Epicor Retail Merchandising Analytics 5.0 Report Designer Reports 4.3.21456.pdf · DISCLAIMER This manual is provided for informational purposes only. Epicor Software Corp oration

Epicor RetailMerchandising Analytics 5.0

Report DesignerMerchandising 4.3 R2

User Guide

DISCLAIMER

This manual is provided for informational purposes only. Epicor Software Corporation and its affiliates and subsidiaries (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Epicor”) make no representations or warranties with respect to the contents of this manual and Epicor specifically disclaims any and all implied warranties including, but not limited to, merchantability and fitness for any particular purpose. Use of the software is governed by and subject to the terms of your agreement with Epicor. This manual is subject to change without notice. The contents of this manual are believed to be current and accurate as of its date of publication. Changes to this manual between re-printings and other important information about the software product are made or published in release notes and you are urged to obtain the current release notes for the software product. We welcome user comments and reserve the right to revise this publication and/or make improvements or changes to the products or programs described in this publication at any time, without notice.

© Copyright 2007-2012, Epicor Software Corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Epicor is a registered trademark of Epicor Software Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are acknowledged. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of the Epicor copyright owner.

Epicor Retail was previously known as Connected Retailer. Any instances of the former name (either in documentation or user interfaces) or any instances of “NSB” should be understood to refer to Epicor Retail.

Epicor Retail2800 Trans-Canada HighwayPointe-Claire, Quebec, CanadaH9R 1B1Tel.: (514) 426-0822Fax: (514) 426-0824e-mail: [email protected]

Document release date: May 15, 2012

Preface .....................................................................................................1Prerequisite ........................................................................................................... 1User Interface Language ...................................................................................... 1A few terms ............................................................................................................ 1Entering information ............................................................................................. 1Printing ................................................................................................................... 1Getting Help ........................................................................................................... 2Other sources of help ........................................................................................... 3Electronic manuals ............................................................................................... 4About this manual ................................................................................................. 4

Introduction to Report Designer .............................................................5Logging On and Off Report Designer ................................................................... 5Auto-Logon to Report Designer ............................................................................ 5Selecting an Active Topic ...................................................................................... 8The Report Designer Workplace .......................................................................... 9The Folders bar ...................................................................................................10Working with folders ...........................................................................................11

Creating Reports ................................................................................... 13Creating a New Report ........................................................................................13Report Properties ................................................................................................13Data Grids ............................................................................................................15Executing a Report ..............................................................................................30Displaying Report Output ...................................................................................33Navigating the report display .............................................................................33Printing a Report .................................................................................................34

Package Reports ................................................................................... 35Physical Inventory Reports .................................................................................35Merchandise Analysis Reports (MAR) ................................................................36Four formats ........................................................................................................36Chain Level and Chain with Markdowns Level: ................................................37Location Level and Location with Markdowns Level: .......................................37Merchandise Analysis Report by Chain, No Markdown Analysis .....................38Merchandise Analysis Report by Chain with Markdown Analysis ....................39

Table of Contents

ii

Merchandise Analysis Report by Location, No Markdown Analysis ................40Merchandise Analysis Report by Location with Markdown Analysis ...............41Report Contents, Merchandise Analysis Reports with and without Markdown Analysis ................................................................................................................42Style Sales Analysis Report ................................................................................43Vendor Analysis Report .......................................................................................46Stock Ledger Reports .........................................................................................48Five formats .........................................................................................................48Stock Ledger CIM Merch Period report .............................................................50Stock Ledger CIM Merch Period by Location Group report ..............................51Stock Ledger CIM GL Period report ...................................................................52Stock Ledger RIM Merch Period report .............................................................53Stock Ledger RIM GL Period report ...................................................................54Open To Buy Reports (OTB) ................................................................................56Two formats .........................................................................................................56Open to Buy by Chain report ..............................................................................58Open to Buy by Location Group report ..............................................................59Plan Achievement Report (PAR) .........................................................................61Two formats .........................................................................................................61Plan data .............................................................................................................61Consolidated Operating Report (CORE) .............................................................65Two formats .........................................................................................................66Consolidated Operating Report by Chain ..........................................................67Consolidated Operating Report by Location .....................................................68Stock Aging Report ..............................................................................................71Two formats .........................................................................................................71Stock Aging Report by Chain ..............................................................................72Stock Aging Report by Location Group ..............................................................73Location Price Change Report ............................................................................73Merchandise Allocation Report ..........................................................................75IMRD Transfer Reports .......................................................................................77NSB IMRD Transfer Report .................................................................................78NSB IMRD Location Transfer Report .................................................................78Stock Status Report ............................................................................................79Transaction Types ...............................................................................................81Inventory Status ..................................................................................................82Style Attribute Summary .....................................................................................83Style Color Sell Thru ............................................................................................85

iii

Advanced Data Grids ............................................................................ 88The Object Browser .............................................................................................88Formulas ..............................................................................................................89Sub-Totals ............................................................................................................92

Advanced Report Types ........................................................................ 94Data Crosstabs ....................................................................................................94Data Graphs ........................................................................................................97Sub Report Data Grids ......................................................................................100SubReport Crosstabs ........................................................................................101

Administrative Tasks ..........................................................................102Defining your User Properties ..........................................................................102General tab .......................................................................................................102Desktop tab .......................................................................................................103Period tab ..........................................................................................................104The Recycle Bin .................................................................................................104Customizing your Toolbar .................................................................................105Making a Request to Execute a Report ...........................................................108Scheduling a Report Request ..........................................................................109Printing a report in PDF format and sending the PDF version to e-mail recipients ...........................................................................................................................109

Security ................................................................................................117Security Overview ..............................................................................................117Users ..................................................................................................................117Clearing a User’s Password ..............................................................................119User Groups .......................................................................................................120

Toolbar Buttons ...................................................................................122Alignment & Order (default) toolbar ................................................................123General (default) toolbar ..................................................................................124Report Viewer toolbar .......................................................................................124Report Designer toolbar ...................................................................................124Tool box toolbar .................................................................................................125Other toolbar buttons .......................................................................................125

Built-In Functions ................................................................................127

Report Designer is part of a suite of tools designed to be used with Merchandising to extract information from your database. It allows you to select the specific areas of interest to you from all of the information kept in the Merchandising database.

If the Merchandising Analytics metadata is used, shortcuts created in Query Designer for Merchandising Analytics are also used in Report Designer for Merchandising Analytics. Report Designer will access the data it needs from a custom installation of the Data Sources Specifications.

PrerequisiteIn order to use Report Designer for Merchandising Analytics, XML4.0 must be installed because the web and front-end applications all share the same engine. XML4.0 can be downloaded from the Microsoft web site at http://www.microsoft.com.

User Interface LanguageReport Designer supports multi-language capabilities. The language used in the user interface is dependent on the language selected in the Windows settings of your PC.

To change the language of the Report Designer user interface, close the Report Designer application, change the language (Start menu, Settings, Control Panel, Regional Settings) and restart Report Designer. Failing to close Report Designer while you change the language can cause a mix of languages in the user interface.

A few termsThe following are some of the terms used in this manual that may be unfamiliar. Alphanumeric – user-entered code or description made up of numbers or letters, or a

combination of both. Default – information that appears automatically, without your having to enter it each

time. Defaults can usually be changed. Flag – an option or parameter that acts as a “signal” to the system. Mandatory – required. User input – data you must enter in a field. Generally, you can type the information.

Sometimes you also have a dropdown list of choices or you can double-click within the field to open a lookup—in either of these cases, the data you select is automatically entered in the field, without the need to type it.

Entering informationAs you enter, retrieve and change information in the various Report Designer screens, remember that when a field is gray, it can't be edited. Gray areas usually indicate values that have been defined elsewhere.

PrintingOutput can be printed using the Print option. See “Printing a Report” on page 34.

Preface

http://www.microsoft.com

Getting Help 2

Getting HelpFinding information in Help is easy. Help provides you with: step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish tasks; field definitions and key terms.

You can look up information from the table of contents or the index, or you can specify your own search using a word, phrase or topic.

Finding information through the

Contents tab

1. While in your application, press F1 to open Help.

2. Click Contents.

3. Double-click the general topic (indicated by a book icon) you want to see. If there is more than one book icon under the topic you are interested in, double-click the one you want.

4. Double-click the specific topic (indicated by a ‘?’ icon) you want to open.

5. The selected topic displays in the right-hand side of the Help window.


Index tab


2. Click Index.

3. In the top box on the Index tax, type the first few letters of the topic you want to find.

4. In the list that appears, double-click the topic you weant to pen.

5. The selected topic displays in the right-hand side of the Help window.

Note: If the Topics Found box opens, double-click the topic you want to see.


Search tab

Use the Search tab to locate every help topic that contains the word(s) you specify.


2. Click Search.

3. In the top box on the Search tab, type the word(s) you want to find.

4. Click List Topics.

5. In the bottom box on the Search tab, double-click the topic you want to open.

6. The selected topic displays in the right-hand side of the Help window. The word you entered will be highlighted.

Using the Favorites tab

You may find it helpful to save help topics that you use often, to the Favorites tab. This lets you access topics more quickly than searching through the other tabs.

1. Locate the help topic that you want to save as a favorite and then select the Favorites tab.

2. If topics have already been added to the Favorites tab, they will appear in the Topics list.

3. If you want to change the topic name that will appear in the Topics list, type the new name in the Current topic list.

4. Click Add.

3 Preface

Getting around in

Help

Use the buttons at the top of the window to move from topic to topic in Help.

Hide: Closes the navigation pane (hiding the Contents, Index, Search and Favorites tabs.)

Back: Displays the last topic you viewed. Forward: Displays the next topic in a previously displayed sequence of topics. Home: Displays the introductory page. Print: Prints the displayed topic if a printer is available.

Navigating Help topics

As you work in a Help file, you will notice that some words are a different color and your mouse pointer changes to a hand with a pointing finger when it approaches one of these. You can click the word(s) to see additional information. The information will either appear in a new topic window or a popup window. Click underlined text to jump to the new topic window. Click the Back button to return

to a previous topic. Click colored text to display a popul window. Popup windows are normally used for

definitions. A popup opens on top of the topic window it is in. To close a popup, simply click it.

Printing a Help topic

If a printer is available, you can print a single help topic or a help topic and all its subtopics.

1. Click Print.

2. Select your print option in the Print Topics window and then click OK.

Other sources of helpCustomer SupportIf you require help but cannot find the information in either this manual or help, you can call Customer Support at (514) 426-0823.

When an error occurs in Report Designer, a window displays.

Electronic manuals 4

To log the error to the error log file fserror.log, enter a description of what you were doing when the error occurred. Then click Continue. You will be returned to where you were in the application before the error occurred. Remember to call Epicor to resolve your problem. They may ask you to either display the contents of the fserror.log file or e-mail it to them.

Electronic manualsYou can download the latest version of our documentation in electronic format (PDF) from the Premiere section of our web site. Premiere is a restricted to our valued clients and strategic partners. To obtain a password to access documentation, visit http://www.epicor.com/Customers/Pages/CustomerPortal.aspx and click eService: Client Care Portal for Retail Customers. Your existing login and password are effective from this screen; you can also request a password if you don’t have one.

From the Premiere site, select User Documentation and then select the product documentation that you want to download. To view PDF documents, you need Acrobat Reader, which can also be downloaded free from the Premiere site.

Electronic documents can be read on your screen or printed. When viewing a document on-screen, you can search for a topic in the table of contents and select it to jump to it.

About this manualThis user guide is designed to provide you with reference when using Merchandising Analytics. It assumes a basic familiarity with Windows operating system terms such as “mouse”, “click” and “double-click”. In addition, the following formats and icons are used throughout:

When referring to check boxes, the word “select” means to place a checkmark and the word “clear” means to remove a check mark if one is already there.

This symbol or format Indicates

Bold A menu item, button, tab, fieldname or check box in the interface.

Italics A filename, pathname, or internet address

> “…and then click…”

This chapter describes how to: access Report Designer and select an active topic create and rename your own personal folders create and rename sub folders

Logging On and Off Report DesignerDepending how the software has been installed on your PC, there are two methods of logging into Report Designer. Either: use the desktop icon that opens Report Designer, or access Report Designer through your Start menu.

Logging on to Report Designer

1. Type your User Name and Password.

2. Click OK.

Note: If your User Name and Password are the same, simply click on "Report Designer" to access Report Designer.

Auto-Logon to Report DesignerWhen Report Designer is installed, an option is set so that you don't have to log on each time you access the application. After you log on the first time, Report Designer will determine at each subsequent logon if you are also the Windows user. If so, you are automatically logged in.

Changing Databases

You can create and run reports on different databases of information. To change the database, double-click the software version number located at the

middle right-hand side of the Report Designer logon screen.

1 Introduction to Report Designer

Changing Databases 6

ODBC Logon > Connection Values

Use connection information stored in a file / File Name

If you have an ODBC connection set up and stored in a file, select this option and enter the file name location of the information. You may find it useful to keep all ODBC information in a central file to facilitate making changes.

Use custom connection information

If you require a custom connection, select this option and enter the following information:

Datasource Name (DSN)

If you have an ODBC connection set up for your Report Designer for Merchandising Analytics database, select it from the drop-down list box. If you do not have an ODBC connection set up, select <none>. This is the name by which you wish to refer to this Database Connection.

Driver If you did not select a DSN above, select the ODBC driver required to connect to your DBMS. If you selected a DSN, this field is not used as the driver information was established when your ODBC connection was set up.

Server If you did not select a DSN above, type the name of the server on which your Report Designer database resides. If a DSN is selected, this field is not used as the driver information was established when your ODBC connection was set up.

Note: Server names have to be identical to the server entry in SQLedit for Sybase and SQL *Net Easy Configuration for Oracle.


User Name For Sybase, the Logon ID that you use to connect to your Report Designer for Merchandising Analytics database on your selected server. If you are on an Oracle platform, enter the name of your Report Designer for Merchandising Analytics database here. If you are on a Sybase platform, enter a valid user name for your server here. This is a required field.

Password The password associated with the User Name, used to connect to the database (Oracle) or the database server (Sybase).

Extra Options If no DSN is selected, type the name of your Report Designer database here in the format DB=[name of Report Designer database];. Note that there are no spaces, and there is a semi-colon after the name of the database. This is case-sensitive.

Save settings to the registry to be used later

If this is left unchecked, every time you attempt to open Report Designer, the ODBC Logon > Connection Values window will appear asking you to fill in this information. If this box is checked, every time you sign on to Report Designer, this information will be used to connect to your server.

ODBC Logon > Connection Values, Options tab

Metadata Cache Type

To speed up connection, local caching of metadata can now occur. Select the appropriate response: Do not load the metadata: If selected, Report Designer will not load any metadata in memory and will not be able to perform any task that requires metadata. This option should not be used unless you will be using Report Designer to perform functions that do not need metadata; for example, creating a new user; changing user properties; sending a view to another user. (Tasks that require metadata include creating, opening and executing any type of object (views, queries, etc.).

ODBC Logon > Connection Values

Logging off Report Designer 8

Logging off Report

Designer

Select Exit from the File menu.

Selecting an Active TopicAfter you have signed on to Report Designer, you must select an active topic (or target database) from which to extract data.

Report Designer provides access to different databases from which to extract data. It refers to each of these databases as a "topic". Topics are the means to accessing a database's metadata, or "data about data". Report Designer’s Merchandising Analytics metadata layer describes the target database to help the application retrieve information.

Report Designer provides you with a list of topics from which to choose. The selected topic is referred to as the "Active Topic".

Note: At a minimum, you will probably have a test and production Merchandising Analytics topic. Ensure that the correct one is checked. Report Designer saves this selection each time you log on.

Metadata Cache Type (cont’d)

Load from database: Report Designer will always load the metadata from the Report Designer database each time a user logs on to the application and switches topics. This method guarantees the most up-to-date metadata is used each time, but the user will have to wait for the metadata to be loaded. (This is only an issue for remote users because it will cause a noticeably slower connection time.)

Load from the PC: Report Designer will always load the metadata from the local cache of the PC. If the local cache of the PC does not exist, it will load the metadata from the database and rebuilt the local cache. The installation data of the metadata on the server is not checked; therefore the user could be using a cached old version of the metadata while a new one exists on the server. The method can be useful and is the only way to test Report Designer items using one version of the metadata (by forcing a local cached version to be loaded without modifying the metadata installed on site).Load from the PC if OK: This method is similar to "Load from the PC" except that the date and time of the local cache will be compared to the date and time of the installation of the metadata topic. If the cache is the same or newer, it is loaded; otherwise, the metadata from the database is loaded and the local cache will be refreshed. Note: Load from the PC if OK is the default option and should be used for all client PCs.

Connection Location

The location of the ODBC connection. Possible values are: Local ODBC Remote ODBC with local settings Remote ODBC.

ODBC Logon > Connection Values, Options tab


To select an active topic

1. Log on to Report Designer.

2. From the Options menu, select Active Topic.

3. Click the database you want to use. A check mark will appear beside your choice.

The Report Designer WorkplaceThere are two types of Report Designer users: normal users and super users.

When you sign on to Report Designer as a normal user, the main window displays as shown below. As a normal user, you can be given personal folders for shortcuts and reports (according to the way your system administrator set you up; see the white portion of the task bar in the window shown above). You also have access to the System In folder, System Users folder and the Recycle Bin. See “The Folders bar” on page 10 for a description of these folders.

The Folders bar 10

When you sign on to Report Designer as a super user, the main window displays as shown below.As a super user, you can be given the same two personal folders as a normal user (shortcut and report). You will also have access to the same three folders as the normal user (System In folder, System Users folder and the Recycle Bin) as well as the System Shortcut and System Report folders. See “The Folders bar” below for a description of these folders.

The Folders barAt the far right side of the main window is the Folders bar.

The top (white) portion contains your personal folders that you can use to file objects or items (shortcuts and reports) you have created. When you create an object and save it in one of your personal folders, the appropriate system folder will be updated with a copy of that object.

Notes: Set up personal folders and save your objects in your personal folders. In this way, when you open a personal folder, you will only see the objects you have created. Depending on how your security is set up, you may not see the system folders. You might be set up in Report Designer to only see your personal folders. See “Security” on page 117 for more information.

If you are set up as a super user, you will see all of the following system-level folders in the bottom (gray) portion. If you are set up as a normal user, you will only see the System Users folder and the System In folder.

This system folder Is used to

System Shortcut folder

Contains all of the shortcuts (joined views and queries) created on the system. When creating a shortcut, we suggest you give it a very specific name for easy identification.


Working with foldersWhen you open a system or user folder, the following icons offer you various functionality:

Creating your own

folders

You can create additional personal folders to be used to group and sub-group your shortcuts and reports for easier retrieval.

1. From the main Report Designer window, right-click in the white space in the Folders bar above the system folders.

2. Select, New and the folder type. The folder appears in the upper portion of the Folders bar and will open in the application's main window. Note that the option to create a new Report folder is only available if you are a super user.

Report folder

Contains all of the reports created on the system.

System Users folder

This folder displays all of the application user groups and users and their access status.

System In folder

Contains all of the messages sent to you from other application users.

Click Or press To

Item Properties

F4 Display the properties of the selected item (shortcut or report).

Open

F8 Open the selected item.

Refresh Folder Contents

F5 Refresh the contents of the folder.

Search in the Folder

CTRL + F3 Search the items in the folder for specific information contained in the item name or description; for example, to find all items containing the field "Object". The first item that has the Object field will then be highlighted. Resume the search to display the next item.

Change View Style

Change the format of the folder contents display. Click the arrow beside the icon and select either from Large Icons, Small Icons, List or Details. In any view, enter a character (for example "s" to move to the first item starting with S). In Details view, click the column header to sort the contents of the folder.

This system folder Is used to

Renaming a personal folder 12

Renaming a personal

folder

You can rename personal folders.

1. Right-click the folder you want to rename.

2. Select Change Name.

3. Type the new name and press Enter.

Creating sub folders

To categorize the items you have created, you can create sub folders within a shortcut or report folder.

1. Double-click to open the folder for which you want to create a sub folder.

2. Right-click and select New, Sub Folder. The new sub folder will appear within the folder.

Renaming a sub folder

You can rename sub folders.

1. Double-click the name of the sub folder you want to rename.

2. Type the new name and press Enter.

This chapter describes how to: create a report execute your report display and print your report

A report can contain one or more of the following components: data grids (to which you can add new text fields or output fields in the form of

columns) free-form text and labels lines which can be used to separate report header and detail information pictures and logos shapes report fields (for example; report title, report date and time, page number, etc.)

Creating a New ReportTo design a new report manually, follow the procedure described below.

How to create a new

report

On the General toolbar, click New Report.

Report PropertiesReport properties are used to define the report environment. Right-click in any white (background) area of the report and select Properties.

2 Creating Reports

General Tab 14

General Tab

The General tab displays: the report title (if defined) the report name: in first and second (if applicable) languages the units of measure (centimeters, inches) used in the report (for example, for column

widths and heights) whether rulers are to be displayed (along the top and side) in the report design

window

Description tab

The Description tab displays a description of the report in two languages (if applicable). Only one language is necessary.

15 Creating Reports

Page Setup tab

Use the Page Setup tab to view the paper size. Paper width and height and left and right margin are displayed.

To change the page

setup information

1. Select the paper size to be used from the Size drop-down list.

2. Select the correct paper orientation for printing; either Portrait or Landscape.

3. Click OK to return to your Report Designer window.

To view and edit report properties

1. Open the report for which you want to view properties.

2. Right-click in any white (background) area of the report and select Properties.

3. Move between the General, Description and Page Setup tabs to view the report properties.

4. Make changes as necessary.

5. Click OK to save changes.

Data Grids

A data grid may contain any of the following sections as defined in the above diagram: report header (prints once per page)

Inserting a Data Grid in your report 16

group headers (sub heading prints at the start of each group) detail lines (one row printed for every record in the shortcut (lowest level)) Page (all objects will print in the same position on every page) group footers (for sub-totals; prints at the end of each group) report footers (prints at the bottom of each page. Report totals may be set to print at

the end of the report in this section.)

In addition to the items above, each section may contain fields or columns and calculations.

Inserting a Data Grid in your report

A data grid is the default output format of the shortcut you are including in your report.

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Data Grid and draw the outline of the data grid to be included in your report.

2. Select the source of the data in the Select a Shortcut window and click OK.

Note: When using a shortcut as a source of data for a report, only the data is passed into a report—many of the properties and features incorporated in a view and query in Merchandising Analytics are not carried forward to the report.

The Grid Properties window displays.

3. Use the General tab to view the shortcut of the information to be printed in the grid of your report. Click Test to verify if the data from the shortcut is accurate before generating report output.

4. Click Add in the Groups tab to select fields upon which you wish to group the report. Use the arrows to re-sequence the groups.a) To add a field by which records included in your report are to be grouped, click

Add. (See “Grid Group Properties” (steps 5-8 below) for details.)

b) To remove a field, select the field and click Remove.

c) To re-sequence fields, select the field and click the up and down arrows to move the field up or down the list.

5. To view Grid Group Properties for a specific field, select the field and click Properties.

17 Creating Reports

6. Use the General tab to select or add one or more fields on which to group records on your report for sorting and/or subtotaling purposes. Any sorting defined here supersedes sorting defined in the shortcut's query.

7. Use the Place tab to create a page break on the group. If a page break is set, you can restart the page number for each group. You can also reset report page numbering to ‘1’, repeat group headers on all pages that are part of the group and sort the records in descending order instead of ascending order.

8. Use the Size tab to choose whether to display group headers and group footers, and to specify header and footer heights.

9. Click OK to return to the Grid Properties window.

10. On the Colors tab, choose whether to display in colors and whether to draw a border. The background color will be white.a) To change the color, double-click the color box.

A sample box illustrates the background color of your report.

Inserting a Data Grid in your report 18

11. Select the Size tab.a) Choose the appropriate options:

b) Specify the Maximum number of detail lines per page to be printed.

c) Print only the first __ detail lines: specify how many detail lines to print. They will be printed in sequence and all remaining records are discarded. Defaults to '0'.

d) You can set the heights for the following (the measurement isdependent on your report properties):

Header Detail line: this is the height of one detail record. Detail area: this is the size of the detail area itself (the height of the grid minus

header and footer). Footer: define the size of the footer.

The Detail area is defined by the size of the grid minus the headers and footers including one for each level of grouping.

The Maximum number of detail lines per page will be calculated by dividing this area by the detail line height.

If Print as much detail lines per page is selected, this value will be recalculated on every page depending on the number of group headers and footers on that page.

Select To

Lock items in place Prevent the item from moving. This option prevents items from moving by mistake.

Automatic Width Automatically resize the width of the frame to the width of the picture. This is useful with variable length text fields and fonts.

Automatic Height Automatically resize the height of the frame to the height of the picture. This is useful with variable height text fields and fonts.

Print footer after last detail

To cause a “floating” footer.

Print as much detail lines per page

To print as many detail lines as will fit on one page

19 Creating Reports

12. On the Print tab, choose where this report grid is to print in your report: On First Page, On Middle Page(s) or On Last Page.

13. Click OK.

Adding a new column

to your report

You can add a new column (text field and/or output field) to the data grid of the shortcut or datasource you have included in your report.

1. Right-click the report grid and select Add a New Field.

2. From the list of fields shown in the Add a column window, select the field(s) to be added on your report.

3. From the drop-down list, select where this field is to print in the report output (in the output header, detail line or output footer).

4. Click OK.

Inserting text and labels in your report 20

For fields added in the detail section, they will be placed after the rightmost object in the detail line or header section.

For fields in a header or footer report or group, they will be placed after the rightmost object in that section.

Fields that are added beyond the size of the page are on the report but not currently visible. See “The Object Browser” on page 88 to learn how to access these hidden fields.

Insertingtext and labels in

your report

You can insert and edit free-form text and labels in your report. Field headings from the shortcut or the metadata you use in your report are also considered text fields and can be edited. Labels are static text fields and are independent of report fields. Labels can be used as report headings, notes, etc. See “Editing text and labels in your report” on page 22 for details.

Object Properties

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Text. The Text Field Item Properties window displays automatically.

2. In the General tab, you can change the text appearing in the report text field. A sample of the font used for the text will display. Click Set Font to change the font of the text.

3. In the Font window, select the font, the font style, size and script (if applicable). To return to the General tab, click OK.

21 Creating Reports

4. The Alignment tab allows you to change the alignment of the text (from the default position of center) within the text box. Select the position of the text, using the sample box to ensure positioning is correct.

5. Select the Colors tab and then choose whether to display in colors and whether to draw a border. The text color will be black with a background color of white. a) To change one of the colors, double-click the appropriate color box.

A sample box shows how the text will appear in your report.

6. Select the Size tab.a) Choose the appropriate options as described in the procedure Inserting a Data

Grid in your report found in this manual.

Select To

Lock items in place Prevent items from moving by mistake. The item will not move after this option has been selected.

Editing text and labels in your report 22

Note: Right clicking on an item can also access these options.

Automatic Width takes precedence over Clip text to area. For instance, if the text is too long for a frame and both Automatic Width and Clip text to area are selected, the frame width will be resized to display the text.

Automatic Height works in conjunction with Word Wrap. For instance, if the text is too long for a frame and both Automatic Height and Word Wrap are selected, the text will automatically wrap from one line to the next inside the defined width of the frame and the frame's height will automatically be resized to display the entire content of the text.

When Automatic Height, Automatic Width and Word Wrap are all selected and the size of the text exceeds the size of the frame, the frame width will first be increased (if necessary) to fit the longest word of the text. Then the text will be wrapped and the frame height will be resized to display the entire text.

b) Review the sample.

7. Select the Print tab and then choose where this text item is to print in your report.

8. Click OK.

Editing text and labels in

your report

To edit a text field already defined in your report: Right-click the text field and select Edit Properties or double-click the item. See

“Inserting text and labels in your report” on page 20 for more information.

Copying Item

Properties

You can copy properties from one item of your report to another. For example, to make a heading bold, you can copy the properties from a heading that is already bolded.

All similar properties will be copied; for example, font settings. Format will only be copied for fields of the same time; for example, numeric fields.

1. Right-click the item of your report with the properties to be copied and select Copy Properties.

2. Right-click the item of your report you wish to copy the properties to and select Apply Properties.

Automatic Width Size the box and field based on the size of the data. If this option is not selected, the size of the box is fixed to that shown.

Automatic Height Automatically resize the frame to the height of the data. This is useful with variable length text fields and fonts.

Angle of Income Enter the angle in degrees that the text will be printed on.

Clip text to area Cut the data to the box size if the total width of the data were to exceed the size of the box for this object. (This is used to prevent data overlapping the next field.)

Word Wrap Automatically wrap the text to a new line in the frame if the frame height allows for it.

Angle of Incline The angle in degrees that the text will be printed on.

Select To

23 Creating Reports

Drawing lines in your

report

You can draw a line in your report; for example, to separate header from detail information.

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Lines.

2. In the Report window, outline the required size for the field that will contain the line. The line will appear in this field.

3. On the General tab, verify the line direction. Change it if necessary by selecting another option.

4. On the Colors tab, select whether to display in colors. The text color will be black and the background color white.

5. On the Size tab: select (or clear) whether to Lock item in place. specify the line Thickness (in points) from the drop-down list. specify the line Style from the drop-down list. choose whether to Adjust to parent height: if the line is inserted in a grid, its

height will automatically adjust to the grid (parent) height. choose whether to Adjust to parent width: if the line is inserted in a grid, its width

will automatically adjust to the grid (parent) width.

6. On the Print tab, choose where this line item is to print in your report.

7. When you finish defining this line, click OK.

Insertingshapes in

your report

You can insert various shapes in your report. If you insert an item into a shape, it will go on top of the shape. You can insert multiple items into a shape. They will appear in the order in which they

were put inserted; that is, the first in will be on the bottom (or last) and the last in will be on the top (or first). Click once to select the top field. Click again pressing Shift at the same time to alternate between any other fields.

Inserting report fields 24

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Shapes.

2. In the Report window, outline a shape.

3. Right-click inside the shape and select Edit Properties.

4. On the General tab, confirm the shape you are inserting.

Note: The shape defaults to Rectangle.

5. On the Colors tab, choose whether to display in colors and whether to draw a border. The text color will be black and the background color white.

6. On the Size tab: select whether to Lock items in place. specify the line Thickness (in points) of the border of your shape from the drop-

down list. specify the line Style of the border of your shape from the drop-down list.

Note: Line styles other than solid are supported only when the thickness is set to 1 point.

7. On the Print tab, choose where this shape is to print in your report.

8. When you finish defining this report field, click OK.

Insertingreport fields

You can insert and edit the properties of report fields in your layout. (Examples of report fields include date and time, page number, record number, report criteria (the selection criteria of the shortcut used in creating your report, if applicable), report title and user name.) Report fields should be placed in the background, outside of grids.

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Report Field.

2. In the Report window, outline the required size for the field.

3. Right-click inside the field outline and select Edit Properties.

25 Creating Reports

4. On the General tab, enter the text to appear beside the field.

5. From the drop-down list, select the field to be used to obtain the information for the field you are inserting.

6. For Format, if you selected Date and Time as the field, select its print format. If you selected Report Criteria, select the number of columns (from 1 to 4) you want to use to print the report selection criteria.

Note: Since the Automatic Width option on the Size tab is not selected by default, ensure that the Report Criteria data will fit in the field you have drawn to accommodate it.

7. A sample of the font used for the report field will display. Click Set Font to change it.

8. Select the font, the font style, size and script (if applicable). Click OK to return to the General tab.

9. The Alignment tab allows you to change the default center alignment of the text within the text box. Select the position of the text, using the sample box to ensure positioning is correct.

10. On the Colors tab, choose whether to display in colors and whether to draw a border. The text color will be black and the background color white.

11. On the Size tab, choose the appropriate options. Lock item in place: the item will not move after this option has been selected. This

prevents items from moving by mistake. Automatic Width: automatically resize the frame to the width of the data. This is

useful with variable length text fields and fonts. Automatically selected and can’t be changed if Report Criteria was selected for the Field on the General tab.

Automatic Height: automatically resize the frame to the height of the data. This is useful with variable length text fields and fonts. Automatically selected and can’t be changed if Report Criteria was selected for the Field on the General tab.

Clip text to area: when the length of the data exceeds the area of the frame, automatically truncate the data to the size of the frame. Disabled if Report Criteria was selected for the Field on the General tab.

Word Wrap: automatically wrap the text to a new line in the frame if the frame height allows for it. Disabled if Report Criteria was selected for the Field on the General tab.

Angle of Incline: the angle in degrees that the text will be printed on. Disabled if Report Criteria was selected for the Field on the General tab.

Automatic Width takes precedence over Clip text to area. For instance, if the text is too long for a frame and both Automatic Width and Clip text to area are selected, the frame width will be resized to display the text.

Automatic Height works in conjunction with Word Wrap. For instance, if the text is too long for a frame and both Automatic Height and Word Wrap are selected, the text will automatically wrap from one line to the next inside the defined width of the frame and the frame's height will automatically be resized to display the entire content of the text.

When Automatic Height, Automatic Width and Word Wrap are all selected and the size of the text exceeds the size of the frame, the frame width will first be increased (if necessary) to fit the longest word of the text. Then the text will be wrapped and the frame height will be resized to display the entire text.


Inserting pictures 26

12. On the Print tab, choose where this text item is to print in your report.

13. When you finish defining this report field, click OK.

Inserting pictures

You can insert pictures, logos or images in your report.

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Pictures and Logos.

2. In the report window, outline the required size for the picture.

3. On the General tab, select Set Picture.

4. You can select the desired picture or logo, or you can use the Import function to import a new picture into the Report Designer database.

5. Select the Colors tab and then choose whether to display in colors and whether to draw a border. The background will be white. To change it, double-click the Background Color box.

27 Creating Reports

6. Select the Size tab and choose the appropriate options as described below. :


7. Select the Print tab, choose where this text is to print in your report and click OK.

Aligning fields in your

report

You can align text and output fields according to your needs. For example, you might wish to align the heading “Store No:” with the actual store number in your output.

This screen shot illustrates: The text or field to be used as a reference (blue handles)

Select To

Lock items in place Prevent items from moving by mistake. The item will not move after this option has been selected.

Automatic Width Size the box and field based on the size of the data. Useful with variable length text fields and fonts. If this option is not selected, the size of the box is fixed to that shown.

Automatic Height Automatically resize the frame to the height of the data. This is useful with variable length text fields and fonts.

Aligning fields in your report 28

The output (secondary) fields selected (green handles) to be aligned with the reference field that are in the same report section

The horizontal and vertical position (in points) of the selected object (leftmost display in the status line of the screen)

The horizontal and vertical size (in points) of the selected object (rightmost display in the status line of the screen).

1. Click the text or field to be used as the reference.

2. While holding down Ctrl, click all of the output (secondary) fields you wish to align with the reference field that are in the same report section.

Note: The reference field will appear with blue “handles” and the secondary field(s) will appear with green handles.

3. Once all fields are selected, click the appropriate toolbar button in the Alignment & Order toolbar for the alignment you require.

Alignment & Order toolbar icons

Meaning

Top Edges

Align selected items to the top of the reference item.

Bottom Edges

Align selected text to the bottom of the reference item.

Left Edges

Align selected items on the left edge of the reference item.

Right Edges

Align selected text on the right edge of the reference item.

Vertical Center

Vertically center the selected item(s) on the center of the reference item.

\Horizontal Center

Horizontally center the selected item(s) on the center of the reference item.

Center in the Page

Center the selected item on its parent item. (This button can work with only one selected item.)

Vertical Spacing

Equalize the vertical spacing between the reference item and the selected items in the order they were selected.

Horizontal Spacing

Equalize the horizontal spacing between the reference item and the selected items in the order they were selected.

29 Creating Reports

Moving fields in your

report

At the lower right corner of the screen, you will see the selected object's position and size displayed in points. These may be used to perfectly position your objects. You can move the position of fields in your report layout.

1. Click the field you wish to move and drag the field to the desired position.

2. Click the field you wish to move and then press the SHIFT key and the appropriate arrow key (up, down, left or right) to move the field 75 points in the direction of the arrow.

3. Click the field you wish to move and then press Ctrl and the appropriate arrow key to move the field 15 points in the direction of the arrow. You can use Ctrl to select many fields to move concurrently.

Selecting the entire grid

On the Edit menu, use the Select All option to select all items in the same section as a selected item. If no item is selected, all items in the background will be selected.

Formattingthe contents

of your report

Use the Alignment & Order toolbar to format the contents of your report. The “reference item” is the first item selected whose handles display in blue. Use Ctrl to select multiple items.

Same Width & Height

Make the selected item the same width and height as the reference item. This only affects the size if the respective automatic width and height options are off.

Same Height

Make the selected item the same height as the reference item. This only affects the size if automatic height is off.

Same Width

Make selected items the same width as the reference item. This only affects the size if automatic width is off.

Send to Back

Send the selected drawing objects to the back.

Bring to Front

Bring the selected drawing objects to the front.

Send Backward

Send the selected drawing objects backward.

Bring Forward

Bring the selected drawing objects forward.

Alignment & Order toolbar icons

Meaning

Editing the layout of your new report 30

Editing the layout of your new

report

Use the Report Designer toolbar to edit the layout of your report.

Saving your report

Before you can execute your report, display your report’s output or print your report, you must save your report. When you save your report for the first time, use a name that uniquely describes your report. This will make it easier to retrieve.

1. From the File menu, select Save.

2. Enter a name for your report. Click the down arrow to enter the name in multiple languages.

3. Enter a detailed Description for your report. Click the down arrow to enter the description in multiple languages.

4. Click OK.

Executing a ReportOnce you have created and saved a report in Report Designer, you can execute it and then display the results. Report output can only be displayed in Report Designer. This feature is useful for testing purposes. For more information, see “Displaying Report Output” on page 33.

Report Designer toolbar icons Shortcut Meaning

Cut

Ctrl+X Cut the selection from your report and put it on the clipboard.

Copy

Ctrl+C Copy the selection object in your report and put it on the clipboard.

Paste item to the active report

Ctrl+V Insert the clipboard contents at the insertion point.

Edit Align Tools

Align the selected items. Use the down arrow to display a sub-menu of available options.

Edit Order Tools

Bring the selected objects to the front or to the back. Use the down arrow to display a sub-menu of available options.

31 Creating Reports

How to execute a

report

In the report folder that the report is filed in, either double-click the report you wish to execute or right-click the report and select Execute.

Note: Every time you execute a report, the system stores a copy of the executed report (based on a parameter in the report properties, which defines the number of different report results to keep) in a data table. To avoid storing multiple copies of the same report, simply open the report and select Display Report Output from the File menu. See “Displaying Report Output” on page 33 for more information. While in a report display, if you right-click to display the menu, ensure that this menu is closed before you access any options from the menu bar at the top of the window. Otherwise, the Report Designer module will close automatically when you click the menu name.

Navigatingwithin a

reportdisplay

Once a report has been executed, you can quickly find specific information.

Report output with the Location Code index

1. Right-click anywhere in the report output and select Show Index.

2. The report will be redisplayed with an index of the values in the field on which the report was grouped.

3. Double-click the value in the index that you want to move to.The report display automatically moves to that entry. An arrow appears at the left of the report to indicate the requested entry.

Enlarging or reducing the size of the report display 32

4. To hide the index, right-click anywhere in the report output and select Hide Index.

5. To move from page to page within a report display, right-click anywhere in the report output and select First Page, Previous Page, Next Page, or Last Page.

Enlarging or reducing the

size of the report

display

You can enlarge or reduce the size of the report display. Right-click anywhere in the report output, select Zoom, and then the percentage by

which you wish to enlarge or reduce the size of the report display.

Adding notes to a

report

You can annotate report contents. This can be useful when you want to send a copy of a report to another user with notes of items to be followed up on. Annotations appear on screen versions of executed reports; not on printed copies. Notes you add to a report appear in a gray box; notes added by other users appear in a yellow box. You can modify, delete, cut, copy and paste notes.

1. To add a note to a report, click next to the report item where you want your note to appear.

2. Right-click and select Note, New.

3. Type your annotation and click outside the notes box when done.

To execute a report

1. In the report folder that the report is filed in, either double-click the report you want to execute or right-click the report and select Execute to display your report on the screen.

2. To navigate easily within your report display, right-click anywhere in the report output and select Display Index to display an index of the values in the field on which the report was grouped.

3. In the index, double-click the value you want to move to (To hide the index, right-click anywhere in the report output and select Hide Index).

4. To move from page to page in your report display, right-click anywhere in the report output and select First Page, Previous Page, Next Page or Last Page.

5. To increase or decrease the size of the report display, right-click anywhere in the report output, select Zoom and then the percentage by which you want to enlarge or reduce the size of the report display.

33 Creating Reports

Displaying Report OutputOnce a report has been executed in Report Designer, it can be displayed in Report Designer. If the report was executed through the Request Execution option, output can be displayed in either Report Designer or Report Browser.

Note: To avoid storing multiple copies of the same report, simply display the results once a report has been executed. The output displayed will reflect the results from the last time the report was executed.

Use Request to request another execution of a report. See “Making a Request to Execute a Report” on page 108 for details.

To display report output

1. From the File menu, select Display Report Output (or, from the General toolbar, click Display Report Output).

2. In the Report Output window, double-click the report you wish to display.

3. Double-click the version you wish to view.

4. To return to the Report Output window from the displayed report, close the report window.

Note: If an ‘X’ appears in a field name in a report output display, it has been put there by the application to show column size and does not appear in the printed version of the report.

Navigating the report displayUse the Report Viewer toolbar to navigate the display.

Use this button To

Display the first page of your report.

Display the previous page of your report.

Display the next page of your report.

Printing a Report 34

Printing a ReportOnce a report has been displayed, you can print it. By default, reports print in portrait mode.

To print a report

Right-click anywhere in the report output and select Print.

Display the last page of your report.

Zoom in and out on a specific page of your report. Use the drop-down list to select the percentage.

Use this button To

This section describes “canned” reports that have been designed by Epicor that are available through Report Designer. They include: Inventory Management Physical Inventory Reports Merchandise Analysis Reports (MAR) Style Sales Analysis Report Vendor Analysis Report Stock Ledger Reports Open To Buy Reports (OTB) Plan Achievement Report (PAR) Consolidated Operating Report (CORE) Stock Aging Report Location Price Change Report Merchandise Allocation Report IMRD Transfer Report Stock Status Report Style Attribute Summary Style Color Sell Thru

Physical Inventory ReportsReport Designer contains an active topic that is accessed for the printing of the Preliminary and Beginning Inventory reports used in the Inventory Management module of Merchandising. There are five reports available for physical inventory statistics, which are used for drilldown purposes to lower levels. Seven are Preliminary Shrinkage reports (each of which include the book, counted and shrink values) and four are Beginning Inventory reports (each of which include counted values only). Print the Preliminary Shrink Report once physical inventory counts have been

imported into Inventory Management. If necessary, either print reports through Report Designer or Infobase according to

your company's requirements, as part of the count posting process to be your audit trail of what was posted during the Physical Inventory Count Posting process.

See the Inventory Management User Guide for a sample of each report.

You can also design additional reports according to your own requirements.

To print an Inventory

Management physical

inventory report

1. Change your active topic to Physical Inventory.

2. Access the system Report folder and select the physical inventory report you want to print.

3. Enter the applicable print selection criteria.

3 Package Reports

Merchandise Analysis Reports (MAR) 36

Merchandise Analysis Reports (MAR)This report provides summary level sales, inventory and markdown information with related statistics at the chain and location levels to provide the ability to monitor performance against last year as well as against the most current plan.

Week, month-to-date and year-to-date statistics are printed for this year, plan and last year and include units, retail and average price values.

Four formatsThis report is available in the following formats: By Location with no markdown analysis: details are printed in merchandise group /

location sequence. By Location with markdown analysis: details are printed in merchandise group /

location sequence. Chain Level with no markdown analysis: details are printed in merchandise group

sequence at the merchandising hierarchy level selected. Chain Level with markdown analysis: details are printed in merchandise group

sequence at the merchandising hierarchy level selected.

The Markdown versions include an additional breakdown of Regular Sales versus Markdowns.

To print the Merchandise

Analysis Report

1. Ensure your active topic is set to Merchandising Analytics.

2. Access the system Report folder.

3. Select one of the following report formats: NSB MAR Chain NSB MAR Chain With MD NSB MAR Location NSB MAR Location with MD

4. Click Execute Report and enter the following print criteria:

37 Package Reports

Chain Level and Chain with Markdowns Level:

Location Level and Location with Markdowns Level:

5. Click OK to begin printing the report.

Print Criteria Description

Week (YYYYWW) The week number for which statistics are required. Enter in YYYYWW format.

Enter Hierarchy Level The merchandising hierarchy level at which you want information reported, e.g. enter Class, Department, etc.

Enter Total Level The level at which to summarize statistics, e.g. enter Class, Department, Chain, etc.

Merchandise_Group: from / to

The range of merchandising groups applicable to the Hierarchy Level entered above, to be included in the report.


Week (YYYYWW) The week number for which statistics are required. Enter in YYYYWW format.

Enter Hierarchy Level The merchandising hierarchy level at which you want information reported, e.g. enter Class, Department, etc.

Enter Total Level The level at which to summarize statistics, e.g. enter Class, Department, Chain, etc.

Merchandise_Group: from / to

Enter the range of merchandising groups to be included in the report.

Location: from / to Enter the range of locations to be included in the report.

Merchandise Analysis Report by Chain, No Markdown Analysis 38

Merchandise Analysis Report by Chain, No Markdown Analysis

Merchandise Analysis Report by Chain with Markdown Analysis 39

Merchandise Analysis Report by Chain with Markdown Analysis

40 Package Reports

Merchandise Analysis Report by Location, No Markdown Analysis

Merchandise Analysis Report by Location with Markdown Analysis 41

Merchandise Analysis Report by Location with Markdown Analysis

Report Contents, Merchandise Analysis Reports with and without Markdown Analysis 42

Report Contents, Merchandise Analysis Reports with and without Markdown Analysis

Field Description

TY / PL / LY This Year, Current Plan, Last Year

U / Ret / AP Units Sold, Retail Sold and Average Price. Average Price is calculated as Retail Sold / Units Sold.

% PL / % LY / % TOT

% of Plan (calculated as: (Week Sales Retail TY / Week Sales Plan) X 100), % of Last Year (calculated as: (Week Sales Retail TY / Week Sales Retail LY) X 100), and % of Total which represents the percentage relationship of Week Sales Retail TY to the next level of total within the hierarchy of the report.

Note: Sales are Net Sales, calculated as: Sales – Returns.

Rec MTD U / Ret CMU % TY / LY

Receipts Month-to-Date: Units and Retail Amount. Month-to-date is up to the selected week. Calculated as Purchases + Distributions + Net Transfers. Cumulative Markup % for this year and last year, calculated as EOP On Hand Cost / On Hand Retail.

On Order U/Ret IMU% TY/LY

On Order Units and Retail Amount, Initial Markup % for this year and last year. IMU% (TY/LY) is calculated as: (Distributions at Cost + Received at Cost) / (Retail Received + Distributions at Retail).

Proj Rec U/Ret, PL Rec U/Ret

Projected Receipt Units (calculated as Units Received + On Order Units) and Retail Amount (calculated as Retail Received + On Order Retail), Plan Receipt Units and Retail Amount.

MTD%, MTD, YTD%, YTD

For markdowns only; month-to-date markdown % (calculated as markdowns retail / retail sold), month-to-date markdowns retail, year-to-date markdown % (calculated as markdowns retail / retail sold), year-to-date markdowns retail. Month-to-date and year-to-date are up to the selected week.

WOS / FS% Weeks Of Stock and Fresh Stock % for This Year, Plan and Last Year. Weeks of Stock is calculated as: (Retail On Hand EOW / Avg. Weekly Sales (Retail) over last 4 weeks). Fresh Stock % is calculated as: (Retail Sold – Cost Sold) / Retail Sold.

GM% MTDTY, YTDTY, MTDLY, YTDLY

Gross Margin % Month-To-Date This Year, Year-To-Date This Year, Month-To-Date Last Year and Year-To-Date Last Year. Month-to-date and year-to-date are up to the selected week. Gross Margin is calculated as (Sales Retail – Sales Cost) / Sales Retail.

MD U / RET / % TY RET, Reg U / Ret / % TY RET

Only appears on the MAR reports with Markdown Analysis, and is Sales Markdown and Sales Regular Units, Retail, percentage markdown to total retail this year and percentage regular to total retail this year. “Regular” includes merchandise with a price status of Regular; “Markdown” includes all other price statuses.

43 Package Reports

Style Sales Analysis ReportThis report prints chain sales and inventory-related information at the style level.

Report details are printed in Merchandise Group Code, Vendor Code and Style Code sequence.

Totals are provided at the merchandise group level chosen and for the report.

To print the Style Sales

Analysis Report



3. Select NSB Style Sales Analysis, click Execute Report and enter the following print criteria:


Totals MAR Chain reports: Merchandise Group and Report (Grand) totals are printed. MAR Location reports: Merchandise Group, Merchandise Level (as entered when requesting the report) and Report (Grand) totals are printed.

Field Description


Style Code (Insert Blank Space for All)

One style or press the Spacebar to analyze all styles.

Merchandise Group Code: from / to

The range of merchandising groups to be included in the report.

Price Status Code (Insert Blank Space for all)

A price status code (e.g. Reg, MD) to include only styles with that price status. Press the Spacebar to include all price statuses.

Vendor Name (Insert Blank Space for All)

One vendor or press the Spacebar to include all vendors for the style(s) entered above.

Merch Level The merchandising hierarchy level at which you want the information reported, e.g. enter class, department, chain, etc. Totals are also provided at this level.

To print the Style Sales Analysis Report 44

45 Package Reports

Field Description

(merchandising level) The merchandising hierarchy group level at which this report was requested.

Merchandising Group Merchandising group code and description at the above level.

Vendor Vendor code and name.

Vendor Style / Style Code

Vendor style, style code and style description.

Total Receipts Life total receipt units of the style.

Selling On Hand Number of units on hand in selling stores only that are available for sale.

Current On Hand Number of units currently on hand.

In Transit Number of units in transit.

WTD Sales Week-to-date sales for the current week.

Prior Weeks Unit Sales: Last Wk, 2 Wks Ago, 3 Wks Ago, 4 Wks Ago, 5 Wks Ago

Sales units for last week and the prior 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks.

Total Sales Total life sales of the style.

WOS / Sell Thru Weeks Of Stock calculated as: In Store On Hand / Sales Last Week. Sell Thru calculated as: Net Sales Units (Life) / Net Receipt Units.

On Order Current on order.

IMU% Initial Markup % calculated as: (Current Retail – Current Cost) / Current Retail.

GM% Gross Margin % calculated as: (Net Sales Retail (Life) – Net Receipts Cost) / Net Sales Retail (Life).

Next PO Receipt Date Date of the next expected receipt of this style.

Last PO Receipt Date Date when this style was last received.

Current Retail / Last PO Cost

The style’s current retail and last PO cost.

Life Sales Retail / Sales Cost

The total retail and cost value for sales units of this style.

Totals Vendor totals, merchandising hierarchy level totals and grand (report) totals are printed.

Vendor Analysis Report 46

Vendor Analysis ReportThis report provides shipping, sales and profit comparison statistics for this year and last year in units, retail and cost by vendor. Use this report: On market trips to back up negotiation for better markup, more markdown or

advertising allowance, priority shipping and volume incentive agreements To explain why you do not plan to buy from a vendor this season To decide which vendors it would be profitable to expand business with and in which

direction.

Details are printed by vendor at the merchandising hierarchy level selected when printing the report.

To print the Vendor

Analysis Report


2. Access the system Report folder

3. Select NSB Vendor Analysis, click Execute Report and enter the following print criteria:



Week: from / to Enter the range of weeks (in YYYYWW format) of vendor statistics to be included in the report.

Enter Hierarchy Level

Type the merchandising hierarchy level at which you want information reported, e.g. enter Class, Department, etc.

Group: from / to Enter the range of merchandising hierarchy groups to be analyzed in the report.

Vendor: from / to Enter the range of vendors to be included in the report.

47 Package Reports

Field Description

Receipts Units, retail and cost received for the period.

Sales Units, retail and cost sold for the period.

Stock Ledger Reports 48

Stock Ledger ReportsThese reports can be run any time and can be used as a financial audit trail (in cost and retail value) of the Retail Inventory Method (RIM) or Cost Inventory Method (CIM) within Stock Ledger. They provide all the components used to calculate cumulative cost %. Gross margin and turnover statistics are also included.

Report details are sequenced according to your input to the following query parameter fields requested when printing the report: Detail Level First Summary Level Second Summary Level.

Five formatsThis report is available in the following formats: Stock Ledger Cost Inventory Method by GL Period Stock Ledger Cost Inventory Method by Merchandising Period

RTVs Units, retail and cost of merchandise returned to the vendor for the period.

On Order Units, retail and cost of merchandise on order from the vendor.

On Hand Units, retail and cost of merchandise on hand from the vendor.

Promos The number of units that were part of promotional price changes.

Markdowns / Markups

Total value of permanent markdowns and markups. Markdown value is calculated as: Permanent Markdowns – Permanent Markdown Cancellations. Markup value is calculated as: Permanent Markups – Permanent Markup Cancellations.

MD% Sales Markdown percent of sales. Calculated as (Markdown Amount - Markdown Allowance Amount) / Retail Amount Sold. Markdown Amount includes permanent, POS and employee discounts but excludes markup amount.

IMU % / CMU % Initial Markup percent, calculated as: (Net Receipts Retail This Year – Net Receipts Cost This Year) / Net Receipts Retail This Year. Net Receipts is equal to Receipts – RTVs. Cumulative Markup percent, calculated as: (On Hand Retail This Year – On Hand Cost This Year) / On Hand Retail This Year.

GM Amount / GM% Gross Margin amount, calculated as: Retail Sold This Year – Cost Sold This Year. Gross Margin %, calculated as: (Retail Sold This Year – Cost Sold This Year) / Retail Sold This Year.

Total Cost Factors The cost factors and value of each for the vendor.

Totals Totals are provided for each vendor.

Field Description

49 Package Reports

Stock Ledger Cost Inventory Method by Merchandising Period by Location Group (identical to the Stock Ledger Cost Inventory Method by Merchandising Period report except that details are printed for one location group only)

Stock Ledger Retail Inventory Method by GL Period Stock Ledger Retail Inventory Method by Merchandising Period

To print a Stock Ledger

report

1. Ensure your active topic is set to Stock Ledger.

2. Access the system Report folder

3. Select one of the following stock ledger reports: NSB SL CIM GL Period NSB SL CIM Merch Period NSB SL CIM Merch Period by Loc NSB SL RIM GL Period NSB SL RIM Merch Period


5. Click Next to continue to the next print prompt:



Detail Level Enter the level at which to print report details.

First Summary Level

Type the merchandising hierarchy level at which you want information reported (for example, enter Class, Department, etc.)

Second Summary Level

Enter “Location” to run the report by store or enter any level of the merchandising hierarchy to run by chain (for example, enter Class, Department, etc.)

Year Requested when running either the CIM Merch Period or RIM Merch Period report.

GL Period Requested when running either the CIM GL Period or RIM GL Period report.

Period Requested when running the CIM Merch Period, RIM Merch Period or CIM Merch Period by Location report.

Location: from / to Enter the range of locations to be included in the report. Not requested when running the CIM Merch Period by Location report.

Location Group Code

The location group code for which statistics are required. Requested only when running the CIM Merch Period by Location report.


Merch Group: from / to

Enter the range of merchandising hierarchy groups to be included in the report.

50 Package Reports

Stock Ledger CIM Merch Period report

Stock Ledger CIM Merch Period by Location Group report 51

Stock Ledger CIM Merch Period by Location Group report

52 Package Reports

Stock Ledger CIM GL Period report

Stock Ledger RIM Merch Period report 53

Stock Ledger RIM Merch Period report

54 Package Reports

Stock Ledger RIM GL Period report

55 Package Reports

Field Description

Beginning Inventory, Retail and Cost

Beginning inventory value at retail and cost. Month-to-date retail and cost values are equal to the prior month’s ending inventory values. Year-to-date retail and cost values are equal to the prior year’s ending inventory (determined at fiscal year-end and do not vary from month-to-month).

Purchases, Retail and Cost

Retail value of purchases include SKU and Class level receipts, receipt corrections and returns to vendor. Purchases at Cost include those from receipt input, corrections, returns to vendor and adjustment of Cost Amount Received/Returned.

Distro’s Distributions and distribution corrections (SKU and Class).

Transfers Retail value of SKU Transfer Completions and Class Level Transfers.

IMU% Calculated as ((Purchases at Retail – Purchases at Cost) / Purchases at Retail) X 100.

Markups / Freight Value obtained as a result of input of markup price change authorizations (at SKU and Class level) and price change counts. Includes adjustments to markups made via additional markups/markup cancellations and price exceptions at store or region level.

CC% Cumulative Cost %. Calculated as: (Sum of Merchandise Available at Cost / Sum of Merchandise Available at Retail) X 100.

Goods Available Retail value equal to: Beginning Inventory at Retail + Purchases at Retail + (Markups – Markup Cancellations). Cost value equal to: Beginning Inventory at Cost + Purchases at Cost + Freight. (Inclusion of freight is optional within Stock Ledger.)

Sales Derived from Sales Audit interface to Stock Ledger or Merchandising’s Sales Edit, or independent sales audit system.

MD Perm Includes class level price changes, SKU price change authorizations, price change count input and store or region level price exceptions. Markdowns also include Markdown Cancellations.

% To Sales The percentage of permanent markdowns to sales. Calculated as: MD Perm / Sales.

POS Discounts Include promotional/temporary price changes occurring when inventory is sold and variances from current retail input via the registers is not attributed to authorized price changes.

CMU % Cumulative Markup %. Calculated as: 100 – Cumulative Cost %.

Employee Discounts

Derived from Sales Audit interface to Stock Ledger or Merchandising’s Sales Edit, or independent sales audit system.

Shrink Includes actual shrinkage and shrinkage provision. In calculating provision, percentages defined for Stock Ledger levels (such as class or department) are applied at Stock Ledger period-end to actual sales amount for the period.

Open To Buy Reports (OTB) 56

Open To Buy Reports (OTB)This report prints inventory requirements and available open to buy figures for up to 12 months from the starting date of the report. All activity in the merchandising cycle (such as receipts, open purchase orders, sales, price changes and plans for sales and shrinkage are included in the calculations.

Use this report to determine buying requirements for each class. It can be used to report exception situations where a class is over/under plan, or sales for a class are greater/less than the sales plan.

Retail, units and average (retail / units) are reported.

Two formatsTwo formats of the Open To Buy Report are available: Open To Buy By Chain: monthly statistics are printed for the chain by merchandise

group, at the merchandise group level chosen when running the report. Open To Buy By Location Group: monthly statistics are printed by merchandise group

for the location hierarchy group and merchandise group level chosen when running the report.

To print an Open To Buy

Report



3. Select one of the following Open To Buy Reports: Open To Buy By Chain Open To Buy By Loc Group

Other Reductions Includes cash discounts, workroom costs, additional merchandise costs and freight. Freight is only included here if it is a “below the line” component.

Total Reductions Equal to: (Sales + MD Perm + POS Discounts + Employee Discounts) – Shrink.

Ending Inventory Calculated as: (Beginning Inventory + Purchases) – Total Reductions.

GM $ / % Currency amount equal to: Sales – Cost of Sales, where cost of sales is equal to Cost of Goods Removed (i.e. Inventory Reduction at Cost) + Workroom Costs + Additional Merchandise Costs – Cash Discount – Freight. Freight is only included here if it is not used in calculating Merchandise Available at Cost. % value equal to: (Gross Margin value / Sales) X 100.

GMROI / Turn Gross Margin Return On Investment. Calculated as: (Gross Margin value / Investment in Inventory) = (Gross Margin value / Average Inventory at Cost).Turnover is calculated as: Sales / Average Inventory at Retail.

Field Description

57 Package Reports




No of Future Months The number of months in the future you want to see projections for. The report will include statistics for the current month plus the projections for the number of future months entered here.

Location Hierarchy Level

Applicable only to the Open to Buy by Location Group report. The location hierarchy level (from the main location hierarchy) at which you want the information reported, e.g. enter enterprise, division, region, etc.

Merch Hierarchy Level The merchandising hierarchy level at which you want the information reported, e.g. enter class, department, chain, etc.

Merch Group Code: from / to

The range of merchandising groups applicable to the Merchandising Group Level entered in the previous field to be included in the report.

58 Package Reports

Open to Buy by Chain report

Open to Buy by Location Group report 59

Open to Buy by Location Group report

Open to Buy by Location Group report 60

Field Description

BOM Inventory The start of month inventory. For current month statistics, the actual physical on hand for Beginning of Period is used. For future months, the Required EOM inventory from the previous month is used.

Receipts MTD Net receipts this month, including inter-divisional transfers and distributions to the division. If the division contains a warehouse, this field includes receipts into the warehouse minus distributions to other divisions. Also includes shrinkage/overage.

On Order Includes all outstanding orders with open to buy dates up to and including this month for the first (or current) month). Future month values use the on order for the month.

Net Sales MTD Equal to Retail Sales – Returns.

Balance of Sales Plan

For the current month, this value is equal to Plan net retail sales – Net retail sales. For future months, this value is equal to either the Sales Plan or zero if sales exceed plan.

Price Changes MTD

Net retail value of effective price changes this month.

Balance of MD Plan

For the current month. Equal to: Markdown Plan – Actual Markdowns for the month. If Actual is greater than Plan, ‘0’ will appear for the current month. For future months, the MD Plan will be printed.

Shrink Plan Planned shrinkage for the month. Displays the greater of Actual Shrink or Plan Shrink.

Projected EOM Inventory

The projected end of month inventory values. Calculated as: BOM amount + Total Receipts + On Order retail – (Sales Reductions + Markdown Reductions + Shrink Reductions). Total receipts is calculated as: Net Receipts + Net Transfers + Distributions. Sales Reductions is the greater of Actual Net Sales or Plan Net Sales. Markdown Reductions is the greater of (Permanent Markdowns – Permanent Markdown Cancellations – Permanent Markups + Permanent Markup Cancellations + Promotional Price Change Total) or Total Markdown Plan. Shrink Reductions is the greater of Actual Shrink or Plan Shrink.

Required EOM Inventory

Inventory plans.

Open To Buy Calculated as: Plan End Of Month On Hand - (Beginning Of Month + Total Receipts + On Order - (Sales Reductions + Markdown Reductions + Shrink Reductions)). Sales Reductions is the greater of Actual Net Sales or Plan Net Sales. Markdown Reductions is the greater of (Permanent Markdowns – Permanent Markdown Cancellations – Permanent Markups + Permanent Markup Cancellations + Promotional Price Change Total) or Total Markdown Plan. Shrink Reductions is the greater of Actual Shrink or Plan Shrink.

61 Package Reports

Plan Achievement Report (PAR)This ‘in season’ report is used to monitor actual performance in comparison to last year, as well as to planned figures. Serving as an analytical tool for upper management, it will help to determine the changes needed in the current season, in order to maintain a proper balance between inventory and sales. Therefore, it should assist in preventing overbought situations and excessive markdowns within a classification.

Two formatsTwo formats of the Plan Achievement Report are available: PAR By Chain: print sequence is report totals page, followed by statistics for entire chain

by merchandise group at the merchandise group level chosen when running the report. PAR By Location: print sequence is report totals page, location totals page for all

merchandise levels in the range of merchandise groups selected, and merchandise group by location.

Plan dataPlan data will be based on period plans. For the PAR by Location report, if there are no location/period plans, no data is printed for the plan field. For the PAR by Chain report, if there are no chain/period plans, no data is printed for the plan field.

To print the Plan

Achievement Report



3. Select one of the following PAR reports: NSB PAR by Location NSB PAR by Chain



Cumulative OTB Accumulation of each month’s OTB projections from start of the report. Uses Required EOM Inventory as BOM Inventory for future months.

Totals None.

Field Description


Starting Period (YYYYPP)

The beginning year/month of statistics to be printed. The report will include six months of statistics beginning at the year/month entered here.

Loc Group Code Requested for the PAR by Location report and is the code of the location group to be printed on the report.

Merch Level The merchandising hierarchy level at which you want the information reported, e.g. enter class, department, chain, etc.


The range of merchandising groups applicable to the merchandising level entered in the previous field to be included in the report.

62 Package Reports

To print the Plan Achievement Report 63

To print the Plan Achievement Report 64

Field Description

Sales LY: Last year’s actual unit and retail sales for the period. CP: This year’s current sales plan for the entire periods.TY: This year’s actual unit and retail sales for the period. Not printed for future periods. It is month-to-date for the current period. %LY: Percent to last year. Calculated as: This Year Sales Units or Retail amount / Last Year Sales Units or Retail amount. Season Total column will only include complete periods. %PL: Percent to plan. Calculated as: This Year Sales Units or Retail amount / Current Sales Plan Units or Retail amount. Season Total column will only include complete periods. Avg C Plan: Average Sale: Plan. Calculated as: This Year’s Current Plan amount / This Year’s Current Plan Units. Avg TY: Average Sale: Actual. Calculated as This Year amount / This Year Units.

Markdowns LY: Calculated as Last Year’s Total Markdowns (POS, permanent, employee discounts) / Last Year’s Total Sales.LY Retail: Last year’s total markdown amount (POS, permanent, employee discounts) for the period.C Plan %: This year’s current Price Change Plan percentage for the period.C Plan Retail: Calculated as : This Year’s Current Price Change Plan percentage for the period X This Year’s Current Sales Plan for the period. TY%: Calculated as: This Year’s Actual Markdown amount for the Period / This Year’s Sales amount. TY Retail: This year’s actual markdown amount for the period. Markups TY / LY: Calculated as MU Amount - MUC Amount for the period.

Beg On Hand Displayed as either the prior month’s EOM inventory or the current month’s BOM inventory.LY Units / Retail: Last year’s EOM or BOM on hand units and retail amount for the period.C Plan Units: This year’s current iniventory units and retail plans for the period.TY Units / Retail: This year’s actual on hand units and retail amount for the period.

Stk/Sales LY: Calculated as: Last Year’s BOM On Hand amount / Last Year’s actual sales for the current month.C Plan: Current Planned BOM Inventory Amount / Current Planned Sales amountTY: This Year BOM Inventory Amount / This Year Sales Amount.Note that this year’s current month will use month-to-date sales and therefore will not be meaningful until the end of the month.

Turnover Seasonal stock turnover in retail value. Calculated as Season Total Sales / Average Inventory.

65 Package Reports

Consolidated Operating Report (CORE)This report provides store sales and inventory statistics at various levels that can be used to assist in operations and performance analysis.

Note: This report uses tax inclusive retail.

Receipts LY Units: Calculated as: LY EOM unit inventory for the period + LY actual sales units for the period - LY BOM unit inventory for the period.LY Retail: Calculated aas Last year’s Receipts + Distributions + Transfers. C Plan Units: Current Plan Units. Calculated as: This year current EOM unit inventory plan for the period + This year current sales unit plan for the period - This year current BOM unit inventory plan for the period. C Plan Retail: Current Plan Retail Amount. Calculated as This year current EOM Retail Inventory plan for the period + This year current Sales retail plan for the period + This year current Markdown retail plan for the period - This year current BOM retail inventory plan for the period.TY Units: Calculated as: This year actual EOM unit inventory for the period + This year actual units sold for the period - This year actual BOM unit inventory for the period.TY Retail: Calculated as: This year’s Receipts + Distributions + Transfers.OnOrdUnits / Retail: Includes all outstanding orders with open to buy dates in the period.OTB: Open To Buy Units and Retail amount. Calculated as: Planned ending inventory - Projected ending inventory.

IMU / CMU LY: Actual IMU % and CUM % for the period.C Plan: Current Plan.TY: Actual IMU % and CUM % for the period.

GM Gross margin.LY Amount: Calculated as: Actual GM % for the period X Actual Sales Amount for the period.LY MTD: Actual GM % for the period. C Plan Amount: Current Plan GM % for the period X Current Sales Plan Amount for the period. C Plan MTD %: IMU % for the Period - Cost of Markdowns for the period, where Cost of Markdowns = Complement of CMU % X Markdown %.TY Amount / MTD %: Same calculations as Last Year.

Field Description

Two formats 66

Two formatsTwo formats of the Consolidated Operating Report are available: CORE by Location: details by merchandising hierarchy level/store. CORE by Chain: details by merchandising level for the chain.

To print a Consolidated

Operating Report



3. Select one of the following Consolidated Operating Reports: NSB CORE by Location report NSB CORE Chain report




As Of Week (YYYYWW) The year and week that the report will be based on. Enter in YYYYWW format.

Location Code (from / to) Requested for the NSB CORE by Location report and is the range of locations to be included in the report.

Merch Hierarchy Level The merchandising hierarchy level at which you want the information reported, e.g. class, department, chain, etc.

Merchandise Group Code: from / to

The range of merchandising groups applicable to the Merchandising Hierarchy Level entered in the previous field, to be included in the report.

Consolidated Operating Report by Chain 67

Consolidated Operating Report by Chain

68 Package Reports

Consolidated Operating Report by Location

69 Package Reports

Field Description

Sales: Week: Units / Retail TY / LY

Unit and Retail sales for the current merchandising week for this year and last year.

Sales: Period: Units / Retail TY / LY

Unit and Retail sales for the current period for this year and last year.

Sales: Year: Units / Retail TY / LY

Unit and Retail Sales for this merchandising year and the last merchandising year.

Markdowns: Period: Retail / MD% TY / LY

Retail value of markdowns and percentage of markdown amount to sales amount for this year and last year. Retail TY calculated as: Permanent Markdowns Retail (This Period) – Permanent Markdown Cancellations Retail (This Period) + Promo Price Changes Total Retail (This Period).% TY calculated as: (Permanent Markdowns Retail (This Period) + Promo Price Changes Total Retail (This Period) – (Permanent Markdown Cancellations Retail (This Period)) / Sales Retail This Period) X 100. LY Retail calculated as: Permanent Markdowns Retail (This Period Last Year) – Permanent Markdown Cancellations Retail (This Period Last Year) + Promo Price Changes Total Retail (This Period Last Year). % LY calculated as: (Permanent Markdowns Retail (This Period Last Year) - Permanent Markdown Cancellations Retail (This Period Last Year) + Promo Price Changes Total Retail (This Period Last Year)) / Sales Retail This Period Last Year) X 100.

Markdowns Year: Retail / MD% TY / LY

Retail value of markdowns and percentage of markdown value to sales value for the period for this year and last year. TY Retail calculated as: Permanent Markdowns Retail (This Year) – Permanent Markdown Cancellations Retail (This Year) + Promotional Price Changes Total Retail (This Year). TY MD % calculated as: (Permanent Markdowns Retail (This Year) + Promotional Price Changes Total Retail (This Year) – Permanent Markdown Cancellations Retail (This Year)) / Sales Retail (This Year) X 100. LY Retail calculated as: Permanent Markdowns Retail (YTD Weeks LY) – Permanent Markdown Cancellations Retail (YTD Weeks LY) + Promotional Price Changes Total Retail (YTD Weeks LY). LY MD % calculated as: (Permanent Markdowns Retail (YTD Weeks LY) – Permanent Markdown Cancellations Retail (YTD Weeks LY) + Promotional Price Changes Total Retail (YTD Weeks LY) / Sales Retail YTD Weeks LY)) X 100.

On Hand: Current Units / Retail TY / LY

Current on hand units and retail for this year and last year.

Consolidated Operating Report by Location 70

Gross Margin: Period / Year Percent TY / LY

Gross margin percent for the period and year-to-date for this year and last year. Period % TY calculated as: (Sales Retail This Period – Sales Cost This Period / Sales Retail This Period) X 100. Year % TY calculated as: (Sales Retail TY – Sales Cost YTD / Sales Retail TY) X 100. Period % LY calculated as: (Sales Retail This Period LY – Sales Cost This Period LY / Sales Retail This Period LY) X 100. Year % LY calculated as: (Sales Retail YTD Week LY – Sales Cost YTD LY / Sales Retail YTD Week LY) X 100.

Stk/Sales Period Ratio of inventory at retail to sales at retail for this period, calculated as: (End of Period On Hand Retail / Retail Sales This Period) and for this period last year, calculated as: (End of Period On Hand Retail This Week Last Year / Sales Retail This Period Last Year).

Average Sale Average retail price of monthly sales. Calculated as Retail Sales This Period / Units Sold This Period.

Store’s Plan Attain % Percentage of sales plans achieved for the month. Calculated as: (Retail Sales This Period / Plan Value This Week) X 100.

Sales % to Total The percentage sales for this location to total sales for the chain. Calculated as: (Retail Sales This Period / Total Retail Sales This Period) X 100.

Markups Period Retail / MU %

The retail value of markups for the current period and the percentage of markup amount to sales amount for the current period. Retail value calculated as: Permanent Markups Retail (This Period) – Permanent Markup Cancellations Retail (This Period). % calculated as: (Permanent Markups Retail (This Period ) – Permanent Markup Cancellations Retail (This Period) / Sales Retail This Period) X 100.

On Order Total Units / Retail

Units and retail amount on order from the present to the end of the current season/year.

Receipts Period Units / Retail

Unit and retail values of receipts for this period. Equal to: Receipts + Distributions + Transfers.

Current Average Inventory The average retail value of inventory. Calculated as: End of Period On Hand Retail / End of Period On Hand Units.

OH % to Total The percentage of on hand for this location to the total on hand for the chain. Calculated as: (End of Period On Hand Retail / Total of End of Period On Hand Retail) X 100.

Field Description

71 Package Reports

Stock Aging ReportThe Stock Aging report will analyze the age of your inventory, according to five aging categories you define when requesting the report. A sixth aging category will be printed that contains statistics for inventory older than the fifth aging category defined.

This report can be used to: Evaluate stock levels by season code Determine which classes require action to clear unproductive merchandise, thereby

improving turnover and gross margin return on investment.

Two formatsTwo formats of the Stock Aging Report are available: Stock Aging by Chain: prints statistics for a range of merchandise groups for the entire

chain at the merchandise level selected. The last PO receipt date is used to determine the age of each style. Statistics are printed by merchandise group. All stores in the location hierarchy group entered when requesting the report will be printed.

Stock Aging by Location Group: prints statistics by merchandise level for a range of merchandise groups for all locations in a location group. On hand is used to determine the age of each style.

To print a Stock Aging

Inventory Report



3. Select one of the following Stock Aging Inventory reports: Stock Aging by Chain Stock Aging by Loc Group


CMU % Cumulative Markup percentage (100 – Cumulative Cost %) of entire inventory. Calculated as: (End of Period On Hand Cost / End of Period On Hand Retail) X 100.

IMU % Initial Markup percentage on this month’s purchases. Calculated as: (Net Receipts Retail (This Period) – Net Receipts Cost (This Period) / Net Receipts Retail (This Period)) X 100.

Totals For the Chain report, totals are provided for the chain. For the Location report, totals are provided by merchandising level (as chosen when printing the report) and for the report (grand totals).

Field Description




1st Aging Bucket (No of Days)

The “up-to” number of days for the first aging bucket.

Stock Aging Report by Chain 72


Stock Aging Report by Chain

2nd Aging Bucket (No of Days)

The “up-to” number of days for the second aging bucket.

3rd Aging Bucket (No of Days)

The “up-to” number of days for the third aging bucket.

4th Aging Bucket (No of Days)

The “up-to” number of days for the fourth aging bucket.

5th Aging Bucket (No of Days)

The “up-to” number of days for the fifth aging bucket.

Merch Level The merchandising hierarchy level at which you want statistics, e.g. enter class, department, etc.

As of week (YYYYWW) The starting week for which inventory aging statistics are to be printed. Enter in YYYYWW format.

Loc Group Code Requested for the Stock Aging by Loc Group report only. Statistics for all stores in the location hierarchy group entered here will be printed on the report.


73 Package Reports

Stock Aging Report by Location Group

Location Price Change ReportThis report provides stores with advance warning of price changes becoming effective. It includes all price change documents for a location that have a status of Issued, Effective or Completed but have not yet been printed.

This report is scheduled to print automatically overnight and will be sent in PDF format via e-mail to the appropriate locations. It can also be printed on demand.

To schedule the Location

Price Change Report

See “Scheduling a Report Request” on page 109 for details and procedure to schedule this report.

Field Description

(merchandising level) The merchandising hierarchy level for which the report was requested and the corresponding merchandising groups.

Current On Hand Beginning of Week and Beginning of Month units on hand.

(aging buckets 1-6) Beginning of Week and Beginning of Month units on hand and the percentage to the total for each of the aging buckets defined when requesting the report.

To print the Location Price Change Report on demand 74

To print the Location

Price Change Report on

demand

1. Ensure your active topic is set to Infobase.


3. Select the NSB Location Price Change.

4. Enter the following print selection criteria:



Location Enter the location number for which you want the report printed.

Update Print Status? (Y/N)

Select if you want to update the printed status of these price changes.

Note: When this option is selected to update the printed status of price change documents for a location, these documents cannot be reprinted.

Field Description

Document Number Price change document number.

Employee Position The employee position of the person who created the price change document.

Type The type of price change document.

Category The description of the price change category.

Location Code The code and description of the location this price change applies to.

Status The status of the price change.

Approval Status The approval status of the price change document.

75 Package Reports

Merchandise Allocation ReportThis report contains sales and on hand units and retail values by store. Also included are store performance statistics such as check out percent, percentages of sales to total sales and on hand to total on hand for the first merchandise level chosen when requesting the report.

Details are printed in first merchandise level / second merchandise level / checkout percentage sequence. First and second merchandise levels are those chosen when running the report.

The number of units recommended for transfer is also printed.

Totals are printed for the first and second merchandise levels as well as grand totals for the report.

To print the Merchandise

Allocation Report



3. Select NSB Merchandise Allocation.



Duration Whether the price change is permanent or promotional.

Effective From Date / Effective To Date

If this is a promotional price change, the start and end date of the price change appears here.

Merchandise Group The code and description of the merchandise group the style belongs to.

Style The code and description of the style.

Color The code and description of the color.

Vendor The code and name of the vendor supplying the style.

Vendor Style The vendor style identification.

Old Price / New Price The price of the style before and after the price change.

Expected On Hand The on hand quantity of the style or style/color in this location.

In Transit The number of units in transit of this style or style/color.

Field Description


No of Weeks The number of weeks on which statistics are to be reported.

First Merch Level The level at which store details are to be printed. Sub-totals will also be printed at this level.

Second Merch Level The second level at which sub-totals will be printed.

Merch Group: from / to

The range of merchandise groups to be included in the report.

To print the Merchandise Allocation Report 76

Field Description

(first merch level) The first merchandising hierarchy level for which the report was requested.

(second merch level) The second merchandising hierarchy level for which the report was requested.

Store Store number.

Avail. Units available for sale.

Sales Last X Wk. Unit sales for the number of weeks entered when the report was requested.

Current OH Current on hand units.

Net Sales This Week Net sales units this week.

Check Out Calculated as: Sales Last X Wk. / Avail.

Net Sales % Tot Calculated as Sales Last X Weeks / Total Sales for the merchandising level being reported.

OH % Tot Calculated as Current OH / Total OH for the merchandising level being reported.

Sales Inv Ratio The ratio of sales to inventory for the store.

Avail. The retail value of available inventory.

Sales Last X Wk. The retail sales amount for the number of weeks entered when the report was requested.

77 Package Reports

IMRD Transfer ReportsThere are two IMRD Transfer reports available: IMRD Transfer Report: use this document to record the units sent as a result of a

head office IMRD Transfer request. Once the IMRD Transfer document is submitted, this report can be run and sent to the sending store as a printable working document. It will print the system on hand quantity when the IMRD Transfer document requests that ALL units be sent for a specific style (or style/color or style/color/size).

IMRD Location Transfer Report: this report is identical to the IMRD Transfer Report, but can be scheduled to be run by location for IMRD Transfers with a Submitted status that have not yet been printed. It includes only SKUs with an on hand greater than zero. This report can be scheduled to print automatically overnight and will then be sent in PDF format via e-mail to the appropriate locations. It can also be printed on demand.

Both reports are identical in format.

To schedule the IMRD Location Transfer

Report

See “Scheduling a Report Request” on page 109 for details and procedure to schedule this report.

To print an IMRD

Transfer Report



3. Select either the NSB IMRD Transfer Report or NSB IMRD Loc Transfer Report.

4. Enter the following print selection criteria according to the IMRD Transfer report selected in the previous step:

Current OH The retail value of current inventory.

Sales This Week The retail value of this week’s sales.

Recom. Transfer The number of units recommended to be transferred into or out of the store in order to maintain adequate quantities of merchandise in relation to demand.

Field Description

NSB IMRD Transfer Report 78

NSB IMRD Transfer Report

NSB IMRD Location Transfer Report



Location: from / to The range of locations to be included in the report.

Submitted Date (yyyy-mm-dd): from / to

The range of dates in which the documents’ status was changed to Submitted.


Location The location for which the report is to be scheduled for printing.

Update Print Status (Y/N)

Whether the print status should be updated when this report is printed.

Field Description

Document # The identification number of the transfer document.

Date Issued The date the transfer document was issued.

Sending Store The number and name of the store sending the merchandise.

Receiving Store The number and name of the store the merchandise is being sent to.

Style Code The code of the style appearing on the transfer document.

Style Short Description The short description of a style on the transfer document.

All If the number of units requested on the IMRD Transfer document is ALL, an ‘X’ appears here; otherwise, this field is blank.

Color The color of the style appearing on the transfer document.

Size Code The size of this style/color.

O/H The number of units on hand for this style/color/size.

79 Package Reports

Stock Status ReportThis report is a record of all transactions occurring in a location during a specific time period. It can be used by store or regional managers as an audit trail of all inventory movement in to and out of a location, along with opening and ending inventory for the date range selected.

Details are printed in location code/transaction type/transaction date sequence.

To print the Stock Status

Report



3. Select NSB Stock Status.



Req Number of units of this style/color/size requested.

Sent Number of units of this style/color/size that have been sent to the receiving store.

Original Retail The style’s original retail.

Current Retail The style’s current retail.

Field Description


Location Code: from / to The range of locations to be included in the report.

Date: from / to The range of dates to be included in the report. Enter in DD/MM/YYYY format.

80 Package Reports

Field Description

Location Code / Location Name

The identification number and name of the location.

81 Package Reports

Transaction TypesThe following transaction types are included in this report: Receipt Receipt - change of reason code RTV request RTV request - change of reason code RTV request cancel RTV confirmation RTV confirmation correction RTV discrepancy RTV (no request) RTV (no request) - change of reason code Cost factor Discount Distribution Shipped Distribution Shipped - PC taken Distribution Confirmed Distribution Discrepancy Transfer Send Transfer Receive Transfer Send - PC taken Transfer - change reason code Transfer Confirmation (receipt) Transfer Discrepancy Inventory Update (Actual Shrink) Update Pending Shrink Shrink Adjustment - Actual Shrink Adjustment - Pending

Transaction Type The transaction type description. See the list below for all possibilities.

Other Location Code

Location identification number; used for merchandise transactions of merchandise coming from or going to another location. Examples include transfer receives, transfer sends, distributions received from another location (in the case of a selling location) or sent to another location (in the case of a distribution or warehouse location).

Transaction Date The date the transaction occurred.

Document Number The identification number of the document associated with the transaction.

Inventory Status The status of the inventory units affected by the transaction. See the list below for all possibilities.

Transaction Units The number of units in the transaction.

Transaction Retail The total retail value of the transaction.

Totals None.

Field Description

Inventory Status 82

Stock Status Adjustment Beginning Inventory Sale POS discount amount Customer Order POS discount amount Sale - Customer Order Customer Return Customer Order Return Layaway Deposit Layaway Cancel Layaway Pick-up VAT Exchange Rate Difference Sales RIM Customer Order Create Customer Order Modify Customer Order Receive Customer Order Cancel Effective Price Change Promotions Promotions - Customer Orders Price Status Change Allocation Create Allocation Receive Allocation Ship Allocation Cancel Allocation Re-instate Allocation Pending Adjustment Adjustment Type 1 (cost) Adj Type 1 - change of reason code Adjustment Type 2 (units) Adj Type 2 - change or reason code Adjustment Type 3 (units cost) Adj Type 3 - change of reason code Average cost adjustment

Inventory StatusThe following is the list of system-defined inventory statuses which should be kept in the report document: Available Unavail: in transit Unavail: reserved Unavail: discrepancy Unavail: layaway Unavail: pending RTV Unavail: pending shrink Unavail: damaged

83 Package Reports

Unavail: reserved cust order Unavail: reserved for Ship-P/U Unavail: reserved sale pending Unavail: cust reserve intent

The following is the list of user-defined inventory status which should be removed and referred to as such: Unavail: cust order discrep Unavailable: misdirected Unavailable: damaged packaging Stockroom Special orders Shows and samples Unavailable: reserved Unavailable: damaged Unavailable: Stolen Unavailable: Bin location

Style Attribute SummaryThis report prints on hand, on order, sales statistics and sell thru percentage for each style attribute set belonging to a style attribute.

To print the Style

Attribute Summary



3. Select NSB Style Attribute Summary.




As of week (YYYYWW) The year and week that the report will be based on. Enter in YYYYWW format.

Style Attribute Code The style attribute code of the attribute sets to be included in the report.

84 Package Reports

Field Description

Style Attribute Set The attribute set related to the attribute selected.

End of Last Week On Hand

The on hand units at the end of last week.

OH Last Week % to Total The percentage of on hand units at the end of last week for this attribute set to the total on hand units for the attribute.

Total On Order The total units on order for this attribute set.

% On Order The percentage of units on order for this attribute set to the total units on order for the attribute.

Sales 1 Week Ago The number of units sold one week ago for this attribute set.

Sales % to Total The percentage of units sold one week ago for this attribute set to the total units sold for the attribute.

Sales 2 Weeks Ago The number of units sold two weeks ago for this attribute set.

Sales % to Total The percentage of units sold two weeks ago for this attribute set to the total units sold for the attribute.

Sales 3 Weeks Ago The number of units sold three weeks ago for this attribute set.

Sales % to Total The percentage of units sold three weeks ago for this attribute set to the total units sold for the attribute.

85 Package Reports

Style Color Sell ThruThis report provides style on hand, on order, sales and sell thru statistics for this week and up to three weeks ago, for a range of merchandise levels.

Details are printed in merchandise group / vendor / style / color sequence.

To print the Style Color

Sell Thru report



3. Select NSB Style Color Sell Thru.



Sell Thru Calculated as: Sales 1 Week Ago + Sales 2 Weeks Ago + Sales 3 Weeks Ago / End of Week On Hand + Sales 1 Weeks Ago + Sales 2 Weeks Ago + Sales 3 Weeks Ago.

Totals Report totals for the attribute are provided.

Field Description




As of Week (YYYYWW) The year and week that the report will be based on. Enter in YYYYWW format.

Merch Level Label The merchandising hierarchy level at which you want statistics, e.g. enter class, department, etc.

86 Package Reports

87 Package Reports

Field Description

Style Code / Vendor Style The code and vendor style for the style.

Style Description The style short description.

Color Code / Description The color code and color short description for the style.

Total On Order / Style Last PO Cost

Total units on order and the last cost on the most recent purchase order for this style color.

Units Sold / Sell Thru %: This Week

The number of units and sell thru percentage of units sold this week for this style color.

Units Sold / Sell Thru %: Last Week

The number of units and sell thru percentage of units sold last week for this style color.

Units Sold / Sell Thru %: 2 Weeks Ago

The number of units sold and sell thru percentage of units sold two weeks ago for this style color.

Units Sold / Sell Thru %: 3 Weeks Ago

The number of units sold and sell thru percentage of units sold three weeks ago for this style color.

Units Sold / Sell Thru %: Life

The number of units sold and sell thru percentage of units sold during the life of this style color.

Current On Hand / Net Receipts (Life)

The number of units currently on hand of this style color and the net total units received during the life of this style color.

Last PO Receipt Date The date this style color was last received.

Totals Totals are provided by vendor for each merchandise group and for the merchandise level chosen in the print selection criteria.

Report Designer gives you the ability to add extra features to your report.

You can: enter a customized free-form description of your report describing its contents. specify the number of different report results (executions) to keep of your report and the

length of time to keep these results. schedule your report to be run according to your report requirements. set up your report to always print in landscape mode. modify the contents and layout of your report. add a formula to your report. add sub-totals to your report.

The Object BrowserYou can modify the layout and contents of your report using the object browser. Details are displayed in Windows Explorer format.

After adding a number of fields or objects to a report, you may find that new fields aren't displayed on your report. The Object Browser enables you to view all aspects of the report, whether hidden or not.

Using the Object

Browser to edit a report

The Object Browser provides you with a summary of all of the items of your report. From this summary, you can: display report item properties delete report items update item dimensions and positions

4 Advanced Data Grids


1. Right-click anywhere in the white background outside of any data grid and select Object Browser.

2. In the Report Items Browser window, double-click to drill down to display the required items of the report.

3. To display the properties of an item, select the item and click Properties. The window containing the properties of the specific item will display. You can edit report properties in the same manner as described previously for Report Properties in this manual.

4. To delete an item from your report, select the item and click Delete.

5. To edit the dimensions of the item, enter the changes in the appropriate dimension (Width and Height) box and click Update.

6. To edit the position of the item, enter the changes in the appropriate position (Left and Type) box and click Update.

7. When finished, click Close.Remember to save and execute your report after all changes have been made. This ensures that the most current version will be shown whenever report output is displayed.

FormulasYou can add a new formula (text field and output field) to the data grid of the shortcut or metadata you have included in your report.

To add a new formula

1. Right-click the report grid and select Add a New Formula. The formula text field and output field will be placed in your report on the detail in the next available position.

2. Double-click the formula text field and make the required changes. See “Inserting text and labels in your report” on page 20 for more information.

3. Double-click in the formula output field to edit the output formula item properties.

To add a new formula 90

4. Use the General tab to view and edit the text of the output field and select the aggregate for this output field from the drop-down list.

5. To enter your formula, click Set Formula on the General tab.

6. Create your equation by using a combination of constants, mathematical operators, field names, or functions (see “Built-In Functions” on page 127 for a list of available pre-defined functions).

7. On the Options tab, enter the Label name for the formula and for Result type, select from the list how the resulting value is to be displayed in your output (Text or string, Numeric integers, Numeric float or Numeric money).

8. Use the In sub-totals and totals option to specify how you want your formula to affect subtotals and totals in your report. Select Sum all records to add together the formula results for the grand total. Select Apply the expression on the sum of the columns to add each of the columns used in the formula and apply the calculation on the resulting values (this option is useful for percentages).


9. Click OK to save your new equation.

10. Set the appearance of the formula using the tabs as described previously for Object Properties in this manual.

11. On the Format tab:

12. When you do not use a Windows format, click Advanced Format to define the output format of your field.

13. To edit the Positive, Negative, or Zero format shown in the User Defined Format window, click Edit beside the appropriate format.

Select To

Use Windows Control Panel Format

Use one of the output formats defined in the Windows Control Panel. If this option is selected, use the drop-down list to choose a format for your formula’s output.

Suppress if zero Not print output if it is zero.

Suppress if is repeated value

Not print output if it is a repeated value. If this option is selected, it means on the second row that the same value appears in this field, it will not be printed.

Sub-Totals 92

14. Use the Format Editor (which displays at the bottom of this window shown in the sample above, for the Positive format) to enter the format mask without knowing the different mask codes.For example, to create a mask to print a positive number click Edit beside the Positive field in the upper portion of the User Defined Format window and then build the mask using the various buttons in the Format Editor (bottom) portion of the window.

As an example, to build a mask for printing the number 23177.2500, in the Format Editor, click Digit or Nothing three times, click Thousand sep. once, click Digit or Nothing three more times, click Decimal, and then click Digit or Zero.

15. Once all changes have been made, click Update and then click OK.

Sub-TotalsYou can add sub-totals and totals within any group footer or report footer.

Either fields or formulas can be added.

To add a field 1. Right-click the data grid and select Add a New Field.

2. In the Add a column window, select the field you want to add to the sub-total line and select the appropriate footer.


This will insert the field at the next available position within the footer. You can use the positions at the lower right corner of the report display to align with the same field on the detail line.

Unlike adding information to the detail line, no field header is added in the header section.

To add a formula to a

total line

1. Right-click the data grid and select Add a New Formula. This will automatically add the new formula to the detail line. You can then drag it to any total line.

2. Once a field or formula has been placed on a total line, you can adjust the appearance of the formula using the tabs as described previously for Object Properties in this manual.

3. To set the aggregation action, enter the field properties and select from the drop-down list in the Aggreg. field.

Note: Use the In sub-totals and totals option to specify how you want your formula to affect subtotals and totals in your report. Select Sum all records to add together the formula results for the grand total. Select Apply the expression on the sum of the columns to add each of the columns used in the formula and apply the calculation on the resulting values (this option is useful for percentages).

The three actions are Sum, Average and Count (of rows). These are available for the group, page and grand (report) total. Group aggregates should only be placed in group footers and page and grand aggregates should only be placed in the report footer.

Depending on print settings, the grand aggregates can be used to provide running totals at the bottom of each page or only grand totals at the end of the report.

4. To print running grand totals on each page, each of the options on the Print tab must be selected within the properties of the grand total field.To only print a grand total at the end of the report, select only On Last Page.

This chapter describes how to: add and modify a data crosstab in your report add and modify a data graph in your report add and modify subreport data grids, graphs and crosstabs in your report edit output fields in your report

Data CrosstabsA data crosstab is a report format in which a field is used to create columns.

For example, on a report by vendor and class, you may want to have the different classes across the page.

If there are more columns in your output than you have defined (for example, you have defined four columns for Store No. but there are 10 stores), you will get another data crosstab below (with headings).

A data crosstab contains a main header, corner header and row header.

Inserting a Data

Crosstab

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Crosstab and draw the outline of the data crosstab to be included in your report.

2. If Report Designer is being used with metadata, in the Select A Shortcut window, select the shortcut for the data to be included in your report and click OK.


Note: See step 2 of “Inserting a Data Grid in your report” on page 16 for sample windows.

5 Advanced Report Types


The Crosstab Properties window displays.

3. Use the General tab to view the shortcut of the information to be printed outside the boundaries of the data crosstab of your report. Click Test to verify if the data from the shortcut is accurate before generating report output.

4. Enter: Main Header (and click Fonts to select the font, if required; see below) Columns Header Rows Header Corner HeaderIf many fields are being placed in the Rows Header, you can align the corner header text to the row header data by placing a "|" between the fields header. For example, Vendor Code | Vendor Name will align Vendor Code above the first field and Vendor Name above the second header field in the row.

The font for all of the above items can be changed; click the appropriate Fonts button to select the font, if required. See “Object Properties” on page 20 for more details.

5. Use the Columns tab to select the field(s) to be used in the crosstab as: x-axis (columns) y-axis (rows) values More than one field can be placed in each section.

6. To add a field, select the desired field and click the arrow pointing to the appropriate box.

7. To remove a field, double-click the field within the section from which it's to be removed.

Inserting a Data Crosstab 96

8. On the Draw tab:

9. On the Size tab, choose the appropriate options: Lock item in place Automatic Width Automatic Height

Choose this option To

Display in colors Display the data crosstab in colors.

Headers Foreground Double-click the color box to change the color.

Headers Background Double-click the color box to change the color.

Background Color Double-click the color box to change it.

Border Draw a border around the data crosstab.

Header Separator Draw a line between the column heading and the rows.

Columns Separators Draw a line between each column.

Row Headers Separator

Draw a line between the row header and the columns.

Rows Separators Draw a line between each row.


Notes: Right clicking on an item can also access these options. If you select Automatic Width and Automatic Height and then in your report layout, you attempt to increase the size of the data crosstab grid by one-half a column size, it will not work. You must increase the data crosstab grid size by at least one column width. Automatic Width will allow the report to print as many columns as will fit on the page. Depending upon space allowed on the report, subsequent columns will either print underneath the grid or on a separate page.

Use the remainder of this tab to view a graphical display (with height and width) of the columns in your data crosstab report.

10. On the Print tab, choose where this report data crosstab is to print in your report:

11. Click OK.

12. To modify any of the field properties, select the field, right-click and select Edit Properties. See “Object Properties” on page 20 for more information.

Data GraphsA data graph is the format of the shortcut you wish to include in your report. Your output will be shown in the illustrated graphically.

To insert a Data Graph

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Data Graph and draw the outline of the graph to be included in your report.

2. If Report Designer is being used with metadata, in the Select A Shortcut window select the shortcut for the data to be included in your report and click OK.



The shortcut appears as a graph in your report.

To insert a Data Graph 98

3. To edit the data graph properties, right-click anywhere in the white background of the graph display and select Edit Properties.

4. Use the General tab to view the source of the information (or shortcut) to be included in the data graph of your report, the field to graph, and a sample of your data graph.

5. On the Type tab, choose the appropriate options: Lock items in place: the item will not move after this option has been selected.

This prevents items from moving by mistake. data graph Type; use the drop-down list. data graph Style; use the drop down list.

6. On the Print tab, choose where this data graph is to print.


7. Use the Font tab to set the font for each of the following specific data graph elements:

8. In the Set Graph Element Font window, from the drop-down lists, select the Font family and the Font size Percentage if you want to change the default values.

9. Choose whether to print in Bold and/or Italic and/or Underline and click OK.

10. On the Title tab, specify: the Main title the Left title the Bottom title the Labels: select from the drop-down list the field to use to label the data graph

items. whether to Display legends

11. Click OK.

Select To

Main Title Font Select the font properties for the data graph main title.

Other Titles Font Select the font properties used for other data graph titles.

Labels Font Select the font properties used for labels.

Legend Font Select the font properties used for legends.

Editing Data Graph properties 100

Editing Data Graph

properties

You can edit the properties of your report’s data graph. Right-click the data graph and select Edit Properties (or double-click the data graph).

See “Data Graphs” on page 97 for more information.

Sub Report Data GridsA subreport data grid is a similar to a drill-down in data grid format. A subreport will be run for each detail line to retrieve the records appearing on your report. You can include a subreport data grid in your report design.

To insert a SubReport Data Grid

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click Subreport Data Grid and draw the outline of the subreport data grid to be included in your report.

2. If Report Designer is being used with metadata, in the Select A Shortcut window, select the shortcut for the data to be included in your report and click OK.


The Grid Properties window displays.

3. Follow the procedures described for Inserting a Data Grid in your report (step 3 onward) found in this manual to complete inserting a subreport data grid.

EditingSubReport Data Grid

properties

You can edit the properties of your report’s subreport data grid. To edit a subreport data grid in your report, right-click the subreport data grid and

select Edit Properties (or double-click the subreport data grid).

The grid properties and any field properties can be modified in the Grid Properties window, as described in Inserting a Data Grid in your report and Object Properties in this manual. However, for the subreport, if the Print as much detail lines per page flag is turned on, the height of a detail line on the main grid will be expanded to incorporate all lines of the subreport. If the subreport is placed in a header or footer, this option should be turned off and the Maximum number of detail lines per page option should be set as the size of the headers and footers are fixed.

For more information, see “To insert a SubReport Data Grid” on page 100.


SubReport CrosstabsA subreport crosstab is similar to a drill-down in crosstab format. A subreport will be run for each detail line to retrieve the records appearing on your report. You can insert a subreport crosstab in your report design.

To insert a SubReport

Crosstab

1. On the Toolbox toolbar, click SubReport Crosstab and draw the outline of the subreport crosstab to be included in your report.

2. In the Select A Shortcut window, select the shortcut for the data to be included in your report and click OK.


The Crosstab Properties window displays.

3. Follow the procedures described for Inserting a Data Crosstab (step 3 onward) found in this manual to complete inserting a subreport crosstab.

EditingSubReport

Crosstab properties

You can edit the properties of your report’s subreport crosstab. To edit a subreport crosstab in your report, right-click the subreport crosstab and

select Edit Properties (or double-click the subreport crosstab).

Report Designer includes various features that you can use to increase your productivity and customize the report designer to suit your working environment. Certain housekeeping functions are also available.

This chapter describes how to: set your user properties monitor and clear your personal recycle bin customize your toolbar make a request to execute a report schedule a report request

Defining your User PropertiesThe User Properties item on the Options menu lets you set various options that determine how you want Report Designer to appear and operate.

The User Properties window contains three tabs to assist you in customizing the application.

General tab

The General tab contains username, mailbox name, password and e-mail address. You can change your own password or set up mail and e-mail properties so that you can send and receive electronic mail. This will allow you to send a copy of your view via a message to other application users. The message will appear in your electronic mail mailbox.

6 Administrative Tasks


Note: The Mail Box name must correspond to your electronic mailbox username and the Password must correspond to your network password.

In order for your message containing a copy of your view to be received, the recipient must have the application installed.

To change your

password and set up a

mailbox name

1. From the Options menu, select User Properties, General tab.

2. Click Change User Password.

3. Enter your (current) Old Password.

4. Enter a New Password.

5. Confirm (by entering again) your New Password.

6. To set up mail properties, for Mail Box enter the name of your electronic mail inbox.

7. For Password, enter your network password.

8. Enter your Email address.

9. Click OK.

Desktop tabThe Desktop tab contains options to define how you want Report Designer to appear.

Available options in the Desktop tab include the following You can set up a picture to appear on the gray background of the main application

window. This is used if you want to display your company's logo in the background. You can save the position where the application's windows appear so that they always

display in the same place You can set up a timer for how often the application checks for incoming mail. This is

useful when another user has placed a message in your "In folder". For more information on placing messages in the "In folder", see “Defining your User Properties” on page 102.

To set your background picture 104

You can view or hide the folders bar, save toolbar configurations and positions, view or hide the status bar, display informational tips (for example, when you pass your mouse over folders) or display status bar tips.

To set your background

picture

1. From the Options menu, select User Properties, Desktop tab.

2. In the first portion of the window, click Set Filename.

3. In the Open Saved Pictures Files window, select the folder and the File name of a picture you wish to use as your background picture, ensure the file type is correct, and click Open.

4. The path to the file chosen is displayed beside Logo file name. Click OK.

To save window

positions, set the

application to check for

incoming mail and set

the workplace

options

1. From the Options menu, select User Properties, Desktop tab options.

2. In the second section of this window, select or clear whether to save window positions for the following: Report Designer Application window: the window for the application itself. your personal User Folders: Shortcut and Report folders. the System folders you have access to: Inbox and System Users folders (or if you

are a super user, all system folders). Others: the shortcut and report windows.

3. In the third section of this window, enter (in minutes), the frequency you want the application to check for incoming mail.

4. In the last two sections of this window, select or clear the following options: Display the folder bar Auto hide the folder bar (available only if Display the folder bar is also selected) Save Toolbar customizations view or hide the Status bar Display Info Tips Display status bar tips

5. Click Apply > OK.

Period tabThe Period tab is not used in Report Designer for Merchandising Analytics.

The Recycle BinAs a normal user, you have your own personal recycle bin that contains items you have deleted.

If you are a super user, you have access to the system recycle bin, which contains items deleted by all application users. When a normal user deletes and empties their personal recycle bin, the system recycle bin retains the deleted information. When a super user deletes and empties their recycle bin (the system recycle bin), all data will be deleted from the system permanently.


To clear your recycle bin

1. Double-click Recycle Bin.

2. Right-click in the white background of the recycle bin display and select Empty Recycle Bin.

3. At the warning message, click Yes to empty the recycle bin.

Customizing your ToolbarReport Designer is installed with the Menu Bar, Tool box toolbar and General toolbar.

You can add other standard toolbars for alignment and order, report viewer, and report designer, add or remove toolbar buttons, or create your own custom toolbar containing buttons for quick access to the functions you perform regularly.

See “Toolbar Buttons” on page 122 for a complete listing of available toolbar buttons.

From the Options menu, select Customize Toolbar. In the Toolbars tab, the Menu Bar, Toolbox, and General check boxes will automatically be selected.

To add other predefined

toolbars

Select from the Alignment & Order, Report Viewer, and/or Report Designer toolbars.

To customize a predefined toolbar 106

To customize a predefined

toolbar

1. From the Options menu, select Customize Toolbar.

2. Click the Tools tab.

3. Select the category of task on the left side of the window.

4. From the list of Tools displayed on the right side of the window, drag the tool icon you want to add to the appropriate predefined toolbar. It can be added either at the end of the predefined toolbar or in-between two existing tool icons.

5. When you remove and then reinstate a predefined toolbar, it is reinstated with any custom changes you previously made.

6. To view the description of a tool, select the tool on the toolbar and click Description.

7. To modify a tool, select the tool on the toolbar and click Modify Selection.

8. To change the name of the tool, enter the new name.

9. To display the tool on the toolbar as text only, select the tool on the toolbar and select Text Only (Always). For example, rather than the Delete tool, show the word Delete.

10. To display the tool in menus as text only, select the tool on the toolbar and select Text Only (in Menus).

11. To display the tool on the toolbar as tool and text, select the tool on the toolbar and select Image and Text.

12. To split your toolbar into tool groups, select the tool to begin the group with and select Begin a Group. A bar will be placed on the toolbar before that tool. (To remove the tool group bar, select the tool to the right of the bar and select Begin a Group.)

13. To reset the tool icon to its default (graphic only), select the icon and select Reset.

14. To delete a tool from a toolbar, select the icon on the toolbar and select Delete.

15. When you are finished, click Close.

To create a custom toolbar

1. From the Options menu, select Customize Toolbar.

2. In the Toolbars tab, click New.


3. In the New Toolbar window, type the Toolbar name > OK.

4. On the Tools tab, select the Category of task on the left side of the window.

5. From the list of Tools displayed on the right side of the window, drag the tool icon you want to add to the new toolbar at the top of the Report Designer main window. Place the icon immediately to the right of double bars indicating the new toolbar.

6. Repeat for each tool you want to include on your toolbar.

7. To customize how a tool displays in your new toolbar, see “To customize a predefined toolbar” on page 106, steps 6-13.

To delete tools from a

displayed toolbar

Drag the icon off the toolbar.

To remove a toolbar from your Report

Designer

Clear it on the Toolbars tab.

To customize how your

toolbar(s) display

1. Select the Options tab.

To delete a toolbar from your displayed toolbars 108

2. Select Large Icons to display toolbar icons in a larger size.

3. Select Show Screen Tips on toolbars to display the toolbar functionality when you mouse over the toolbar icon.

4. Select Show shortcut keys in Screen Tips to include the shortcut key combination as part of the screen tip displayed when you mouse over the toolbar icon.

5. Select how you want drop-down menus to act from the Menu animations drop-down list (None, Random, Unfold or Slide).

To delete a toolbar from

your displayed

toolbars

On the Toolbars tab, select the toolbar to be deleted, click Delete > OK to confirm your request.

Note: Only toolbars you have created can be deleted.

To rename a toolbar you

set up

From the Toolbars tab, click Rename, enter the new Toolbar name > OK.

Resetting your toolbars

You can reset the Report Designer predefined toolbars. This will remove all changes you made to these toolbars. They will contain only the toolbar buttons originally defined by Report Designer. On the Options menu, select Reset Toolbar. During the reset, the message Resetting

Toolbar and Menus Configuration displays in the Status bar.

Making a Request to Execute a ReportYou can request a report to be executed on the report server to be available for viewing through both Report Browser and Report Designer. This is a one-shot exception execution that will be run when the report server is available. Compare the difference between when you right-click a report and select Execute where the report is only available in Report Designer to be used for example, for testing purposes.

You can track your request to execute a report through the Foundation EAI Server. See the Foundation EAI Server User Guide for more information.


How to make a request to

execute a report

This feature is also available through the File menu, Display Report Output function. Use the Request button.

1. In the Report folder, right-click a report item and select Request Execution.

2. In the Request Report window, select the reporting Period for the report from the drop-down list.

3. Select the Target database from the drop-down list.

4. Enter a name for the report execution and click OK.

5. Click OK to acknowledge that your report request has been successfully received.

Use the File menu, Display Report Output option to confirm when this report has been executed. You can then display report results.

Scheduling a Report RequestA report can be scheduled in Report Designer to be executed by the EAI Server.

Note: If a scheduled report produces no output, no report will be generated.

Printing a report in PDF format and sending the PDF version to e-mail recipientsIf a special license key is entered during the SRMain portion of the SmartLook Server Components installation, a printer driver called PDF995 will be installed. This printer driver allows you to schedule report jobs to print in PDF format and also to send the PDF report to e-mail recipients.

How to schedule a request to execute a

report

How to schedule a request to execute a report 110

1. While viewing the report layout (via the File menu, Open), right-click in any white (background) area of the report and select Properties.

2. From the Report Properties window, select the Schedule tab.

3. If this report has been scheduled, details are displayed. Click Edit in the Find Job ID window, select the report you want to schedule and click New Job or click Modify to edit an existing execution schedule for this report.


4. On the Job Info tab, select or clear Active to indicate whether this job is eligible to execute.

5. Next, select the Machine Name and Server Name from the drop-down lists where this report is to be executed. The Machine Name refers to the physical device on which to run this report. The Server name is a folder on the machine. Different servers may be set up on a machine in order to balance processing.

6. Enter a Job Label. This will be the name of the job that will execute the report. The Job Type field displays Report. The Topic field displays the metadata type. The Implementation is the specific database(s) on which the report will execute and the Item is name of the report.

7. Select or deselect Active to indicate which this job is eligible to execute.

8. If the PDF995 printer driver is installed and you want to print the report job in PDF format and/or send the PDF report to e-mail recipients, complete the PDF995 options in the lower half of the Job Scheduler window:

Note: At least one of the following first four check boxes must be selected for the report job to be saved.

Execute Print Save to PDF (enables the Email PDF check box and the PDF Filename text box) Email PDF (enables the Email recipients text box) PDF filename (enter the name of the PDF file in which to save the report output)


Email recipients (enter the e-mail addresses (separating each by a semi-colon) of all persons you want to receive this report)

Printer (select the printer to which this print request should be directed) Number of copies (select the number of copies to be printed)

9. If this report has already been scheduled and executed, click Last Trace to display execution trace information.

The Job Info tab redisplays when you close the Execution Trace window. Click Last Error to display a log of errors encountered when this report was last executed.

Click Close to return to the Job Info tab and click All Executes to display details of all executions of this report.


Click Close to return to the Job Info tab.

10. On the Job Schedule tab, select either: Set number of execution times and enter the number of times the report should be

executed, or Set the time of the job and enter the Start date and Start time, select whether

there is to be No End Date Time (this means the job will run at the specified


interval until the schedule is deleted) or enter an end date and time. Then enter the Interval count and Interval type (which indicate how many times in a specific time interval the job is to be executed). The system will calculate and display the next run date and time. If the report is recurring, the next occasion will add the interval to the time the report was last completed.

Click Save to save the scheduling options, and then check the Next date and Next time boxes for the time when the job will next run. If the job was not scheduled properly, these boxes will be empty. Click Restrictions to enter additional date and time restrictions.

11. You can also set restrictions as to when the report should be run. The default is to allow the report to run any time. Use the Date Restrictions tab to restrict the day on which the report runs. To have the report run only on Sunday, you can deselect the other days of the week.


12. You can also limit the time of day the report can run. The default is at any time but you may want to prevent the report from being run during the day. To do so, use the Start Time and Finish Time to set the allowable times. The allowed times are shown in colon on the clock on the left side of the screen. Note that since the next execution is based on the last execution completed, the report will run a little later in the day each time. You will need to monitor the next execution time periodically to make sure that it doesn't skip an execution due to restrictions.


13. On the Job Debug Info tab, select if you want errors to be logged to the database and whether execution details are to be logged to the database or to a file. If Trace To File is selected, also select whether to purge previous trace details. If either Debug Tracing option is selected, also indicate how many levels of debugging to perform by selecting the appropriate options from the list at the right side of the window.

14. Click Apply > OK to save your additions/changes.

Use the EAI Server to track what is running. See the Foundation EAI Server User Guide for details.

Job Debug Info tab

Select To

Database connection

Log all database connections.

Program manager Log higher level processing management.

Steps Log multi-threaded processing (Export and Loss Prevention jobs only).

Application Log lower level processing.

Scripting engine (will be removed).

This chapter describes how to: create a new user and super user delete a user create and delete user groups

Security OverviewAccess to Report Designer is controlled through the creation of users. Access privileges are assigned to each user based on the functionality required to do their specific job.

There are two types of users: Normal user: a Report Designer user who has access to the current topic (the

application with which Report Designer is currently being used) Super user: a Report Designer user with additional capabilities. For example, super

users can create new users, create user groups and folders, delete users, etc.

Typically, a normal user will not have access to system folders other than the System In folder and the System Users folder.

The following process has been found effective in the managing of Report Designer output:

1. A super user creates a shortcut and a report.

2. The super user creates a group of users to have access to the report.

3. The super user drags and drops the report on each user's inbox and includes a message about the report, if applicable. The message (with the attached report) is sent to each user.

4. The normal user opens the received message and drags and drops the report on their personal report folder so that they can execute it as required.

UsersOnly system administrators (those users with the super user designation) can create new Report Designer normal users or other super users.

To create a new user

1. Access the System Folder: System Users folder and right-click in the background (white) area.

2. Select New, User.

7 Security

To create a new user 118

3. On the General tab, enter the User Full Name, User name and the Password. Enter the password again to Confirm Password.

4. Access the Topics tab and activate at least one topic (click in the Active column; a check mark will display). Also select whether the user can access Shortcuts (S) and/or Reports (R) in the active topic. The user will be given a personal folder for each of the items they have access to. You must set a topic to Active (check mark displayed) before you can give a user access to Shortcuts and/or Reports. If you leave a box unchecked, the user will not be allowed to create or edit that type of object.For example, if a new user is given access to reports only, they will only have a Report folder displayed in their folders bar of the main Report Designer window. This way, they cannot create their own shortcuts.

5. Access the Privileges tab and indicate whether the new user you are creating is a Report Designer super user.

119 Security

6. If an electronic mail package is also installed and the user is to have the capability of sending and/or receiving e-mail output, access the Mail tab and enter the new user’s Mailbox Name and Mailbox Password. (Your electronic mail software must be MAPI (mail application protocol interface) compliant.)


Clearing a User’s PasswordWhen you forget your password, a super user can clear it from the application and allow you to set up a new one.

To clear a user’s

password and set up a

new one

1. In the System user's folder, right-click your user icon.

2. Select Clear User Password. This sets your password to an empty string. Click Yes to confirm your request and then click OK.

3. Sign off and sign back on to Report Designer using only your user name.

4. On the Options menu, select User Properties and on the General tab, click Change User Password.

5. Enter your New Password and reenter it again to Confirm Password. Click OK.

6. Click OK to acknowledge the password change.


User Groups 120

User GroupsUser groups are useful for: mailing output to multiple Report Designer users allowing multiple users access to shortcuts and reports

By creating a user group, you save time when mailing output or allowing access because it is a one-step process (similar to using a mailing list).

Within the System Users folder, icons are used to denote the following:

Creating a new group of

users

A user group.

A normal user.

A super user.

An inactive user (does not have access to any topic).

121 Security

1. Access the System Folder: System Users folder and right-click in the background (white) area.

2. Select New, Group of users.

3. Enter the Name of the new group. Then, in the system users box, one-by-one double-click the icon for each user who is to be included in the group.

4. When finished, close the window.The new user group will appear in the Users window the next time you access the window.

Deleting a group of

users

This procedure deletes the user group only; users in the group will not be deleted.

1. Access the System Folder: System Users folder and right-click the group of users which is to be deleted.

2. Select Delete.

3. To confirm the deletion, click Yes.

Toolbar buttons appear and disappear depending on the menu item and window you are working in.

Some buttons are multi-purpose and are used for different functions depending on which window is active. Toolbar buttons that are unique to a specific window are discussed in the relevant section of the manual.

When Report Designer is set up on your PC, the Alignment & Order and General toolbars are installed as default toolbars. They contain buttons for some of the commonly used functions within Report Designer.

You can deselect these toolbars, gain access to other preset toolbars, or define a custom toolbar to suit your personal requirements.

A Toolbar Buttons

123 Toolbar Buttons

Alignment & Order (default) toolbar

Toolbar Button Description

Left Edges

Top Edges

Bottom Edges

Right Edges

Vertical Spacing

Horizontal Spacing

Center in the Page

Horizontal Center

Vertical Center

Same Width

Same Height

Same Width & Height

Send to Back

Bring to Front

Send Backward

Bring Forward

General (default) toolbar 124

General (default) toolbar

Report Viewer toolbar

Report Designer toolbar


Create a New Report (Ctrl+N)

Open an Existing Report (Ctrl+O)

Save The Active Report (Ctrl+S)

Execute Report

Display Report Output


First Page

Previous Page

Next Page

Last Page

Zoom in and out


Cut (Ctrl+X)

Copy (Ctrl+C)

Paste item to the active report (Ctrl+V)

Edit Align Tools

125 Toolbar Buttons

Tool box toolbar

Other toolbar buttons

Edit Order Tools


Select Items

Text and Labels

Pictures and Logos

Report Field

Line

Squares And Shapes

Data Grid

Data Crosstab

Data Graph

Sub Report Data Grid

Sub Report Crosstab


File - Save As

File - Save All


Other toolbar buttons 126

File - Exit

File - New Simple Grid Report

File - New Shortcut

Edit - Delete

Option - Customize Toolbar

Option - User Properties

Option - Reset Toolbar

Window - Cascade

Window - Tile Horizontal

Window - Tile Vertical

Window - Arrange Icons

Window - All Windows

Window - Users

Window - Inbox

Window – Recycle Bin

Help - Tip Of The Day

Help - About Report Designer


Report Designer provides the following built-in functions:

B Built-In Functions

Function Explanation Example

$LEFT(STRING,LENGTH) Returns the first LENGTH characters of STRING

$LEFT(‘FOUNDATION’,5)=’FOUND’

$RIGHT(STRING,LENGTH)

Returns the last LENGTH characters of STRING

$RIGHT(‘FOUNDATION’,4)=’TION’

$MIDDLE(STRING,START,LENGTH)

Returns from STRING, LENGTH number of characters, starting from START

$MIDDLE(‘FOUNDATION’,2,4)=’OUND’

$UPPER(STRING) Returns STRING in all uppercase characters $UPPER(‘foundation’)=’FOUNDATION’

$LOWER(STRING) Returns STRING in all lowercase characters $LOWER(‘FOUNDATION’)=’foundation’

$PROPER(STRING) Returns STRING with the first letter of each word capitalized

Note: This function can only be used in calculated columns; not in equations.

$PROPER(‘FOUNDATION QUERY DESIGNER’)=’Foundation Query Designer’

$FORMAT(EXPRESSION,FORMAT) Note: This function can only be used in

calculated columns; not in equations.

$TRIMLEFT(STRING) Removes leading spaces from STRING $TRIMLEFT(‘ FOUNDATION’)= ‘FOUNDATION’

$TRIMRIGHT(STRING) Removes trailing spaces from STRING $TRIMRIGHT(‘FOUNDATION ’)= ‘FOUNDATION’

$TRIMALL(STRING) Removes leading and trailing spaces from STRING

$TRIMALL(‘ FOUNDATION ’)= ‘FOUNDATION’

$LEFTPAD(STRING,CHAR,LEN)

Precedes STRING with enough instances of CHAR to make STRING LEN characters long

$LEFTPAD(‘FOUNDATION’, ‘#’,15)= ‘######FOUNDATION’

$RIGHTPAD(STRING,CHAR,LEN)

Adds enough instances of CHAR to make STRING LEN characters long

$RIGHTPAD(‘FOUNDATION’, ‘#’, 15)= ‘FOUNDATION######’

$ABSOLUTE(NUMBER) Returns the absolute value of NUMBER $ABSOLUTE(-10)=10$ABSOLUTE(10)=10

$NEGATIVE(NUMBER) Returns the result of NUMBER multiplied by -1

$NEGATIVE(10)=-10$NEGATIVE(-10)=10

Built-In Functions 128

$FLOOR(NUMBER) Returns the largest integer equal to or less than NUMBER

$FLOOR(-10.4)=-11 $FLOOR(10.4)=10

$CEILING(NUMBER) Returns the smallest integer greater than or equal to NUMBER

$CEILING(-10.4)=-10 $ceiling(10.4)=11

$INTEGER(NUMBER) Same as $FLOOR $INTEGER(10.4)=10 $INTEGER(-10.4)=-10

$SIGN(NUMBER) Returns -1 for all numbers <0. Returns 1 for all numbers >0.

$SIGN(-10)=-1 $SIGN(10)=1

$SQUARE(NUMBER) Returns the square root of a number $SQUARE(25)=5

$MODULUS(NUMBER,DIVIDER)

Returns the remainder after calculating DIVIDER/NUMBER to the largest possible whole number

$MODULUS(10,25)=5

$LEFTPADN(STRING,CHAR,LENGTH)

Similar to $LEFTPAD but converts STRING to a number before padding

$LEFTPADN(10000,0,8)=00010000

$RIGHTPADN(STRING,CHAR,LENGTH)

Similar to $RIGHTPAD but converts STRING to a number before padding

$RIGHTPADN(10000,0,8)=10000000

$HOUR(DATE) Returns the HOUR in a DATE/TIME field $HOUR(12/31/99)=0

$ROUND(Numeric, Precision)

Return the NUMBER rounded to the specified precision

$ROUND(17.12, 1) = 17.1 $ROUND(17.75, 1) = 17.8 $ROUND(-17.75, 1) = -17.8

$MINUTE(DATE) Returns the MINUTE in a DATE/TIME field $MINUTE(12/31/99)=0

$SECOND(DATE) Returns the SECOND in a DATE/TIME field $SECOND(12/31/99)=0

$DAYofMONTH(DATE) Returns the day number in DATE $DAYofMONTH(12/31/99)=31

$DAYofWEEK(DATE) Returns the day of the week: Sunday = 1, Saturday = 7

$DAYofWEEK(12/31/99)=6

$DAYofYEAR(DATE) Returns the day of the year DATE falls on $DAYofYEAR(12/31/99)=365

$WEEK(DATE) Returns the calendar week that DATE falls in $WEEK(12/31/99)=52

$MONTH(DATE) Returns the MONTH number that DATE falls in

$MONTH(12/31/99)=12

$MONTHNAME(DATE) Returns the name of the month that DATE falls on

$MONTHNAME(12/31/99)=‘December’

$DAYNAME(DATE) Returns the name of the weekday DATE falls on

$DAYNAME(12/31/99)=‘Friday’

$QUARTER(DATE) Returns the calendar QUARTER that DATE falls in

$QUARTER(12/31/99)=4

$YEAR(DATE) Returns the YEAR that DATE falls in $YEAR(12/31/99)=1999

$TODAY() Returns today's date. $TODAY() = 4/22/2002


129 Built-In Functions

$TODAY_S(Format) Returns today's date in the format specified $TODAY_S ('dd/mm/yyyy') = 22/04/2002

$ISNULL(EXPRESSION,VALUE)

Checks for NULL values in EXPRESSION, replaces NULL with VALUE

$ISNULL(EXPRESSION,VALUE)

$ToSTRING(EXPRESSION)

Converts EXPRESSION to a STRING $ToSTRING(123)=‘123’

$ToNUMERIC(EXPRESSION)

Converts EXPRESSION to a number $ToNUMERIC(‘123’)=123

$IFTHEN(Expression, True Value, False Value)

Returns either a True Value or False Value depending on whether the EXPRESSION is True or False.

$IFTHEN((1 = 1), "True","False") = True

$COMCALL(ProgID, Method, …, Parameter Count)

Executes a method in a dll registered on the PC with the parameters specified

$COMCALL("MyDll.ClassX", "GetValue", "Test", -1, 500, 3)

$DAYDIFF(Date 1, Date 2)

Returns the NUMBER OF DAYS between Day 1 and Day 2

$DAYDIFF("03/02/2002", "04/01/2002") = 31 $DAYDIFF("04/01/2002", "03/01/2002") = - 31


Documents

Epicor Retail Merchandising Analytics 5.0 Report Designer Reports 4.3.21456.pdf · DISCLAIMER This manual is provided for informational purposes only. Epicor Software Corp oration