Sage 200 Report Designer

Information

When you edit a report or layout in Sage 200 2013 and above, Report Designer displays the Dynamic Help pane down the left-hand side. This pane simplifies the process for common report changes by guiding you through the steps required. You can use it to add new objects such as text or images to your report, and also to amend existing objects.

TIP: If the Dynamic Help pane does not appear, open the View menu and choose Dynamic Help.

You can use the Dynamic Help pane to make the following changes to documents:

Set the report name and description - This information appears on the report list in the report browser.
Add or amend text and data fields.

TIP: Data fields are also known as variables.
Add or amend images.
Add or amend lines and boxes.
Add or amend report filters and criteria - You can use filters and criteria to limit the information that appears on the document.
Add or change report sorts - You can change the order in which the information appears on your document.
Enter email settings - You can enter default settings which apply when you send the document to email.

Steps

For details of how to use the Dynamic Help pane, please refer to the Steps tab.

The following detailed steps contain everything you need to help you edit your document using the Dynamic Help pane.

NOTE: If any of the panes mentioned in this section are not visible, open the View menu and select the required pane. If the pane doesn't appear, you can reset the Report Designer view to its default. For further information about this, please refer to article .

To open your document in Report Designer

From within Sage 200 2013 or above run the report to preview.
Select Edit from the top of the preview.

You have opened the required document in Sage Report Designer and can now use the Dynamic Help pane to make any changes.

To set the report name and description

TIP: If the title What would you like to do? doesn't appear at the top of the Dynamic Help pane, click a blank area on the report or layout. If the title still doesn't appear, within the Dynamic Help pane click Back until it appears.

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Set the report name or description.
In Report name, enter the name for your document.
In Report description, if required, enter a more detailed description of the document.
To confirm the changes, click OK.

You have now amended the name and description of the document.

To add or amend text fields

To add a new text field

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Add text or data field, then click Add text.
In Enter text, enter the text you want to appear on your document.
If you want to format the text using one of the preset styles, from the Style drop-down menu choose the required style. Alternatively, choose the format, alignment and border options you require.
To continue, click Next.
From the Add text to section drop-down menu, choose the section of the document where you want your text to appear.

TIP: When you choose a section, the section title is highlighted in the report area.

Select where you want to position the text as follows:

Add text after the last item in the section	To add the text after the last item in the chosen section, select this option.
Add text as a label or title for another item in the section	If your text is a label or title for another item on the document, select this option then from the drop-down menu choose the relevant item and set the required position options.
Align the text within the section	To align the text in relation to the section, select this option then choose the vertical and horizontal alignment options as required.

To add the text to the document, click Add to report.

You have now added a new text field to your document. If required, you can click and drag to change its position or dimensions.

To amend an existing text field

On the document, click the text field you want to amend.
In the Dynamic Help pane, in the Edit text box change the text as required.
Make any style, format, alignment or border changes as required.

TIP: If you have added extra text, you may also need to resize the text box on the report to show the new text.

You have now amended an existing text field.

To add or amend data fields

To add a new data field

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Add text or data field, then click Add a data field.
In the Select the data to add section, from the first drop-down menu choose the table that contains the variable, or data field, you want to add, for example, SLCustomerAccounts. From the second drop-down menu choose the variable, or data field, you want to add, for example, CreditLimit.
If required, to suppress the printing of the variable, select the Do not print (suppress printing) check box.
If required, to use Active Complete to add headings and totals for the variable, select the Use Active Complete check box.

NOTE: For further information about Active Complete, please click here.
From the Add data field to section drop-down menu, choose the section of the document where you want your variable to appear.

TIP: When you choose a section, the section title is highlighted in the report area.

Select where you want to position the text as follows:

Add data field after the last item in the section	To add the data field after the last item in the chosen section, select this option.
Position data field relative to another item in the section	If the variable position should be relative to another variable on the document, select this option, then from the drop-down menu choose the relevant item and set the required position options.
Align the data field within the section	To align the text in relation to the section, select this option then choose the vertical and horizontal alignment options as required.

To add the variable to the document, click Add to report.

You have now added a new data field to your document. If required, you can click and drag to change its position or dimensions.

To amend an existing data field

On the document, click the variable you want to amend.
In the Dynamic Help pane, in the Change the data field section, from the drop-down menus choose the required table and variable.
If required, amend the Do not print (suppress printing) setting.

You have now amended an existing data field.

To add or amend images

NOTE: In order to add an image to your document, you must first check where the image file is stored on your PC or network.

To add a new image

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Add an image or logo.
In the Select the image from your PC or network section, click Browse.
In the Open window, browse to and select the image file you want to add, then click Open.

TIP: You can add images with the file types .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .ico, .emf and .wmf.
In the Appearance and printing options, select any options as required.
In the Choose the image position section, from the Add image to section drop-down menu choose the section of the document where you want the image to appear.

TIP: When you choose a section, the section title is highlighted in the report area.
Choose the vertical and horizontal alignment options as required, then click Add to report.

You have now added a new image to your document. If required, you can click and drag to change its position or dimensions.

To amend an existing image

On the document, click the image you want to amend.
In the Dynamic Help pane, to select a different image file click Browse, browse to and select the image file you want to add, then click Open.
Amend the Appearance and printing options as required.

You have now amended an existing image.

To add or amend lines and boxes

To add a new line or box

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Add a line or box, then click Draw a line or Draw a box as required.
Click Draw line or Draw box as required, then to draw the line or box, on the report area click and drag the mouse pointer.
In the Dynamic Help pane, amend the Appearance, Printing and Alignment settings as required.

To amend an existing line or box

On the document, click the line or box you want to amend.
In the Dynamic Help pane, amend the Appearance and Printing options as required.

To add or amend report filters and criteria

NOTE: A report filter applies automatically every time you run the document. Report criteria can be set at the point you run the document.

To add or amend a report filter

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Restrict the information included in the report, then click Set report filters.
From the Report filter section click Edit report filter, then create or amend the filter as required.

For further information about creating filters, please click here.
To confirm the changes, click OK.

To add or amend report criteria

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Restrict the information included in the report, then click Set report criteria.
From the Report criteria section click Edit report criteria, then add or amend criteria as required.

For further information about amending criteria, please click here.
To confirm the changes, click OK.

To add or change sorts

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Sort information in the report, then in the Sorts section click Edit report sorts.
In the Sorts window, add or amend the sorts as required.

NOTE: For further information about adding sorts, please refer to article .
To confirm the changes, click OK.

To enter email settings

From the Dynamic Help pane, click Set up email, then select one of the following options:

Set up Report Designer to use my email account	To enter your default email account details for all documents, click this option then follow the on-screen steps.
Set up how this report is sent by email	To enter other email settings specific to this document, click Set up how this report is sent by email then follow the on-screen steps.

NOTE: For further information about entering email settings, please refer to article .

To save the changes to your document

To save the changes, open the File menu and choose Save As. From the Save As window, in the File name box, enter a file name for your amended document. If required, browse to the required location for your document then click Save.

NOTE: For further information about how to deploy your report, please click here.
To close Sage Report Designer, open the File menu and choose Exit.

You have now saved your amended document.

TIP: If you have any difficulty finding a recently saved document, you can open it from the Report Designer Recent files list and save it to the required location. To open a recently viewed report, from the Sage 200 2013 menu bar, choose Report Designer then from the Recent files list, click your required report.