part or field that you want to change, the best way to find it will be to look at the layout of the report. This is where using configuration mode can be very handy. Configuration mode also lets you easily see the results of changes as you make them.

Initially, accessing configuration mode can be a little tricky. The key is to hover your cursor over the top of a report part, in the report body. When the grey edit bar appears, click on the configuration mode icon. Once you are accustomed to how it works, switching between configuration mode and preview mode becomes easy.

With configuration mode activated, you now see the configuration fields which were completed during the original design of the report part. You still see a preview of the report part, though you may need to scroll to see the entire preview.

When in configuration mode, clicking on a field name automatically selects the appropriate report part name and field name in the dropdown fields of the field properties section of the report, so you have confidence you are editing the desired items. This also saves you from having to remember the names given to report parts and names of the selected fields.

With configuration mode turned on, it is also possible to add or delete fields, as was done during the original design. In this example of a grid report part, click the X next to a field in the Columns section to delete the field. Drag and drop a field from the data source area into this area to add a new field to the report part.

To turn off configuration mode for a report part, again hover at the top of the report part, so that the grey edit bar appears and click on the Configuration Mode/Preview Mode icon. You may need to scroll to the right or to the top of the report part in order to get the grey edit bar to appear when you hover the cursor at the top right section of the report part. Saving the report also changes the view from configuration mode back to the default, preview mode.

Tip - It is easy to accidentally add a new, unwanted report part to a report. You could hover in the upper right corner of the unwanted report part to delete it. However, it is easier to simply Save the report. Any empty report parts are not saved, and therefore are removed from the design when clicking on the Save button.

Quick Edit

This menu option allows you to make changes to Field Properties, Report Part Properties, and Format Properties while viewing the report.

Access the Quick Edit menu option when viewing a report:

Quick Edit menu option when viewing report details in Reports > Report List:

Copy

Use this menu option to make a copy of the report design. Supply a Report Name and select Category and Subcategory if desired. Click OK and view the copy in Reports > Report List.

Access the Copy menu option when viewing a report:

Access the Copy menu option when viewing report details in Reports > Report List:

Move

Use this option to change the category under which this report or template is listed in Reports > Report List. The option is not available on global reports, only reports located in Local Categories can be moved.

Access the Move menu option when viewing a report:

View History

Use this option to review the edit history for the report.

Access the View History menu option when viewing a report: