Overview

The SmartSimple reporting system, which is a fundamental component of our business operating system, enables users to manipulate both the content and presentation of data found in one or more SmartSimple tables. In contrast to a table, reports exclusively present data that satisfies the criteria defined by the user; they also have the capability to aggregate and display summarized data information.

You may utilize the reporting functionality within your SmartSimple instance without the need for additional software purchases or installations. Reports are entirely created through the standard interface and can be accessed from any browser, as well as via Microsoft Word or Excel, provided that the appropriate SmartSimple plug-in is installed.

Benefits of Reports:

• Consolidate data from one or more tables in a single location
• Group and aggregate data from multiple tables
• Visualize grouped data in various types of graphs
• Export data into any desired file format, or
• Enable Internet access so that reports can be linked to public websites
• Organize reports into tabs, facilitating the grouping of similar topic-based reports
• Duplicate and modify built-in reports to serve as the foundation for your customized reports

User role-based security determines who can view the reports created within your system. It is necessary to have System Administrator privileges to create reports from your SmartSimple system.

Report Components

The reporting system encompasses three primary components:

• Reports generated from underlying SmartSimple database tables; users can connect the necessary tables to create a report
• Graphs that users can create independently, based on existing reports, to display the report in a graphical format.
• Dashboards that present multiple charts on a single page

The following diagram illustrates the relationship between these three types of entities:

Charts

Charts serve to present information from a report in an easily interpretable graphical format.

• Users can create pie charts, bar charts, line charts, and table-type charts.
• Multiple chart types can be created for each report, allowing users to select from various charts associated with the report when displaying it.
• Typically, a “summary” type report is chosen as the basis for the chart, as this type of information is more effectively displayed in this manner.

A user can access the chart only if they possess permission to view the report upon which the chart is based.

Dashboards

A dashboard provides a single-page view of a collection of charts.

• When a user displays the dashboard, each report referenced by the charts is processed, and the current data is displayed in the charts on the dashboard.
• Users can create multiple dashboards to exhibit different sets of key indicators.
• A user can designate a specific dashboard as their home page within SmartSimple, providing immediate access to key information upon logging in.

Each dashboard requires appropriate permissions for the roles intended to access it.

Tables

To facilitate the creation of reports, some SmartSimple tables are presented in a denormalized format when using the Report Builder.

For instance, the contact record does not include the company name; these two tables are linked at the database level via the CompanyID field. Therefore, the contact table does not contain the company name field but rather a key field that connects to the company table.

However, when utilizing the contact table within the Report Builder, a field labeled Company Name will be displayed. This allows users to employ this field without necessitating a link between the two tables.

Configuration - Essentials

Report Permissions

Access to Reports is determined by System Roles - therefore, users must be assigned to a role that includes this feature. To enable menu access for Reports - System Roles that will be provisioned access must first be entered into the Reports - Menu Access configuration:

System Administration (gear icon) >> Global Settings >> Security (tab) >> System Feature Permissions >> Menu (tab) >> [Reports - Menu Access]

The abilities to Manage and Export Report Data are also a Role-Based permissions, and may be enabled at the System Role level by navigating as follows:

System Administration (gear icon) >> Roles and Security >> User Roles >> [Edit] *RoleName >> System Permissions (menu) >> Features (tab) >> Reports

Accessing Reports

A user granted permission for report access can view the reports available to them. To access reports within your SmartSimple system, please follow these steps:

Menu >> Reports

The list view of available system reports will be displayed.

The report window comprises the following sections along the top row of tabs:

• Reports: This displays a list of the current reports available in your system.
• Global Report Template: This tab is utilized to define a customized HTML template for all reports.
• Dashboards: This tab is used to create a dashboard for displaying a set of charts.
• Web Access Statistics: This tab presents statistics on the frequency of access for your web-enabled reports.
• Deleted Reports: This tab displays a list of any reports that have been deleted from your system.

You can filter the results of your report list by selecting a Category of reports, which can be found at the top right of your page. Reports that have not been associated with a category will appear under the Uncategorized category option. Clicking into the Category field will present a drop-down list of available report categories:

Additionally, you can manually search through reports using the Search bar located at the top right, just above the list view. If your results exceed the maximum number of records displayed on a page, you can navigate between different pages by selecting the next or back arrow icons at the top right. The count of records you are viewing out of the total will always be displayed next to these buttons. Any reports that have been Internet-enabled will have a black dot under the Internet Enabled column to indicate such status.

Report List Columns

Each report in the main list will feature buttons to the left, each serving various functions.

The functions are detailed in the table below:

Run Report	Clicking this icon will initiate the report and present the results to you.
Custom Export	Clicking this icon will allow you to configure the information you wish to export from your SmartSimple report to external applications such as MS Word, MS Excel, or QuickBooks.
Export File	Clicking this icon will enable you to export your SmartSimple report to external applications in standard file formats such as MS Word, MS Excel, PDF, HTML, or others. This function offers less configurability compared to the Custom Export function.
Edit Report	Click this icon to access the editing options for this report. If the report is a built-in report, you will be able to examine its construction, but any modifications made will not be saved to the built-in report. To customize a report, you must create a copy of the built-in report and make further edits to the copy.

• Any reports that are not enabled for certain features—such as File Export or Custom Export—will have the corresponding button icon greyed out next to the report name.
• To enable these features, simply click the pencil icon next to the report name, navigate to the appropriate tab of Custom or File Export, ensure that it is both enabled and configured to your specifications, then click Save. Upon returning to the report list view, the corresponding icon should now be clickable.

The columns in the report list view are described in the following table:

Please note: Any user will only be able to view the reports and functions for which they have permissions. If a user is authorized to create new reports, they will see a + icon at the top left, allowing them to create a new report.

Creating a Basic Report

To learn how to create a basic report, please follow the steps outlined below. Prior to these steps, ensure you are in the Reports list view (refer to the Accessing Reports section if assistance is needed).

• Note: If you possess numerous Custom Fields, access the reports tab within the application from which you are creating the report. If you are creating a report from a specific source, access the reports tab from that UTA.

1. Click the + icon located at the top left of the screen to Create a New Report.

2. The new report window will be displayed: 

The fields on the new report page are described below: 

The second tab following the General settings provides Advanced settings for how the report will be displayed, its external accesses, its caching options, and more. For additional information regarding the Advanced configuration, please refer to our Advanced Settings of Reports section. 

Editing Reports

After clicking the Save button, the page will refresh and save your report within the system. You will then have the opportunity to edit this report with more detailed configurations. 

The Builder Type will no longer be modifiable once you have saved your new report. Furthermore, the main report information will now include the Created By, Last Modified, and Last Modified By auto-populated fields. 

To the right of the page will be the Notes tab that allows you to create new notes or view any existing notes associated with your report. 

You will also be able to see the following new buttons at the bottom of the page: Save, Save As, Delete, and Preview. 

• If you have not yet selected any table(s) or fields from tables in your Report Builder, you will not be able to view a preview of the report.

Copying a Report

• The Save As button located at the bottom of the General Settings page when editing any individual report will initiate a pop-up prompting you to enter the new name for your report. After entering a name and clicking OK, the system will create a copy of this report under the new name, and the list of reports accessed from Tools > Reports will be updated with this new copy. 

When a report is copied, the configurations made in the Report Builder and on the Advanced, Security, File Export, Custom Export, and Report Template tabs will be transferred to the new report. However, Sub-Report settings and Charts will not be copied.

Report Tabs

If you have selected Classic Builder Type for this report, the following tabs will be displayed subsequent to the General settings tab. 

Each Classic Report Builder tab will soon have its own subsection within this article for further clarification, if necessary.

• Note: In Report Builder Neo, the only distinction is the absence of a Sub-Reports tab. 

Adding a Table to a Report

The initial step in constructing a report is to add the necessary tables to the report on the Recordsets tab (located immediately after the General tab). 

1. For instance, in the Recordsets tab, scroll down and designate the Primary table option for the Contacts table.

Selecting the primary table automatically assigns that table to the report.

2. Click the Save button located at the bottom of the page.  

Launching the Report Builder

After you have Saved your new report, a four square icon will appear at the top left of your page above the report name.

Clicking on this icon will initiate a modal window displaying the Report Builder, either in Neo or Classic.

It is strongly recommended that all users utilize the Report Builder Neo for a more streamlined and intuitive experience.

• Please ensure that your Builder Type is designated as Neo to access the Report Builder Neo. 

Classic Report Builder - Column Settings

In the March 2020 upgrade, the capability to create classic style reports was deprecated. Existing reports will continue to function; however, the ability to copy or create new reports utilizing the classic report builder will not be available.
Report Builder Neo is recommended for all users.

Each column will consist of the fundamental construction of the report by selecting the necessary fields and determining how the field should be utilized within the report.
Each report column comprises the following settings: 

Column Heading	The text that you wish to appear above each column in the report. Initially, this will be set to the same name as the field, but you may edit the text if necessary. If you wish to revert the text back to the Field name, you can click the button to the right of the column heading.
Recordset	This refers to the recordset that has been selected in the Recordsets tab. If multiple recordsets have been selected for the report, you can choose which one to use as a table for your report from the drop-down menu when you click into the field box.
Type	When a specific recordset has been selected, the Type field box will present a drop-down of corresponding types. Depending on the selected recordset, you may choose from the category, role, template, or type from which your field will be derived. Example: If the Recordset you selected was Contacts, the corresponding Type would be derived from the available system roles.
Field	The field you wish to display in this column. All fields from all selected tables will be displayed in the field list; fields are organized alphabetically by table name and by field name.
Date/Time Translation	Utilized to "extract" the day, month, week, or year from a date field for comparative analysis.
Group By	Used in summary reports to group, sum, count, or calculate the average of the field. Also provides Total Group options for configuring report groupings and facilitating easier retrieval of total rows.
Sort By	Determines the sort order of the report results, either Ascending or Descending.
Align	Determines the alignment of the column header and column values. Options include Left (default), Center and Right.
Calculated Field	This option allows for the incorporation of additional complexity, such as mathematical operators and concatenation. This field also supports MySQL syntax.
Show	Enabling this option will display the specific field data. An instance in which you might choose not to enable Show is if you wish to generate a list of salaries exceeding $100,000 a year and utilize the salary as a criterion, but not display the result.  Left/Right Move Arrow Icons - These icons are located on the left and right of each Show checkbox and can be utilized to modify the column order.
Show Total	Enabling this option will display the total of all data accumulated from this column.
Criteria	This section allows you to establish the criteria for which records are to be displayed in a report. There are five columns available for setting criteria, each separated by the OR operator.

• Note: If you wish to add additional columns, click on the More Columns button at the bottom of the page to add 25 more columns.
• There is a fixed limit of 50 columns for the Classic Report Builder. Should additional columns be necessary, you will need to utilize two reports linked together - refer to Merge Sub-Reports.
• Tip: The browser Mozilla Firefox will load the Report Builder more efficiently than Internet Explorer. 

At the bottom of the page, there is a row of buttons: 

Classic Report Builder Help Panel

At the bottom of the Classic Report Builder interface, there exists a Help Panel featuring an upward arrow that, when clicked, will reveal various help options.

The Help menu comprises six tabs, each containing pertinent information related to the respective tab's subject matter.

Report Builder Neo - Column Settings

Should your new report be saved under Builder Type - Neo, the Report Builder that is initiated will be the Neo version, rather than the Classic version.

The Report Builder Neo was introduced as an enhancement to our Classic Report Builder, offering the following advantages:

• A more intuitive interface with a higher degree of configurability
• Increased efficiency in creating targeted, impactful reports
• Utilizes your organization's terminology

The primary enhancement in Neo is its ability to streamline the process of finding, selecting, and setting up your information.

The Report Builder Neo is exclusively designed for creating new reports; existing reports created with the Classic Report Builder cannot be converted to Neo.

1. Click on the four-square icon located at the top left of your page to initiate the Report Builder Neo.

2. The Report Builder Neo window will appear as a modal window:

This window will include the following functions and fields:

• The Report Builder Neo features Drag and Drop functionality to reorder the display of columns in a report and to input fields into the appropriate columns.
• The Report Builder will automatically recognize which base dataset your columns are associated with.

Additionally, you may utilize the Search functionality in the dataset field picker to refine your fieldset to those that include matches to a keyword search. Simply click on the Fields tab and enter your search term into the search box:

Deleting a Report

The user must possess the appropriate permissions to delete a report.

Batch Delete Reports

1. Click on the nine-square menu icon located at the top right corner of your page.

2. Under the heading Tools, select Reports. 3. Check the box to the left of all report names corresponding to the reports you wish to delete.  4. A trashcan icon will appear in the top left row of buttons once at least one report has been selected. Click on this button to batch delete all of your selected reports.

5. A confirmation message will appear on your screen. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.  The reports will be deleted, and your list view of reports will refresh to reflect these changes.

Individually Deleting a Report

1. Click on the nine-square menu icon located at the top right corner of your page.

2. Under the heading Tools, select Reports. 3. Click on the pencil icon next to the name of the report that you wish to delete to enter Edit mode for that report.  4. The report details will be displayed, and at the bottom, there will be a Delete button among a row of other buttons. Click on the Delete button.

5. A confirmation message will appear on your screen. Click Yes to confirm the deletion. The report will be deleted, and your page will refresh, bringing you back to the updated list of reports.

View Deleted Reports

To view the reports that have been deleted from your system, whether by you or another user, you may click on the last tab in the Reports section of the system, titled Deleted Reports.

• Note: Only users with System Administrator privileges can access the Deleted Reports tab. 

The list of deleted records will include columns indicating who deleted the report (Deleted By column) and when (Deleted Date column, presented as a date and time stamp).

Restore or Purge Deleted Reports

You must possess System Administrator privileges to view or modify reports that have already been deleted.

 1. Click on the nine-square menu icon located at the top right corner of your page.

2. Under the heading Tools, select the hyperlink Reports.

3. The list view of reports will be displayed. Click on the last tab, labeled Deleted Reports. 

4. The list of deleted reports in your system will be displayed.

5. Select the checkbox to the left of the report name of the report that you wish to either Restore or Purge.

Once you select this checkbox, two buttons will appear at the top left of your page beneath the tab labels. The reload button will enable you to restore the deleted report, making it accessible, viewable, and modifiable in your system once again. The trashcan icon will allow you to permanently delete this report, ensuring that it is not accessible even from the Deleted Reports tab. 

• Note: If you choose to permanently delete a report, a pop-up confirmation message will appear. Click Yes to proceed with this purge. 

Any reports that have been deleted for over one year will be automatically purged.

Configuration - Advanced

Advanced Settings of Reports

The second tab on the New Report page is labeled Advanced. This tab displays all the advanced settings that can be configured for the report.

The options for the Advanced tab are detailed in the table below:

Criteria Text	Text used to prompt the user when they are required to enter some criteria values. This setting will also specify the introduction text, as well as labels for Custom Fields. Labels are defined by a hyphen (-) preceding the label (e.g.: "-First Name") and are applied to the criteria fields in the order that they are entered.
View Mode	List View - Selecting this option will allow all records to appear in a list. Single Record View - Selecting this option means that each report will be displayed one at a time.
External Access	Internet Enabled - Activating this function will generate a URL that allows the report to be accessed over the internet without requiring a user to log into the system. This setting is useful for creating public reports.
OData Connector	Activating this option will utilize the Open Data Protocol to facilitate data-sharing across disparate applications in enterprise, Cloud, and mobile devices. This feature will only be available for Neo Reports; it is not accessible for new Classic Reports.
Disable Global Template	Activating this option will disable the Global Report Template (a personalization of HTML header/footer for all system-based reports) for this specific report.
Interactive View Display	None  Display Link to Interactive View -  Open Report Directly in Interactive View -
Total Label	Provide a name for the Total column. Refer to Using Total Group Options in Report Builder for additional information.
Enable Translation	Allows report headers and associated charts to utilize translation options available in the system's Language Library. Refer to Using Language Translation in Reports for further details.
Enable Straight Join
Enable Pivot View	Enables pivot functionality; this allows for the option to perform an aggregate function and pivot the grouped columns across the x-/y-axis when grouping by two different columns.   This example report utilizes "Pivot View" with data grouped by "type" and "status". Users can select their desired group options via the drop-down menu.
Merge Sub-Reports	Facilitates the merging of two Classic builder type reports.
No Name URL Parameter
Hide Custom Export	This option will conceal the ability for a user to Custom Export this report by hiding the custom export icon .
Hide File Export	This option will conceal the ability for a user to File Export this report by hiding the export icon .

Report and Field Caching

By scrolling further down the Advanced Settings tab, you will have the opportunity to modify the caching functionality for reports and fields. 

Internet-Enabling Reports

The capability to Internet Enable a report is advantageous as it allows the report to be made public, providing real-time access to the report over the Internet. This process generates a URL associated with the report, which can be linked to your website or distributed via email or other communication methods.

• Individuals who click the link do not need to possess login credentials for your SmartSimple system.
• Upon clicking the link, the report is processed, and the results are displayed accordingly.

The following steps pertain to reports generated using Report Builder Neo; however, the Classic Report Builder follows a similar procedure for Internet Enabling reports.

1. After accessing the Reports section of your system (refer to Accessing Reports if necessary), click on the pencil icon adjacent to a specific report name to Edit it.

2. Select the second tab labeled Advanced.

3. Locate the field External Access. Activate the Internet Enabled feature.

• The URLs for Internet-enabled reports are generated automatically. Simply copy and paste them for use.

4. Click Save.

• Note: You can always determine whether a report is properly Internet-enabled if it displays a black dot in the Internet-Enabled column in the main reports list view, accessible via Tools > Reports. Refer to the screenshot below.

Language Translation for Internet-Enabled Reports

Users now have the capability to add a parameter to the Internet Enabled URL of all reports, allowing results and column headers to be tailored to specific languages, provided that corresponding translations have been configured for the fields.

The parameter utilized is lang, followed by the ID of the language into which the report should be translated.

In the example below, the parameter lang=2 is employed to translate the report into French.

https://test.smartsimpleqa.com/ex/ex_viewreport.jsp?key=&token=%40GgUNSxoaeFxbSxRdSRxRRVdQZFB3H3Q~&lang=2

<!--?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?-->{BREAK}
<details>{BREAK}

{TAB}<employee>{BREAK}
{TAB}{TAB}<firstname>@Users - First name@</firstname>{BREAK}
{TAB}{TAB}<lastname>@Users - Last name@</lastname>{BREAK}
{TAB}{TAB}<salary>@Users - Salary@</salary>{BREAK}
{TAB}{TAB}<startdate>@Users - Start Date@</startdate>{BREAK}
{TAB}</employee>{BREAK}

 </details> 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

<details>
    <employee>
        <firstname>Peter</firstname>
        <lastname>Jahl</lastname>
        <salary>25000</salary>
        <startdate>11/05/2003</startdate>
    </employee>
    <employee>
        <firstname>Herry</firstname>
        <lastname>Lee</lastname>
        <salary>55000</salary>
        <startdate>27/02/2005</startdate>
    </employee>
    <employee>
        <firstname>Peter</firstname>
        <lastname>Manlee</lastname>
        <salary>75000</salary>
        <startdate>12/05/2001</startdate>
    </employee>
</details>

@Companies/Accounts - Company name@,
@Companies/Accounts - Address 1@,
@Companies/Accounts - City@,
@Companies/Accounts - State@,
@Companies/Accounts - Company ID@,
@subreport_0@
{BREAK}