1. Report Design Aid Guide
  2. Understanding Processing Option Templates in Reports

Understanding Processing Option Templates in Reports

To use a processing option with a report, you must attach the processing option template to the report template. Attach the processing option template by selecting Select Processing Options from the File menu. You can then search for and select the appropriate processing option template from the Select Processing Option Template form.

After you attach the processing option template to the report template, you must create event rules to tell the system how to process the processing option values, and under what conditions. You should include all valid values in the event rules. You should also include a default scenario in case the user leaves the processing option blank.

Processing option templates are report features so they are always attached to the report template. Processing option templates are reusable objects so you can attach the same processing option template to multiple reports. Processing option values, however, are stored with the batch version. This enables you to assign a set of processing option values to a particular batch version. For example, you can have two versions of a report that prints labels; one version with the processing option values set to print one-column labels, and one version set to print two-column labels.

When the report is launched, the system prompts the user to enter processing option values. However, even if a report template has a processing option template attached, the system might launch the report with no prompting. This is called a blind execution. The processing option values for a blind execution are predefined and cannot be modified by the user.

This overview outlines the process for creating and using processing option templates in a report:

  1. Create processing options by building a list of parameters called a template.

  2. Attach the processing option template to a report template and create event rules in the appropriate report section to process the processing option values.

  3. Create a batch version of the report template and select one of these options to indicate how the system should handle the processing options at runtime:

    • Prompt for Values

      The processing options appear, enabling the user to enter values.

    • Blind Execution

      The report runs using a set of predefined processing option values.