Using other reporting features

1. If you want to format a field, change the placement or width of a field, or insert a subtotal or grand total, click the field to select it. Handles appear on the top, bottom, and sides of each selected field:
   • To change the placement of the field(s), use the mouse to drag the field placement frame to its new position.
   • To change the width of the field, use the mouse to drag the right or left handle.
   • Right-click the field to format font, alignment within field, number, currency, date display, border, color, indentation, or to summarize the field. A shortcut menu appears listing various commands for formatting and summarizing the field.

     Note:     To apply formatting only under certain conditions, click Conditional Formula next to the formatting property in the Format Editor, and create a formula that defines those conditions. See Working with conditional formatting.

2. To create a formula that makes data calculations or comparisons, click Insert Fields on the Standard toolbar. When the Field Explorer dialog box appears, select Formula Fields.
3. Click New. The Formula Name dialog box appears. Enter a name for the formula and click OK. The Formula Editor appears.
4. Enter the formula in the Formula Editor. Enter fields, operators, and functions by selecting them from their respective lists or by typing them in. You can check the formula syntax by clicking Check.
5. When you are finished editing, click Close to return to the Field Explorer dialog box. Click Insert to place the formula just like you would a database field. See Using Formulas.
6. To insert a subreport (a report within a report), click Insert Subreport on the Supplementary toolbar and choose an existing report to import as a subreport or use the Create Report Expert to create a new subreport. See Inserting subreports.

   If you want the records in a subreport to match up with the records in a primary report, click the Link tab of the Insert Subreport dialog box and specify the link in the Subreport Links dialog box when it appears. See Linking a subreport to the data in the primary report.

7. To insert a cross-tab object in a report, click Insert Cross-Tab on the Supplementary toolbar and set up the cross-tab in the Format Cross-Tab dialog box when it appears. See Cross-Tab Objects.
8. To create a parameter field (a field that prompts you for a value whenever you retrieve data for a report), click Insert Fields on the Standard toolbar, then select Parameter Fields in the Field Explorer dialog box when it appears. Click New to set up a parameter field. Once created, you can insert the parameter field in a report like a database field or select it from the Fields list in the Formula Editor.

   Parameter fields can be used in reports (as title or label prompts), in selection formulas (as selection criteria prompts), and in formulas (for a variety of purposes including specifying sort fields). See Parameter Fields.

9. To add a chart, click Insert Chart on the Standard toolbar. See Charting.
10. To add a map, click Insert Map on the Standard toolbar. See Mapping.
11. To insert a spreadsheet, picture, or other OLE object that you can edit from within the Report Designer using the tools from the object's native application, choose OLE Object from the Insert menu. See OLE, and Working with static OLE objects.
12. To change the record sort order, click Sort Order on the Standard toolbar. The Record Sort Order dialog box appears. Highlight the field(s) you want to use for sorting the report data and the sort direction. See Sorting single and multiple fields.
13. To limit the report to specific records (for example, the records of California customers who have year-to-date sales greater than $10,000), click the first field on which you want your selection to be based and then click Select Expert on the Standard toolbar. When the Select Expert appears, set up the record selection criteria.
14. To print the report, click Print on the Standard toolbar.

That's it! It is that easy to build a report.