This chapter contains the following topics:
Typically, you include multiple sections in a report template; you usually include a page header and one detail section. In each report section, you can include multiple report objects. These objects are either business view fields or other data fields.
Some report objects are available only in specific section types. For example, you typically use runtime fields in page header sections; runtime fields are not available in columnar and tabular sections. Business view fields are used in detail sections only. You cannot attach a business view to a page header. In contrast, you can place data dictionary fields in any section type.
This section provides overviews of business view columns, data dictionary fields, and data fields, lists the prerequisites, and discusses how to:
Add and remove business view columns.
Add and remove data fields.
Change data field names.
Add and remove data dictionary fields.
Disconnect constants from variables in group sections.
Perform in-section totaling.
You can add or remove business view columns from any detail section that has a business view attached. Business views are subsets of columns that reside in one or more tables. The columns that are included in a business view were selected to meet specific business needs.
When you are adding business view columns or other data fields to columnar and tabular sections, the new column is inserted to the right of any column on which you place the cursor. When you do not place the cursor on a column, the inserted column is inserted to the left of the first column, becoming the first column in the section. You can then drag the new column to another location in the same section. You cannot move the column to another section of the report. If you have placed the field in the wrong section, you must delete the field and reenter it into the correct section.
After selecting a business view column or other data field for a group section, you must click in the group section to position the data field. You can position the new field anywhere in the group section because of the free-form layout.
Data dictionary fields are populated using event rules. Business view columns fetch data from the database, but data dictionary fields, although they have specifications attached, do not have data associated with them. Data dictionary fields are defined in the data dictionary and can have edit codes and special triggers attached. Data dictionary fields are also referred to as data items.
To add a data dictionary field to a report section, click the report section and use the Data Dictionary Browser to search for and select an appropriate data dictionary field. Typically, you want to select a data dictionary field that includes the specifications that are required by the report. For example, you are adding a field to a salary report to calculate raises. Use the Data Dictionary Browser to select the Rate-Salary, Annual (SAL) data dictionary field so that the raise amount is in the same format as the salary amount.
You must add logic to the data dictionary field for the field to present data. You can click the report section where the data dictionary field resides and enter Event Rules Design. You must select an event on which to create the logic. Use the features of Event Rules Design to create logic that populates the data dictionary field with the correct data. For example, to populate the raise amount data dictionary field, you might select the Do Section event, create an assignment to assign a value to the data dictionary field, and create an expression that multiplies the annual salary by a percentage to calculate the raise amount.
Data fields are individual data containers that reside in report sections. Page numbers, dates, and report names are all examples of data fields. You can add data fields to any type of report section, although you cannot add every data field type to every report section type. For example, you typically add data fields (such as report name, date, and so forth) to the page header of a report.
After creating the report, you can:
Insert data fields.
Delete data fields.
Change data field names.
Change column heading text.
Disconnect a constant from its variable.
In a group section, you can separate the constant text from the variable that it describes. For example, you can modify a report that contains the Business Unit field and its description by changing the constant to read Business Unit Number and Name. You can then disconnect the Description text from the Description variable, delete the text, and still retrieve the value from the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne table.
Perform in-section totaling.
When you are not concerned with how calculations are presented, you can include calculations within columnar and group sections. For example, you can perform calculations in one hidden section for use in another. You can calculate a total, a grand total, or both.
When you want to format and display totals in columnar and group section reports, perform the calculations in level break footers. You can provide descriptive labels for the aggregates in level break footers.
This table describes the data fields that are available in Oracle's JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Report Design Aid (RDA):
Data fields that you insert into columnar and tabular sections appear in columnar format. Column headings are constants with associated variables. Column headings and variables are attached, so when you move or delete one, RDA moves or deletes the other.
In group sections, data fields also comprise constants and variables, but they appear side-by-side instead of in a columnar format. Unlike columnar and tabular sections, you can move constants and variables independently of each other. Furthermore, by disconnecting the two, you can separate the constant from the variable and delete one without deleting the other. When you delete the constant, you retain the variable, and the associated data still appears in the report.
You must click the intended report section prior to selecting a data field. If you place the data field in the wrong section, you must delete the field and reenter it into the correct section. You cannot move the data field to another section of the report. If you selected the wrong section in a group section report and notice after you select the data field, you must drop the data field in the incorrect section and then delete it. You cannot select another data field until you position the one that you have already selected.
You can modify the appearance of data fields by changing the headings, moving them, changing the size, font, or color, or associating them with lines or boxes. You can modify the behavior of data fields by attaching event rules.
Before you begin working with report objects, ensure that you:
Create two batch application objects.
Complete the design of one report template using a group section.
Complete the design on the second report template using a columnar or tabular section.
Open a report in RDA.
Click a detail section with an attached business view.
From the View menu, select Business View Columns Browser.
This form displays columns from the business view that is attached to the selected detail section.
Drag one or more columns into the detail section.
If the selected section is a group section, you must click the section to position the field.
From the View menu, select Business View Columns Browser to close the browser.
Drag the inserted column to the appropriate location.
To remove business view columns, select the column (either the constant or the variable), and select Delete from the Edit menu.
Open a report in RDA.
Click the report section to which you want to add a data field.
From the Insert menu, select the data field that you want to add.
The data field selection varies, based on the selected report section.
Drag the selected data field to the selected section.
If the selected section is a group section, you must click the section to position the field.
Drag the inserted data field to the appropriate location.
To remove data fields, select the field (either the constant or the variable), and select Delete from the Edit menu.
Open a report in RDA.
Click the variable for which you want to change the name.
From the Edit menu, select Item Properties.
On the appropriate properties form, enter a descriptive name in the Variable Name field.
Note:
When you change the variable name of a constant field in any section, except for columnar and tabular sections, the change is reflected on the report. If you change the variable name of a constant field, you should change the name of the associated variable to make managing the data field easier, especially if you plan to attach event rules to the data field. All other variable name changes do not affect the appearance of the data field directly.If the data field is a column heading, on the Column Heading Properties form, change the text in the Col Heading 1 (Column Heading 1) and Col Heading 2 (Column Heading 2) fields, and click OK.
Open a report in RDA.
Click the report section to which you want to add a data dictionary field.
From the View menu, select Data Dictionary Browser.
Use the QBE (query by example) line to search for and select an appropriate data dictionary field.
Drag the data dictionary field to the report section.
From the View menu, select Data Dictionary Browser to close the browser.
Drag the inserted data dictionary field to the appropriate location.
To remove data dictionary fields, select the field, either the constant or the variable, and select Delete from the Edit menu.
Open a group section report in RDA.
In the group section, click either the constant or the variable of the field that you want to modify.
From the Edit menu, select Disconnect.
Important:
After you disconnect the constant from its variable, no option is available to reconnect them on the report. From the Edit menu, you can select Undo to undo one action only. If necessary, you can delete the disconnected text and variable and reinsert the business view column. The new field appears as it did originally with a constant field that is linked to its variable.Click either the constant or the variable of the field, whichever one you want to delete, and select Delete from the Edit menu.
Open a columnar or group section report in RDA.
Click the variable of a numeric field.
From the Edit menu, select Item Properties.
On the properties form, select the Totaling tab.
Select one or both of these options:
Total
Grand Total
Select from these aggregate functions, and click OK:
Sum
Average
Minimum
Maximum
Count
From the File menu, select Report Properties.
On the Report Properties tab, select one or both of these options:
Print Totals Only
Print Grand Totals
These two options correspond to the options that you selected in step 4.
Note:
Depending on the options that you selected, the system adds one or two lines to the bottom of each column before each section break. If you selected both the total and grand total options, the total line appears before the grand total line. The totals are not labeled. In fact, except for the column that displays the total, information from the last record is repeated in the total line. You can suppress totals for fields that you do not want to appear on this line.