This chapter contains the following topics:
In a report, a set of records that share the same value for a specific field are said to be in the same level. For example, in a report that is sorted by search type, all of the records with the search type of E are in the same level. When the value in the search type field changes, it is referred to in Oracle's JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Report Design Aid (RDA) as a level break.
Level break sections are useful for adding special processing. Two section types, level break headers and level break footers, make adding processing to level breaks easy.
Level break sections organize records into smaller, more manageable units. You can define any field from the attached business view as a level break field. When the system processes the report, the level break triggers an event, such as the printing of a heading or the calculation of totals. You can also define the level break to perform a page break. For example, you can define the company field as a level break field and a page break field. Every time that the value in the company field changes, a page break occurs and the records for the new company begin on a new page. A field must be defined as a level break before it can be defined as a page break.
Level break headers and footers are always associated with a detail section. Level break sections do not have business views attached directly, but rather share a business view with the detail section with which they are associated. Therefore, all fields from the business view that is attached to the detail section are available in the level break sections.
When you create a level break section, you are presented with these options for selecting the level break field:
All columns
Displays a list of all available fields from the business view that is attached to the detail section that you selected.
Only existing sort columns
Displays the fields that you selected as data sequencing fields when you created the detail section.
If you have not defined a level break field in the data sequence, the field that you select when creating the level break section is defined by the system as a level break field. When you return to the data sequence after creating the level break section, the field is defined as a level break field.
After you create a level break section, you can modify its properties.
You can define level break header and level break footer sections as conditional. Through the use of processing options, you can prompt the user to indicate whether to print the level break section in the report. For example, enter Event Rules Design on the level break section. In the Initialize Section event, call the Hide Section system function to hide the level break section. Then add event rules to show or hide the section, depending on the value that is entered into the processing option. You must have an appropriate processing option attached to the report template.
In RDA, you can:
Add level break headers.
Associate descriptions in level break headers.
Add level break footers.
Insert descriptions for aggregates in level break footers.
See Also:
This section provides overviews of level break headers and level break footers, lists the prerequisites, and discusses how to:
Create level break headers.
Hide the level break field in the detail section.
Associate descriptions.
Create level break footers.
Insert descriptions into level break footers.
Create example level break sections.
Level break header sections present descriptive headings that appear prior to each level of records. For example, if you define search type as a level break field, a level break header introduces each group of search types. The first level break header instance might indicate that the subsequent records are related to search type C. When the value of the search type field changes, the next level break header instance might indicate that the subsequent records are related to search type E.
Because of their free-form layout, group sections are used for level break headers. You can define more than one level break header in a report template. For example, you can define the search type and business unit fields as level break fields to further organize the data.
When you create a new report template, and you know that you want to include a level break header to organize the data, you typically do not include the level break field in the detail section.
When you insert a level break header into an existing report, you might have the same data field in both the level break header section and the detail section. To avoid having the level break field print in both sections, you can:
Remove the level break field from the section layout prior to creating the level break header.
Hide the level break field in the detail section.
You can hide fields from the Advanced tab of the appropriate field properties form. If you hide a constant or column heading, the variable is also hidden.
To make the field visible again, access the visible option from the Fields tab on the appropriate section properties form. On the Fields tab, fields that are invisible include an icon with the No sign. You can toggle fields between visible and invisible from the Fields tab and from the report tree.
When creating a level break header, make sure that you select the Display selected column as part of this section option. This ensures that the field appears in the level break header as the descriptive heading.
In the RDA workspace, the level break header appears within the detail section. The name of the level break header usually begins with On and indicates the level break field on which it was created. In the report tree, the level break header appears one branch below the section to which it is attached.
You can add a description to the level break header to make the information more meaningful to the report reader. When you associate a description with a level break field, the system displays the description for the level break field currently in memory. For example, the search type value of E has a description of Employees associated with it. When the level break header is processed, this description prints along with the search type value in the level break header.
Although associated descriptions are used most often in level break headers, you can also associate descriptions in level break footers and detail sections. If a level break footer or detail section includes the search type field, you can associate a description with this field to include the description of the value. In columnar sections, the description becomes the next column following the value field, such as the search type column.
Not every data field has a description associated with it. A business function trigger must be attached to the data item. In data dictionary, you can review the Edit Rule tab of a data item to determine whether it includes a business function trigger. Some examples of data items with business function triggers are:
Address Number
Business Unit
Company
Search Type
Level break footer sections present information that appears after the records that are associated with the level break field. Fields within the level break footer are used for displaying aggregates.
An aggregate is an object that holds the results of a calculation using the values in other fields. For example, the calculation could be a sum of values, an average of values, or a count of how many records exist. After adding a level break footer and assigning the totaling conditions to the aggregate object within the level break footer, you might need to change the totaling conditions to meet other reporting requirements. If you are using the level break footer to accumulate totals, the values in those fields are calculated dynamically at runtime.
Due to their free-form layout, group sections are typically used for level break footers. Use the columnar section level break footer option when you want the aggregates but not the detail section to print in the report. The aggregate fields appear in a row beneath the column headings. You can define more that one level break footer in a report template. For example, you can define the search type and business unit fields as level break fields to provide more detailed aggregates.
When defining aggregates, determine the appropriate operator as defined in this table:
| Operator | Description |
|---|---|
| Average of | Reports the average of all the amounts in the column. |
| Count of | Reports how many entries or records are in the column. |
| Maximum of | Reports the maximum amount for a record in the column. |
| Minimum of | Reports the minimum amount for a record in the column. |
| Total of | Reports the sum of the values in this column. |
The operator that you select determines the available selection of operands. Operands are columns that are included in the report layout.
You can select line types to appear with the aggregates. You can select either or both:
Single overline
Double underline
When creating level break footers, the last option is to define whether you want the aggregates to reprint at the page break. This option reprints the aggregates from the previous page onto the succeeding page. This is important when the level of data continues from one page to the next.
In the RDA workspace, the level break footer appears within the detail section. The name of the level break footer usually begins with On and indicates the level break field on which it was created. In the report tree, the level break footer appears one branch below the section to which it is attached.
When you create a level break footer in a report template, you can add a description to the footer. The description is used as a label to describe the aggregates to the report readers. Depending on the level of detail the aggregates require, you can use:
Constant fields
Enables you to create a static label that describes the aggregates.
For example, a level break footer in an employee listing report calculates salary totals by department. You can add a constant field to the level break footer to include a generic label, such as Totals by Business Unit.
Data dictionary fields
Enables you to create a more detailed label that describes the aggregates.
For example, a level break footer in an employee listing report calculates salary totals by department. You can add a data item to the level break footer to include a detailed label, such as Totals for Business Unit 10. Data items require you to add an assignment in Event Rules Design to populate the data item variable.
See Chapter 20, "Working with Event Rules".
Level break footers are presented after a level break has occurred in the preceding level. When the system encounters a different value in the level break field, the system calculates and presents the information in the level break footer section. Therefore, you must consider this timing when defining event rule assignments in the level break footer section.
When a level break footer prints, the subsequent level break value is already in memory. If you use a data item as the label in a level break footer, you must use the previous business view column in the assignment. If you use business view columns in the assignment, the system fetches the subsequent level break value that is currently in memory. For example, you use the search type data dictionary field in the level break footer of a report to label the aggregates. The first group of records is for search type E and the second group of records is for search type C. You assign a value to the search type data dictionary field. If you assign the search type business view column to the data item, the search type of C appears in the level break footer for the first group of records because the C search type is currently in memory. If you use the previous business view column, the search type of E appears in the level break footer for the first group of records.
See Also:
Level Break ProcessingBefore you begin creating level break sections, ensure that you:
Create a batch application object.
Complete the design of the report template.
Open a report template in RDA.
Click the detail section to which you want to attach a level break header.
From the Section menu, select Create, Level Break Header.
On the Level Break form, under the Show heading, select one of these options:
All columns
Only existing sort columns
Designate a business view field as a level break field.
Select the Display selected column as part of this section option, and click Finish.
You can modify the level break header, and even select a different field as the level break field, from the Level Break tab on the level break header section properties.
Open a report template in RDA.
Select the detail section containing the level break field that you want to hide.
Double-click the variable or column variable portion of the level break field.
On the variable properties form, select the Advanced tab.
Clear the Visible option.
Open a report template that includes a level break header in RDA.
In the level break header, click the variable portion of the level break field.
From the Edit menu, select Associate, Description.
Position the Description field to the right of the level break field.
Double-click the description field to change the properties.
On the Associated Description Properties form, change options as required.
Open a report template in RDA.
Click the detail section to which you want to attach a level break footer.
From the Section menu, select Create, Level Break Footer.
On the Level Break Footer form, select the Group Section option, and click OK.
On the Level Break form, under the Show heading, select one of these options:
All columns
Only existing sort columns
Select a business view field to use as a level break field, and click Next.
On the Aggregations form, select an appropriate Operator and Operand.
Select one of these line options under the Item display style heading:
Single overline
Double underline
Select the Reprint section at page break option, if necessary, and click Finish.
To add aggregates to the level break footer after it has been created, click the level break footer, and select Add Aggregates from the Section menu.
Note:
In the RDA workspace, move the cursor over the aggregate object; the field in the detail section upon which the aggregate's calculations are based changes color.Open a report template that includes a level break footer in RDA.
Click the level break footer section.
From the Insert menu, select Constant Field.
Position the constant field in the level break footer where you want the description to appear.
Double-click the constant field.
On the Constant Properties form, change the Variable Name field to describe the aggregates.
This example illustrates the process of adding a level break header and a level break footer to an existing report. The business unit field is defined as the level break field for both the level break header and the level break footer. Even though an aggregate function is performed on the salary column, that field is not designated as a level break field. Business unit is the level break field for the footer because the report totals all of the salaries for each business unit.
Note:
For this example, modify the example report that is described in Creating an Example Columnar Section Report.See Creating an Example Columnar Section Report.
Open the Creating a Columnar Section Report example in RDA.
Click the columnar section and select Create, Level Break Header from the Section menu.
On the Level Break form, select Business Unit - Home as the level break field.
Select Display selected column as part of this section, and click Finish.
To include the description of the business unit in the level break header, click the variable of the Business Unit - Home field and select Associate Description from the Edit menu.
Position the description field to the right of the Business Unit - Home field.
Double-click the Home Business Unit variable in the columnar section and on the Advanced tab, clear the Visible option, and then click OK.
This hides the business unit field in the columnar section.
Click the columnar section and select Create, Level Break Footer from the Section menu.
On the Level Break Footer form, select Group Section, and click OK.
On the Level Break form, select Business Unit - Home and click Next.
To total the annual salaries for each business unit, set the operator to Total of and set the operand to Rate - Salary, Annual.
Select a single overline, and click Finish.
Note:
The order of the header and footer sections within the columnar section has no bearing on how they appear in the printed report.Select the Preview tab to view the report.