Applying Scopes to Your Reports

A report scope enables you to create multiple instances of a report using a single report layout and report request. Using a scope, each report instance is generated with data specific to an individual field value (such as a business unit or department) or to a group of values (such as a tree node summarizing all sales departments). In this way, each report instance can share the same layout, while containing data unique to these field values.

For example, if you have a report request with a scope that produces one income statement for each division in the company, you could use a scope variable in the Email template to have each divisional report emailed to VP of that division. Alternatively, you could make each VP's report available in Report Manager by using a scope variable in the Security template.

Scope variables are used in the Email and Security templates the same way that you use them to create unique file names with the File template or directory names with the Directory template in your report request. The Scope Descriptive Variable (%DES%) is used to select a related field value from the Scope Value table or the Tree Node table. You can use values for email addresses, user Ids, or role Ids. The general syntax of the %DES% variable is:

%DES.[scope field].[detail field].[node field]%

Note:

The %DES% variable requires the associated field value be in the same table that the scope is based on.