Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Report Writer User’s Guide

[Pages:214]Microsoft Dynamics? GP 2013

Report Writer User's Guide

Copyright

Copyright ? 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Limitation of liability

This document is provided "as-is". Information and views expressed in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, may change without notice. You bear the risk of using it.

Some examples depicted herein are provided for illustration only and are fictitious. No real association or connection is intended or should be inferred.

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Microsoft Corporation disclaims any warranty regarding the sample code contained in this documentation, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

License agreement

Use of this product is covered by a license agreement provided with the software product. If you have any questions, please call the Microsoft Dynamics GPCustomer Assistance Department at 800-456-0025 (in the U.S. or Canada) or +1-701-281-6500.

Publication date

July 2012

Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 2

What's in this manual...................................................................................................................................2 Symbols and conventions ............................................................................................................................3 Product support ............................................................................................................................................3

Part 1: Basics ............................................................................................................................................. 6

Chapter 1: Getting Started with the Report Writer .............................................. 7

Report Writer tasks .......................................................................................................................................7 Terminology ................................................................................................................................................... 7 Storing reports ...............................................................................................................................................8 Starting the Report Writer............................................................................................................................8

Chapter 2: The Report Writer Interface ........................................................................... 9

The main window and toolbar ...................................................................................................................9 Menus .............................................................................................................................................................9 Windows ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 Standard buttons.........................................................................................................................................12

Part 2: Creating Reports ......................................................................................................... 14

Chapter 3: Report Definition .................................................................................................. 15

Creating a new report definition ..............................................................................................................15 Report options .............................................................................................................................................17 Printing a report definition........................................................................................................................19

Chapter 4: Report Layout ........................................................................................................... 21

Creating a report layout .............................................................................................................................21 Layout sections............................................................................................................................................22 The Toolbox..................................................................................................................................................23 Adding fields to a report layout ...............................................................................................................25 The Properties window..............................................................................................................................26 Report properties ........................................................................................................................................27 Field properties ...........................................................................................................................................27 Drawn object properties.............................................................................................................................28 Report field characteristics ........................................................................................................................29 Applying drawing options ........................................................................................................................30

Chapter 5: Sorting ............................................................................................................................ 33

Using a main table key...............................................................................................................................33 Creating a sorting definition .....................................................................................................................33

Chapter 6: Restrictions ................................................................................................................ 35

Defining report restrictions .......................................................................................................................35 Restriction functions...................................................................................................................................36

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Chapter 7: Calculated Fields ................................................................................................... 43

Creating a calculated field .........................................................................................................................44 Operators...................................................................................................................................................... 44 Fields tab ......................................................................................................................................................46 Constants tab ...............................................................................................................................................47 Functions tab ...............................................................................................................................................48 System-defined functions ..........................................................................................................................48 User-defined functions...............................................................................................................................52

Chapter 8: Additional Headers and Footers.............................................................. 55

Overview of headers and footers .............................................................................................................55 The order of headers and footers..............................................................................................................56 Creating additional headers or footers ....................................................................................................56

Chapter 9: Legends .......................................................................................................................... 59

Using legends ..............................................................................................................................................59 Legends example ........................................................................................................................................60

Chapter 10: Modifying Fields ................................................................................................. 61

Field visibility ..............................................................................................................................................61 Specifying a format resource .....................................................................................................................62 Specifying a format field............................................................................................................................62 Changing display types .............................................................................................................................64 Display type summary...............................................................................................................................66

Part 3: Gathering Data .............................................................................................................. 68

Chapter 11: Data Storage........................................................................................................... 69

Terminology ................................................................................................................................................. 69 Table names..................................................................................................................................................71 Table types ...................................................................................................................................................71 Table groups.................................................................................................................................................72

Chapter 12: Table Relationships .......................................................................................... 73

Table relationship overview ......................................................................................................................73 Types of table relationships .......................................................................................................................73 Defining a table relationship .....................................................................................................................74

Chapter 13: Virtual Tables......................................................................................................... 77

Virtual table overview................................................................................................................................77 Viewing virtual table information ............................................................................................................77 Using virtual tables with reports ..............................................................................................................78

Part 4: Modifying Reports .................................................................................................... 80

Chapter 14: Selecting a Report to Modify.................................................................. 81

Finding a report name................................................................................................................................81 Creating a modified report ........................................................................................................................81 Modifying the current report ....................................................................................................................82

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Chapter 15: Viewing a Modified Report ....................................................................... 83

Viewing from the Report Writer ...............................................................................................................83 Viewing from the application....................................................................................................................84

Chapter 16: Common Modifications................................................................................ 87

Modifying the layout..................................................................................................................................87 Changing the page orientation .................................................................................................................87 Adding or removing fields ........................................................................................................................87 Using VBA with reports.............................................................................................................................88 Reports Library ...........................................................................................................................................89

Part 5: Global Modifications............................................................................................. 92

Chapter 17: Data Types ................................................................................................................ 93

Opening a data type ...................................................................................................................................93 Keyable length.............................................................................................................................................93 Static values .................................................................................................................................................94 Format........................................................................................................................................................... 94

Chapter 18: Formats ....................................................................................................................... 95

Opening a format ........................................................................................................................................95 Formatting options .....................................................................................................................................95 Format string ...............................................................................................................................................96

Chapter 19: Global Fields ........................................................................................................... 99

Opening a global field................................................................................................................................99 Opening a field's data type .......................................................................................................................99

Chapter 20: Pictures.................................................................................................................... 101

Adding a picture to the picture library..................................................................................................101 Using a picture from the picture library................................................................................................101 Guidelines for using logos.......................................................................................................................102

Chapter 21: Strings....................................................................................................................... 103

Using strings..............................................................................................................................................103 Modifying a string ....................................................................................................................................103

Chapter 22: Tables ......................................................................................................................... 105

Table elements ...........................................................................................................................................105 Keys............................................................................................................................................................. 105 Key segments.............................................................................................................................................106 Key options ................................................................................................................................................106 Segment options........................................................................................................................................107

Part 6: Printing and Mailing Reports.................................................................. 110

Chapter 23: Printing Reports................................................................................................ 111

Printing modified reports ........................................................................................................................ 111 Printing custom reports ........................................................................................................................... 112 Printing in the Report Writer................................................................................................................... 113

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Chapter 24: Mailing Reports .................................................................................................115

Mail connectivity....................................................................................................................................... 115 Attachment types ...................................................................................................................................... 115 Mailing a report......................................................................................................................................... 115

Chapter 25: Exporting Data ...................................................................................................117

Export formats........................................................................................................................................... 117 Creating reports for exporting ................................................................................................................ 117

Part 7: Report Design ............................................................................................................. 120

Chapter 26: Report Design Guidelines ....................................................................... 121

Report design.............................................................................................................................................121 Optimizing reports ...................................................................................................................................122

Chapter 27: Preprinted Forms ............................................................................................ 123

Report definition settings ........................................................................................................................123 Report layout .............................................................................................................................................123 Printing preprinted reports .....................................................................................................................124

Chapter 28: Groups....................................................................................................................... 127

Group overview ........................................................................................................................................127 Sorting for groups .....................................................................................................................................127 Group headers ...........................................................................................................................................128 Group footers.............................................................................................................................................128 Counting items in a group.......................................................................................................................129 Counting groups .......................................................................................................................................129 Totaling and subtotaling ..........................................................................................................................130 Advanced groups......................................................................................................................................130

Chapter 29: Checks, Invoices, and Labels ............................................................... 131

Checks......................................................................................................................................................... 131 Invoices ....................................................................................................................................................... 132 Labels ..........................................................................................................................................................132

Part 8: Storing and Accessing Reports .......................................................... 136

Chapter 30: Storing Reports ................................................................................................ 137

Reports dictionary ....................................................................................................................................137 Launch file..................................................................................................................................................137 Report Writer configurations ..................................................................................................................138

Chapter 31: Accessing Reports ......................................................................................... 141

Accessing the Report Writer....................................................................................................................141 Accessing modified reports .....................................................................................................................142 Accessing custom reports ........................................................................................................................143 Accessing third-party reports..................................................................................................................144 Removing modified reports ....................................................................................................................145

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Chapter 32: Packaging Reports......................................................................................... 147

Package files...............................................................................................................................................147 Exporting a package file...........................................................................................................................147 Importing a package file ..........................................................................................................................148 Package file import/export issues..........................................................................................................149

Chapter 33: Importing Reports.......................................................................................... 151

Importing from a reports dictionary ......................................................................................................151 Validating reports .....................................................................................................................................152

Part 9: Word Templates ........................................................................................................ 154

Chapter 34: Overview of Word Templates............................................................... 155

Template-enabled reports ........................................................................................................................155 Report definition .......................................................................................................................................155 Report template document......................................................................................................................156 How Word Templates are processed......................................................................................................156 Capabilities of Word templates...............................................................................................................157

Chapter 35: Setting Up Microsoft Word.................................................................... 159

Add-in for Microsoft Word......................................................................................................................159 Microsoft Word settings ...........................................................................................................................160

Chapter 36: Report Template Design ........................................................................... 161

Document structure ..................................................................................................................................161 Creating a report template layout with tables ......................................................................................162 Fields, captions, and legends ..................................................................................................................164 Bookmarks .................................................................................................................................................166 Company image ........................................................................................................................................167 Tips for working with report template documents..............................................................................167 Common report template patterns.........................................................................................................168 Making report templates read-only .......................................................................................................169

Chapter 37: Creating Report Templates .................................................................... 171

Overview of creating report template documents ...............................................................................171 Creating a new report template document ...........................................................................................171

Chapter 38: Report Templates for Modified Reports .................................... 175

Modifying the report definition..............................................................................................................175 Creating a modified report template document...................................................................................176 Using the modified report template document....................................................................................178 Updating the data source for a report template ...................................................................................179

Chapter 39: Word Template Generator....................................................................... 181

Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 181 Accessing the Word Template Generator ..............................................................................................181 Using the Word Template Generator .....................................................................................................181 Generated template expectations ...........................................................................................................184

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Chapter 40: Troubleshooting Templates ................................................................... 185

Template layout issues .............................................................................................................................185 Template processing issues......................................................................................................................186

Appendix .................................................................................................................................................. 192

Appendix A: User-defined Functions ........................................................................... 193

Glossary..................................................................................................................................................... 195 Index............................................................................................................................................................... 199

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