Item Reports

 

Definition:

The “Item Report” engine is the most robust of three reporting engines in the MAP-Software suite. The interface allows users the most flexibility in with filters, sorting, and the expression calculator.

Accessing Item Reports 

Users have three options when accessing Item Reports; Print Layout, Print Preview, and Print.  Show Me

 

Item Report Builder General Overview

Print Layout

Choose the Print Layout option to edit the behavior of an existing report or to create a new Item report.

ü  Go to   File > Print Layout > Item Reports     Show Me

 

 

Report Name

The Report Name is displayed in report selection dialog boxes when users edit, preview, or print item reports. (Note: This is not the actual file name for the report.)

New Report

Users may create new blank reports or copy existing reports by selecting the “New” button.

ü  Answer “Yes” to copy the current report, or “No” to create a blank report.           Show Me (No Sound)

Save Report

Use the “Save Report” button to save the current report.  (Note: It is a good idea to save the report as the same name entered in the “Report Name” field of the Item Report Builder. Managing report files are easier when the two names match.)                                Show Me

Edit Report Header

Use the “Edit Report Header” button to modify or specify report header layout.               Show Me

ü  Each Item Report may have a different Report Header.

ü  The Report Header may contain Job Information, Customer, Company, Shipping, and General Fields that will be populated dynamically when the report is run.

Size Columns Equally

The use of the “Size Columns Equally” button is not recommended. Selecting this button will set all columns in the report to equal width.

Report Font                   

Use the Report Font Button to manage font preferences.           

 (Note: Header fonts are managed in each of the linked fields specified in the “Edit Report Header” interface.)                    

Report Options

The general appearance of the report and its contents may be modified using “Report Options”.              Show Me

ü  The graphic below illustrates the presentation of information with none of the Report Options Enabled.

o   Each of the following bullet points will illustrate changes in presentation as options are enabled in succession.

o   Column Headings and data are separated with two lines.

ü  With Separate Columns with lines…..

o   Each Cell is enclosed by a box.

ü  With Highlight Table Titles and Totals

o   Each Cell is enclosed by a box and header cells are highlighted.

ü  With Highlight Collected Titles

o   Column headings and values that are displayed above tables are highlighted.

o   “Collect Rows Into Tables” was also checked on the “Order Tab” for “Code” column.

ü  Colors of highlighted cells may be modified using the Background and Text color dropdown menus.

ü  Start Each Collected Table on a New Page places each table generated by the report engine on a different page.

ü  Paper Orientation may be set to Default, Landscape, or Portrait.

ü  Include Omitted Items in the Report is used to create a variation report.

o   It includes all items in the report, including those active, inactive, or omitted from the current variation.

o   The variation print objects can then be used to generate costs for new or omitted items.

o   If variation objects are not used, this option will not affect the report.

ü  “Include fixed cost items” governs where Fixed Costs are listed in reports.

o   Fixed costs may be reported on a different tab or table.

o   If there are no fixed costs reported, the option will not affect the report.

ü  Split the report into section, will group items into sections and batch the report.

o   Each section starts on a new page.

o   Grand totals will be included, per section, if sections contain multiple tables.

ü  Include Skin will separate information about material and gauge for double wall.

ü  Expand sub Assemblies controls whether reports show the parent information or parent and associated sub components of sub assemblies.

Print Preview

View and test report behavior by selecting the Print Preview button.     Show Me

Delete Report

Selecting the Delete report Button will remove the current report from the database.  

ü  There is no “Undo”.

ü  The report file (.irp) is removed from disk.

 

General Report Building Interface

 

Report Field Search Filter

Use the Search Filter to determine which fields report information you are looking for.

ü  As you type in the Search Filter, the list of available report fields is minimized.                    Show Me

o   You do not need to type in the entire field name; the filter begins working as soon as the first letter is typed.

Available Report Fields (Print Objects)

There are 413 Report Fields available for Item Reports. Each Print Object is linked to information stored on or referenced by Items and Job information.

ü  Item Data Fields (109) (Select Link for Item Field documentation)

o   Item Data Fields access Item information stored on Item files.

(Note: Additional field documentation will be provided at a later date.)

ü  Item Costing Fields (60) (Field documentation provided at a later date)

o   Costing information is referenced by or stored on Item files.

o   Results printed in Costing fields are affected by information in the Costing Database.

ü  Item Separate Insulation Costs (5)

ü  Item Restricted Flow (2)

ü  Batched Fields (17)

ü  Variation Fields (7)

ü  Pattern Development Fields (14)

ü  Drilling Fields (6)

ü  Item Connector Fields (39)

ü  Item Collar Fields (11)

ü  Item Vane Fields (15)

ü  Item Splitter Fields (8)

ü  Item Stiffener Fields (32)

ü  Item Decoiler Fields (6)

ü  Item Support Fields (22)

ü  Item Seam Fields (6)

ü  Item Sealant Fields (5)

ü  Item Damper Fields (6)

ü  Din Fields (19) (Not relevant to the US market)

ü  LUKA Fields (4) (Not relevant to the US market)

ü  Unknown Fields (16) (Not relevant to the US market)

ü  Other Fields (4)

Fields Used (Selected in the current report)           

ü  Fields may be included in the current report by highlighting the desired field in the “Available” list on the left, and using the “Arrow Over” buttons.    Show Me

Manage Tables in Reports

ü  Tables in the report view are used to group information during report design.    Show Me

o   Multiple tables are generally used to report different information dependent on conditions.

o   Example: You may want to report the different information for round and rectangular ductwork in the same report. Adding tables will allow you to separate the two types of information, filter by shape, and report on different tables.

 Add tables to reports

o   Use the  icon to add a blank table to your report. A warning will be displayed when adding blank tables to reports.

 

o   Highlight an existing table, right click, and choose copy.

o   Right click and choose paste.

o   Select “Rename” from the same right click menu to change the name of existing tables.

Manage the Order of Columns

Column order may be changed using the “Left” and “Right” buttons at the top and bottom of the Report Builder.  

ü  Select a field and click the Left button to move a column further to the left in the printed report.

ü  Select a field and click the Right button to move a column further to the right in the printed report.

 

Report Builder Contents Tab

Each report field’s properties are displayed on the far right side of the Report Builder.   Show Me

Settings located on the Contents tab can be used to manage the behavior of report fields.

ü  Not all fields have the same options on the Contents tab.

o   The value in the Description field will be displayed as the column heading.

o   Units may be selected at the user’s discretion. Units will vary based in valid types. (Weight will not include Feet or Inches in the units drop down menu.)

o   The Show Units check box will include an abbreviation for units for each cell in the column.

o   Users control the minimum and maximum decimal places. (Note: Changing the number of decimal places will affect rounding.)

o   Rounding values may be set to Nearest, Round Up, or Round Down.

o   Changing the QTY value will cause the field to report different data. (Note: Please refer to Item Data Fields for specific information on each field.)

o   Justification may be set to Right, Left, or Center.

 

Report Builder Column Tab

Each report field’s properties are displayed on the far right side of the Report Builder.   Show Me

Column behavior is managed on the Column tab for each report field.

ü  The options available on the Column tab are consistent among fields

o   Some options may be grayed out if not relevant.

o   Use the Width field to specify column width.

§  Column width is based on the percentage of available page width.

§  By default all new fields are 10% of the total page width.

§  If you exceed 100% you will be prompted to “Auto Resize”.  

·         Auto Resize will divide the total page width by the number of fields and set column width for all columns equal.

§  Setting this value to zero will cause the column to be hidden. 

o   “Show Zero Values” will print zeros in cells if checked. Uncheck this option to leave “zero” cells blank.

o   Select “Calculate Total” to add a “total” for the selected column

o   Select “Summarize Totals for Collected Tables” to create “Grand Totals” for reports containing “Collected Tables”.

§  No summarized total will be collected if the previous field, Calculate Total, is not checked.

o   Select Use “Rounded Values for Totals” to apply rounding to column totals.

o   Select “Only show Same Consecutive Data Once” to avoid printing the same information over and over.

o   Select “Separate Change in Consecutive Data” to place Row divisions between rows.

§  Applying this setting to multiple columns will affect the overall presentation of the report.

Report Builder Order Tab

Each report field’s properties are displayed on the far right side of the Report Builder.   Show Me

Sorting options are managed on the Order Tab.

ü  Use the Normal in conjunction with Sort Priority to manage the basic sort order of columns.

o   Columns will sort in a logical ordinal fashion.

o   Columns with Sort Priority set to 0 do not sort.

o   Use the In Reverse Order check box to cause a sorted column to sort in descending order.

o   The Merge Rows Together option will combine like data into a single row in that column.

§  This option will cause multiple records to be combined based on the contents of this one column.

§  Setting this option on multiple columns will further change the behavior of the report.

§  Pay close attention to Sort Priority.

·         If two columns are set to “Merge Rows”, changing Sort Priority can cause differing results.

·         Merged Columns should have higher sort priorities than columns normally sorted.

o   Collect Rows Into Tables

§  This option is generally used to group information into tables.

§  Pay close attention to Sort Priority.

·         Collected columns should have the highest sort priorities.

Report Builder Calc Tab

Each report field’s properties are displayed on the far right side of the Report Builder.   Show Me

Field values may be modified using options on the Calc Tab.

ü  The expression calculator allows calculation to be performed on selected fields.

o   Calculations may only reference preceding fields in the report.

o   It is a good practice to modify the name of fields where calculations are used.

Report Builder Filter Tab

Each report field’s properties are displayed on the far right side of the Report Builder.   Show Me

Field values may be included or excluded using options on the Filter Tab.

ü  Select “Exclude All Fields if not met” to exclude rows from the report.

o   If the criteria for the filter for this column are not met, the entire row will be excluded.

ü  Select” Exclude All Blank data” to exclude rows from the report.

o   If there is blank data in this column, the entire row will be excluded.

ü  Select “Exclude this Field’s data if not met” to exclude a column from the report.

o   If the criteria of the filter for this column are not met, data will not print for that column.