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Procedure documentationCreating Super Reports Using Crystal Reports

 

You can combine two or more reports into a single report, which is known as a super report. Super reports provide an efficient way of consolidating information that users want to view in a single report.

Example Example

You want a report that contains all the sales orders for a list of business partners. You already have the details of business partners in a report, and the related sales orders in another report. In this case, you can link the data in the business partner report with the data in the sales order report so that the data for each sales order record is shown against the relevant business partner.

End of the example.

Prerequisites

You have created a report using Crystal Reports.

For more information, see Creating Reports Using Crystal Reports.

Procedure

Design the Super Report

Perform the following steps in Mobile System Maintenance (MSY).

  1. Choose Start of the navigation path Report Maintenance Next navigation step Search End of the navigation path.

  2. Find and select the report that you want as the super report.

    Note Note

    Ensure that you have set the status of the subreport to Not-executable so that it is executed in the background when the super report is executed.

    End of the note.

  3. Choose Start of the navigation path Report Maintenance Next navigation step Details End of the navigation pathand select the Super Report indicator.

  4. Choose Add Subreport.

    The Report Search dialog box appears.

  5. Find and select the report that you want to add as a subreport.

  6. Choose Modify Report.

    The Crystal Reports designer appears.

  7. From the Report Designer menu bar, choose Start of the navigation path Insert Next navigation step Subreport End of the navigation path.

    The Insert Subreport dialog box appears with the following indicators:

    • Choose a report: To choose an existing subreport

    • Create a sub-report: To create a new subreport

      Note Note

      If you do not know the report name, then you can browse and find it in your system.

      The .TTX file is saved in your system in the temporary directory on your local drive at the path ...\Reports\Design. You can open your temporary directory using the syntax <%temp%> from the dialog box; the system accesses your temporary directory directly. You can also find your temporary directory in your Microsoft Windows environment by choosing Start of the navigation path Start Next navigation step Run End of the navigation path, and then entering %temp%.

      End of the note.

  8. Select the Choose a report indictor.

  9. Select the required report and choose OK.

    The report layout appears; it contains the following sections:

    • Report Header

      This is the first section of the report; you can, for example, want to include a title in this section.

    • Page Header

      In this section, you include information besides the title to identify the report; you can, for example, include information about the person who prepared the report and the date on which it was done.

    • Details

      In this section, you include fields that must be displayed in the report; for example, business partner name, city, and country.

    • Report Footer

      This is the last section of the report; here, you can, for example, include a summary or notes.

    • Page Footer

      This section can contain information that must appear on every page of the report; for example, the page number or the word "Confidential".

  10. Move the frame to wherever you want it to appear in your report.

    To view the design of the subreport, choose the subreport design tab page that is labeled with the name of the subreport.

    Note Note

    You can change the layout (that is, move fields between sections) using drag and drop.

    End of the note.

  11. Choose Save on the toolbar and close the report designer.

Link the Data Between Reports

  1. Click the secondary mouse button, and choose Change Subreport Links...

    The Subreport Links dialog box appears.

    This dialog box has two parts:

    • Available Fields

      Contains a list of existing business object properties of the selected business query or business content provider that may be used for the report.

    • Field(s) to link to

      Contains the fields that must be used for linking.

      The field that you choose is added to the Field(s) to link to part and is selected as the link field.

      Note Note

      If required, repeat this step for each additional link.

      Another frame at the end of Subreport Links dialog box is enabled. You use this frame to link the data in the subreport with the data in the main report.

      The subreport parameter is filled automatically in the Subreport parameter field to use choice list.

      End of the note.

      1. Select the Select data in subreport based on field indicator and select the adjacent choice-list.

        This allows you to organize the subreport data based on a specific field.

      2. Choose OK.

    • On the menu bar, choose Start of the navigation path File Next navigation step Save Data with Report End of the navigation path and deselect this option.

  2. Choose Save on the toolbar and then close the Crystal Reports designer.

    The Report Maintenance/Details tile set appears.

    Caution Caution

    Choose Save and not Save as... because the system selects the reports from the temporary directory on your default drive. If you choose:

    If you choose Save, the report is saved with the technical name of an existing report in the default directory.

    If you choose Save as, you can give the report a new technical name.

    End of the caution.

  3. Set the status of the report to Executable and then save the changes.

    Note Note

    Setting the report status to Executable makes the report available in Mobile Sales.

    End of the note.

Result

You have created a super report. You can now perform any of the following functions:

  • View the report

    • Choose Show Report to view the report that you have just created. You can also view all the reports that have been created. Choose Overview on the navigation bar. The Reports tile contains all the existing reports.

    • The report is also displayed in the Reports component of Mobile Sales.

  • Change the report

    Choose Modify Report to change the details or design of the report.

  • Define parameters for the report

    You can define parameters and parameter descriptions, and set default values for a report.

    For more information, see Defining Filtering Criteria for Reports and Charts.

  • Copy the report

    Choose Copy Report.

    The application creates a copy of the report. You can then make required changes in the report.

  • Assign specific users to a report

    In the User Assignments tile set, you can assign specific users who can view the report. If you do not assign any users to a report, then, by default, the Distribute to All Users checkbox on the Report Maintenance/Details tile set is selected, and the report is available to all users.

  • Update the Active Field Definition file

    If you have created a report using a business query, then, when the structure of a business document changes, you can choose Update Field Definition to update the fields in the Active Field Definition file. For example, a new field may be added, or an existing field changed or deleted.

Example

A Business Partner Dossier Report is a super report consisting of the following two subreports:

  • Opportunity List Report: Contains details of opportunities that exist for a business partner.

  • Activity List Report: Contains details the activities performed for a business partner.

This super report, when generated, consists of the existing opportunities and the activities performed for business partners.