REPORTS OVERVIEW

The latest version of Crystal Reports allows you to print multiple reports at the same time from any of the module report lists. This gives you the capability to compare report information without having to print one report to compare against a second (or third or fourth!) report. (See "Generating Multiple Reports" later in this section.)

 

To access the reports for each of the systems, either click on the REPORTS button on the main screen or click the Report Menu bar. Each system will have reports associated with it and will be listed on the screen. To see the reports contained for any of the systems, click the "+" sign next to the system name (e.g., General Ledger, Accounts Payable, etc.).

 

To see an "overview" of any report (with the exception of Payroll reports), click on a report. A sample of the report will be displayed to the right using the report’s default parameter list. After selecting a report, a screen showing the report’s parameters will be displayed. Parameters that require input will be shown in BLUE. Parameters that are not required will be shown in BLACK. Most of the required (or optional) information will be self-explanatory; however, on those reports where the Parameter Field Names may not be recognizable, we will explain what is being asked for.

 

When you see the list of the available reports, you can view a brief description of each report by highlighting the report you’re interested in. The small window at the bottom of the list of reports will display the highlighted report’s features.

After selecting a report, you may see the above message appear while a sample of the report is being loaded. Again, look at the window to the right of the report list to see what the report you selected looks like.

 

Saving Report Parameters

You have the ability to save the information you have entered into parameter fields for those reports that always have the same information being requested.

 

For example, if you run a Trial Balance that has starting and ending dates for your fiscal year, you can save these entries and name the report "Fiscal Yr Trial Bal". Saved report parameter files have a 20-character file name limitation, so use abbreviations whenever possible and use no special characters (e.g., "/" "-", etc.).

To save parameters, after entering a set of parameters (say, start and end dates), click the box next to "Save"  for the parameters you want to keep.

 

If you click the boxes labeled "No Value" in any of the parameter fields that ask for low and high dates or data, you’re telling the program that you want all available information without any consideration of date or data ranges. For example, if you have a low and high date field and you click the "No Value" box for both low and high date, you’re telling the program that you want to see all the data for every date in the database. Consequently, if you click "No Value" on the low date field but enter a high date, you’ll see all the data for every date up to the date you entered in the high date field.

 

The large white boxes under low and high data or date fields display what you have entered for these parameters. That data is entered after you click the "Add" button. If you want to remove data from these boxes, highlight the line you want to remove and click the "Delete" button.

 

After you have entered your parameter fields and have clicked the "Save" boxes next to the fields you want to save, click the "SAVE" button at the top of the screen.

When you have successfully saved a report’s parameters and named the report, it will become part of a subset of report titles that you can access every time you Select to run reports.

 

Changing Margin Settings

At the top of the Parameter Input screen are two tabs: Parameters, Report. To reset the margins for the report you’re running, click the Margins tab at the top under the Parameters tab.

 Make your margin setting changes in the white boxes on the right side of the screen.

 

The buttons at the bottom of the screen are used for the following functions:

 

•Save – Click this button to make your margin settings permanent for this and all future printings for this report only.

•Reset – Click this button to return your margin settings to their "factory" defaults.

 

 

To see how your new settings appear on the printed report, click the Report tab at the top of the screen.

 

Date Parameter Fields

There are two ways to enter dates either by typing the dates in directly or by selecting a date from the graphic calendars. If you use the graphic calendars, move through the calendar months using the arrow keys at the top of the calendar, and select the date(s) to use.

 

To open the attached calendars, click the drop-down arrow at the end of the date field you’re entering. The calendar will appear. Select the date you want by clicking on it. The calendar will automatically close and your selected date will be inserted into the field.

 

Entering Low and High Data Parameters

Some of the parameter fields allow you to enter low and high selection information. If you want to create a report for, say, an individual employee, first click the parameter field that’s labeled "Specific Employee(s) to Report on," then in both the Start and End fields, enter the employee number you want to generate the report for, and click the "Add" button to add it to your data window under the parameter.

 

If you want to create a report for a range of employee numbers, then in the Start field, enter the first employee number and in the End field, enter the last employee number. In order for these low and high employee numbers to be included on the report, remember to click the "Add" button to add them to the data window.

You can also generate reports for one item plus a range of items. For example, if you wanted to generate a report for the information for employee number 011and employee numbers 011 through 039, you would enter 0010 in the State and End fields and click "Add," and then enter 0011 in the Start field and 039 in the End field and click "Add" again. The resulting report would display all the information for employee 011 and employee numbers 0014, 0017, 0039, etc.

If you wanted to create a report for only two employees, you would enter the first employee in the start and end fields, click "Add" and then enter the next employee in the Start and End fields and click "Add" again. Using the above methods, you can create reports for one, two or many individual records.

 

NOTE: Printing reports does not update any of the data in your files, so you may run the reports as often as you wish.

 

Entering Dollar or Percent Values

 

                                            

If you’re required to enter a dollar amount for any of the parameter fields, enter the amount as a whole number. You do not need to enter a decimal point and two zeroes in the case of whole dollars; however, you will need to enter them if the amount is not whole dollars. For example, if you needed to enter $87.45, you would enter the value as 87.45; if you needed to enter $4,500.00, you would enter the value as 4500. Note that you do not need to enter commas or dollar signs.

 

Percentages are entered the same way as dollars – as whole numbers with a decimal point and as many decimal places as you need. For example, if you needed to enter 6.5%, you would enter it as 6.5 not .065. Or if you needed to enter 25%, you would enter it as 25 not .25. However, if you needed to enter .8%, you would enter it as .8 not .008.

 

Report Screen Buttons

At the top of the report screen are buttons that Run, Save,  clear parameter entries, a "No Parameter List",No cross tabs, and Show group tree check box.

 

•The Run button processes the report using the parameters you have entered. You can also click the "Report" tab at the top of the screen to perform this function.

•The Save button saves the parameters you have entered. Note that at least one of the "Save" check boxes must have a check mark in it for this button to function.

•The Clear button clears all the parameters you have entered.

•If you click the "No Parameter List" check box, no parameter lists will be printed at the bottom of the report.

•The Show Group Tree button will show your results of the report on the left side of the report window.

 

If you decide you don’t want a report that you have already selected, click the "X" in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Note that clicking the "X" immediately redisplays the available reports list.