Whilst Dimensions has a large number of reports which have been written in Crystal Reports, it is possible to add to these reports.
Note: These notes do not cover the designing of reports in Crystal Reports only the running of them.
There are a number of stages to this article, which is listed below:
Common Report Options
Output Options
Search Options
Saving Searches
Favourites
Output & Options
The Crystal Report function of any module is always located in the same place. In the ribbon, click ACR so the only part that will vary is the module selection. For example:
Select the Financials tab within Dimensions.
Now select the ACR button in the Ribbon. The Crystal Reports window should appear.
Common Report Options
Regardless of the report to run, there are a number of common features which are found in the Crystal Reports window.
Output Options
In the top left of a Report window find the output options, they are icons one to three which are as follows:
The first option will send the report to screen.
The second option will send the report to the currently selected printer on the terminal.
The third option will send the report to e-mail.
Search Options
The majority of the internal Dimensions reports will allow searches to be applied to the reports. In addition to this, the user has the option to save searches for future use. The fourth and fifth icons are as follows:
The fourth button will open the search options section at the bottom of the screen.
The fifth button will allow the user to save the search.
Saving Searches
To apply a search to a report on an on-going basis, it is possible to save it for later use.
Click the Search button on the report front screen to set the search criteria.
Click the Save icon and the following window will be displayed.
Enter a name for the search.
Select if this is to be a Default, Private or Protected search
Then click the Save icon at the top of the screen.
Favourites
Nominate reports as “Favourites” which will move the report to the top of the screen.
Highlight the report to make a Favourite.
At the top of the screen click the Favourite button
The report will now appear at the top of the list, highlighted with a star.
Output & Options
Run a report by simply double-clicking on it and once the report has executed, the standard Crystal output window will be displayed.
There are a number of options available once the report runs, all of them are represented by an available icon along the top of the window. They are as follows:
The X icon will close the report preview
The Triangle icon will go to the next page of the report
The next icon will go to the last page of the report
The Printer icon will send the report to the printer.
The letter icon will send the report to an export file of which there are a number of different formats available such as Excel, PDF and Text.