Report Designer User Guide

User Manuals > Report Designer User Guide

Introduction

In this documentation, you will find information about how to use the Report Builder to customize your reports to fill the needs of your business and your respected customers. Keep reading in order to find help on the different toolbars, group management, headers and footers, and the rest of the tools the Report Builder has to offer you.

CommitCRM reports can be customized in two ways:

1. Add your own header - You can set/modify a textual header (with your company name, etc.) for all reports at once by selecting Tools > Options > Reports tab > click on Edit Header.
2. Designing reports data and layout –
   • To customize CommitCRM reports, open the Reports window, select the report you want to customize, select Copy from the toolbar and enter your new report name. The copied report will be selected. Select the Design button from the toolbar, and the report designer will open.
   • To add a new data field to a custom report, select a DBText button from the report designer toolbar and place it where desired in the report layout. With the newly created field selected, select the appropriate Data Field from the drop down list on the toolbar, which is located on the upper-left corner. If you want to add a Title, select the Label button from the toolbar, place it on the report and write the title in the text area on the windows toolbar, which is located on the upper-left corner as well.
   • To view your customized reports, click the Custom Reports radio button on the Reports window.

Make sure to watch the CommitCRM Report Designer Tutorial which will guide you through a basic report design process and show you how you can change the report layout and add new fields to the report.

Reports Preferences

The Reports Preferences window allows you to adjust global options available in the system. Any of the settings configured in this window will only take effect once CommitCRM has been restarted on that computer.

Option	Description
Report Header Editor	This tool allows you to edit the CommitCRM Report Header, which contains your company info. The header gets its default content from the company information you’ve entered when the system was set up right after the installation. If the header needs to be edited, the edit header button will open a basic text editor allowing you to adjust your report header. The header you set in this window will be automatically used in any CommitCRM report that has the header section enabled.
Header Alignment	The header alignment options allow you to have your header text in the center of the header section, or on either side. This setting only affects the textual header configured in this window. Businesses that also use a bitmap image in their headers can have the header image inserted and adjusted to your layout by using the CommitCRM report designer to add an Image Component to your report layout.
Default Page Size	Since most countries use either Letter or A4 size paper for their normal day-to-day paperwork, the system offers you the option to choose the default page size used in all reports created from that moment on. If you need to adjust the page size for existing reports, you’ll need to load that report in the report designer, open the page settings for that report from File > Page Settings, and pick the new page size for that report.
Print Button Options	This options allows you to choose the default button to be selected when open a report generation window.

File:Header editor.jpg

Loading The Report Designer

The report Designer can be accessed by selecting an existing report that is similar to the report you want to generate. It is very important to identify an existing report which can serve as the basis for the customized report you wish to generate. You must take into consideration when choosing the report both its layout and its data structure. Every report has predefined data source relations and fields that can be selected. To customize CommitCRM reports, open the Reports window, select the report you want to customize, select Copy from the toolbar and enter your new report name. The copied report will be selected. Select the Design button from the toolbar, and the report designer will open.

• Open CommitCRM, and go to the Reports Screen.
• Select the base report that you will be editing to your own needs.

• The base report can be selected from System based or Custom based reports.

• Select the Copy Option from the toolbar.
• Give your report a new name.
• Switch to Custom Reports.
• Choose your new report.
• Click Design from the toolbar.

The Designing Environment

In this view, you are free to manipulate the position or size of any of the text labels or the data components. In the Default view shipped with the designer, you’ll notice there is a single tab (multiple tabs in some reports), the lower part of the screenshot above, your layout in the middle. Also, you’ll see 5 visible toolbars in a grouped configuration, there are also 5 hidden toolbars. These toolbars are as follows.

For a video illustrating the finer points of customizing CommitCRM reports, Please click here.

Visible Toolbars

Standard Components

The Standard components are basically text labels, images, shapes, charts or barcodes. These components are static by nature, meaning that their contents are predetermined during design usually for writing the text labels, inserting company logo or even a chart.

The items in the toolbar are as follows (By order of Left to Right).

Component	Description
Select object (Arrow)	This is the tool used to select an item or multiple items by holding CTRL.
Label	This is the component used to set small basic text labels. i.e. Name: Address: Ph#:
Memo	This text component is used for displaying larger amounts of fixed text that the Label component offers. This component is useful for disclaimers, Terms Of Services, etc.
Rich Text	The Rich Text component allows you to activate the Rich Text Editor by right clicking the RTF field and choosing Edit. This allows you to use line breaks, and different formatting features.
Calc	This tool allows you to add time/date stamps, page indicator stamps, date printed stamp, etc. by placing a component and selecting a function from the edit bar.
Image	This tool allows you to insert a predetermined picture to the report.
Shape	This tool allows you to insert simple shapes to the report, by clicking the icon, selecting a shape from the edit bar, and placing the component in the report.
Line	This tool allows you to place continuous or broken lines to the reports.
Barcode	This tool allows you to mark each report with the same barcode image. If you would like the barcode to be chosen, please use DBBarcode.
Chart	This tool allows you to insert a static chart that will also be shown in an identical fashion on each report.

Data Components

The data components are the items used to insert data from the CommitCRM Database into your report. These fields cross reference and list the data in the reports that you will later use to present to your customers, and use in the office to organize the workflow not just for you, but your whole business. These reports include technician service summary quotations, charge lists, account history printouts, Charts, lists, and much more.
The items in the toolbar are as follows(By order of Left to Right):

Component	Description
DBText	This tool allows you to insert short text fields from the database. The selected field in the edit bar such as Accounts – Name, is later cross referenced with the stipulations in the report generation window. Note that for each type of report, different combinations of fields are available, we’ll get into that later in this manual.
DBMemo	This tool allows you to insert larger text memos from the database in the same manner as the previous tool. It is resizable in the report generator, and is ideal for Ticket Description, Account Notes, Charge Description, etc.
DBRichText	This tool allows you to insert large amounts of text from the database and inserted with rich formatting capabilities. There’s an editor if you right click the component in your layout and choose Edit.
DBCalc	This tool allows you to place simple mathematical formula such as SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, and MAX into your reports. Just right click the field select Calculations... to set your formula. Then select the database field to be associated with this formula from the edit bar.
DBImage	This tool allows you to insert images referenced in the database into the report.
DBBarCode	This tool allows you to insert database referenced barcodes into your report for stuff like asset code, serial numbers, etc.. This is useful if you use barcodes to identify assets, accounts, and items. The report will display the barcodes in a standard barcode format, unless the user selects a different barcode format to be used.
DBChart	This tool allows you to insert a chart into your report that calculates all the entries in report and displays the results in an easily readable report. Customers love these things… This is an advanced option and may be difficult to fine tune. We suggest using them as they are in reports that already have them, or to export your data to Excel and use Excel’s charting tools, for more powerful features. Alternatively, if you're an advanced user, you can configure the CommitCRM ODBC Connector to serve as an information conduit from the CommitCRM database right into your Excel Charts.

Advanced Components

Use of the advanced components is used for separation and sub-reporting. There’s only 2 of them, but you’ll use them plenty. The items in the toolbar are as follows (By order of Left to Right):

Component	Description
Region	This tool allows you to mark a section reserved for small DB fields like Name, Address1, Address2, etc. so that different sections in the smaller, more delicate parts of the report are preserved.
Sub-Report (Advanced)	This tool allows you to generate separate layout window for parts within the report. For example, in a charge report for tickets, the charges list can be arranged as a sub report for easier layout settings. This operation creates a tab on the lower edge on the left side named by the value in the component’s edit field. Once the component is positioned, you can switch to the next tab, and start creating your Sub Report.
	Note: Each Sub Report uses their own data sources and should be used carefully, it's generally recommended to use already-existing sub reports when available. Creating new sub reports should be consulted with the Commit support team to assure best results.

Edit

The edit bar is used to select the value of the component you’ve just selected in your layout. If you’ve selected a text component or a memo component, you’ll see the inputted text in the edit bar. If you’ve selected a DB component, you’ll see the category – fieldname, and you’ll be able to choose any different field available by dropping this field to a menu.

Format

This toolbar looks familiar enough, they can be used to reformat your text and control the object depth. The items in the toolbar are as follows (By order of Left to Right):

Component	Description
Font Selector	This tool allows you to change the selected font for text display. E.g. Times New Roman, Arial, Tahoma, etc.
Font Size Selector	This tool allows you to change the size of the text selected.
Bold	This tool allows you to make bold text.
Italics	This tool allows you to make italic text.
Underline	This tool allows you to make underlined text.
3 Text Positioning Modes	These tools allows you to switch the text alignment with in each component placed on the layout. (Left, Center, Right).
Font Color	This tool allows you to use colored letters in your reports.
Highlight Color	This tool allows you to use colored text backgrounds.
Bring to Front	This tool allows you to bring an object to the top level, so it is visible over the others below it.
Send to Back	This tool allows you to place an object in the background so that other objects can cover it.

Hidden ToolBars

The hidden toolbars must be opened to be used. There are 2 ways to open them. The first way is from View menu > Toolbars, and the second method is to right-click an existing toolbar and select from the context menu that shows up. The menus hidden by default are as follows:

Standard

This toolbar is used for file, printer and clipboard tasks. The items in the toolbar are as follows (By order of Left to Right):

Component	Description
Open	This tool allows you to open files saved in the Report Designer in to the current document.
Save	This tool allows you to save the current layout as a file loadable by Report Builder in to other reports.
Page Setup	This tool allows you to select the different options about page size and orientation.
Print	This tool allows you to print the layout/preview as displayed in the builder. If you want one with database entries, try generating the report.
Print Preview	This tool allows you to see what you’re going print before you waste ink or a page.
Cut	This tool allows you to cut the selected entities to the clipboard. This removes the original.
Copy	This tool allows you to copy to the clipboard, without removing the original.
Paste	This tool allows you to paste the contents of the clipboard into your report.

Draw

The Draw toolbar allows you to draw simple shapes inside the report. The items in the toolbar are as follows (By order of Left to Right):

Component	Description
Fill Color	This tool allows you to fill any shape created with these tools to any color you choose.
Line Color	This tool allows you to change the color for the selected line, or lines pending creation.
Line Thickness	This tool allows you to adjust the thickness of the selected line or any lines pending creation.
Line Style	This tool allows you to generate broken lines, continuous lines, and other similar styles.

Align or Space

These tasks are used to reposition the selected component/s with a stipulation. This makes organizing the report much easier to keep orderly. The items in the toolbar are as follows (By order of Left to Right):

Component	Description
Align Left	This tool allows you to shift the selected component to the left side of the document.
Align Center	This tool allows you to shift the selected component to the center of the row it’s on.
Align Right	This tool allows you to shift the selected component to the right side of the document.
Align Top	This tool allows you to shift the selected component to the top of the page.
Align Middle	This tool allows you to shift the selected component to the middle of the document page.
Align Bottom	This tool allows you to shift the selected component to the bottom of the page.
Space Horizontally	This tool allows you to select multiple components and have them evenly spaced horizontally.
Space Vertically	This tool allows you to select multiple components, and have them evenly spaced vertically.
Center Horizontally In Band	This tool allows you to group multiple components into 1 separated horizontal field.
Center Vertically In Band	This tool allows you to group multiple components into 1 separated vertical field.

Size

These tasks are to resize the selected component/s by height and width. The items in the toolbar are as follows (By order of Left to Right):

Component	Description
Shrink Horizontally	This tool allows you to make a selected component narrower.
Grow Horizontally	This tool allows you to make a selected component wider.
Shrink Vertically	This tool allows you to make a selected component shorter.
Grow Vertically	This tool allows you to make a selected component taller.

Nudge

Nudging is the term used in the Designer for moving a component in a metered distance in different directions. The items in the toolbar are as follows (By order of Left to Right):

Component	Description
Nudge Up	This tool allows you to make a selected component move up.
Nudge Down	This tool allows you to make a selected component move down.
Nudge Left	This tool allows you to make a selected component move left.
Nudge Right	This tool allows you to make a selected component move right.

Report Menu

The Report Designer'sReports Menu is a layout control menu which can toggle parts of your layout to be shown or hidden. Report Sections are parts of the report that are separate from other parts. some sections such as Header, Footer, and Summary have their own static purposes, while other miscellaneous groups such as Group1, Group2, Etc. can be used to display any static or database information you like.

Groups

Groups are containers used to divide the sections of a report. Some sections can be static, their components never grow. Some groups can have lists taken from the database, and run with it for many pages. These groups are inserted from the groups window, located in the reports menu. (Please see screenshots).

In this window, you can see a list of existing groups (if any), and you can select the field to group them by from the dropdown menu above the list. Once you’ve selected your group, you can insert 1 or more of those groups. These groups get placed in your report, and can be set to dynamic or static height, by right clicking a group separator. Each group will divide the report in to separate sections (Header, Footer, Summary, Detail, etc.). some sections show up on every page, and some groups only show up on the first or last pages, so you should take this into consideration when inserting components, so you know where the best place to place it is, so that it shows up as many times as you need.

Data Source

Different report types come with different available component fields. Database field is a field of information stored in the CommitCRM database. These represent information in the database, which you’d like to have displayed in your reports. The available database fields list varies according to the report type.

Each report has a pre-defined list of available fields according to the report pre-defined design. In most cases, the main category fields are available (e.g. Ticket fields for a Ticket report, Charge fields for a Charge report, Account fields for all reports, etc.), and you may have some select fields from other categories as well (e.g. some based Account fields in a ticket report). Since the CommitCRM software is account-centric, each report can also be filtered by an account. For more information see Report Generation Options

Report Layout

This section describes the different sections that make up the Report Layout. Each section of the report can be resized to be able to include more information, and can also be set to dynamically resize itself by selecting the DynamicHeight option when right clicking a section bar.

The Header

The Header is used to place report introduction information at the head of the report. This section get’s shown at the beginning of each page of the document. The header is ideal for showing the static information like report title, page number, print date, your company information and logo, etc. For list reports it's also used to display the columns headers which should be displayed at the beginning of each page

The Footer

The Footer section is the last section of each page of the report to be printed. Like the header it gets printed once at the bottom of each page of the report. The footer/bottom group is ideal for displaying report comments, signature field, payment terms, warranty, etc.

Detail

The Detail section is the area where the list data will be displayed. This should have the fields to be displayed in each column. When generating the report, the system will see how many records come up with the stipulations inputted in the report generation window, and print all the records in the detail section. (More on the report generation window later)

Summary

This section in the report is located under the details section where your list will be displayed.

Sub-Reports

The sub-reports tool allows you to generate a separated report within your main report, which is ideal for designing a separate part within the report. E.g. if you’re creating a ticket report, and you’d like to have that ticket’s charge report inside, then you’d generate a sub-report for the charge section. The sub-reports function is an advanced function, we recommend to make use of it only in reports which already have these sections within them. Adding your own sub reports can be tricky and should be consulted with the CommitCRM Support team first.

Technician Service Forms with Charges

These reports come predefined with the ability to display information from 3 different data sources (Tickets, Charges and Assets) and consolidate all of them in a single report. By copying the Technician Service Form with Charges, you’ll be able to use it as a template to create any report you like that has access to the main data sources in CommitCRM. However, when referring to Charge information, the report must always be saved in the Charges section of the Reports screen, or the information will come up empty.

Copying Report Sections From Report to Report

Using Windows Clipboard you can select components from the report layout and copy them from 1 report to another report. By dragging a selection box around multiple layout components you will have the ability to select all the components in your selection box. Once this is done, you can use the CTRL-X/C/V shortcuts to copy/paste the information to your new report, and re-arrange them as a group.

Note: In order for a component copied from a different report to work, you must have the ability to insert that specific component into the report itself. This can be verified by browsing through the data-field list shown in the Edit Bar when data components have been selected.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Report Designers FAQ page also includes lots of useful tips and workflows that would greatly ease the transition into customizing of your CommitCRM reports. For more information see Reports FAQ.

See Also

• Generating Reports User Guide
• Reports FAQ
• Genetating and Printing Reports Using the Commit Web Interface
• Field and Tab Customization
• Report Designer Tutorial Video