Siebel Reports Guide > Running Reports > Running Reports in Siebel CRM Clients >

Running Reports

The example in this topic describes how a sales representative can periodically run the following reports:

• Account List
• Pipeline Analysis
• Opportunity Marketing Events Summary

To run reports

1. (Optional) Override the default report language and locale.

   If a report template includes a default locale or default output type, then Siebel CRM uses this default and overrides the user preferences. For information about overriding report user preferences, see Setting User Preferences for Siebel Reports. For information about how Siebel CRM uses multiple languages, see How Siebel CRM Runs Multilingual Reports.

2. Log in to Siebel Call Center connected to the Sample database.
3. Navigate to the Account screen, and then the Account list.
4. Identify the records that Siebel CRM must include in the report.

   Do one of the following:

   • Query the Account Type field for Residential.

     It is strongly recommended that you do a query to filter records before you run a report. This query limits the number of records that Siebel CRM must process. For more information, see Caution About Running Reports with a Large Number of Records.

   • To choose multiple records in a list, hold down the CTRL key while you click each record that Siebel CRM must include in the report. For more information, see Using the CTRL Key to Choose Multiple Records for a Report.
5. In the application toolbar, click the Reports button.

   Siebel Open UI displays the Run Report pane. The business user determines the default values that Siebel CRM displays for each field that the Run Report pane contains. For more information, see Types of Users Who Use Siebel Reports.

6. In the Run Report pane, in the Report Name list, choose Account List.

   Siebel CRM displays different reports in the Report Name list, depending on the view that the client currently displays. For more information, see How Siebel CRM Displays Reports According to the View. For information about entering a custom name, see Entering a Custom Name.

7. (Optional) In the Output Type list, choose the file type that Siebel CRM uses to save the report.

   For example, if you choose HTML, then Siebel CRM saves the report as an HTML file.

8. (Optional) In the Report Locale field, choose a language.

   For example, if you choose English - United States, then Siebel CRM saves the report in the North American dialect of the English language. You can configure a user preference that overrides the default language. For more information, see Setting User Preferences for Siebel Reports and How Siebel CRM Runs Multilingual Reports.

9. In the Run Report pane, complete the fields, as necessary.

   You can click the column heading in a list to sort records before you run a report. Siebel CRM then uses this order when it runs the report. If you configure the sort order on the integration object that Siebel CRM uses to run the report, then Siebel CRM uses the sort order that the integration object specifies. For more information, see How Siebel Reports Uses Integration Objects.

10. (Optional) To set search and sort order on an integration object, use the following example syntax:

    'Account'.Search = "([Name] LIKE ""3*"")" 'Account'.Sort = "Name, Location"

    NOTE:  If you sort records before executing a report, then the sort order is preserved when the report is executed. However, if the sort order is configured on the integration object used to generate the report, then the user-defined sort order is overridden.

11. (Optional) To sort report columns on date fields, use the canonical function in the report template. For example:

    <?sort:psfn:getCanonicalDate(ssHlsCreated);'descending'?>

12. Click Submit.

    Siebel CRM runs the report and then displays a Notification Summary dialog box after it finishes running this report. This dialog box includes a list of the reports that you have recently run. You can click it to access it.

    For more information, see Managing Report Notifications.

13. Click My Reports.

    Siebel CRM displays the My Reports view of the BI Publisher Reports screen. This view displays the report details, such as the report name and status. The report might finish running in a few seconds to a few hours, depending on the number of records and complexity of the report. If a report encounters errors when it runs, then Siebel CRM creates a log file that the business user or administrator can use to troubleshoot the problem. For more information, see Troubleshooting Siebel Reports.

14. Click Account List in the Report Name field.

    Siebel CRM displays the report in the format that you specify in Step 7. In this example, it displays the report in a PDF file. It stores the report in the Siebel file system.

15. (Optional) Use the Print menu to print the report.
16. In the application toolbar, click the Reports button to hide the Run Report pane.

    To access this report again, you can navigate to the BI Publisher Reports screen, My Reports view, and then click the report in the Report Name field.

Using the CTRL Key to Choose Multiple Records for a Report

A business user must specify that you can use the CTRL key to choose multiple records for a report. For more information, see Allowing Users to Choose The Records That a Report Contains.

If you do one of the following:

• Press the CTRL key to choose multiple records for a report, then Siebel CRM includes information only from these records in the report.
• Query a list in the client, such as the Account list, or if you use a predefined query, and if you drill down on a record from this list view to a detail view, then Siebel CRM preserves the query context, and Siebel CRM includes the records in the detail view.

CAUTION:  It is recommended that you choose no more than 50 records. If you choose more than 50 records, then the report might fail. For more information, see Allowing Users to Choose The Records That a Report Contains.

Caution About Running Reports with a Large Number of Records

It is strongly recommended that you run a query that filters records in the client before you run a report.

CAUTION:  It is strongly recommended that you run a query that filters records in the client before you run a report. Running a query reduces the number of records that Siebel CRM includes in a report. Some views might include hundreds or even thousands of records. If you do not filter these records before you run the report, then the report might fail, and performance might degrade.

Entering a Custom Name

You can enter a custom name for the report in the Custom Name field instead of choosing a report from the Report Name list. If you do this, and then click Submit, then Siebel CRM creates a new report and uses the value you enter in the Custom Name field to set the name of this new report.