Creating and maintaining elements

Use this procedure to create elements. For information on how to use elements in structures see, Creating and maintaining structures.

  1. Open the Tools dashboard and select Report Administration. The Reporting Services Administration screen is displayed.
  2. Select Rights Management > New Element.
  3. Specify this information:
    Name

    Specify a name for the element. If you are creating an element for a Lawson Applications report, the level break names are case sensitive. For example, Accounting Unit must be either ACCOUNTING UNIT or ACCT UNIT.

    You determine the element names and case varies depending upon the type of report that you want to assign elements:

    • For Lawson Applications reports, access the print file that you will select for bursting to determine the element names and proper case.
    • For Crystal reports, access Crystal Reports Designer > Field Explorer to determine the element names and proper case.
    Description
    Optionally, specify a brief description of the element. The description that you provide is displayed in the Data Elements table.
    Default Data Type
    Optionally, specify the default data type. All Lawson Applications reports use the value string.

    If you specify values in Default Data Type, Default Data Size, and Default Value on both the element and the element reference, the element reference values override the element values.

    Default Data Size
    Optionally, specify the maximum number of characters in the field. The fields on Lawson Applications reports do not exceed 50 characters.
    Default Value
    Optionally, specify the value that you want to default when you add the structure to which the element is tied to a user right's record. For example, if 100 is the only General Ledger company that you use, specify 100.
    You can override this value when you attach the structure to the user right.
  4. Click Add to open the Element maintenance screen which contains the new element and a list of element references. The first reference listed is always the element itself.
  5. To add a reference, click New. The Element Reference screen is displayed.
    Note: To modify an existing element reference, click the element's name.
  6. Values that you specify in the element reference override corresponding attribute values set in the element. Specify this information:
    Unique Name
    Specify a unique name for the element reference. If you are creating an element reference for a Lawson Applications report, the level break names are case sensitive, For example, Accounting Unit must be either ACCOUNTING UNIT or ACCT UNIT.
    Default Value
    Optionally, specify the value that you want to default when you add the structure to which the element is tied to a user right's record. For example, if 100 is the only General Ledger company that you use, specify 100 in this field.
    You can override this value when you attach the structure to the user right.
    Data Type
    Optionally, specify the default data type. All Lawson Applications report use string.
    Data Size
    Optionally, specify the maximum number of characters in the field. The fields on Lawson Applications reports do not exceed 50 characters.
    Report
    Select the published report corresponding to the element reference. This setting establishes the connection to the source data.
  7. Click Add. The element reference is displayed in the Element Reference table.
  8. Click Save to save the elements and references.