Report Processing

This process is used to create and run reports against budgeted and statistical values in Dataset.

Reports can be defined for both specific purposes and routine runs. All report definitions are saved under separate names, so they can be reused.

Before you start

Datasets are created. See Datasets.
Data is stored in the datasets. See these documents:
Sales Budgeting

Sales Statistics

Order Entry Statistics

Sales Forecasting

Follow these steps

Entering report

Creating reports in program 'Sales Stats/Budget Report. Open' (OSS412) involves entering basic information for the reports, document control, specifying page headers and footers, and selecting the display media.
- Basic information
  Basic information is entered in panel 'Sales Stats/Budget Report. Open' (OSS412/E). Most important for the report is that the information is retrieved from the correct dataset. The dataset regulates the reporting levels possible and the accumulator fields available for display or use in calculations. Refer to See Also section for related documents.
  
  Reporting levels are entered for each dataset to specify the levels on which the information in the key field in the dataset is displayed in the report. The level is then proposed by default either on-screen or in a different medium, but can be changed.
  
  The warehouse used to retrieve the values in columns 2 and 3 can be specified if is not included in the key definition of the dataset (as described below).
- Document control
  Document control for printouts is specified in panel 'Sales Stats/Budget Report. Open' (OSS412/F). The paper format, character density, etc. can be adapted to reporting needs.
  
  Each report can have up to 99 columns. When displayed on-screen, all the columns can be viewed by scrolling sideways. Therefore, the relationship between the column definition and the character density of the report is important to consider.
- Page headers and footers
  Page headers and footers are defined in panel 'Sales Stats/Budget Report. Open' (OSS412/G). There are three lines for the headers and two for footers, and each line can contain both user-defined text and headings.
  
  The available headings are:
  - Report ID
  - Report name (long or short)
  - Report text
  - Page number
  - User ID
  - Current date
  - Time
  - Company number
  - Company name
  - Division
  - Division name
  - Period number
  - Period name
  - Page break ID 1
  - Page break ID 1, description
  - Page break ID 2
  - Page break ID 2, description
  - Page break ID 3
  - Page break ID 3, description
  - Page break ID 4
  - Page break ID 4, description
  - Page break ID 5
  - Page break ID 5, description
  Headers and footers are used only for printouts, so they need not be defined for on-screen display.
- Select media
  The report media is selected in panel 'Sales Stats/Budget Report. Open' (OSS412/H). Reports requested for printout can also be stored as documents in DW/400 (if AS/400 is used as application server) and sent automatically to any specific user or through a distribution list to several users.
  
  Reports can also be transferred to PC files for data retrieval. The transfer method and file name must be specified. A PC file is then created automatically every time the report is printed.
Entering report keys

Report keys are entered in 'Sales Stats Report. Select Key Fields' (OSS410), which is called from 'Sales Stats/Budget Report. Open' (OSS412) using option 11 = Keys.

A report key defines the balance levels possible for the report, depending on the dataset selected. Column headings, column width and length of the key description can be defined for each report. A default column heading is retrieved from the dataset.

For example, if item number UCITNO is a key field and the company uses item numbers shorter than standard (15 characters), the column width can be reduced as necessary to save space in the report.
Entering select report key

Report keys are selected in 'Sales Stats Report. Enter Key Values' (OSS413), which is called from 'Sales Stats Report. Select Key Fields' (OSS410) using option 11 = Selection. An unlimited number of selection ranges can be defined for every report key. When no selection is made, then all key values in the report are displayed.

Selections can be made for IDs such as product group, item number, department, customer group or customer. Note that the selection can also be defined for the dataset selected for the report.

Entering report columns

Report columns are entered in 'Sales Stats Report. Define Columns' (OSS411), which is called from 'Sales Stats/Budget Report. Open' (OSS412) using option 12 = Columns. Each column is defined as a type as shown below.


Type	Description
1	Value from accumulator field in the dataset selected for the report. Used to retrieve information about budgeted value or outcome, depending on the Transaction Type - Statistics selected for the column.
2	Value from another file. Used to display information connected to report keys but not saved in the dataset, such as desired service level for an item at a specific warehouse. Note that values are only entered in the column for levels in the report containing the key ID.
3	Code from basic data file. Used to display a code connected to one of the keys in the dataset, such as user-defined fields from the customer file or item file. Note that values are only entered in the column for levels in the report containing the key ID.
4	Calculation column. Used for calculations based on values in other columns, such as the difference between budgeted and outcome values.
5	Field from spreadsheet programs. Used to retrieve or calculate data not directly available in the report generator. A customized program that performs the calculation is referenced, but requires that the parameter list is made according to standard. See template program OSSMTPL.
6	Text column. Used to display any text entered. Whether the text is displayed can be set to depend on the value in another column, such as a warning message displayed only when contribution margin ratio is lower than a specified percent.

Field names are specified for column types 1, 2 and 3 to regulate the accumulator fields displayed. These can be selected from the field list containing the possible fields for each of the column types.

Column type 1 contains allocated values. To identify the selection of data for this column, the following information must be entered:

Transaction type, such as budget or sales statistics. See supporting function Datasets.
Budget version, if budget is selected as the transaction type above.
From period number and year.
To period number and year.

Note that relative periods can be specified, so the report can be used over time without changing the column definition. The from and to periods are then calculated for each column according to the column definition and the period number specified for the reporting period when the report is run.

The table below illustrates an example of a definition of relative periods and the result when the report is run.


	Fr. per	To yr.	To per	To yr.	Result 9608	Result 9611
This period this year	=	=	=	=	9608-9608	9611-9611
Up to this year	01	=	=	=	9601-9608	9601-9611
This period last year	=	-1	=	-1	9508-9508	9511-9511
Up to last year	01	-1	=	-1	9501-9508	9501-9511
Total last year	01	-1	12	-1	9501-9612	9501-9512
1st quarter this year	01	=	03	=	9601-9603	9601-9603

Column Contents

Column headings, column width and number of decimals is defined for each column in panel 'Sales Stats Report. Define Columns' (OSS411/F). Field Column heading is used for on-screen display. For printouts field Column heading 1, 2 and 3 are used.

User-defined text and headings can both be used for all column headings. Examples of column headings are:

From period number for columns, YYPP
From period number, description
To period number for columns, YYPP
To period number, description

The calculation order can be specified for column types 4 and 6 (calculation columns). This order is important when the calculation order is not the same as the display order, that is in ascending column number order from left to right.

If a column is used only for calculations, the display can be suppressed. Totals per break level in the report can be specified. Also, all columns can be edited in the following ways:

Editing code
Thousands separator
Minus sign placement
Sign reversal (positive to negative, and vice-versa)
Display value in tens, thousands, etc.
Column separators

Run report

Any defined report can be run in these ways:
- On-screen display. See Display Budget and Statistics.
- Printout. See Print Budget and Statistics.
- As a DW/400 document that can be distributed using distribution lists or to a specific user. See Print Budget and Statistics.
- As a PC file. See Export Data from Dataset to a File.

Outcome

Reports containing operative, tactical and strategic management information customized to user needs can be produced using this process. This includes:

Budget goals
Sales statistics
Profitability analyses
Budget variances
Service level evaluations
Lead time analyses
Error analyses
Replacements and lost sales
Mathematical forecasts
Trend analyses

The reports can be generated in either M3 reporting tools or a PC tool. The Accumulator Field defined for each dataset regulate the information displayed in these reports.