To format the data generated:
- Provide a descriptive text (not SQL column names) for Column titles.
- Adjust the Column widths.
- Apply general table coloring (borders and shading, font sizes, cell alignment, etc.).
- Ensure that the "dollar" format is used for the two price columns (for example, $110.00). See the details that follow.
- Add useful information, from the Upper Form of the Invoice, above the table. See the details that follow.
- Provide a "Total" for the amount column. See the details that follow.
Once finished, generate a PDF and repeat the process if necessary.
To change the formatting of the Price & Amount columns (for example, 110.0 > $110.00):
- Double-click on INV_LI_UNIT_PRICE (the code under the Unit Price field) to launch its BI Publisher properties.
- Change the Formatting Type to Number.
- Set the Formatting Format to $#,##0.00;($#,##0.00) (paste in the blue text).
- Repeat the preceding steps for the Amount column.
To add useful information, from the Upper Form of the Invoice, above the table:
Note: Tables are efficient formatting tool for organizing data from the Upper Form. Include separate columns for the field name (align right) and the field value (align left). You can also hide the borders if you prefer.
- Create a 4-row and 2-column table and add field names.
- Place your cursor where the first inserted field value must be entered.
- Click the field icon (ab|Field) to open the field browser and add fields from your XML sample data.
- Add useful information such as Creator, Email, and Status (or other fields you added to your SQL statement) above our Line Item Table.
- Double-click on the correct field value from the Field window to add the Title to the report (for example, add Invoice title in the Title field).
To provide a "Total" for the amount column, using Invoice as an example:
- Right-Click somewhere in the last row of your Invoice Line Item table and select Insert > Insert Rows Below.
- Highlight all the columns in the new row, except for the last one, and Merge the cells (from the right-click menu).
- Click in the newly created cell and enter: Total
- Right-align the cell.
- Place your cursor into your last column of the new row.
- Click the field icon (ab|Field) to open the field browser and add fields from your XML sample data.
- Click Inv_Li_Amount column to highlight.
- Set the calculation (at the bottom) to Sum.
- Click Insert to add the calculation into the table.
- (Optional) Select the Total row and make the text bold.