Creating a new list report
Generally, will find it easier to find an existing list report which is similar to the one you want to build, then copy it and change the copy.
From the navigation panel. select reports then list reports
Note:
- that all the list reports that come standard with Readysell have a code in the "Report ID" column. Each code starts with "L" which indicates a list report, then "-[nnn]" which indicates the built in report number
- any report with no report id is a custom report for your site that is not included as one of Readysell's standard reports
Click on the 'New' button at the top right of the screen to create a list report
Enter a report name, consider starting all your report names with "MY" or some other word to remind you this is a built-in report. I am just going to use the lack of a reportid to tell this is a custom report in this case, but some dealers find adding a word at the front of the report name helps. I am doing a list of sale tenders as an example. So I will call this report "Sale Invoice tenter".
Enter a "Category" for the report. The category determines under which menu heading the report appears when displayed on the reports list. I want this example to appear in the sales section of reports, as it is about sale tenders, so I select "Sales" from the pull down list on the "Category" field.
Enter a data type, this is critical, the data type determines just about everything the report can do. If you enter the wrong data type you have no chance of getting the report you expect. I want to list sale tenders. So I select data type "Sale Invoice Tender". The data type is the file the data is coming from. If I wanted a list of sale invoices, I would select "Sale Invoice", if I wanted products in the list, I would select "Product" etc. If in doubt, contact Readysell for advice on the correct data source to select or look at the data sources being used by existing list reports.
Note:
- Always try to add Parameters to your report. Parameters cause windows of common filter options to display when you run the report. If the report has no parameters, you will be forced to use filters when running reports. Filters are very powerful, but are a lot harder to use. A parameter window might ask you for a start and end date as fields you just fill in on a popup window, filters require you to enter the start and end data in a structured query. Editing filters requires at least a one hour training course. So try to use Parameters if you can.
- The only way to know if the data type on your report allows you to add parameters to your report is to try to add a parameter. If your data type allows parameters, the parameters available will display.
Click on the "New" button above the list of parameters on the "Parameters" tab
Optionally add a filter, you probably don't need to complete this step
- If you want to add any filters, click on the "Filters" tab and then new to add your filters. A filter follows the standard Readysell critiera struture which is explained here in the User Guide.
- You probably can just use a parameter
- As a general rule, if no parameters are available, add a filter, otherwise use a parameter
- I have included an example of a filter to select for a single date below
Click on the "Settings" tab and set the data access mode to "Server". This just makes the report run faster.
Click on the "Save and Close" button on the ribbon menu above your list report tab.
Find your new list report on the "list reports" tab
Highlight one of the parameter options
Click on "Show Report Using Parameters"
Select a range on the parameters popup window that is sufficient for some data to show on your report
Then click the "OK" button on the parameters window
When you report displays for the first time, the report will appear to be blank! This is what should happen, but it often causes confusion. The report has run but it does not know which columns to display at this time. You have to show the column chooser!
Right click on the blank heading row at the top of the report and then left click on "Column chooser". The column chooser will appear blank, you have to add each field you want to use!
Click on the "Add" button near the bottom of the column chooser toolbox to add columns to your list of available fields
Then drag the fields you want to print from the column chooser box to the list report
If you want to group by a column, right click on the list report header and the select "show group by box"
Then drag the column you want to the group by box.
You could just right click on the column heading, but I find it useful to see the group by box, as you can add totals to groups from the fields displayed in the group by box
Then add group footers, report footers and group summaries if required. This is explained under using lists in the user guide Working with Lists
Right click in your group footers or report footers to add totals
Once you are happy with your report layout. Click on the "Save Report Layout" button at the top left of the screen to save your completed report
See also:
Customising Readysell lists and detail view user interface then saving and sharing the results
Changing the formatting on lists using appearance rules