Custom Reports - build, format, and publish reports

Use the Custom Reports (available from the Report Center) to create professional reports with bands, data binding, grouping, totals, charts, barcodes, and export options. The designer is drag‑and‑drop with tooltips, making it approachable for beginners and powerful for advanced users.

Report Designer

Use the Report Designer (available from the Report Center) to create professional reports with bands, data binding, grouping, totals, charts, barcodes, and export options. The designer is drag‑and‑drop with tooltips, making it approachable for beginners and powerful for advanced users.

Designer workspace (panels and tools)

• Toolbox: report controls (Label, Table, Picture, Barcode, Chart, Subreport, Line/Shape).
• Field List/Data: available data fields (tables, views, relationships) for drag‑and‑drop binding.
• Report Explorer: hierarchical view of bands and controls in your report.
• Properties: settings for the selected control/band (text, font, borders, alignment, format).
• Group & Sort: define group levels and sort order.
• Parameters: create user prompts and dynamic filters.
• Styles: define reusable fonts/colors/borders; apply consistently across the report.
• Preview: test the layout with real data before saving.

Core concepts

• Bands structure your report:
  • Top/Bottom Margins, ReportHeader, PageHeader, Detail (repeats per row), GroupHeader/GroupFooter, PageFooter, ReportFooter, Sub‑bands.
• Controls present data:
  • XRLabel, XRTable, XRPictureBox, XRBarCode, XRChart, XRPanel, XRSubreport, XRPageInfo (page numbers/dates).
• Binding & expressions:
  • Bind control properties (e.g., Text) to data fields.
  • Use the Expression Editor for calculations, formatting, and conditional logic (e.g., Iif, Sum, FormatString).
• Parameters:
  • Create run‑time prompts (date ranges, client, provider) to filter data and personalize headers.
• Grouping & totals:
  • Add GroupHeader by a field (e.g., Client).
  • Place group sums in GroupFooter; grand totals in ReportFooter.
• Formatting:
  • Use Format String (e.g., n2, p2, date formats), WordWrap, CanGrow/CanShrink.
  • Conditional formatting to highlight critical values.

📘 Instructions: Create a new report

1. Open Tools → Reports → Custom Reports tab → Report Designer.
2. Start from a template (recommended) or choose Blank to build from scratch.
3. Choose data:
   • In Field List/Data, confirm your data source and tables are available.
4. Add bands:
   • Ensure Detail is present (one row per record).
   • Add ReportHeader/PageHeader for titles/logos/column headings.
   • Add GroupHeader/GroupFooter if you will group by a field (e.g., Client, Test).
5. Layout the page:
   • Drag Labels/Tables to the bands.
   • For tabular data, insert XRTable in the Detail band (one row), add table cells, bind each cell to a field.
   • Place column headers in PageHeader using a matching XRTable row.
6. Bind data:
   • Select a control → Properties → Expression (Text) → choose a data field or build an expression (e.g., [Amount] * [Qty]).
7. Group and sort:
   • Open Group & Sort → Add a group on a field (e.g., [ClientName]), set Sort order.
8. Totals:
   • Insert a Label in GroupFooter → set Text expression to Sum([Amount]) with Summary scope = Group.
   • Add grand totals in ReportFooter (Summary scope = Report).
9. Formatting and styles:
   • Apply Styles for headings/detail rows.
   • Set Format String (currency, dates), borders, alignment.
   • Enable WordWrap/CanGrow for variable‑length text.
10. Add visuals (optional):
    • XRChart for trends; XRBarCode for barcodes; XRPictureBox for logos.
11. Parameters (optional):
    • Create parameters (StartDate, EndDate, ClientId).
    • Bind to filter expressions (e.g., [Date] Between(?StartDate, ?EndDate)).
12. Preview, adjust, and Save:
    • Use Preview with real filters.
    • Fix pagination/margins, verify totals, then Save and name your report.

Common tasks and how to do them

• Column headers repeat on each page:
  • Put headers in PageHeader; ensure KeepTogether on tables where appropriate.
• Keep a section on one page:
  • Set KeepTogether on bands/controls; insert PageBreaks before groups if needed.
• Conditional highlighting:
  • Add a Formatting Rule or use an expression on control properties (e.g., ForeColor).
• Calculated fields:
  • Create a Calculated Field in the data source; use it like a normal field (e.g., Net = Gross − Discount).
• Subreports (master–detail):
  • Place XRSubreport in a detail/group band and bind its parameter to the parent record key.

Best practices

• Start with a template and adapt—it’s faster and reduces setup errors.
• Use XRTable (not many Labels) for tabular layouts; it aligns better and scales easily.
• Set precise margins to your printer’s non‑printable area; avoid edge‑to‑edge unless supported.
• Use Styles for consistent fonts and colors; centralize branding changes.
• Scope summaries correctly:
  • Group totals in GroupFooter (Summary Running = Group).
  • Grand totals in ReportFooter (Summary Running = Report).
• Performance:
  • Filter at the data source or via Parameters instead of heavy expression filters in the Detail band.
  • Avoid complex expressions in Detail where possible; pre‑compute via Calculated Fields.
• Accessibility and clarity:
  • Use adequate font sizes, contrast, and clear headers.
  • Keep page width within printable bounds; check for clipping in Preview.

Troubleshooting

• Fields show blank:
  • Confirm bindings; field names match; data source is connected; filters/parameters include the data.
• Repeating headers/values misaligned:
  • Use XRTable and snap lines; ensure controls don’t overlap (red error markers).
• Totals incorrect:
  • Check Summary scope (Group vs. Report); ensure the expression uses numeric fields and not formatted strings.
• Text cut off:
  • Enable CanGrow/WordWrap; widen cells; verify margins and page size.
• Barcode won’t scan:
  • Use the correct symbology and character set; print at sufficient DPI; avoid scaling images.
• Export problems (PDF/XLSX):
  • Embed or use common fonts; avoid overlapping controls; align table cells to grid.

Tips for a polished report

• Place logos in ReportHeader; use PageHeader for column names; put page numbers/date in PageFooter with XRPageInfo.
• Add watermarks or “Copy” labels via Page Watermark or a background control (if allowed).
• Name controls meaningfully (lblPatientName, tblDetail) to simplify maintenance.
• Document parameters and expected filters in the report Description.

With the Report Designer, you can quickly assemble branded, data‑rich reports using templates for a fast start, expressions for dynamic content, and preview/export to validate output before publishing.

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