Managing Report Definitions and Folders

This section provides information on organizing and working with report definitions.

 

Export a Report Definition
  1. In System Browser, select Application View.
  1. Select Applications > Reports > Report Definitions or the folders containing report definitions.
    You can export multiple report definitions or multiple folders; however, you cannot export a report definition and a folder at the same time.
  1. Click Export .
  1. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, select a destination.
  1. Click OK.
  • A confirmation message displays and the report definitions or folders are exported to the selected location.

NOTE:
If the report definition has a name filter that contains a wild card in the system name, then the system name is not removed during export. However, if the system name does not contain a wild card character, then during export the system name is removed from the name filter.

Import a Report Definition
  • You have exported report definitions or a folder containing report definitions to a specified location.
  • You have selected a report folder for importing into System Browser.
  1. In System Browser, select Application View.
  1. Select Applications > Reports > [reports folder].
  1. Click Import .
  • The Open dialog box displays.
  1. Browse for the folder where the exported .xml files or logo files were created and saved after exporting a report definition.
    If you import a report definition with the same name that already exists under the folder selected for import, the existing report definitions with the same names are overwritten.
  1. Select single or multiple .xml and any associated logo files (.jpeg, .gif, .png, and so on).
  • Use the CTRL key to select multiple files.
  • If you import logo files, these are stored at the default logo storage location:
    [Installation Drive]:\[Installation Folder]\[Project Name]\data\Reporting\Logos.
  • If you do not select associated logo files while importing, then the imported report definition displays a No Parking symbol in place of a logo.
  1. Click Open.
  • On successful import, the selected report definitions are imported in the selected folder in System Browser.

NOTE:
You can import pre-configured report definitions and associated logo files under \GMSMainProject\Data\Reporting.

Create and Delete Reports Folders

Creating Reports folders in System Browser allows you to organize report definitions.

  1. In System Browser, select Applications > Reports or one of its subfolders.
  • Reports displays.
  1. Do one of the following:
  • To create a new reports folder:
    a. Click New .
    b. Select New Folder .
    c. In the New Object dialog box, enter a name and description.
    d. Click OK.
  • The new reports folder is saved.
  • To delete a reports folder:
    a. Select the folder you want to delete.
    b. Click Delete .
  • The reports folder is deleted.
Save a Report Definition as the Default Template
  1. In System Browser, select Application View.
  1. Select Applications > Reports.
  • Reports displays.
  1. Click New and select New Report , or open an existing report definition.
  1. (Optional) Configure or modify the report definition.
  1. Click Save as default .
    NOTE: When you save an existing report definition as a default template, a message displays informing you all elements are removed from the report definition;
    Text (Labels), Keywords, and Logos remain in the header/footer section.
  • The report definition is saved as a default template.

NOTE:
There can only be one default template. You can create a new one or use the one provided by the system. When you create a new template, the existing default template is overwritten.

Create a New Report Definition
  1. In System Browser, select Application View.
  1. Select Application View > Applications > Reports.
  • Reports displays.
  1. Click New and select New Report .
  • A new report definition opens.
Create a New Report Definition from an Existing One
  • You have made modifications to an existing report definition and want to save it as a new report definition.
  • The modified report definition displays.
  1. Click Save As .
  1. In the Save Object As dialog box, select the destination folder in which to save the report definition.
    a. Enter a name and definition.
    b. Click OK to confirm.
  • The report definition is saved.
Delete a Report Definition
  • At least one report definition is available under System Browser > Reports.
  1. In System Browser, select Application View.
  1. Select Applications > Reports > Report Definitions > [report definition].
  1. Click Delete .
  • A confirmation message displays.
  1. Click OK.
  • The selected report definition is deleted.
  • If a report definition is deleted, but a report snapshot related to this definition exists in the Report Management section, you can do the following:
    a. Display the report data by selecting this report snapshot.
    b. Generate PDF/Excel documents using this snapshot.
    c. Run this report and generate additional snapshots.
    NOTE: You can switch back to Edit mode, make changes in the report definition, and save and create a new report definition at the specified location in System Browser.
    d. Delete the snapshot using the Delete button available in the Report Management section.
Abort a Running Report Definition
  1. In System Browser, select Application View.
  1. Select Applications > Reports.
  1. Click Stop .
  • A report is populated with the data gathered before the report execution was stopped.

NOTE:
You can stop creating a PDF or XLS document in the same way.

Viewing a Report Definition in the Excel format with a Template
  1. Click Create and view Excel .
  • An Excel file is created and stored at the following temporary location on your machine [Drive]:\Users\[UserID]\AppData\Local\Temp\temp\GMS.
    A dialog box displays asking you to save a copy of this file on your machine, open the file from the temporary location, or cancel the procedure to open or save the file.
  1. Open the Excel file by clicking Open in the dialog box.
    NOTE: If you are opening the file from the temporary location, you must first ensure that you save a copy of this file at a different location on your machine
    and proceed with the further steps on the saved copy.
  1. Open the worksheet with the table information in the saved copy of the Excel file and select a row with data.
  1. From the Insert menu, select the PivotTable option.
  • The Create PivotTable dialog box displays.
  1. Select the Select a table or range option and specify the table details.
  1. Select the New Worksheet option in the Choose where you want the PivotTable report to be placed section and click OK.
  • A new worksheet is added to the Excel document with the PivotTable options.
  1. From the PivotTable Field List, select the columns to be added to the PivotTable.
  • The selected columns are added to the worksheet.
  1. (Optional) Re-organize the columns as per your requirement in the Drag fields between areas below section in the PivotTable Field List.
  • Any changes you make in this section, reflect in the worksheet.
  1. Select any row from the PivotTable, right-click, and then select PivotTable Options.
  • The PivotTable Options dialog box displays.
  1. Select the Data tab.
  1. In the PivotTable Data section, clear the Save source data with file check box and select the Refresh data when opening the file check box.
  1. Click OK.
  1. Delete all the sheets in the Excel document, except the sheet having the PivotTable configuration.
  1. Save the Excel document.
  • The saved Excel document is a template that contains the PivotTable.
  1. Select the report definition you created.
  1. From the Extended Operation tab, specify the path of the template in the Excel Output Template field and click Set.
    By default, the Excel Output Template field does not display in the Extended Operation tab.
    In order to display this field, you must select the DL3 display level check box for the Template Path property in the report definition Object Model.
    NOTE: The template path is the path of the Server machine. A Process Monitor User must have access to the folder in which the template file is present for the PivotTable to display.
  1. Run the report.
  • The generated report displays in the Run mode.
  1. Click Create and view Excel .
    NOTE: Ensure that Microsoft Excel 2007 or later is installed, for Create and view Excel to be enabled.
  1. Click Open.
  • The Excel document displays. The first worksheet displays information on the PivotTable and the details of other tables in the Report display in the other sheets.