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Question: How
can I get comprehensive help or a tutorial on Report Builder?
Answer:
ExpressMaintenance and other products developed by Express Technology
include the very powerful Report Builder. The report builder is a third
party component that we compile directly into the ExpressMaintenance. It provides a very
flexible query / reporting tool
that allows you full access to your data with virtually unlimited
presentation capabilities.
Report Builder is
very easy to use. However, using any report designer does take
some time and practice to become efficient. Three additional help
tools are available to enhance your use and understanding of the report
builder. These include help files on the report
builder and SQL as well as a tutorial on the Report Builder.
Report Builder
Help System & Manual
The Report Builder
help file is automatically included in the ExpressMaintenance application help. Check the
chapter titled "Report Builder".
The help file is also available as an Adobe pdf file.
Click here to download
report builder help in pdf manual format
Also, check-out what's new in
the latest release of Report Builder in this downloadable pdf file -
New Features In Report
Builder.
Complete
Learning Report Builder Tutorial
Learning Report
Builder is a complete learning system designed to teach end users how to
build a range of reports. This system includes a 125-page PDF file, a
stand-alone application complete with database, and help file. The PDF
file is comprised of a series of tutorials that step end users through
the process of building reports as simple as a table listing and as
complex as crosstabs. The tutorials introduce conceptual aspects of
report building along the way. The application is used in conjunction
with the tutorials so the learning experience is interactive. Users
print out the PDF file, run the application, and learn Report Builder.
The help file is accessible from the application, so all three tools
work together to provide a seamless learning environment.
Learning Report
Builder installs into C:\ProgramFiles\LearnReportBuilder. When the
system has successfully installed, a complete set of instructions
appears in the form of a 'ReadMe' doc, so the end user knows what to do
next.
Click here to download the
Learning Report Builder tutorial
Advanced Calculations (RAP)
Report
Builder includes the powerful RAP feature that provides users with the
ability to perform advanced calculations within a report. Report
Application Pascal, or RAP, allows developers and end users to code
calculations and complex event handlers at run-time. For details
on RAP including how to turn the feature on / off, see the
RAP Tech Bulletin - Click Here.
Note, you must be running version 5.5.1.26 or later to have implement
this feature.
Click here to download the
Learning Report Builder tutorial with RAP
SQL Help &
Concepts
t is important to
understand that the report designer is simply a graphical interface for
building SQL queries. Therefore, a better understanding of SQL and
the Select statement will provide an enhanced understanding of how to
query the data for reporting purposes.
Click here to download SQL
Books Online.
Because Express
Technology software is based on the Microsoft SQL Server database
engine, other reporting tools can be used as well. Included are
such items as Microsoft Access and Crystal Reports. |
