The Reports Factory allows you design, store, display and use reports you created in up to five report generators.
To enter the Report Factory we'll need to go back to the Command Window and press the Maint button. When the Maintenance layout appears press the Reports tab.
This opens FirePoint's Report Factory an area dedicated to creating and storing powerful reports you intend to use in the future.
Press the Enter the Report Factory button to display the list view of reports.
Now press the Add Record button.
This is the area used for entering a new report. On this page you enter a name for your report, the Display file area (Classes for example), the Records file area (Roster for example) and a description of the report.
Most of the time the display file will have the same name as the records file. If you display the report in the Classes application you can use the Classes records file for your report. If however, your report focuses on the roster of students attending the class you would use Roster as the records file. Enter a description of your report and press one of the five report types buttons to get instructions for creating your report.
SuperReports is provided in FirePoint 8, but will be discontinued in favor of an XML link between FirePoint and Microsoft Office 2003 (and higher) to be introduced with FirePoint 9. The next chapter, "Full-page Reports" explains the evolution from built-in reporting tools to automatic XML interfaces with Microsoft Office products.
The Field Report Editor provides accumulated totals & graph. It was described earlier.
The Label Report Editor provides labels it was described earlier in this chapter.
The People Reporter provides total by person. It also performs monthly breakdowns.
Use the same process whenever you create a new report in the Reports Factory.
1. From the list view, press the Add Record button.
2. Complete the fields at the top of the first page.
3. Select a report type by pressing one of the 5 report buttons.
4. Carefully read the instructions that appear on the screen.
5. Create your report as instructed.
6. Save your report.
Once a report has been saved it can be tested in the list view.
1. Click once on the report you wish to test.
2. Press the Print icon in the lower right corner.
3. Use the search editor to locate records for your test report.
4. Run the report.
The Mail Merge report creates custom correspondence from data in any FirePoint application.
When a report is saved it will appear on the list of reports associated with each report area. The Display file is the application where the report is displayed. The Description you entered is the Description that will appear if you click once on the report you created. All Report lists are updated each time you press the Done button.
People Reports Provides Total by Employee
We've already discussed Field Reports, Column Reports and Labels. Here's the one type of report we have yet to discuss.
The People report can create employee totals from any fields you select. For example you can total the number of training hours by month per person, the number of times each member of the fire department has had a exposure to hazardous substances or the number of times each member has taught a training course.
Let's create a new People report for training. At the list view press the Add Record button. Enter the report title and enter Classes for both the Display file as well as the records file.
FirePoint will now ask whether you want a total report or a monthly total by person. Both report styles will provide totals, the total report will provide totals of up to three fields by person per report. The monthly report only totals one field, but it will breakdown the total into twelve months and display each month as a column in the report. Enter "T" for a total report.
Enter information about your report. This report is taken from the Classes table.
1. Enter a title as you would like to see it appear on your report. Your report does not have to list all personnel. If you wish to restrict your report to personnel assigned to a certain station or shift, for example, check the Search for subset of People checkbox. If you are using a records report that's different from your display report you will want to check the Search table before running check box. This feature allows you to search the records file before running your report. Sometimes you may with use counts rather than total numeric fields. If you wish to count records check this third option.
2. Locate and click on the Employee ID field on the list. Press the first Select button to copy that Employee ID field into the first ID field.
3. Locate the first numeric field you wish added into the employee's total. Click once on the field and press the next Select button to copy that field into the second field location. Enter the title for that field as you would like it printed in your report.
4. Repeat the above step for a second numeric field, if desired.
5. Repeat again for a third numeric field, if desired.
6. Press Save to save your record.
Once the report is saved, it becomes available in the list view of SuperReports. Locate the report you just saved. Click on it once. Now press the print icon button in the lower right corner of the SuperReports list view.
Each time you run a report you have the option of entering a subtitle for the report. Here's how our test report looks:
You can easily design a report that provides counts instead of totals. Simply reopen the save SuperReport. Go to the second data entry page and check the Substitute counts for totals check box.
Notice that since we are simply counting records the first numeric field can be any field in the record we wish to count. Here we have select the Instructor field as a count field.
Our report will print in the same format except it will show record counts under the "Number of Times" label rather than totals.