Executing a Report Group

Note Note

You can execute reports from two different menus that have different functions. The standard mode contains all the basic functions that you require to execute a report. Special functions, that experience has shown to be used by only a few users or that require special knowledge of the Report Writer, can only be used in expert mode. You can call the expert mode from the selection screen or activate/deactivate it from the report output screen at any time. The expert mode is not connected to any authorization. For more information on the advanced functions available for executing report groups, see Expert Mode .

End of the note.

  1. Choose Start of the navigation path Report Painter Next navigation step Report Writer Next navigation step Report Group Next navigation step Execute End of the navigation path .

  2. The Execute Report Group: Initial Screen appears.

  3. Enter the name of the report group and choose Execute .

  4. The <Report Group Name>: Selection screen appears.

  5. Enter values for selecting the report data.

If your report group contains more than one report, use Reports to select a report. The data is always selected for all reports in the report group.

If there are variables in your report, the system prompts you to enter information for the variables in the selection screen.

  • If you defined value variables in your report, enter a value(s) for the selection of report data.

  • If you defined set variables in your report, enter a set name and/or values for selecting report data.

Example Example

For example, suppose you enter a set variable for the characteristic Account in a report created for table GLT1. When you execute the report, you can use a cost element group (characteristic Cost Element in table CCSS) to replace the default set.

If you don’t enter a set or value on the selection screen, data is selected for all possible values for the relevant characteristic.

For example, you can enter set variables for the characteristics Cost Center and Cost Element in the general data selection criteria of your report. When you execute the report’s report group, you do not enter a set or value for the cost element, and you enter 100 for the cost center. When the Report Writer selects the report data, it selects data for cost center 100 and for all possible cost elements.

End of the example.

  1. To determine which data is used in the report, use the Data source... button.

Set one of the following indicators as required:

  • If you want to display a list of extracts that have already been saved for the selection criteria you entered, select Display extract . The system displays a dialog box listing the extracts. For more information, see Extracts .

  • If you want to reselect data from the database, choose New selection . You can create an extract for the selection criteria you enter using the Create extract function (see step eight).

  • If you want to read data from archive files, choose Read from archive . This indicator only appears for reporting tables that allow you to read data from archives.

For the system to read data from the archive, you must enter an archiving object in the subsequent dialog box. You then select the archive file from which the system reads the data by choosing Archive selection .

If you have chosen the data source New selection or Read from archive , you can save the selected data as an extract by choosing Extract Parameters on the screen <Name of report group>: Selection and then choosing Create extract in the dialog box. You can choose between Do not create extract and create extract . When you create your selection criteria for an extract, the system selects the data from the database if you have not selected the data source Read from archive . For more information, see Extracts and Creating an Extract .

It is important that you enter extract data if you execute the report in the background. For more information on executing reports in the background, see Executing a Report Group in the Background and Scheduling a Report Group as a Background Job .

  1. To execute the report, choose .

Depending on the settings under data source and the settings for extract management, existing extracts are shown in a dialog box for your selection criteria.

  • If you want to use one of the existing extracts, double-click the relevant extract.

  • If you do not want to use any of the existing extracts, you can choose New selection to select the data from the database.

Note Note

The dialog box also appears if an extract has been saved for a report that contains a variation hierarchy and the selection criteria you enter correspond to a report within the variation hierarchy. In this case, the system directly accesses the relevant report within the existing variation hierarchy. That is, the system processes each report within the variation as if it were a separate data extract.

End of the note.

Result

If you called up the report using an extract, the system outputs the report using the extract data.

If you called up your report by selecting data from the database, the system outputs the report according to the selection criteria you entered and formats the report according to the report definition.

For more information on the functions you can use in the report output, see Functions in the Report Output .