You can create a report while using Chart Wizard, Quick Chart, or Chart Designer.
To create a report for each part number you choose, highlight Report Writer in the left list box. To create one report showing all the part numbers you choose, highlight Report Writer in the right list box.
Be careful when selecting Report Writer options. If you want to analyze many part numbers, be sure to select Report Writer from the right list box. Selecting too many individual reports at one time could overload the system, especially when those report formats include many charts and detailed information for each part number.
Highlight the part number(s) you want to analyze. In addition, if you want to apply retrieval or statistical options to the analysis, you can click on Next. After selecting the options you need, click on Finish. You will see the following dialog:
You can choose to use an existing report format or to create a new format.
If you want to use an existing report format, but you want to make some changes to it, highlight the report from the list box and click Copy. This allows you to keep the existing format intact while making another similar format. It also saves you time, especially if want to make only a few changes to an existing report format.
To end the report designer session, click Cancel.
To create a new report, click on the New button on the “Report Format” dialog.
If you are editing a report, you will click on the Edit button and then follow the same steps as when creating a new report. After you have created a report, you can change the format by selecting Options, Change Report Format from the Menu Bar.
After clicking on New (or Edit), you will see the following dialog:
To name your report, click on the down arrow and select an existing name or type in a new name.
Click on the Page Setup button to select options for formatting your page. You will see the following dialog:
Page orientation
You can select whether you want portrait or landscape orientation. Portrait orientation positions your page in the normal 8 1/2 x 11 format, with the shorter side on top. Landscape orientation positions your page so that the 11-inch side is on top. The Landscape option allows you to create longer labels or to accommodate long tables such as a Data Table.
Borders
You can choose page borders for your report. You also can choose borders for the tables and columns you include in your report.
Click on the down arrows and make selections from the drop-down boxes. The miniature page views directly beneath the border list boxes show you instantly how your choices will look on the page.
Margins
If you want to change the margin measurements, click in the list boxes and type in the measurements you want.
Click OK after selecting the page format for your report(s).
Click on the “Title” tab.
All new formats are called “New Report” by default. If you want to give it a new title, type one in the “Report Name” text box.
You can place the title at the left margin, in the center, or at the right margin by clicking on your Alignment choice.
Changing fonts
If you want to change the font size or style of your title, click on the Edit font button.
Highlight the font, style, or character size (clicking on the arrows gives you more options) you would like. The Sample screen will show instantly how your choices will look on the report.
In addition, you can display your title in color. Click on the down arrow under “Color” and highlight your color choice from the drop-down screen.
You also can choose to underline your title. The program will not save your strikeout selection.
Click OK.
Click on the “Title” tab.
Click on the Browse button to see the file options containing pictures. You may select pictures from a bitmap (. bmp) file, a Windows metafile (. wmf), or an icon (. ico) file.
Click on the down arrow by “List files of type” and highlight the file type you want. Click OK.
The program places your picture, often a company logo, in the top left-hand corner of the report page. If the subtitle is too long to fit beside the picture or if it is formatted to align with the left margin, the program places the subtitle below the picture.
Click on the “Detail” tab to specify what data values you want to include on the report. Your report will display each detail value as a separate column, and it will display a value for each subgroup. For example, if you select Department as a detail value, the report creates a Department column, and it displays the Department number for each of your subgroups in that column.
Highlight the detail choices from the “Available detail columns” list that you want to see on your report. Click Insert. The details that you highlighted show in the “Selected detail columns” box. The following items appear on the list in alphabetical order: Action taken, Anchor Point, Bypass, Cause, Data points, Date/Time, Event, Note, Paet Number, Range, Row, X-bar, Traceability, [- Add Text -], and [Start new row -].
If you select more than one part number for your report to display, the report will show all the detail columns, followed by the summary columns for the first part number. Then it will show all the detail columns, followed by the summary columns, for the next part number, and so on.
If you are creating a report analyzing a large number of part numbers, you probably will want to eliminate the Details Columns. Otherwise, your report will be unnecessarily long. Just ignore the “Details” tab.
The "Detail" tab contains up and down arrows for navigation up and down the list.
The "Note" Entry has been updated to print the text of the notes associated with the data records retrieved. Data records with no note display "no note" in the note column of the report.
Click on the “Detail” tab of the Report Designer dialog.
If you choose the wrong details and want to delete them, highlight the incorrect choice and click Remove. If you want to change all of your choices, click on Select All. Then click on Remove.
If you want to edit one of your choices, highlight your choice and then click Edit.
You will see a dialog similar to the one below for each of your choices:
Type your revised description or column width in the text boxes. The Sample at the bottom left-hand corner shows you how your revision will look. Click OK when you have finished editing the column description or width.
To return to the default settings, double-click in the text box(es) and press Delete on your keyboard. Click OK.
If you want to edit all of your choices, click on Select all. Then click on Edit. The program will display the “Edit Column Information” dialogs for all your choices in the order you have them listed in “Selected detail columns” list box.
To change the font settings for column titles, click Edit font.
Click on the “Summary” tab.
Highlight the summary choices from the “Available summary columns” list that you want to see on your report. Click Insert. The choices you highlighted show in the “Selected summary columns” box.
You can choose to create summary columns based on statistical analysis or on Standard limits.
Your report will display the summary columns following the detail columns for each part number. If your report analyzes more than one part number, it will display the detail and summary columns for the first part number before showing the detail and summary columns for the next part number.
Like the detail columns, the report displays each summary value in a separate column. However, unlike the detail columns that display a value for each subgroup, the summary columns analyze all the selected subgroups in one summary value.
The "Summary" tab has an up and a down arrow for navigating up and down the list.
Click on the “Summary” tab of the Report Designer dialog.
If you choose the wrong summary columns and want to delete them, highlight the incorrect choice and click Remove. If you want to change all of your choices, click on Select All. Then click on Remove.
If you want to edit one of your choices, highlight your choice and then click Edit.
You will see a dialog similar to the following dialog for each of your choices:
Type your revised description or column width in the text boxes. The Sample at the bottom left-hand corner shows you how your revision will look. Click OK when you have finished editing the column description or width.
To return to the default settings, double click in the text box(es) and press Delete on your keyboard. Click OK.
If you want to edit all of your choices, click on Select all. Then click on Edit. The program will display the “Edit Column Information” dialogs for all your choices in the order you have them listed in “Selected summary columns.”
To change the font settings for column titles, click Edit font.
Click on the “Header/Footer” tab.
Each page of your report will display the header and footer you select. The headers and footers are divided into three sections, one aligned with the left margin, one in the center, and one aligned with the right margin.
You can select one of the predefined header or footer labels by clicking on the down arrow beside each list box and highlighting your choice. The boxes in the left column show the commands you have chosen. The boxes in the right column show what your commands will look like on the report.
If you want to create your own labels, select Text from the predefined lists. This option allows you to type your own labels into the right-column boxes.
To edit header and footer fonts, click on the Edit font button.
If you would like to display charts on your report, click on the “Charts” tab.
Highlight the charts you want the report to display. If you have selected Report Writer only for individual charts in Chart Wizard, Quick Chart, or Chart Designer, you will be able to select only individual charts from the “Separate windows” box in this dialog. The same is true if you select Report Writer only for multiple charts. You will be able to select only multiple charts in the “Group together” box in this dialog. If you select Report Writer for both kinds of charts, you can choose from both options in this dialog.
Select where you want to place the charts on the report by clicking on the options listed under the chart list boxes.
Even if you have not generated a chart before creating your report, you can create one while displaying a report on your screen. Select Options, Change Report Format from the Menu Bar. Highlight the name of the report to which you want to add the chart(s) on the Report Format dialog and click on Edit. Then click on the “Charts” tab. Follow the preceding steps for inserting charts into a report.
Displaying charts in a report on your screen takes up a lot of memory. You may want to “block out” these charts to save memory, particularly when you are using many charts in a report. Instead of seeing your charts on the screen, you will see only a blank box. Although the charts are “blocked out” on your screen, the program prints them when you print the report.
You can block out charts by changing the Cms.ini setting preview_chart=1 to preview_chart=0. The default setting preview_chart=1 displays your charts on the screen.
Click on the “Comments” tab.
The initial comments appear immediately below the title. The final comments appear at the end of the report.
To create initial or final comments, click in the text boxes and type in the comments. To advance from one line to the next, press CTRL + ENTER. This way you can control how long your comment lines will be.
If you want the comments updated each time the report runs, click in the boxes marked “Edit initial (final) comment at report time.” You will be prompted to edit the comments each time the report is generated.
You can choose to place your comments at the left margin, at the center, or at the right margin.
If you want to change the font of your initial and final comments, click on the Edit font button. Short-cut buttons on Report Writer:
Page orientation: Click on the down arrow to select whether you want Portrait (vertical) or Landscape (horizontal) orientation. Landscape orientation shifts the page so that the long side is on top. This allows you to accommodate long tables or labels.
Zoom: If you are at 100%, that is the size your report will be when you print it. Choose a lower percentage if you want to get more of the report fitted onto your screen. Choose a higher percentage to “zoom in on” a section of the report.
Copy: At the bottom of the screen, you will see a button with a clipboard. That is the Copy button. Clicking on Copy will copy only the current page of your report into the clipboard. For more information on printing from the clipboard, see your Windows manual.
Print: At the bottom of the screen, you will see a button with a printer. Click on this to print your report.
You may create a special report in Chart Designer using multiple date ranges or multiple filters that displays a table within a table.
You should know that after creating a report displaying a table within a table, you can change the table format by selecting Options, Change Table Settings from the Menu Bar.
To create your report, first select your multiple date ranges or multiple filters in Chart Designer. Click OK. Then highlight “Report Writer” from the left “Create a window containing all Part Numbers” box.
Choosing this option allows you to generate tables within tables. By choosing to have tables within tables, you can save space on your report and make it easier to read.
After selecting “Report Writer” and any retrieval or statistical options you want to apply to your selected part numbers, click on Finish. You will get the following dialog:
Click on the Table within a table button. If you click on the Regular button, you will get a regular report showing one row for each of your part numbers.
Highlight the Report format you want to use. Click OK. If you want to create a new format, click on New.
Tip: Typically, you will want to ignore the detail columns section when creating a report that analyzes more than one part number. Otherwise, your report will be excessively long.
If the report format you choose contains statistical labels, you can see the pre-selected list by clicking on the down arrow to the right of the “Statistical column labels split at” box. If you want to change this predefined list, you will need to edit the report. However, you first need to create the report using the existing statistics list. Then, you can click on Options, Change Report Format to edit the report. When you see the Report Format dialog, highlight the format you want to change and click on Edit.
By highlighting one of the options from the “Statistical column labels” drop-down list, you will determine where the list will be split into separate rows or columns. For example, some information is standard for all date ranges retrieved for one part number. It makes sense to list that information in one column and to list a statistic such as Cpk or Cp in a separate column since this varies for each retrieval. Since the program automatically splits the columns or rows at this point, normally you will not need to set this option.
You also can choose which Report Style you would like. The first option puts rows within rows. The second option puts columns within columns. Rows within rows creates longer, narrower tables, while columns within columns creates shorter, wider tables. See the examples below:
A table with rows within rows.
When using a report that has a table within a table, you cannot display all of the options available for a report with regular tables.
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Report Writer using regular tables can display: |
Report Writer using tables within tables can display: |
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Detail and Summary Column data |
Summary Column data |
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Individual Charts and Multiple Charts |
Multiple Charts |
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Different Column widths |
Column widths set by default |
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Page and detail borders |
Page borders |
After creating your report, you can change retrieval settings by selecting Options, Change Retrieval Settings from the Menu Bar. If you create a report using multiple charts and multiple date ranges, you will not be able to change the high or low date in the retrieval setting. If you selected multiple filters, you will not be able to change the filter in the retrieval setting. By selecting Change Retrieval Settings, the program will re-retrieve your data and re-draw your chart(s) and/or report.
If the Report Writer is slow to display reports that contain charts, adding preview_chart=0 to the Cms.ini file on your workstation may help to display the charts more quickly. This option displays an empty box in place of each chart on the screen, but the printed reports will include these charts as usual.