Processing (or Running) an Existing Report

You can use the Report Selection Form to select an existing report to run.

Note: Running a report ultimately depends on the output type originally assigned to the report.

There is times when it is more efficient to run reports when you are away from your desk. In order to accomplish this there are two options, Batch reporting and Scheduled reporting.

What do you want to do?

• Select an existing report and run it now
• Schedule selected reports
• Add selected reports to a batch

Report Selection Form

To open the Report Selection Form, select the module you require > REPORT GENERATOR menu > Run report generator. This form enables you to select an existing report from the drop down menu.

Radio Buttons

All	Print	Display
Chart	Export	Mail
HTML	RTF	None
Labels	Letter	Letter writer

Buttons

OK: Actions the Report definition that you have selected.

Cancel: Returns you to the Report Generator MAIN MENU.

Find: Displays a FIND REPORT form where you can enter text to search for a report.

Help: Displays help on the current application in your default company browser.

Selecting a Report

To select an existing report:

1. Select Run report generator from the REPORT GENERATOR menu.

2. Click the OK button.

   The Report selection form is displayed.

3. Click the drop down button adjacent to the Report definition field.

   A list of available reports is displayed.

   Tip:To narrow the search, click one of the radio buttons. Reports that conform to the output type of the radio button selected are displayed. For example, if you select the Display radio button then only those reports which have an output type of D in the title page are displayed in the drop down menu.

4. Click OK.

A form (with the title of the report you selected) is displayed that enables you to either run only the selected report now by clicking OK or, by selecting the appropriate button, add the report to a schedule (timed operation) or a batch (collated with other reports).

Scheduling a Report

To schedule selected reports (add to timed operations):

The schedule determines which operations are run, and when they are run, using timed operations (Agent) controls.

1. After opening the form with the title of the report you selected (as described in step 4 of selecting a report), click the Schedule button.

The Timed Operations Schedule form is displayed.

2. Click the Add button.

The Scheduling information form is displayed.

3. Enter/edit the scheduling details and click OK.

The selected report is scheduled to run at the requested time.

Tip: After scheduling a report the remove button is enabled. To remove a report click the remove button and click Delete

Adding a Report to a Batch

To collate selected reports (add to batch):

You can collate several reports to run at the same time, sequentially, this is called batch reporting. This is particularly useful for running reports with an RTF output because these reports require locally connected or networked printers. You can maintain the selection of reports using the Batched Reports Form

Note: Run a report from the Report Selection Form that is suitable for batch output. Display reports, for example, would not be suitable.

1. After opening the form with the title of the report you selected (as described in step 4 of selecting a report), click the Add to batch button.

The Add report to batch form is displayed

2. In the Report Group field enter the name/code (batch identifier) of the report group to which you want to add the selected report. If it exists the report is added to the existing batch if the batch does not exist a new batch is created.

   Note: There also is an opportunity to select the user priority you require for running this report in the batch and add an email address to send this batch of reports to, if necessary.

3. TAB and click OK.

The report is added in sequence to a batch and you are returned to the REPORT GENERATOR menu. With the batch now in place, select the Batched reports option from the REPORT GENERATOR main menu to view the batched reports for the module you are in.

4. In the ** batched reports form (** = module name) select the batch identifier, make any necessary changes to the report prompts, and click the Run batch button.

Related topics:

Timed Operations

Batch Control