ReportBuilder - Exporting Reports and Forms

Table of Contents

Revision History
Introduction
Importing and Exporting

Revision History

Revision History
Rev 1.0 - 2006-11-03 - Original release

Introduction

The report builder tool provides administrators with the ability to create, copy, edit, delete, import and export database driven reports and forms. Pre-defined reports are stored in the language directory labeled specified for the given language. After installing the plug-in, there may be several standard reports and forms installed. More reports or forms can be added by importing them from either the host servers reports directory or uploading them directly from the browser. Standard reports can be viewed and customized through the Report Viewer. Forms may only be edited through Report builder. The Report Viewer manual covers the output procedures necessary for exporting or viewing reports created with the report builder.

NOTE: DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF THE DATABASES AND FIELDS IS REQUIRED TO USE REPORT BUILDER! FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN ERRORS OR NON-FUNCTIONAL REPORTS AND FORMS.

Importing and Exporting

An important feature of the Report Builder is it's ability to import and export report and form parameters. This feature allows one user to generate a report on their webERP system and export it to his local file system where it can then be e-mailed, transferred or imported into another webERP system. There is also a provision to alter the naming within the report to allow for language translations for the field descriptions.

There are two types of importing types supported. First, packaged standard reports shipped with PhreeBooks are stored in the /language/en_us/ directory (or the language directory specified in the appropriate translation) where they can be selected for import. Entering a report name and selecting 'Import' will install the report into the group defined in the report file with the report file name specified. If the report filename is left blank, the default report name specified in the import file will be used. Second, a report file can be uploaded through the browser and imported into the group specified in the report file. If a report name is specified, the report will be saved under the specified name, but if left blank, the default report name contained in the uploaded file will be used.

NOTE: Standard reports will be imported into the Standard Reports listing and custom reports will be imported into the Custom Reports listing. The report type is specified in the uploaded report file.

Exporting downloads the report file to the uses browser and can either be viewed or saved. The file format is type 'text' and must be saved as a text file. Report Builder uses the extension .rpt.txt for files contained in the distribution package.

Editing an exported report file

Report and form files can be edited to support multi-language users. The text file my be edited with any text editor. Only modify the descriptions between the single quotes and leave the remaining portions of the file untouched. A translation section example is shown below:

/* Language Fields. */
/* Only modify the language portion between the single quotes after the colon. */

/* Report Name and Title Information: */
ReportName:'Invoice'
Title1Desc:'%reportname%'
Title2Desc:'report generated %date%'

/* Report Field Description Information: */
FieldDesc0:'Branch ID'
FieldDesc1:'Order Number'
FieldDesc2:'Quotation'
FieldDesc4:'Order Number'
FieldDesc5:'Order Date'
FieldDesc6:'Branch ID'
FieldDesc7:'Customer Reference'
FieldDesc8:'Deliver To Name'
FieldDesc9:'Quantity'
FieldDesc10:'Part Number'
FieldDesc11:'Unit Price'
FieldDesc12:'Customer Name'
FieldDesc13:'Address 1'
FieldDesc14:'Address 2'
FieldDesc15:'City'
FieldDesc16:'State'
FieldDesc17:'Postal Code'
FieldDesc18:'Country'
FieldDesc19:'Delivery Date
FieldDesc20:'Customer Branch ID'
FieldDesc21:'Order Date'
FieldDesc22:'Order Number'
FieldDesc23:'Customer Name'
FieldDesc24:'Order Number'
/* End of language fields. */

In this example, the report name is 'Invoice'. To change the report name to Invoice Register, simply change the word 'Invoice' with 'Invoice Register'. Language changes can also be made here for translation and the report saved in the languages directory appropriate for the language used.