Report Builder Screen - Human Resources. User Guide

Purpose

The Report Builder screen serves a variety of purposes. Using this screen, HR users with carsprog permissions can create, modify, and test reports, letters, files, and forms for use by end users. These types of output can originate from ACE reports, app servers, or SQL queries, and can be simply retrieved data or elaborate formatted documents.

All reports maintained through this screen are available for selection from the Report Processing screen, assuming the user has the appropriate permissions.

Access

Access the Report Builder screen by selecting Reports from the menu bar, and then selecting Builder. You can also access this screen from the Employee Information screen.

Contents

The Report Builder screen contains the following two regions:

Report Report List See also:

Creating a Report

Setting Up Report Permissions Finishing a Report

Editing a Report

Defining Report Parameters Report - Report Builder Screen

The Report region of the Report Builder screen enables you to create or update a query that can result in a report. This element of HR Administration is extremely flexible; you can define queries that run printable ACE reports, queries that create data for other queries, and letters, W-2 forms, and reports that require merge data.

The Report region contains the following fields and command buttons:

Name - The name of the query (e.g., ADDRLIST).

Description - A description of the query (e.g., “Retrieves current addresses).

Query - The actual commands that retrieve the query results. The query may be an SQL statement or a reference to an ACE report or an app server.

Merge Results Into Document Checkbox - A checkbox that, when checked, indicates that the data retrieved from the query will be formatted into a document created within MSWord. When this checkbox is checked, the document list below it, the . . . (ellipsis) button, and the Run/Edit button in the Report List region become active so you can select or change the document name and access MSWord to format the report.

Suppress Blank Lines Checkbox - A checkbox that, when checked, causes blank lines on reports to be eliminated from the final output.

Active Checkbox - A checkbox that, if checked, indicates the report is available to be accessed by end users. Leave the checkbox unchecked while you are creating or editing it.

Share Results Checkbox - A checkbox that, if checked, enables all users with permission to a specific report to see the results of running it in the Requested Reports region of the Report Processing screen.

Example: Computer Center person A writes Report X for which User B, User C, User D, and User E all have permission. Users B and C have added Report X to their report list, but Users C and D have not added it to their report list. When User B runs the report, all four of these users will see Report X in their Requested Reports list. If User D removes Report X from the list of Requested Reports, Report X will be removed from the Requested Reports grid for all four of the users. The individual report lists for each user are not impacted in any way.

Parameters Button - A button that displays the Parameter Properties window. This window enables you to add parameters to any report.

Print Option Buttons - Three options that control how the system will handle the results of running a report. All results pertain to how the data will be presented to the end user when a report or query is processed from the Report Processing screen, as follows:

A report set up with the View/Print option will first display to the screen; the end user can then read, review, edit, and print it as desired.

A report set up with the Print (Only) option will go directly to a printer; no display of the report output will come to the user’s screen.

A report set up with the File (Only) option will create a .dat file that the user will view in MSWord and then save to any location as desired. The File (Only) option can be used to create W-2 data for tape or Web submission.

Report Group - A means of categorizing reports by type so the report lists on each reporting screen can be sorted. Click on the arrow next to the field to view and select from a list of valid values.

(Form) - The name of the document or format into which query results will be merged. You can add new values and create additional formats, or use existing formats if desired. To use an existing format, click on the arrow next to the field to view and select from a list of valid values.

(Form Description) - A view-only description of the report format. Descriptions are added in the pop-up dialog box that appears when you click the . . . (ellipsis) button.

. . . (ellipsis) Button - A button that enables you to maintain your list of document format names and descriptions.

See also:

Parameter Properties window Report List Region

Report List - Report Builder Screen

The Report List region of the Report Builder screen contains a list of all the HR/Payroll report queries already created at your institution. When a query is created and saved in the Report region, it becomes part of the report list grid. Reports in the list can be selected to be tested, edited, copied, or defined with permissions.

The Report List region contains the following commands and command buttons:

Report Grid - The list of all HR reports at your institution.

Copy Report Button - A button that enables you to create a copy of a report, using a different name. This command is useful when you need to create multiple reports that are similar. You can copy the original and then modify the copies to meet your needs.

Permissions Button - A button that enables you to set up permissions to reports.

Test Query Button - A button that either returns the results of the selected query as a read-only text file in MSWord, or an error message regarding the correctness of the query syntax.

Run/Edit Button - A button that launches MSWord. If the report format has already been created, it will display as the active document in MSWord. If the report format has not yet been created, you can do so using the Merge fields on the Merge toolbar and all the other MSWord tools and features with which you are familiar.