When you start a new report design, the default layout displays the default sections.
The basic tool for creating and maintaining report fields is the Catalog of Available Fields dialog, from which you can simply click, drag, and drop fields from the catalog straight onto your report layout, as shown in the following image.
After inserting your fields into your report, change their properties by using the properties commands or manipulate them by using layout commands.
The Catalog of Available Fields dialog also enables you to create parameters, scripts, summary fields, and method fields to complete your report design. The following table lists the major steps required to design a report.
| Steps | Function | For details, see subsection … | Located … |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perform the Administrative Functions | Using Administrative Functions | Earlier in this chapter |
| 2 | Start a new report | Starting a Report from Scratch | Earlier in this chapter |
| 3 | Attach a template | Attach Template | Report Menu |
| 4 | Create additional frames | Using the Sections of a Report | Earlier in this chapter |
| 5 | Create report profiles | Creating or Maintaining Profiles | Earlier in this chapter |
| 6 | Insert Fields | Inserting Report Fields | This section |
| 7 | Set field properties | Setting Field Properties | This section |
| 8 | Organize fields using the layout commands | Using the Layout Commands | This section |
| 9 | Create group sections and summary fields | Creating Groups | This section |
| 10 | Create report parameters | Using the Catalog of Available Fields Dialog | This section |
| 11 | Create methods fields | Using the Catalog of Available Fields Dialog | This section |
| 12 | Create scripts | Using the Catalog of Available Fields Dialog | This section |
| 13 | Create summary fields | Using the Catalog of Available Fields Dialog | This section |
The sequence in the previous table is not mandatory. As discussed under "Using Administrative Functions", earlier in this chapter, you could begin designing your report by inserting fields (by using step 6 in the preceding table) and then create report profiles and set report properties at a later stage.
As the step of attaching templates (step 3, in the preceding table) assumes that you have already constructed report templates, creating additional frames (in step 4) would not be necessary in most cases when you start designing a report from scratch. The default sections usually provide sufficient scope for starting to build report layouts.
This section deals with steps 6 through 12 for designing a report in the preceding table.
