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Sage 200 Report Designer - How to add or remove text and variables

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Summary

Sage 200 2013 reports can contain text which is always the same, for example, headings, and also variables which draw information from the Sage 200 database onto the report. You can add or remove text and variables in most reports or layouts within Sage 200 2013. For example, you may want to amend a report to show your customer's account name as well as their account reference. This article explains how to add and remove text or variables.

Description

NOTE:

In Sage 200 2013 and above, the Dynamic Help takes you through adding text and variables step by step. For further information about the Dynamic Help feature, please click here.

NOTE:

This article has been prepared and issued to you as a goodwill gesture only and Sage accepts no liability or responsibility for its use. For further support please refer to your Business Partner.

 

 

Resolution

Quick steps
These are the basic steps that explain how to add and remove text and variables. They include:
  • To add text
  • To add variables
  • To remove text or variables
  • To save the changes to your document

NOTE:

Quick steps provide the minimum amount of information you need. For further information, please refer to the Detailed steps tab.

This article assumes that you have located the report or layout that you want to amend and opened it in Sage Report Designer. If you need further help with this, please click here.

To add text
  1. Report Designer > Toolbox menu > Add Text > click the area of the report where you want the new text to appear.
    Report Designer v1.3 and below - Toolbox menu > Textbox > click the area of the report where you want the new text to appear.

    TIP:

    You can check your Report Designer version in Help > About > Application > File Version.

  2. In the text object box, enter in the text that you want to appear on the report > click a blank area outside the text box.
To add variables

TIP:

If you have chosen to auto-hide any of your Report Designer panes, the name appears in a tab to the left or right of your window. To expand a pane, click on its name.

  1. Variables pane > expand the required table, for example, SLCustomerAccounts > select the required variable, for example, CustomerAccountName.
  2. Drag the variable and drop it onto the design in the required position.

    NOTE:

    If Active Complete is enabled, a window appears where you can specify certain settings, for example, a title or a total for the variable. Complete the options as required or click Cancel. For further information about Active Complete, please refer to article .

To remove text or variables
  1. On the design page, locate and select the text or variable you want to delete > press Delete.
  2. Repeat step 1 for each text box or variable you want to delete.
To save the changes to your document
  1. Report menu > Report Properties > enter a new document name and description > OK.
    Report Designer v1.3 and below - Report Explorer pane > select the document name > Properties pane > Name > enter a new name for the document > Enter.

    TIP:

    You can check your Report Designer version in Help > About > Application > File Version.

  2. File > Save As > File name > enter a new name for the document > Save in > browse to the required location for your document > Save.
  3. File > Exit.
Detailed steps

The following detailed steps contain everything you need to help you add and remove text and variables.

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 click here.

This article assumes that you have located the report or layout that you want to amend and opened it in Sage Report Designer. If you need further help with this, please click here.

To add text

NOTE:

This section explains how to add new text to a document. To edit existing text, locate and select the required text box then press Enter. The cursor appears at the beginning of the text. Edit the text as required then click a blank area outside the text box.

  1. Within Report Designer, open the Toolbox menu and select Textbox.
    Report Designer v1.3 and below - Within Report Designer, open the Toolbox menu and select Add Text.

    TIP:

    You can check your Report Designer version in Help > About > Application > File Version.

  2. Click on the area of the report where you want the new text to appear.
  3. In the text object box that appears, enter in the text that you want to show on the report.

    NOTE:

    The text object box expands as you type, or you can click and drag to specify the space needed by the text box.

You have now added text to your document and should make any further changes required to the document then save the changes. For further information about how to save the amended document, please refer to the section To save the changes to your document later in this article.

To add variables
  1. Within Sage Report Designer, from the Variables pane, expand the Table you require, for example, SLCustomerAccounts, then select the Variable you require, for example, CustomerAccountName.

    TIP:

    If you have chosen to auto-hide any of your Report Designer panes, the name appears in a tab to the left or right of your window. To expand a pane, click on its name.

  2. Drag the variable and drop it onto the design in the required position.

    NOTE:

    If Active Complete is enabled, a window appears where you can specify certain settings, for example, a title or a total for the variable. Complete the options as required or click Cancel. For further information about Active Complete, please click here.

You have now added the required variable to your report and should make any further changes you require to the document then save the changes. For further information about how to save the amended document, please refer to the section To save the changes to your document later in this article.

To remove text or variables
  1. Within Sage Report Designer, on the design page locate and click the text or variable you want to delete, then press Delete.

    TIP:

    You can also right-click the text or variable and choose Delete.

  2. Repeat step 1 for each text box or variable you want to delete.

You have now removed unwanted text and variables from your report and should make any further changes you require to the document then save the changes. For further information about how to save the amended document, please refer to the following section.

To save the changes to your document
  1. To save your changes, you must change the name and description of your document. To do this, open the Report menu, choose Report Properties, enter a new name and description for the document then click OK.

    Report Designer v1.3 and below - To save your changes, you must change the name of your document. To do this, from the Report Explorer pane, select the document name. From the Properties pane, in the Name box, enter your preferred description for the document then press Enter.

    TIP:

    You can check your Report Designer version in Help > About > Application > File Version.

  2. 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. For further information about where to save your document, please click here.
  3. 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 main program, open the Tools menu, choose Report Designer then from the Recent files list, click your required report.

Useful links
Related documents
Other useful information...

Report Designer - Dynamic Help

NOTE:

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