Creating Custom Reports

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To create a custom report, follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Open the Custom Reports Editor and Creator by clicking on the Reports | Custom Reports menu.

2. Click on the New button. The tabs, 1 through 9, are ordered to represent the steps to take when creating a new report. Tabs 1 through 6 are used for creating the report, Tabs 7 through 9 are used to setup automatic delivery options.

3. Click on the tab labeled "1. Dataset". Click on the dataset that provides the data elements that you are looking for. When you click on a dataset, a brief description of it displays in the list box to the right. For a more detailed description of the dataset and its elements (fields), go to Dataset descriptions.

4. Click on the tab labeled "2. Fields". Click on a field, in the Fields Available list box, that you would like to add to the report and then click the Add>> button. This will display the field in the yellow background Fields Chosen list box, which are the fields that will display on the report. You must choose fields one at a time. Once you have chosen a field, you may do several things to it:

Add a calculation or function to the Chosen Field

If you would like to show the difference between two or more fields (i.e. a calculated field), simply add the first field to the Fields Chosen list box and then select it in the Fields Chosen list box and click on the Edit button at the bottom of that list box. A dialog box will open where you may enter your calculation such as:

ElapsedTime - AcceptableTime

You may also add any functions compatible with Microsoft SQL Server 2000. For example, the DateDiff function displays the difference between two dates (in terms of number of days):

DateDiff(dd,BOLDate,EventDate)

Click the OK button

   

Change the name of the field

Double-click the name of the field in the Field Alias list box. A dialog box will open where you may modify the name of the field. This modified name or alias will display on the report as the title of the field.

Change the size (width) of the field

Double-click the size of the field in the Size list box. A dialog box will open where you may modify the size (in inches) of the field. Partial inches are allowed by using a decimal.

Summarize the field

Double-click the summary type in the Summary Type list box. A dialog box will open where you select a way to summarize the field. The summary types allowed are: Average (Avg), Count, Max (Maximum), Min (Minimum), Var (Variance), VarP (Variance for the population), StDev (Standard Deviation), StDevP (Standard Deviation for he population), Sum.

5. Click on the tab labeled "3. Title". Enter a title for the report. You may also choose to exclude the detail records for the report by checking the Exclude detail records check box. This is a useful option if you wish to just see the summary figures like the count of railcars or the average transit time.

6. Click on the tab labeled "4. Group". You may select up to three different fields (must be fields chosen specifically for the report) to group by. You may alter the sort order with the radio buttons to the right of the selected group field. Note: if you wish to not have the field display in the detail record as well as display on a group header (a common thing to desire because the information is then redundant and wastes space on your report detail line), go back to Tab 2. and change the size of the field to 0. This will prevent the field from displaying in the detail record.

7. Click on the tab labeled "5. Sort". There are six opportunities to sort (must be fields chosen specifically for the report) the rest (non-grouped) of the fields chosen for the report. The sort order may be altered with the radio buttons to the right of the selected sort field.

8. Click on the tab labeled "6. Filter". You may use any field in the dataset in a filter. The Filter Builder, opened by clicking on the tall button to the right of the filter text box, will get you started with simple filters. More complex filters may be typed directly into the filter text box.

For example, A valid filter expression to see all bad ordered railcars on the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Sante Fe railroads is:

(Railroad = 'UP' OR Railroad = 'BNSF') AND (EventDesc = 'Bad Order')

If you are familiar with the SQL query language, a filter expression is simply what you would type in the WHERE clause of an SQL query expression.

The Date Filter is available below the filter text box. Although you may enter a date filter in the filter text box, you may find it easier to use the Date Filter.

Note: Any filters that you add now to the report will be saved and will be a permanent part of that report. When you run the report from the Home window (expand the Custom Reports branch on the tree view control), you will be given the opportunity to add an add hoc (i.e. not saved) filter when the Filter Builder opens, but remember that the ad hoc filter will be in addition to any saved filters.