Run and use client reports

This topic explains how to run, export, and view client reports in the web client.

In this topic:

Run client report

After a client report is saved, you can run it by clicking the report name in the web client's navigation pane. The report is displayed in the web client's content pane.

When creating or modifying a report, use the Preview tab to get a preview of what certain types of report look like. For details, see View the client listing or summary report.

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Export client report

After a client report is saved, you can export it to HTML or CSV format to print or include in a third-party tool, for example, a spreadsheet.

To export a client report:

1. In the web client, in the navigation pane of the Reports view, click a report name. The report runs automatically and is displayed in the content pane.

   Note: If the report was created to prompt for a runtime value or relationship, you need to specify that first before running the report. For details, see Drill down into client report.

   The way in which the client report is displayed depends on whether it is a listing or graphical report.

2. Use the buttons in the upper-right corner of the content pane:

   • To create an HTML file ready for printing, click the HTML format button .

   • To create a comma-separated values text file ready for importing into spreadsheets or external reporting tools, click the CSV button .

   • To send an email containing the report URL, click the email URL button . In the dialog box that opens, click the link to e-mail the URL.

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Drill down into client report

You can drill down into a client report to view underlying data.

Because client reports may contain large amounts of data, displaying all the information in one report may not be the clearest way. For all types of reports except simple listing reports, Dimensions CM first creates a top-level report that displays only summarized data. Certain areas on these summary reports are mouse-sensitive, enabling you to drill down. This is the concept of a drilldown report.

You can view a summary report:

• Directly by accessing a report (apart from a simple listing report) for a particular object class in the Reports navigation pane .

• On the Preview tab, when creating or modifying a report.

Drilldown reporting makes reports highly interactive, as it enables you to zoom in from a more general view of a business perspective to a more granular one at a simple click of the mouse.

After you drill down from a summary report, the report format is similar to that of a listing report and contains these options:

• A link to return to the summary report.

• A button to display the drilldown report as an HTML page.

• A button to display a text format page of comma-separated variables (CSV) suitable for importing into other tools.

After you access a drilldown or listing report, the toolbar area is populated with dimmed standard buttons appropriate to the object class you are reporting on, for example, the check in and check out toolbar buttons for items.

Select one or more objects in the content pane to activate the toolbar buttons so that you can perform the usual operations for a particular object class.

Click the active underlined ID for an object (if present) to access the Open dialog box for a particular object class, for example, Open Item.

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See also:

• Create reports
• Web client basics