How to Use Variables in Columns

You can use variables you have created in the output columns you add to a report.

After you create a variable in a report, it’s added to the variables list in the report designer data dictionary. You can then create output columns that use the variable in the same manner as you would any other output column, creating the column’s expression out of database fields, functions, computed fields, and variables listed in the data dictionary. In some cases, the variable will be the only item in the column’s expression. In other cases, the variable will be combined with functions or database fields to form the column’s expression.

When a predefined list, user-defined list, or ad hoc value variable is included in a report’s output columns, a menu listing the variable’s options displays on the report’s Search window. The variable menu can also display at the top of the report in the docked filters section for easy access by individuals using the report.