6 Working with Report, Section, Field, Column, and Row Properties

This chapter contains the following topics:

6.1 Understanding Properties

Properties are available in Oracle's JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Report Design Aid (RDA) at the report, section, and object levels. Properties enable you to:

  • Change fonts.

  • Change field justifications.

  • Change decimals.

  • Select additional advanced settings.

Some properties are available at all levels, while other properties are specific to a level. Properties that are available at all levels are processed by the system using a hierarchy. When properties are defined at multiple levels, the lowest level properties are recognized and processed by the system. For example, if you define a font size of 8 in the report properties, then define a font size of 10 in the properties of an individual field, the individual field appears in a font size of 10, while the rest of the report appears in a font size of 8.

This table describes how properties affect the elements of a report template:

Properties Description
Report properties Affect the entire report.
Section properties Affect the selected section only. You can view and modify section properties using either the menu method or the double-click method.
Field properties Affect the selected field only. You can view and modify data field properties using the menu method, the Fields tab on the report section method, or the double-click method.
Column heading properties Affect the selected column heading only. You can view and modify column heading properties using the menu method, the Fields tab on the report section method, the Column tab on the design workspace, or the double-click method.
Row properties Affect the selected row only. These properties exist in tabular sections only. You can view and modify row properties using the menu method, the Row tab on report section method, the Row tab on the design workspace, or the double-click method.

6.2 Modifying Properties

This section provides overviews of report properties, section properties, and field properties, lists the prerequisites, and discusses how to:

  • Modify report properties.

  • Modify section properties.

  • Modify field properties.

  • Modify column properties.

  • Change column heading names.

  • Modify column properties from the Column tab.

  • Modify row properties.

6.2.1 Understanding Report Properties

Report properties are accessed from the File menu in RDA. Report properties affect the entire report and include these tabs:

Properties Tab Description
Report Properties Enable you to select totaling, output, and performance options.
Font/Color Enables you to modify fonts, font styles, font size, and font colors for the entire report.
Cover Page Options Enable you to select the cover page option: select general and section options to include on the cover page.
Decimal Scaling Enables you to apply decimal scaling to numeric fields. This option affects only tabular section reports.
Advanced Enables you to select subsystem jobs, paper size, dynamic positioning, and transaction processing, and to override environments options.

When making report level changes, you must consider two scenarios:

  • You design a new report template that has not yet been saved.

    You can make report level changes, save the report template for the first time, and quit RDA. If you allowed the system to create a batch version automatically, the batch version reflects the report level revisions.

  • You modify an existing report template.

    Changes to properties at the report level are not reflected in existing versions of the report if the report template has already been saved and you have quit RDA prior to making the report level change. For example, you open an existing report and make report level changes. These report level changes are not reflected in existing versions. You must also make the modification at the version level or create a new batch version. Batch versions that are created after you revise the report level properties reflect the report level revisions.

6.2.2 Understanding Section Properties

Section properties are accessed from the Section menu in RDA. You can also right-click or double-click a report section to access the section properties.

Section properties for group and columnar sections are the same. Group and columnar section properties affect the current section only and include these tabs:

Properties Tab Description
General Enables you to modify the section description.
Font/Color Enables you to modify fonts, font styles, font size, and font colors.
Fields Enables you to access properties for the fields in the section layout and make fields invisible.
Advanced Enables you to select Visible, Absolute Position (text wrapping), Page Break After, Conditional, and Reprint At Page Break options.

Tabular sections provide additional section properties. Tabular section properties affect the current section only and include these tabs:

Properties Tab Description
General Enables you to modify the section description.
Font/Color Enables you to modify fonts, font styles, font size, and font colors.
Financial Reports Enable you to select Drill Down, Perform AAI Subtotaling, Reverse Sign for, Zero Row Suppression, Level of Detail Rollup, and Financial Descriptions options.
Fields Enable you to access properties for the fields in the section layout and make fields invisible.
Row List Enables you to access row properties and make rows invisible.
Cell Overrides Enable you to access cell override properties and make cells invisible.
Column Override Enables you to select a section from another report from which to import columns.
Row Override Enables you to select a section from another report from which to import rows.
Decimal Scaling Enables you to apply decimal scaling to numeric fields.
Advanced Enables you to select Visible, Absolute Position (text wrapping), and Page Break After options.

When you define fields as invisible on the Fields tab of the appropriate section properties form, a circle with a line through it appears next to the field icon. When column headings are invisible, their associated column variable is also invisible. Double-click the icon to toggle the visible or invisible property.

6.2.2.1 Fields Property Tab of the Section Properties Form

In the Visible column of the Fields tab, the various field types are represented by these icons:

Icon Field Type
XXX Represents constant fields.
Dual-shaded box Represents columns. If the arrow points to the top section, the icon refers to the column heading. If the arrow points to the bottom section, the icon refers to the column variable.
Gray, black, and white diamond Represents runtime fields, such as report date, report time, page number, company title, and report title.
Multicolored diamond Represents variables that are located in group sections.

6.2.3 Understanding Field Properties

Column headings and column variables in columnar sections as well as constants and variables in group sections are all considered fields where properties are concerned.

Field properties vary depending on the field type that is selected. Field properties are accessed from the Item Properties menu item and include these tabs:

Properties Tab Description
General Enables you to override the variable name of the field as it appears in Event Rules Design. Also enables you to override the column heading as it appears on the report. If the column heading is long, you can split it into two lines using the Col Heading 1 and Col Heading 2 fields.
Description Enables you to override the name of the field as it appears in Event Rules Design. You can also view the name of the table where the field resides and view the field's data dictionary alias and name.
Font/Color Enables you to modify fonts, font styles, font size, and font colors.
Style Enables you to select line styles for the field.
Display Enables you to modify the justification of the field, display length, display decimals, and edit code. The options that are available on this tab vary depending on the field type that is selected.
Totaling Enables you to define a quick in-section total of the field. This tab is available for numeric fields only.
Decimal Scaling Enables you to apply decimal scaling to numeric fields. This tab is available for numeric fields in tabular sections only.
Advanced Enables you to select advanced options.

6.2.3.1 Advanced Field Properties

The advanced field properties are typically the same for every field type.

Advanced Tab Description
Visible Enables you to toggle a field between visible and invisible.
Suppress At Totals Enables you to suppress a field from being totaled. This is especially useful in tabular sections where numeric fields are totaled automatically by the system.
Print On Change Only Enables you to define a field to print only when the value changes. For example, you have a report that lists several records for each of five business units. Instead of the same business unit value printing next to each associated record, the business unit value prints once for the first record. Then when the data for the next business unit begins, the new business unit value prints for the first associated record.
Global Variable Enables you to define a field so that it can be accessed in Event Rules Design from another section of the report.

6.2.4 Prerequisites

Before you begin modifying properties, ensure that you:

  • Create two batch application objects.

  • Complete the design of one report template using columnar or tabular sections.

  • Complete the design of the second report template using a tabular section with rows.

6.2.5 Modifying Report Properties

Open a report in RDA.

  1. From the File menu, select Report Properties.

  2. On the Properties form, select the Report Properties tab.

  3. Review and modify totaling, output, and performance options as appropriate.

  4. Select the Font/Color tab to review and modify font properties for the entire report.

    To override any font property settings of individual objects, select the Apply settings to all Objects option.

    To return the font properties to the system default, click the Defaults button.

  5. Select the Cover Page tab, select the option to include a cover page with the report, and review and modify cover page options.

    Selecting the cover page in Report Properties does not automatically print the cover page with the report. You must select the cover page option on the Version Detail form of the Oracle's JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Batch Versions (P98305) application.

  6. Select the Decimal Scaling tab, and review and modify decimal scaling for numeric fields in a tabular section.

    This tab applies to tabular sections only. Select the Apply settings to all Objects option to override any decimal scaling settings of individual objects.

    To return the decimal scaling properties to the system default, click the Defaults button.

    See Defining Decimal Scaling.

  7. Select the Advanced tab to review and modify additional report properties.

6.2.6 Modifying Section Properties

Open a report in RDA.

  1. Click the section for which you want to modify properties.

  2. From the Section menu, select Section Properties.

  3. On the General tab, you can change the section title and review the business view that is attached to the section.

    You might want to change the section title if you have two sections with the same title. This might be the case when you create custom sections that use the same business view as the detail section.

  4. Select the Font/Color tab to review and modify font properties for the entire section.

    Select the Apply settings to all Objects option to override any font property settings of individual objects.

    To return the font properties to the system default, click the Defaults button.

  5. Select the Fields tab to review the fields that are included in the section layout.

    You can select a field and click the Field Properties button to modify the field properties of the field.

    Double-click the icon of a field to toggle between invisible and visible.

  6. Select the Advanced tab to review and modify additional section properties.

    The advanced options vary depending on the selected section type.

6.2.7 Modifying Field Properties

Open a report in RDA.

  1. Click the variable for which you want to modify properties.

  2. From the Edit menu, select Item Properties.

  3. On the Description tab, override the name of the field as it appears in Event Rules Design.

  4. Select the Font/Color tab to review and modify font properties for the field.

    To return the font properties to the system default, click the Defaults button.

  5. Select the Style tab to review and modify lines and rectangles.

  6. Select the Display tab to review and modify the justification of the field

    To return the display properties to the system default, click the Defaults button.

  7. Select the Totaling tab to review and modify total and grand total options.

  8. Select the Advanced tab to review and modify additional field properties.

6.2.8 Modifying Column Properties

Open a tabular or columnar section report in RDA.

  1. Click the column heading for which you want to modify properties.

  2. From the Edit menu, select Item Properties.

  3. On the General tab, override the name of the column heading.

    If you are using the column heading in event rules, modify the variable name so that the column is easy to recognize in Event Rules Design.

  4. Select the Font/Color tab to review and modify font properties for the column heading.

    To return the font properties to the system default, click the Defaults button.

  5. Select the Style tab to review and modify lines and rectangles.

  6. Select the Advanced tab to toggle the column between visible and invisible.

    When you make the column heading invisible, the column variable is also invisible.

6.2.9 Changing Column Heading Names

Open a columnar or tabular section report in RDA.

  1. Click the column heading for which you want to change the name.

  2. From the Edit menu, select Item Properties.

  3. On the Column Heading Properties form, select Change Name if the column is from the business view.

    If the column is not from the business view, go to the next step.

  4. Enter a new descriptive name in the Variable Name field.

    The variable name of a column heading appears in event rules with the prefix of RC (Report Constant). Use this option if you need to attach logic to the column heading.

  5. Select Override Col Headings (Override Column Headings) if the column is from the business view.

    If the column is not from the business view, go to the next step.

  6. Change the text in the Col Heading 1 (Column Heading 1) and Col Heading 2 (Column Heading 2) fields, and click OK.

    Note:

    You should always change the variable name of a data field to match its column name. This makes managing the data field easier, especially if you plan to attach event rules to the data field.
  7. To return the column heading names back to the default, clear the Change Name and Override Col Headings options.

6.2.10 Modifying Column Properties from the Column Tab

Open a tabular or columnar section report in RDA.

  1. Click the detail section for which you want to modify column properties.

  2. Select the Column tab at the top of the design workspace.

  3. To modify a property, double-click the property for a column and access the appropriate control.

  4. To determine which fields appear on the Column tab, right-click anywhere on the row or column headers of the detail area.

  5. Click Field Selection.

  6. On the Object Design Properties form, select or clear any of the available properties to show or hide them on the Column tab, and click OK.

    Select the Basic and Advanced tabs on the Object Design Properties form to view all available properties.

6.2.11 Modifying Row Properties

Open a tabular row report in RDA.

  1. Click the row for which you want to modify properties.

  2. From the Edit menu, select Item Properties.

  3. On the General tab, review and modify the name and description of the row.

  4. Select the Font/Color tab to review and modify font properties for the row.

    To return the font properties to the system default, click the Defaults button.

  5. Select the Style tab to review and modify lines and rectangles.

  6. Select the Display tab to review and modify the justification.

    To return the display properties to the system default, click the Defaults button.

  7. Select the Options tab to review and modify the space before the row.

  8. Select the Cell Overrides tab to review the cell overrides that are defined in the row.

    You can select a cell override and click the Cell Override Properties button to modify the properties of the selected cell.

  9. Select the Advanced tab to review and modify additional row properties.

See Working with Rows.

See Overriding Cells and Cell Properties.