3Analytics

Your staff members roles can access different management reports depending on their roles.

Staff members with permission to run one or more reports, but who lack permissions to edit workspaces or navigation sets, can access the management reports in these folders.

• Performance

• Find

• Definition

• Reference

Staff members who can run one or more reports and who have permission to edit navigation sets can access the management reports in these folders.

• Performance

• Find

• Definition

• Reference

• Navigation Sets

Staff members with Analytics administrator permission can run all management reports.

Refer to About Staff Management

You can open the Report Management component from your navigation pane.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane and then double-click Report Management. Because you can add this component to any navigation button in your navigation set, you may need to click another navigation button to access it.

2. Open the folder containing the report you want to run. You can hover over the name of each report for a full description, including whether the report includes private reports and reports on other interfaces.

   The types of reports in each folder are summarized in the following table.

   Table Report Management Reports

   Folder	Description
   Schedules	The reports in this folder display the scheduled reports that are being sent, helping administrators better manage receipt of scheduled reports. Depending on the report you select, you can search by individual email addresses, email subject lines, or report names. Refer to Schedule a report.
   Workspaces	The report in this folder displays the workspaces that use a particular report, helping administrators understand the impact of changing or deleting a report. Refer to Quick Access toolbar.
   Navigation Sets	The reports in this folder display the reports included in specified navigation sets or the navigation sets that include the specified reports. This helps administrators determine if a report can be deleted or modified. Refer to About Navigation Sets.
   Performance	The reports in this folder help administrators find reports that may require excessive processing to run, including reports that have no filters and reports that are automatically deferred due to processing time. These reports can then be modified to reduce the processing time or restricted to those staff members who understand the impact of running them.
   Find	The reports in this folder are used to find reports that contain certain descriptions, custom scripts, column headings or column descriptions, and references to particular tables or columns in the database. We recommend using the Reports by Database Reference report to find reports that query a particular database field, such as when you want to delete a system attribute and need to know which reports use the field.
   Definition	The report in this folder returns the report descriptions for the reports you specify, allowing you to easily create a catalog of reports that can be used to understand the available public reports. Refer to Generate a catalog of reports.
   Reference	The reports in this folder show you reports that are used in dashboards or in report links. Refer to Dashboards and Linking reports.

3. Double-click the report you want to run.

   Search options vary depending on the report you run. Some reports have required filters (the filter names display in red with an asterisk), while other filters do not require you to select values for them. You can also specify limit, paging, and sorting options, and change the layout of the search window. Refer to Search for records in a report.

   The Search window opens where you can select options to filter and sort the report’s output. The Search window for the Reports by Description report is shown here as an example.
   
   
   
   

4. Select the filter options you want and click Search. The report output displays.

   As with other reports you run, you can sort the output, print and export the report, and apply slicing and other options. You can also run the report again, selecting different search criteria in the docked filters shown above the report output.

Click Analytics on the navigation pane. The explorers you have access to display.

You can search for reports, styles, images, or other types of items specific to the explorer you are working in. For instance, you can search for reports and dashboards from the Reports explorer and text fields from the Text Fields explorer.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane and then double-click Reports Explorer.

2. Click Find on the ribbon. The left side of the content pane displays a Find menu, hiding the folders tree.

   Note: All of the Analytics explorers include a ribbon for working with items shown in the explorers.

3. Enter the following field information. This table describes the fields on the Report Explorer Find window.

   Table Reports Explorer Find Menu

   Field	Description
   Find Using	Click this drop down menu to select a column in the reports list to search on. You can search by the report’s name, ID number, dates created or updated, the report’s initial run (opening report without prompting for search parameters) status, or the refresh on edit status. Each column is associated with one of three data types which determine the available search options: Strings—Search for strings that start with, contain, end with, or match the value you enter in the text box. Dates—Search for dates before, on, or after today’s date. You can also click the calendar to display the current month’s calendar and select another day, or click the arrows at the top of the calendar to change months. Integers—Search for values that are less than, equal to, or greater than a number.
   Search text box	Type your search text in this field.
   Case Sensitive	When searching a string column, select this check box if you want to match the case.
   Show Advanced Options	Click Show Advanced Options to display additional search options.
   Search globally, replace results	Select this option to remove the results from the previous search and replace them with results from this search. This is the default option.
   Search globally, append to results	Select this option to keep results from the previous search and add results to them from this search.
   Search within results, replace results	Select this option to search the current search results and keep only those results that match the new search.
   Return Non-matching Items	Select this check box to return all reports that do not match your search criteria.

4. Click Find. The search results display on the right pane. A message displays if no results are found.

5. To remove the text entered for the previous search, click Clear on the Find menu.

6. To replace the search results with the original reports list, click Refresh on the ribbon.

7. To remove the Find menu and display the folders list, click Folders on the ribbon.

The standard reports, styles, chart styles, and color schemes in the Analytics explorers cannot be edited, renamed, or deleted. However, you can copy any of these predefined items and use the copy as a starting point when you want to create a customized version. You can also use the same method to copy custom items that were created in any of the Analytics explorers.

1. Open the appropriate explorer.

2. Right-click the item you want to copy.

3. Select Copy to open the Copy As window.

4. To store the new item in a custom folder, navigate to the folder.

   Note: Custom files cannot be stored in the Reports explorer’s or Images explorer’s standard folders.

5. Type a name for the new item in the Name field.

6. Click OK to save the new item.

The procedure to save custom reports, report styles, chart styles, color schemes, images, and text fields is similar, no matter what type of item you are saving.

1. After editing the item, select the appropriate save option on the ribbon’s Home tab:

   • To save changes to the item without closing it, select Save.
   • To save a new item, or to save a copy of the item you are editing with a different name, select Save As.
   • To save changes to the item and close it, select Save and Close. This option is faster than saving a change and then manually closing the window.
   Note: Options for saving a custom report are accessed by clicking the arrow on the Save button on the report designer’s Quick Access toolbar.
   When you select Save As, or attempt to save a new item for the first time, the Save As window opens to name the item.

2. To store the new item in a custom folder, navigate to the folder. You can store custom files only in custom folders.

3. Type a name for the new item in the Name field.

4. Click OK to save the item.

You can create custom folders in any explorer to store new or copied reports, styles, chart styles, color schemes, images, and text fields. You can also rename custom folders and files.

The style editor displays examples of the various report components that you can create custom styles for. This helps you identify the component you want to modify. You can also select the component you want to modify from a list if you know its name.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane.

2. Double-click Styles Explorer. The Styles explorer opens, displaying the current styles.

3. Do one of the following:

   • To create a style, click New on the ribbon.
   • To edit an existing custom style, right-click the style and select Edit.
   The style editor opens.

4. Do one of the following:

   • Select the component whose style you want to modify from the drop-down menu at the top of the editor and click Edit.
   • Double-click the component on the style editor.
   A window opens for selecting style options.

5. Select the style options you want for the selected component. Refer to Select style options.

6. To associate a custom chart style with the report style, click the name of the chart style that is currently associated with the report style, shown next to Attached Chart Style. The Select Chart Style window opens.

7. Select the chart style you want to associate with the report style.

8. Click OK.

   Note: The associated chart style is used by default for charts added to reports that use the report style. However, different chart styles can be selected when creating charts. Refer to Chart Styles explorer for information about chart style options. For information about adding charts to reports, refer to Adding and editing charts.

9. Click Save on the ribbon to save the style.

Once you select the component you want to modify from the style editor, you can define options for the component’s font, margins, background colors, and borders.

1. Open the style editor window for the component you have selected. By default, the window opens on the Font tab if the selected component includes text. Refer to ribbon for information about this tab.

2. Click the Margins tab to define the amount of space surrounding the component when used in reports.

3. Enter the number of pixels between the text and the left, right, top, and bottom margins.

4. If you are editing a style for a report section, such as the report header, enter the number of pixels you want between the section’s contents in the Spacing field.

5. Click the Fill tab to modify the background fill colors for the selected component.

6. Enter the following field information. This table describes the fields on the Fill tab.

   Table Fill Tab

   Field	Description
   Color/Top Color/Left Color	Click this box to select a primary color as the background. The text description for this option varies depending on the Gradient Mode you select. Refer to ribbon.
   No Fill	Select this check box to clear any fill colors previously selected. If this check box is selected, the other options on the Fill tab are disabled, except Color. Selecting a color automatically clears the No Fill check box, enabling the other options.
   Gradient Mode	Select the positioning of the primary and secondary colors for the background from the Gradient Mode drop-down menu. Using gradient coloring lets you merge two colors. The following options are available. None—Select this option to use only the primary color as the fill color. If you select None, the Gradient Color field is disabled. Top to Bottom—Select this option to merge the colors from the top of the background to the bottom. Left to Right—Select this option to merge the colors from the left of the background to the right.
   Gradient Color/Bottom Color/Right Color	Click this box to select a secondary color to merge with the primary color. The fill colors then merge using the method defined in the Gradient Mode menu. The text description for this option varies depending on the gradient mode you select. Refer to ribbon.
   Transparency (%)	Select a percentage to define how intense the fill colors are. A setting of 100% is completely transparent, which prevents the fill colors from displaying. A setting of 0% has no transparency, resulting in intense background colors. The selected percentage is immediately reflected in the Preview field, so you can easily scroll through the transparency percentages to find a value that best suits your needs.
   Preview	This area provides a sample of how the fill colors you select will appear on the report background.

7. Click the Borders tab to modify the borders of a component.

8. Enter the following field information. This table describes the fields on the Borders tab.

   Table Borders Tab

   Field	Description
   Color	Click this box to select a color for the border. Refer to ribbon.
   Style	Click this drop-down menu to select one of the following border styles: Solid, Dashed, Dotted, Inset, Outset, Double, Groove, Ridge, Rounded, or Separator. The Separator option lets you add space around the component.
   Weight	Click this drop-down menu to select the pixel size of the border. You can choose a number between 1 and 10 pixels.
   Preview	Use this area to define the placement of the borders. Select any of the following buttons to place the borders, or click the area in the Preview white space where you want the border.
   Borders	Click a button to add the selected border attributes to the top, bottom, left, right, or all sides of the component. You can also add or remove borders from all sides of the component.

9. Click the Preview button to preview the style with the changes you have made to fonts, margins, fill, and borders.

10. Click OK to save your changes to the selected component.

Chart styles are customized using options available on the chart styles editor’s ribbon. When you edit a chart style and select a chart type, different buttons are enabled based on the new chart type. For example, the Bar Settings button is enabled on the ribbon when editing a style for a vertical bar chart, whereas it is not enabled when creating a style for a pie chart. The chart subtype, such as two- or three-dimensional and stacked or not stacked, also impacts options enabled on the ribbon.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane and then double-click Chart Styles Explorer.

2. To create a new chart style, click New on the ribbon.

3. To edit a chart style, right-click the chart style and select Edit. The chart styles editor displays a default chart type.

4. Click Type on the Home tab to display the chart type menu.

5. Select the chart and chart subtype you want to configure for the chart style. Once you configure your chart style for the selected chart type and subtype, you can select other types to configure your chart style for use with those types. This allows you to use the same chart style regardless of the types of charts you add to reports, while ensuring the charts’ colors, fonts, and other attributes are consistent.

6. To configure three-dimensional settings for a chart style with a 3D subtype, click 3D Depth and 3D Angle on the Home tab to enter values that impact how three-dimensional charts display.

   Tip: You can modify the three-dimensional settings for charts with 3D subtypes by right-clicking the chart on the content pane and selecting Rotate. When you do so, your cursor changes and you can move your mouse or other pointing device horizontally and vertically to change the chart’s three-dimensional values. Click the left mouse button to quit rotating the chart. The right-click menu also gives you options to convert three-dimensional charts to two-dimensional charts, or two-dimensional charts to three-dimensional charts, as long as the chart type includes 3D subtypes. This right-click menu is also available when creating or viewing reports.

   The following table describes the settings you can access from these buttons.

   Table Three-Dimensional Chart Subtype Settings

   Button	Description
   3D Depth	Click this button and enter a number for the extent of the chart’s three-dimensional effect. A value of 0 removes the 3D appearance from the chart, where as a setting of 125 maximizes the effect.
   3D Angle	Click this button to enter values for the chart’s horizontal and vertical angles.
   X Angle	Enter a value from 0 to 180 degrees in this field. This value determines the vertical rotation of the chart.
   Y Angle	Enter a value from 0 to 180 degrees in this field. This value determines the horizontal rotation of the chart.

7. To configure colors, styles, borders, and other settings for the bar, line, or gauge elements in charts, click the Home tab and click Bar Settings, Line Settings, or Gauge Settings.

   The following table describes the settings you can access from these options.

   Table Bar, Line, and Gauge Settings Buttons

   Button	Description
   Bar Settings	Click this button to customize the display of the bar elements for chart types that include bars.
   Bar Outline	Select this option and then select the type of outline you want around the individual bars in the chart. You can choose from the following options: None—The bars have no outline. Lighter—The bar outline is a lighter shade of the bar’s color. Darker—The bar outline is a darker shade of the bar’s color. Color—The bar outline is a specified color. Choosing Color enables the Outline Color option. Select this to open the color menu where you can select a color for the outline. Refer to ribbon.
   Bar Style	Select this option and then select the style you want for the bars in the chart. You can choose Block, Cylinder, Wedge, Emboss, or Light to Dark.
   Multicolor Series	Select this option to make the bars in different series use different colors. When this option is not enabled, the bars in different series are shown using the same set of colors.
   Line Settings	Click this button to customize the display of the line elements for chart types and subtypes that include lines.
   Line Width	Select this option and then select the number of pixels you want for the line’s width. Options include widths from one to ten pixels.
   Symbols	Select this option and then select the symbol you want to place on the line to mark data points. You can choose None, Square, Circle, or Triangle.
   Gauge Settings	Click this button to customize the display of the gauge for gauge chart types.
   Gauge Color	Select this option to open the color menu to select a color for the gauge. Refer to ribbon. You can also select No Value from the menu to use the default color.
   Border Color	Select this option to open the color menu to select a color for the gauge’s outline. Refer to ribbon. You can also select No Value from the menu to use the default color.
   Show Numeric Identifier	Select this option to display a numeric indicator on the gauge which shows the actual value represented on the gauge.
   Color Ranges	Select this option to open the Color Range window where you can define different colors to use for different value ranges on the gauge. Refer to ribbon for information on defining color ranges for gauge charts.

8. To define color ranges for a gauge chart, click Gauge Settings on the Home tab and select Color Ranges.

   1. Click Add Range to add a color range.

   2. Enter the following field information. This table describes options available on the Color Ranges window.

      Table Color Ranges Window

      Field	Description
      Add Range	Click this text to add a range. Before you add a range, the Color Ranges window does not show any ranges and Add Range is the only option available.
      Minimum	Enter the percentage value the range should begin at. For example, a gauge with three color ranges could have a range that begins at 34%.
      Maximum	Enter the percentage value the range should end at. For example, a gauge with three color ranges could have a range that ends at 66%.
      Start Color	Click this box to open the Color window and select a color for the beginning of the range. Refer to ribbon.
      End Color	Click this box to open the Color window and select a color for the end of the range. Refer to ribbon.
      Remove Range	Click this text to remove the range shown next to the text.

   3. Click OK to save the color ranges.

   Sample ranges are shown in the Color Ranges window here.
   
   
   
   

   Color ranges are unique to gauge charts and let you show ranges of different values on the chart in different colors. The following figure shows a gauge chart with three color ranges.

   
   
   
   
   

9. To select a color scheme for the chart style, click Color Scheme on the Home tab and select the item you want from the color scheme menu.

   Customizable color schemes are available for all chart types except gauge charts. Color schemes can be used to define the colors used for the chart. Refer to Create a color scheme.

10. To define the placement of labels, such as titles and legends, click the Layout tab and click the button on the ribbon’s Labels group that corresponds to the label you want to configure.

    The following table describes the labels you can configure from these options.

    Table Labels Buttons

    Label	Description
    Title	Click this button to select options for the chart’s title. This label displays the chart’s title defined when you add a chart to a report. You can choose not to show this label, or you can show it at the left, right, top, or bottom of the chart.
    Legend	Click this button to select options for the chart’s legend. This label displays a legend to identify the chart’s contents. You can choose not to show this label, or you can show it at the left, right, top, or bottom of the chart.
    Category Axis Title	Click this button to select options for the chart’s category axis title. This label identifies the chart’s category axis. You can choose to show it or not show it.
    Value Axis Title	Click this button to select options for the chart’s value axis title. This label identifies the chart’s value axis. You can choose to show it or not show it.
    Data Labels	Click this button to select options for the chart’s data labels. Data labels can be displayed on the chart’s bars, lines, and other display components to show the actual values represented in the chart. You can choose to show data labels or not show them.
    Exception Box	Click this button to select options for the chart’s exception box. This label describes the exceptions shown in the chart if the chart’s data includes exceptions and the report is configured to show exceptions on the chart. You can choose to show this label at the left, right, top, or bottom of the chart.

11. To configure scale options for the chart style, click Value Scale on the Layout tab and select from the options described in the following table.

    Table Value Scale Button

    Option	Description
    Primary Scale	The options in this section let you show the primary scale, rotate the scale’s labels, and choose whether to configure the scale’s range manually. You can also choose to have these options configured automatically.
    Show	Select this option to display the primary scale on the chart. By default, the primary scale is displayed.
    Automatic	Select this option to automatically determine the range of the scale based on the range of values in the data shown on the chart.
    Manual	Select this option to manually configure the range shown on the primary scale. When you select this option and hover over it, Scale Start and Scale End fields appear. Enter the minimum value you want for the scale in the Scale Start field and the maximum value you want in the Scale End field.
    Rotate Labels	Select this option and then select a degree to rotate the label text. Your choices are None, 15, 30, 45, 0, -15, -30, and -45 degrees (clockwise).
    Secondary Scale	The options in this section let you configure the secondary scale for the line values shown on line/bar chart types.
    Show	Select this option to display the secondary scale on the chart. By default, the secondary scale is not displayed.
    Automatic	Select this option to automatically determine the range of the scale based on the range of values in the data shown on the chart.
    Manual	Select this option to manually configure the range shown on the secondary scale. When you select this option, Scale Start and Scale End fields appear. Enter the minimum value you want for the scale in the Scale Start field and the maximum value you want in the Scale End field.
    Rotate Labels	Select this option and then select a degree to rotate the label text. Your choices are None, 15, 30, 45, 0, -15, -30, and -45 degrees (clockwise).
    Position	The options in this section let you choose where to place the primary scale on the chart.
    Primary Scale Right	Select one of these options to place the primary scale on the right or left side of the chart. By default, the primary scale is displayed to the left of the chart. These options are enabled only for chart types that display data vertically.
    Primary Scale Left
    Primary Scale Top	Select one of these options to place the primary scale at the top or bottom of the chart. By default, the primary scale is displayed at the bottom of the chart. These options are enabled only for chart types that display data horizontally.
    Primary Scale Bottom
    Use Logarithmic Scale	Select this check box to use a logarithmic scale based on your report data.

12. To configure category and value grid lines shown on the chart, click Category Grid Lines or Value Grid Lines on the Layout tab. The following table describes the options you can configure from these options.

    Table Category Grid Lines and Value Grid Lines Buttons

    Option	Description
    Scale	The options in this section let you choose whether to use automatic or manual offsets for the major and minor grid lines shown on the chart. The offsets determine the spacing between the grid lines.
    Automatic	Select this option if you want the offsets between the major and minor grid lines shown on the chart to be configured automatically.
    Manual	Select this option to manually specify the offsets for the chart’s grid lines. When you select this option, Major Offset and Minor Offset fields are displayed. Enter the numeric offset value you want for the major grid lines in the Major Offset field, and the offset you want for the minor grid lines in the Minor Offset field.
    Display	The options in this section let you show or hide major and minor grid lines on the chart. Grid lines can make it easier to identify values on the chart.
    Show Major	Select this option to display major grid lines on the chart.
    Major Color	Select this option to open the color menu where you can choose the color you want for the major grid lines. Refer to ribbon.
    Show Minor	Select this option to display minor grid lines on the chart.
    Minor Color	Select this option to open the color menu where you can choose the color you want for the minor grid lines. Refer to ribbon.
    Show Left	Select this option to show grid lines along the left side of the chart. This option is not available on the Value Grid Lines button.
    Left Color	Select this option to open the color menu where you can choose the color you want for the grid line along the left side of the chart. Refer to ribbon. This option is not available on the Value Grid Lines button.
    Bottom Color	Select this option to open the color menu where you can choose the color you want for the grid line along the bottom of the chart. Refer to ribbon. This option is not available on the Category Grid Lines button.

13. To configure options for tick marks shown on the chart’s scale, click Tick Marks on the Layout tab. The following table describes the options available.

    Table Tick Marks Button

    Option	Description
    Scale	The options in this section let you choose whether to use automatic or manual offsets for the major and minor tick marks shown on the chart’s scale. The offsets determine the spacing between the tick marks.
    Automatic	Select this option if you want the offsets for the scale’s major and minor tick marks to be configured automatically.
    Manual	Select this option to manually specify the offsets for the scale’s major and minor tick marks. When you select this option, Major Offset and Minor Offset fields are displayed. Enter the numeric offset value you want for the major tick marks in the Major Offset field, and the offset you want for the minor tick marks in the Minor Offset field.
    Display	The options in this section let you show or hide major and minor tick marks on the chart’s scale.
    Major Tick Marks	Select this option to show the major tick marks on the chart.
    Minor Tick Marks	Select this option to show minor tick marks on the chart.

14. To customize the fonts, borders, and backgrounds of different sections of the chart, click the Format tab.

    1. Click the section of the chart you want to configure on the content pane or, if you know the name of the chart section you want to configure, select it from the Current Selection drop-down menu on the ribbon. The following chart sections are available, though not all sections are available for all chart types.

       Chart Area

       Grid Area

       Title

       Legend

       Category Axis Labels

       Category Axis Title

       Value Axis Title

       Primary Scale Labels

       Secondary Scale Labels

       Data Labels

       Exception Box

    2. Select from the options on the Format tab’s Format group described in the following table.

       Table Format Tab Buttons

       Button	Description
       Border	Click this button to select a border style for the selected section. The available options are: None Thin Medium Thick Dashed To select a color for the border, select Border Color from the menu to open the color menu. Refer to ribbon.
       Shadow	Click this button to select a shadow style for the selected section’s border. The available options are: None Thin Medium Thick To select a color for the shadow, select Shadow Color from the menu to open the color menu. Refer to ribbon.
       Background	Click the arrow on this button to open the color menu where you can select a background color for the selected section of the chart. Refer to ribbon.
       Transparency	Click this button to enter a percentage to define how intense the background color is for the chart’s grid area. A setting of 100% is completely transparent, which prevents the fill colors from displaying. A setting of 0% has no transparency, resulting in intense background colors. The selected percentage is immediately reflected on the sample chart, so you can easily scroll through the transparency percentages to find a value that best suits your needs.
       Gradient	Click this button to select the type of gradient you want for the background of the chart area section. You can use gradient color to customize a background by blending two colors. Your options are: None Left to Right Top to Bottom To select a gradient color to blend into the background color, select Gradient Color to open the color menu. Refer to ribbon.
       Font buttons	Select the font, font size, and other attributes from these buttons. Refer to ribbon.

15. To configure settings for a different chart type or subtype, repeat steps 3 through 15.

16. Click Save on the ribbon to save the chart style.

You can add images using the Image explorer.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane and then double-click Images Explorer.

2. Click New on the ribbon.

3. Click Select One or More Images to open a window where you can select the images you want to add. You can add .bmp, .jpg, .gif, and .png file types.

4. Select the image you want to upload. You can select multiple images by pressing Ctrl when selecting them.

5. Click Open.

6. Click Save on the ribbon to save the image. When saving a single image, you can specify a new name for the image. When saving multiple images, the original image names are retained.

You can replace an image with an updated image using the Image explorer.

1. In the Images explorer, right-click the image you want to replace and select Open.

2. Click Select a Different Image. A window opens where you can select the new image.

3. Select the image you want to replace the existing image with.

4. Click Open.

5. Click Save on the ribbon to save the new image.

When customizing text elements in Analytics, you can specify font attributes to change the display of the text. Font attributes can be selected from the ribbon in certain editors, such as the chart styles editor, or from a Font tab on a window in other areas.

The same options are available from the ribbon or the tab. Some editors give you access to font attributes from both the ribbon and the tab, allowing you to change font attributes from either location. The following figure shows font options on the style editor’s Font tab.

This procedure describes the options available on the Font tab. However, you can also set these options from the ribbons of most editors in Analytics, such as the Chart Styles editor.

1. Click the Font tab.

2. Enter the following field information. This table describes the options on the Font tab.

   Table Font Options

   Field	Description
   Font	Click this drop-down menu to select a font.
   Style	Select the check boxes for the style attributes you want. You can select multiple attributes to apply to the font: Regular, Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough, and All Caps.
   Size	Click this drop-down menu to select the point size of the font.
   Color	Click the color box to select a color for the font. Refer to ribbon.
   Preview	Click this button to preview the font using the options you select. This button is not available on all Font tabs.

3. Click OK to save your changes.

You can select colors for many objects in Analytics, such as text labels and report backgrounds. When selecting colors from a tabbed window, the Color window displays. When selecting colors from a ribbon, the color menu is displayed. Both give you the same options, though they present them in slightly different ways.

This procedure explains how to select colors and define custom colors using both the color menu and Color window. The following shows the color menu on the left and the Color window on the right.

1. To select a color using the menu, click the color you want. The color is applied to the object you are editing.

2. To select a color using the window:

   1. Click the color you want.

   2. Click OK.

   The color is applied to the object you are editing.

3. To define a custom color from the window:

   1. Click the Define Custom Colors button. The window expands to show custom color options.

   2. Click anywhere in the color palette or type the HSL (hue, saturation, lumination) or RGB (red, green, blue) components in the appropriate text boxes to define your custom color. The HSL color model defines the hue, saturation, and lumination of the color.

      • Hue—The hue is the pigment of the color and has a value between 0 to 359 degrees.
      • Saturation—The saturation is measured as a percent from 0 to 100 and specifies the vividness of a color
      • Lumination—Lumination is the amount of white in the color and is a value from 0 to 100 percent.

      The RGB color model defines the amount of red, green, and blue light the color contains. RGB values can be between 0 and 255. For example, when all components are set to 255, the color is white, and when all are set to 0, the color is black.

   3. Click the Add to Custom Colors button. The color is added to your custom colors.

   4. Click OK to apply the color you selected or created to the component you are defining

4. To view additional standard colors or to create a custom color from the color menu, click More Colors.

   • To choose a standard color from the window, click the color you want and click the OK button to apply the color to the object you are editing.

   • To define a custom color, click the Custom tab.

     Custom colors are defined on the Custom tab in the same way they are defined on the Color window. See ribbon.

   • Click OK to apply the custom color to the object you are editing.

The report designer gives you access to all the tools you need to create basic or more complex reports.

1. Do one of the following:

   • Click Analytics on the navigation pane, double-click Reports Explorer, and then click New Report on the ribbon.
   • If your navigation set is configured to add new reports from the file menu, click File and then select Report. Refer to Configuring workspaces and profiles.

2. Select the type of report you want to build: Grid report, Standard report, or Standard report with Chart. Since the sample report will primarily be used internally by staff members to work with records, select Grid report.

   Note: Grid reports are most commonly used on the Service Console to list records that staff members can open for editing. The other report types are generally used to present summaries of data inside or outside of your organization. If you decide you want a different report type after you start creating a report, you can change it from the Report Layouts button on the ribbon’s Home tab.

   After selecting the report type, the report design center opens where you create your report. The report designer is shown in the following figure and the main areas of the design center are indicated.

   
   
   
   
   

In this procedure, we will add two columns to the report’s first output level, displaying incident queues and the number of incidents in each queue.

1. Expand the All Tables tree on the data dictionary and then select Incidents.

2. Select Queue (queue_id) on the right side of the data dictionary and drag it to the design surface. The field is added to the report as a column and is automatically named Queue, but you can right-click the column to change the name and customize other options.

3. On the data dictionary, scroll down to the Functions tree and expand it.

4. Select Aggregate Functions and then drag count(expr) onto the design surface. The Column Definition window opens where you select the field you want counted.
   

   
   
   

   We will edit the column’s expression to specify what records we want counted. In this example, we want to count the incidents in each queue.

5. On the left side of the window, expand Current Dataset > Incidents.

6. Scroll down to Incident ID (i_id) and drag it to the text between the parentheses on the right side of the window. After you do this, the column’s expression will be count(incidents.i_id).
   

   
   
   

   We want to count the records using this field since it is a unique identifier for incidents as no two incidents share the same ID number.

7. To change the name of the column you are adding, type the name you want in the Heading field. For our example, you can type Number of Incidents.

8. Click OK to save the changes and add the column to the report. The new column automatically displays a count of all incidents in each incident queue.

   The first output level of the sample report now has two columns displaying incident queues and the number of incidents in each queue. For more information about adding output columns to reports and the types of columns you can add, refer to computed fieldcomputed fieldcomputed fieldscomputed field.

Now we will add a second output level to the report that you can drill down into to view details about the incidents in the queues.

1. Click the Level tab on the ribbon and then click Add Drilldown.

   You can type a different name for the new output level in the Name field, add notes about the level in the Description field, and change other options that are described in drill down.

   As you review the options in the Drilldown Settings area of the window, notice that the drill-down filter is automatically set to incidents.queue_id. When you use the report and click a drill-down link on the first level of the report, the second output level knows to display only information related to the queue in the row you clicked. For more complex reports, the drill-down filter can be changed, but it is not necessary to do so here.

   The link you click when using the report is also automatically set to incidents.queue_id. However, for our sample report, we will make the incident count column the link we click to drill down.

   The Level Settings window opens, displaying information about the new output level.
   
   
   
   

2. Click the Link drop-down menu and select count(incidents.i_id).

3. Click OK to save the new output level.

   You can now drag fields from the data dictionary onto the design surface to add columns to the second level of the report. Since this output level is intended to display details about the incidents, you could add fields from the incidents table such as Reference #, Subject, Assigned Account, and Date Created. You can also add fields from the contacts table to view information about the contacts who submitted the incidents. Refer to Add output columns.

   Tip: If you want to change the output level you are editing, click the Level drop-down menu at the top of the design surface and select the level you want.

Next, we will add a fixed filter to return only unresolved and updated incidents in the report. Fixed filters prevent reports from querying more information than you need in the report. You could also add run-time selectable filters to the report to return only incidents created in a certain time period, assigned to particular staff accounts, or that match other criteria you specify. Unlike fixed filters, run-time selectable filters allow you to select the values you want when you run the report.

1. Click the Home tab on the ribbon and then click Add Filter. The Add Filter window opens.

2. If you want to specify a name for the filter, type a name in the Name field. This name is used only on the report designer. If you do not specify a name, the filter’s database field is used instead.

3. Clear the Make this Filter Selectable at Run Time check box.

   Note: If we were creating a run-time selectable filter, we would leave this check box selected and type a filter name in the Label this Filter field that staff members see when running the report. We could also select the Required check box for run-time selectable filters to force the report’s users to specify a filter value before they can run the report.

4. In the Definition section, right-click in the Expression field and selectIncidents > Status status_id . This is the database field we are using to filter the report’s output by.

5. Click the Operator drop-down menu and select In List.

6. Choose the items you want to include in the search. When you use the In List operator, all items are selected by default. Clear the check box next to each item you do not want to include in the initial search or clear the Select All check box and select the check box next to each item you want to include. For our example, select Unresolved and Updated. The report will include only incidents with one of these statuses. Since the filter is selectable at run-time, you can change the search options when you run the report.

   To prevent menu options that are irrelevant to the report’s audience from being available in searches, click Customize and clear the check boxes next to the options you do not want to display.

7. Click OK to save the filter.

The final step in creating the report is to save it to a location where the report’s audience can access it. Once you save the report, your staff members can open it, assuming they have permission to do so.

1. Click the arrow next to Save on the Quick Access toolbar and select Save and Close. The Save As window opens where you specify the name of the report and where you want it saved.

2. Select the Public Reports folder or a custom subfolder beneath it. Reports that are saved in the My Reports folder are accessible only by you.

   • To create a custom subfolder, right-click Public Reports, select New Folder, and type the name you want for the folder.

3. Type the name for the report in the Name field. The name can be up to eighty characters long.

4. Click OK to save the report and close the report designer.

Use the report designer to create and edit custom reports.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane.

2. Double-click Reports Explorer.

3. To edit an existing custom report, right-click the report and select Edit. The report designer opens.

4. To create a report, click the New Report button. A window opens where you select the report’s initial layout.

5. Click the name of the layout you want to use for the report. The options are Grid Report, Standard Report, and Standard Report with Chart. When you select a layout, the report designer opens with the selected layout.

6. To create a copy of a report from another interface by importing a report definition, click Import Existing Report Definition.

Using existing report definitions allows you to create duplicates of complex custom reports from other interfaces without manually re-creating the reports.

1. Click the New Report button on the Report explorer’s ribbon to select the report layout.

2. Click Import Existing Report Definition.

3. Select the XML file containing the report definition.

4. Click Open.

   The imported report opens on the report designer where you can modify it.

   If you import a report that includes custom object record commands into a site that has custom objects with different names or ID numbers, a window opens where you can match the custom objects referred to in the imported report to the custom objects on the site.

5. Save the new report.

There are four different ways to view a report as you edit it in the report designer.

Each view presents your report in a different way and gives you access to different tabs on the ribbon.

• Report View—This view shows you the report just as your staff members will see it when they open it. The report presents real data and is particularly useful when you want to preview a report you are editing. This view does not let you add column calculations, adjust column formatting options, or use action links.

• Layout View—This view is similar to the report view and is also useful for previewing reports. However, unlike the report view, this view lets you select individual columns in the report and apply formatting options to the columns. For example, if you want to add conditional formatting to a column to highlight data that meets certain criteria in the column, you could select the layout view, select the column, and configure conditional formatting for the column.

• Design View—This is the default view when you open the report designer. This view gives you access to the tools you need to create and edit your report on the design surface.

• Data Set View—This view shows your report in a textual design space. You can add columns, filters, and variables using this view, just as you can when using the design view, but you cannot add graphic elements, such as charts, images, or text fields. The data set view is particularly helpful if you want to view text descriptions of your report’s contents, and access different report components to edit them. In addition, you can define the filter label that displays in the Quick Search by selecting the filter you want to display and moving it to the top of the list.

The report designer’s ribbon includes eight tabs from which you can access options to create or edit a report.

The tabs on the ribbon change depending on which view you use and what is selected on the design surface. When editing a report using the design view, you can select the Home, Display, Insert, Level, and Page Setup tabs to add filters and report levels, insert charts, and modify the report’s display. The Design, Format, and Options tabs are displayed when you select objects on the report, giving you options to edit the selected object. The data set view gives you similar options, though the Insert tab is not available. Fewer tabs are available when using the report and layout views.

Each tab on the ribbon has one or more groups containing buttons you can use to modify the report or items on the report. Some groups have buttons to the right of their names that you can click to open a window. For example, the Page Setup tab has groups for Print, Background, and Display options, and you can click the Background group’s button to open the Display Options window.

Windows give you access to the same features you can access from the ribbon, though the windows group the options differently, and sometimes contain additional options not available from the ribbon.

When explaining features that can be accessed from a window or the ribbon, we describe the feature using the window, but keep in mind that the ribbon’s buttons provide shortcuts to most of the same features available on windows.

The design surface displays all of the sections you add to your custom report from the report designer ribbon.

Only report sections displayed on the design surface are included in a report when it runs. Once you add a section to the design surface, you can add, edit, and remove content in the section or modify the display of the section itself. For example, you can drag database fields to the data area, insert charts into the Charts section, and edit the report’s title in the report header. When working on the report designer, you can add rulers, lines, and headings to help you identify sections and fields shown on the design surface. These options are accessed from the Show/Hide group on the ribbon’s Display tab.

You can use the data dictionary to access all the tables in the database and view details about each tables’ columns.

The data dictionary is shown on the report designer when you use the design or data set views, and lists the standard tables and fields from the database that can be used in custom reports. Functions, variables, computed fields, and tables created for custom objects can also be selected from the data dictionary. Any item listed in the data dictionary can be dragged to the Data Area section to add the field as an output column, dragged to Docked Filters to create a filter based off the field, or dragged to the Data Exceptions section to create an exception based on the field.

You can view detailed information about the tables and fields shown in the data dictionary and customize the data dictionary to show only the fields and tables you regularly use. You can also reposition the data dictionary if you want a different location for it.

Every report consists of items added to the report and configured using the ribbon, design surface, and data dictionary.

Reports can have one or more output levels that contain report sections, and each section can contain text fields, images, charts, and output columns. The data shown in charts and output columns in each output level is impacted by the filters, variables, and comparison date offsets you add to the report.

You can apply a predefined layout to quickly modify the report’s display to make it appropriate for the report’s audience.

1. If your report includes more than one output level, select the output level the layout should be applied to from the Level drop-down menu at the top of the design surface.

2. Click the Home tab.

3. Click the Report Layouts button to open the report layouts menu.

4. Click one of the layouts to apply it to the current output level. The predefined layouts are described in the following table.

   Table Report Layout Options

   Layout	Description
   Grid Report	Select this layout for an output level with the Docked Filters, Page Header, Data Area, and Page Footer report sections.
   Standard Report	Select this layout for an output level with the Docked Filters, Page Header, Report Header, Data Area, Report Footer, and Page Footer report sections.
   Standard Report with Chart	Select this layout for an output level with the Docked Filters, Page Header, Report Header, Charts, Data Area, and Page Footer report sections.
   Chart	Select this layout for an output level with the Page Header, Charts, and Page Footer report sections. This layout is not available on the Getting Started window. When a report output level includes a chart but not tabular data, you can add data for the chart directly from the Chart Wizard. Refer to Add or edit a chart with the Chart Wizard.

You can choose which sections are displayed on a report.

1. If your report includes more than one output level, select the level you want from the Level drop-down menu at the top of the design surface.

2. Click the Display tab on the ribbon.

3. Select the check box next to the section you want to display from the tab’s Section group. The design surface changes to include the report section you select.

4. To display the Page Header or Page Footer section when the report is printed, click the Page Setup tab and select the Page Header or Page Footer check box on the tab’s Print group.

5. To remove a report section from the design surface, clear the section’s check box on the ribbon. The design surface changes to remove the report section.

You can resize a report section to allow more room for images or text fields or to reduce the size of the section to allow more room for other sections.

1. Move your cursor over the section border that you want to move on the design surface. The cursor changes to display directional arrows when it is over a border.

2. Drag the border to the position you want.

Sections that are included in a report can be customized, allowing you to further tailor your report to your audience.

1. Right-click the section on the design surface that you want to edit and select Edit Style.

   Note: The Edit Style window for some report sections includes an Options tab that allows you to set layout options.

2. Click the Margins tab to modify the amount of space surrounding the contents in the section.

3. Enter the number of pixels between the text and the left, right, top, and bottom margins.

4. If you are editing a style for a report section, such as the report header, enter the number of pixels you want between the section’s content in the Spacing field.

5. Click the Fill tab to modify the background fill colors for the selected section. When editing styles for report sections that do not have margins, the Fill tab is the active tab when you edit the style.

6. Enter the following field information. This table describes the fields on the Fill tab of the Edit Style window.

   Table Fill Tab

   Field	Description
   Color/Top Color/Left Color	The text description for this option varies depending on the gradient mode you select. Click this box to select a primary color as the background. Refer to ribbon.
   No Fill	Select this check box to clear any fill colors previously selected. If this box is selected, the other options on the Fill window are disabled except Color. Selecting a color automatically clears the No Fill check box and enables the other options.
   Gradient Mode	Select the positioning of the primary and secondary colors for the background from the Gradient Mode drop-down menu. Using gradient coloring lets you merge two colors. The following options are available. None—Select this option to use only the primary color as the fill color. If you select None, the Gradient Color field is disabled. Top to Bottom—Select this option to merge the colors from the top of the background to the bottom. Left to Right—Select this option to merge the colors from the left of the background to the right.
   Gradient Color/Bottom Color/Right Color	The text description for this option varies depending on the gradient mode you select. Click this box to select a secondary color to merge with the primary color. When you do so, the fill colors merge using the method defined in the Gradient Mode menu. Refer to ribbon.
   Transparency(%)	Select a percentage to define how intense the fill colors are. A setting of 100% is completely transparent, which prevents the fill colors from displaying. A setting of 0% has no transparency, resulting in intense background colors. The selected percentage is immediately reflected in the Preview field, so you can scroll through the transparency percentages to find a value that best suits your needs.
   Preview	This area provides a sample of how the fill colors you select will appear on the report background.

7. Click the Borders tab to modify the borders of a report section.

   1. Enter the following field information. This table describes the fields on the Borders tab of the Edit Style window.

      Table Borders Tab

      Field	Description
      Color	Click this box to select a color for the border. Refer to ribbon.
      Style	Click this drop-down menu to select one of the following border styles: Solid, Dashed, Dotted, Inset, Outset, Double, Groove, Ridge, Rounded, or Separator. The separator option lets you add empty space around the report section.
      Weight	Click this drop-down menu to select the pixel size of the border. You can choose a number between 1 and 10 pixels.
      Preview	This area defines the placement of the borders you define. Select any of the following buttons to place the borders, or click the area in the Preview white space where you want the border.
      Borders	Click a button to add or remove the selected border attributes from the top, bottom, left, or right sides of the component. Alternatively, you can click the appropriate location in the Preview area to add or remove borders.

8. Click OK to save the section’s style changes.

If a report section has an automatic layout, the charts, images, and text fields you add to it are arranged in an invisible table structure, with the items placed in rows and columns. You can adjust the sizing of the rows and columns to arrange the images and text fields exactly like you want them.

1. Add the report section you want to the report output level.

2. To add the report header or footer sections, click the Display tab and select the Report Header or Report Footer check box.

3. To add the page header or footer sections, click the Page Setup tab and select the Page Header or Page Footer check box.

4. Click the report section on the design surface to select it.

5. Click the Options tab and click Automatic.

6. To prevent the section’s height from being automatically adjusted to fit the items you add to the section, click Auto Height to disable it.

   Tip: When Auto Height is disabled, you can manually change the height of the section by dragging the section’s horizontal borders up or down, just as you would if the section had a manual layout.

Section layout properties determine how the charts, images, and text fields you add are positioned on the section.

1. Add images and text fields to the report section.

2. Click the report section on the design surface and then click the Options tab.

3. If the section has a manual layout, click the Automatic button to change to an automatic layout.

4. Click Table Layout.

5. To give each column in the section’s table the same amount of width, select Size All Columns Equally.

6. To give each row in the section’s table the same amount of height, select Size All Rows Equally.

7. To size each column to best show the column’s contents, select Auto Size All Columns.

8. To size each row to best show the row’s contents, select Auto Size All Rows.

9. To manually configure the table’s layout, select More Options.

10. Enter the following field information. This table describes the fields on the Edit Table Layout Properties window.

    Table Edit Table Layout Properties Window

    Field	Description
    Show	Click this drop-down menu and then select whether you want to configure rows or columns.
    Size Type	Specify how the size of the report section is determined in this section.
    Absolute	Select this option to specify a certain size for the selected row or column in pixels.
    Percentage	Select this option to specify a certain percentage of the total available space in the section to allocate to the selected row or column.
    Best Fit	Select this option to have the size of the selected row or column automatically adjusted to best fit the row’s or column’s contents.

11. Click OK to save your changes.

When presenting a report, you may want the report to include images, such as a logo, to enhance the report’s appearance or to customize it for your audience.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane.

2. Double-click Reports Explorer.

3. Right-click the report you want to add the image to and select Edit.

4. Click the Insert tab on the report design center’s ribbon.

5. Click Image to open the list of images available in the Images explorer.

6. Click the image you want to add. The images list closes.

7. Hover over the report section where you want to add the image. The image name displays when the cursor is over a section that can accept an image.

8. Click to place the image in the report section you select.

9. To move an image you have added to a report section, drag the image to the position where you want to place it in the section.

   Note: To move an image from one report section to another, both sections must have Automatic layout enabled. Refer to Enable automatic layout of a report section.

10. To resize an image you have added to a report section, click the image to activate it, and then drag one of the handles displayed on the image’s borders. The image is resized as you drag the handle.

11. To define how the image should move in relation to the report section’s border, you can specify an anchor style for the image. Refer to Select an anchor style for an image.

You can associate a filter or variable you create in a report to open a different web page depending on the value selected for the filter or variable.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane.

2. Double-click Reports Explorer.

3. Right-click the report you want to add the image to and select Edit.

4. Add an image to the report. Refer to Add an image to a report section.

5. Create the filter or variable you will use to populate the image’s URL field. For example, you could create a variable named $webpages with a User Defined List type and add menu values such as www.google.com and www.yahoo.com. Refer to run-time selectable filtersdocked filtersdashboardinner join or Variables.

6. Right-click the image on the report designer and select Edit Image Field to open the Edit Image Field window.

7. Type the name of the filter or variable you created in the URL field. Surround the name in braces. For example, if the variable’s name is $webpages, type {$webpages} in the URL field. (Filter names do not begin with the dollar sign).

8. Click OK to save the change and close the window.

9. Click Save on the ribbon to save the change to the report.

You can associate URLs with images to use the images as links.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane.

2. Double-click Reports Explorer.

3. Right-click the report you want to add the image to and select Edit.

4. Add an image to the report. Refer to Add an image to a report section.

5. Right-click the image and select Edit Image Field. The Edit Image Field window opens.

6. Type the URL you want the image to link to in the URL field.

7. Click OK to save the change and close the window.

8. Click Save on the ribbon to save the change to the report and close the report designer.

You can add standard text fields or custom text fields you have created in the Text Fields explorer to the Page Header, Report Header, Report Footer, and Page Footer report sections.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane.

2. Double-click Reports Explorer.

3. Right-click the report you want to add the text field to and select Edit.

4. Click the Insert tab on the report design center’s ribbon.

5. Click Text Field to open the list of text fields. The window displays standard text fields, such as Title, and custom text fields you can add using the Text Fields explorer. The text fields’ default fonts, colors, and other attributes are reflected in the display.

6. Click the text field you want to add to the report. The text fields list closes, and the cursor displays with a small version of the text field when you hover over report sections that accept text fields.

7. Click the report section where you want to add the text field. The text field is added to your report.

8. To move the text field, drag it to the position you want.

   To move a text field from one report section to another, both sections must have Automatic layout enabled. Refer to Enable automatic layout of a report section.

9. To resize a text field in a report section, click the text field to activate it and then drag one of the handles displayed on the text field’s borders. The text field is resized as you drag the handle.

10. Click Save on the ribbon to save the change to the report.

Once you add a text field to a report section, you can edit it to change the fonts, colors, text, and other attributes.

1. Right-click the text field in the report section on the design surface and select Edit Text Field.

   • Or, if you know the specific options you want, it can be faster to select them from the ribbon. Opening the window gives you an overview of all the available options.
   The Edit Text Field window opens.

2. Edit the text field on the Edit Text Field window.

3. Click OK on the Edit Text Field window to save your changes.

You can insert the values currently selected in a report’s filters and variables into text fields on the report.

1. Click Analytics on the navigation pane.

2. Double-click Reports Explorer.

3. Right-click the report you want to add the text field to and select Edit.

4. Create a filter that includes the values you want to display in the text field. For example, you can add a filter to an incidents report that filters on the staff accounts that incidents are assigned to. Refer to run-time selectable filtersdocked filtersdashboardinner join.

5. Add a text field to your report. Refer to Add a text field to a header or footer.

6. Right-click the text field and select Edit Text Field. The Edit Text Field window opens.

7. Type the text you want to display in the Text field on the window’s Text tab. Type the name of the filter, putting braces around it ({}), where you want the filter value to display in the field.

   For example, if the report has a filter named Assigned that filters on the staff member assigned to incidents, you can type Assigned to {Assigned} in the window’s Text field.

8. Click OK to save the change and close the window.

9. Click Save on the ribbon to save the change to the report.

You can change the default anchor style of an image in a report so that it moves with the bottom or right side of the report section when the section’s borders are changed.

1. Right-click an image on the design surface and select Edit Image Field. See Add an image to a report section.

2. Click the Anchor Style drop-down menu to display the anchor style options. The image’s current anchor style displays when you click the drop-down menu.

3. To clear an anchor, click the gray bar indicating an active anchor.

4. To add an anchor, click the appropriate clear bar. For example, to anchor an image to the bottom and right side of the report section, clear the gray bars at the top and left side, and click the clear bars at the bottom and right side of the anchor style selection control.

5. Click OK to save the change to the anchor style and close the window.

You can change the default anchor style of a text field in a report so that it moves with the bottom or right side of the report section when the section’s borders are changed.

1. Click a text field on the design surface to select it. See Add a text field to a header or footer.

2. Click Anchor on the Text Field tab to view anchor style options. The text field’s current anchor style displays. The gray bars displayed identify which sides of the report section the text field is anchored to.

3. To clear an anchor, click the gray bar indicating an active anchor.

4. To add an anchor, click the appropriate clear bar. For example, to anchor a text field to the bottom and right side of the report section, clear the gray bars at the top and left side, and click the clear bars at the bottom and right side of the anchor style selection control.

The Output Descriptions report section displays text you enter to describe output levels and columns in the output level.

1. Click the Display tab.

2. Click the Output Descriptions button and select the display option you want from the list. This table describes the fields on the Output Descriptions Display Options window.

   Table Output Descriptions Display Options

   Option	Description
   Do Not Display Descriptions	Select this option to remove output descriptions from the report.
   Display Descriptions on Column Rollover	Select this option to show the output descriptions when rolling over the report columns that have definitions defined.
   Display Descriptions Inline	Select this option to show the output descriptions in the output level, below the page header and report header sections.
   Display Descriptions on Separate Tab	Select this option to show the output descriptions on a separate Description tab. The tab is automatically added to the report when you choose this option.

Search Criteria Descriptions provide additional information about the data displayed in a report.

By default, the Search Criteria Descriptions report section includes information about the filters in your report, along with descriptions of the report’s variables, record limits, and comparison date offsets. However, you may not want to display descriptions of all report components, so you can specify which descriptions you want to display. Search criteria descriptions can be displayed inline or on a tab in the report. You select where to place the descriptions from the Search Criteria button on the ribbon’s Display tab.

Generally, most of the columns added to reports are fields from the database, which contain the data you see throughout Oracle Service Cloud.

Fields from tables that are created for custom objects are also available (refer to Custom Objects: Overview). The database fields that can be used in reports are listed in the report designer’s data dictionary.

You can create variables to use in report output columns, filters, images, text fields, and data exceptions.

Using a variable in an output column lets you return different data, or data in different formats, in the same column. For example, you could create a single report that displays the number of incidents by staff member, group, queue, or status. You select which of the four variable values to use in the report from the Search window or from a menu at the top of the report if the variable is docked.

The following figures show a report with a variable used as an output column.

Using a variable in a filter lets you combine the functionality of filters with the flexibility of variables. For example, you could create a variable that groups records together in time periods, and then create a filter with an expression of date_format(opportunities.created, $date_group), where $date_group is the variable to filter on opportunities created during a particular year. To use the filter, you would simply enter the year you want to report on. Without such a filter, the report would need to include a filter using the between operator that requires entering both a start time and an end time.

Using a variable in a data exception lets you use a single exception to flag different data. This eliminates the need to create multiple exceptions to flag data in different columns. For example, you could use a variable in an exception to flag incidents that were created more than one day ago or to flag incidents that were updated more than one day ago. The information you want to flag is selected on the Search window when you run the report. Refer to Create a data exception.

Using a variable in an image lets you dynamically generate links to web pages and change the displayed image when you select different variable values. Refer to Add an image to a report section. Using a variable in a text field lets you display the variable’s current value in the text field. Refer to Display a filter value in a text field.

You can create computed fields and use them in your reports.

Computed fields are not actual fields in the database, but are calculated from the columns in your output level. Before the output level has columns added, computed fields are not available. Once you add columns to the output level, the data dictionary’s Computed Fields tree includes the columns you added. If you click a column in the tree, the available computed fields for that column appear in computed fields in the data dictionary. You can then drag the computed field you want to the design surface, just as you would with a standard database field.

Most database fields have only a comparison value computed field available. Additional calculations are available for integer fields, which store numbers. The moving average, moving total, percentage of average, percentage of total, running average, and running total columns are all available to use in output levels and in rollups, if rollups exist in the report. When computed fields are added to rollups, the values are reset at the beginning of each rollup section.

The Comparison Value and Comparison Percentage Value computed fields are described in computed field. The Trend Value and Trend Percentage Value computed fields are described in computed field and computed fields.

Functions allow you to apply standard mathematical functions to the data from your database, and output the modified data in report columns.

For example, using the count() function, you can output the number of contacts associated with an organization. The column’s expression in this example would be count(contacts.c_id). Expressions that use more complex functions allow more complex modifications to the data that is displayed. You can also combine different functions and database fields in the same column’s expression.

When you drag a function from the data dictionary to the design surface, the Column Definition window opens. This lets you enter the variables used in the function’s expression. You can either type the variables in the Expression field or, if the variable is an item listed in the Available Columns/Functions field, you can drag the item into the function’s expression.

This table contains descriptions of the functions you can use in reports.