Report Generator

 

The second tab on the navigation interface is the Report Generator interface.  The Report Generator interface is where you will format the fields for a columnar report.  The reports created with the Report Generator are formatted in a formal style if printed distribution is desired. 

 

The Source drop-down list and the Show Criteria button remain available and provide the same functionality throughout the application.

 

You can continue to work with the criteria that you established in the Report Criteria interface.  Any criteria that were set on the Report Criteria interface will filter the data included in the report.  If you change the Source at this point, you will lose any criteria you have populated. 

 

Click the Report Generator tab to display the Report Generator interface.

 

 

The interface is set up so that as you design a report, you can see the way it will be formatted.  The date and page number, title and footer locations, column headings and sample column data will be shown on the interface as you design it.

 

The functionality of the Report Generator is described in detail in subsequent sections, but basically the interface works as follows:

 

·         Select fields from the Report Field List Field Name drop-down.

• Set the Column Order to the column position where you want to add the field, or let the Column Order default.
• Click the Add/Update button to add the field as a column of the report.
• Continue adding columns until the report format is complete.
• Add titles and footer.
• Uncheck the Show Description checkbox for columns where you want to see a code instead of a description.  This applies to grouping fields that have lookup values such as PCP Code that can be reported as a name or code.
• Use the Show only the top filter to filter the report for a number of records or a percent based on a value, such as the ten highest paid PCPs.
• After the report is formatted, click the Run Report button to run the report.

 

The Field Name drop-down list will contain all fields that relate to the Source that has been selected. 

 

 

Creating A Report

 

Fields to be entered:

     

·         Title

·         Subtitle

·         Footer

·         Field Name(s) - those that relate to the chosen Source.

·         Column Order - as it relates to the fields you have specified.

 

Your report will be more meaningful if you enter as many of the titles as you can.

 

In the lower right corner is the Report Field List.  In this area you will see a drop-down list with all the field names available relating to the Source that has been selected.  Below that is a Column Order input area.  The Column Order will automatically have the next column number available, initially it will be a "1".  This field can be edited to insert columns in an already existing setup.

 

As columns are added, they will appear in the column layout in the middle of the Report Generator page.  The column heading will appear along with sample data, formatted according to type of data that will actually show in the report.

 

Open the Report Field List drop-down list.

 

The Report Field List drop-down list will show all the fields relating to the Source that you selected in the Report Criteria interface. 

 

 

Select a Field Name, enter the Column Order or let it default to the next available column and click the Add/Update button.  In this example, Line of Business is the first column value.

 

 

Located under each column is a Show Description check box.  When the check box is selected the column on the report will be populated with a descriptive value for the Line of Business such as “Commercial”.  When the check box is not selected the column on the report will be populated with a non-descriptive value such as the Line of Business code “01”.  This feature is available for grouping fields that have lookup values; it would not apply to a numeric or date field.

 

The check box defaults to show descriptions.  When exporting data to a spreadsheet that will be loaded in as criteria in the Report Criteria interface, it is required that the first column be a value, not a description.  Uncheck the Show Description checkbox to export the first column as a non-descriptive value.  See the Loading Criteria From A File section of the User Guide for a more detailed description of this feature.

 

Continue adding field names until you have set up your report.  The next column to be added in this example is the Paid Month.

 

Select Paid Month from the Field Name drop-down list and click the Add/Update button.

 

 

The column order value is automatically incremented and the field is placed in the next column.  The value can be changed, but in this example, the default of column two was accepted.

 

 

Paid Month is added and the Column Order automatically incremented to 3.

 

The next column to be added in this example is the Paid Amount.

 

Select Paid Amount from the Field Name drop-down list and click the Add/Update button.

 

The column order value is automatically incremented and the field is placed in the next column.  The value can be changed, but in this example, the default of column three was accepted.

 

 

This example shows a report being formatted with three columns of data entered.  Samples of data are shown in the report format; as discussed earlier samples appear automatically in the columns to illustrate how the real data will be formatted.

 

Running The Report

 

Once you have finished formatting the report, click the Run Report button.  The report will be compiled and displayed on your screen.

 

 

A Print button is available at the bottom for printing the report.

 

If you wanted to see the report sorted by service start month then Line of Business, reverse the two columns in your report format by deleting Line of Business and adding it in as column 2.

 

 

Service Start Month will be the first grouping field on the report, then Line of Business.

 

 

At the top of the report is an Export Data button.  This feature allows you to export the data formatted by the Report Generator to an MS Excel file or to text.  Exporting the data makes it available to share with co-workers and makes it available for offline analysis.  The export feature is described in more detail in the Exporting Data section of this document.

 

Saving A Report Format

 

After formatting a report, you can save the format and load it back at a later time.  The Save button will save your report format in a file name that you specify.

 

Click the Save button and an interface opens requesting that you enter a Saved Name and a Description. 

 

 

Enter a saved name and a description that will help you to recall the report format.  Then click the Save button to save the report format or if you decide not to save it, click the Cancel button.  Either action will return you to the Report Generator interface.

 

Loading A Report Format

 

Clicking the Load button will display an interface to load a previously saved report.  You can bring back a report format that you were working on or bring back a report format saved by someone else.

Exporting Data

 

Available on the Report Generator interface is the ability to export data to a text, Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access format.