Formatting and generating Analytics reports

Concept Information

You can create traditional tabular reports in Analytics based on the format of data and columns in views. You configure various settings in a view to control how data is displayed in the report. These configuration settings are saved with the view.

Tip

You can create a separate view for configuring and saving report settings, which differs from the view you use for displaying data.

When you generate a report for the first time, you can specify a number of additional properties, such as line spacing, header and footer text, and the report output type. These properties are saved with the Analytics project when the project is saved.

Configure a view to format a report

To format a report, you can use the same view that you use to view data on screen. Or you can create a new view specifically for the report. If required, you can create multiple views configured differently for different reports based on the same data set.

You can configure a view in a number of ways to create more readable and meaningful reports.

Functional area	Description
Filter data	Create a filter to remove irrelevant records from the view. Excluded records are not included in the report. For example, you could filter a table of sales data to include only the stores that interest you.
Index records	Create an index to sort the records in the view by one or more columns.
Select specific columns	Add or remove columns so that you display only relevant data. You can include any physical data fields or computed fields in the table layout.
Arrange columns	Reorder columns in the view to present the sequence of information you want.
Create subsections	Specify break columns to divide the report into sections with subtotals. For example, specifying Customer_Name as a break column in an invoice table groups and subtotals the invoices by customer. You also have the option of inserting a page break after each group in the report.
Tailor the data	Suppress duplicate identifier values such as repeated names, suppress numeric totals that are not meaningful, and display zeros as blanks.
Control report width	Adjust the rows in a view to span multiple rows.
Note For detailed information about configuring views, see Customizing columns in views.

Specify the report font

You can specify the font for an individual report output to print, or to an HTML file.

Generate a report

Once you have configured a view to use as the basis for a report, you are ready to generate the report.

Show me how

Steps

Note

Detailed information appears after the steps. See Report dialog box options.

Open the view configured for the report.
Select Data > Report.
Specify options in the Report dialog box, using the tables below as a guide, then click OK.
The report is generated.
(Optional) If you want to permanently save the report options you specified, select File > Save Project.
The report options are saved with the view, and they are preselected the next time you generate a report from the same view.

Tip

To quickly generate subsequent reports from the same view using the same report options, select File > Print.

Report dialog box options

The tables below provide detailed information about the options in the Report dialog box.

Main tab

Options – Report dialog box	Description
Header Footer optional	Creates a report header and/or footer. Headers and footers can be more than one line, and are centered by default. Type a left angle bracket (<) before the header or footer text to left align the text. Left aligning multiple lines requires a left angle bracket at the beginning of each line. You also have the option of specifying a standard header and footer to apply to all reports produced during an Analytics session. For more information, see Specify a standard header and footer.
If optional	Creates a condition that specifies which records appear in the report. You can enter a condition in the If text box, or click If to create an IF statement using the Expression Builder. The IF condition considers all records in the view and filters out those that do not meet the specified condition.
Presort optional	Sorts the report by: break column or columns any column in the view with Break Column selected in the column properties sort column or columns any column in the view with Sort Key Column selected in the column properties Nested sorting uses the order of the break columns or sort columns in the view, beginning with the leftmost column. Note The Presort option is available only when at least one column in the view has Break Column or Sort Key Column selected. For more information, see Modify column properties.
Summarize optional	Generates a report that includes only subtotals and totals of break fields, and excludes detail lines.
Suppress blank detail lines optional	Automatically removes blank detail lines from the report.
Single Spaced Double Spaced Triple Spaced	Specifies the spacing of the report.
Setup	Specifies various print options.
Preview optional	Displays a preview of the report.
Fit to page optional	Scales the report to include all columns from the view. If Fit to page is not selected, only columns that appear to the left of the page width indicator in the view (vertical dotted line) are displayed in printed reports. Note Reports saved as files or displayed on the screen automatically include all columns from the view.

Output tab

Options – Report dialog box	Description
To panel	Screen displays the report in the Analytics display area. If the report contains a large number of records, it is faster and more useful to save the report to a file than to display the report on the screen. Print sends the report to the default printer. File saves or appends the report to a text file or an HTML file. The file is saved outside Analytics.
As panel	File output only. File Type specifies output to a text file or an HTML file. Name specifies a name for the output file. Do one of the following: enter a file name in the Name text box click Name and enter the file name click Name and select an existing file in the Save or Save File As dialog box to overwrite or append to the file You can also specify an absolute or relative file path, or navigate to a different folder, to save or append the file in a location other than the project location. For example: C:\Results\Report.txt or Results\Report.htm. Local disabled and selected. Saving the file locally is the only option.
Header Footer optional	Replicates any header or footer text from the Main tab. If required, you can add header or footer text in the Output tab, or update existing header or footer text. Changes you make to existing text are automatically updated on the Main tab. Type a semi-colon (;) in the Header or Footer text boxes to create a line break.
OK	Generates the report. If you are saving the report to a file, and the overwrite prompt appears, select the appropriate option.

Global report options

You can specify several report options globally. Most of the global options apply only to reports output to print.

Append additional information

You can append additional information, such as Analytics table name and field definition information, to the end of a printed report. You specify options for additional information in the Options dialog box.

Show me how

Select Tools > Options > Print.

Specify any of the options shown below and click OK.

The specified information appears at the end of every print report you generate.

Option	Description
Include Report History with Reports	Adds the following information to the end of print reports: the Analytics project, table, and data file names the REPORT command used to generate the report any table history information any table layout notes
Include Field Definitions in Table History	Adds the following information to the end of print reports: the field definitions for each physical data field and computed field in the table layout any field notes This option requires that the Include Report History with Reports option is also selected.
Include View Note in Report History	Adds the following information to the end of print reports: the view name any view notes This option requires that the Include Report History with Reports option is also selected.
Note If you want to include record notes in a report, you must first add the RecordNote column to the view. Record notes are not affected by any of the global report options.

Set margins

You can specify the margins used for printed reports.

Specify a standard header and footer

You can specify a standard header and footer to apply to all reports produced during an Analytics session. The header and footer text that you specify is stored in the HEADER and FOOTER system variables.