Report Configuration

Acctivate includes over 140 standard reports. The reports distributed with Acctivate are created in Crystal Reports, an extremely common database reporting solution that allows for complex and rich reports. Acctivate does not include the Crystal Reports software, which is required for creating and editing reports, however the Crystal Reports Viewer is embedded within Acctivate. This allows Acctivate to read any Crystal Report file; Crystal Report files have an extension of .rpt.

Tip

If you own a copy of Crystal Reports editor and wish to develop your reports against an Acctivate database, review our Crystal Reports Resources page for more information.

The standard reports distributed with Acctivate can be found on the server where Acctivate is installed. On the server, this location will be found in C:\Program Files (x86)\Acctivate\Reports or \\{YourServerName}\Acctivate\Reports. Within this directory, you will find a Letter folder and an A4 folder. The Letter folder contains reports configured for Acctivate integrated with the US edition of QuickBooks. The reports in the A4 folder are used when Acctivate is integrated with a non-US edition of QuickBooks, e.g., the UK version.

Any new or customized reports should be saved in the Custom Reports folder. This folder is located on the server and can be found by navigating to either C:\ProgramData\Alterity\Acctivate\CustomReports or \\{YourServerName}\AcctivateData\CustomReports. The configuration of reports in Acctivate involves specifying the .rpt file name. Acctivate will first look for the report file file name in the Custom Reports folder. If found, Acctivate will use that report. If the report does not exist in the Custom Reports folder, then the standard report is used.

The Reports section of the Configuration Manager contains a catalog of all the reports and their definitions, including the report name, description and report parameters. The Report Catalog can be access by navigating to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.

Report Folders

The left pane of the Report Catalog contains the top level report folders that reports are categorized into. User permissions can be used to restrict access to these folders, so it's not possible to add new top level folders. For example, users with the "Print Order Reports" permission set to "No" would not have access to any reports in the "OrderProcessing" folder.

Below the top level report folders, you will find subfolders which further categorize reports for easier navigation. To view the subfolders, expand the top level folder by clicking the + sign to the left of it. All reports must be categorized into a subfolder. You can create custom subfolders which can be useful for managing custom reports, however it's suggested that you don't move existing reports out of their current locations (though you could make a copy).

A row of buttons appears above the report tree. The two buttons on the left are the Add Folder (+) and Delete Folder (-). Use these to add or delete a subfolder.

To add a new report subfolder:

Navigate to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.
Click Edit.
Click on the top level folder that you want to add the subfolder to, such as OrderProcessing.
Click the + icon above the report tree pane.
A new folder is created with the cursor placed in the name field. You must give the subfolder a folder name.
A subfolder cannot be created empty; it must contain at least one report. Before saving, add a new report into this folder.
After adding a new report into this subfolder, click the save icon. You can then add or copy reports into this folder.

Reports

Expand the subfolder to see the list of the reports that belong to that folder. The Report Description will be displayed. Click on a report to see the report definitions in the right side of this window.

Add a new report
A new Crystal Report file can be added to Acctivate by performing the following steps:

Navigate to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.
Click Edit.
Expand a top level folder and then click on a subfolder.
Click the Add Report icon that is above the report tree pane.
A new report is created with the cursor placed below it. You must give the report a Report Description.
On the Properties tab, click into the Report ID to give it a unique name or accept the default.
The Report Description filed will be filled in, but you can edit it here as well.
In the Report field, use the lookup to select your custom report. The report must be a Crystal Reports .rpt file type. It should be saved in the Custom Reports folder.
Select the Permission Group that this report belongs to.
If this report is a document for a sales, purchase or inventory transaction, select the Document Type.
Optionally, fill out the Note which can be used to describe the purpose of the report.
Click Save.

Saving loads the report into Acctivate and you can now define the Selection Prompts that are to be used. Selection prompts are the filters that the user is presented with when running a report in Acctivate. Selection prompts can be setup for any database field that is used to build the report.

Copy an existing report
You can copy an existing report into a the same folder or a new folder. This is a good option for when you want to copy an existing report's configuration however use a different report file.

For example, you may wish to copy the Quote report (OrderProcessing → Forms → Quote) but select a slightly modified report file that contains additional text on the quote. By copying the Quote report, you will ensure that this new report has the same Permission Group, Document Type, Selection Prompts, etc. as the original, however this new report (which will need a unique Report ID name) can use a different Crystal Reports .rpt file.

Navigate to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.
Click Edit.
Expand a top level folder and then click on a subfolder.
Click on a report and then click the Copy Report button above the report tree.
A Select Destination window will appear. You can click on the subfolder you want the report to be copied into, then click Select.
The report will be copied with the same Properties and Selection Prompts, however a new Report ID will be assigned. If you wish, you can change this before saving.
Click Save.

Note

When you copy an existing report, the report's Selection Prompts are copied to the new report. The new report must use the same database views in order for the Selection Prompts to be used.

Move an existing report If you want to move a report to a new subfolder, you can use the Move Report button, which is the third button from the right above the report tree.

Navigate to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.
Click Edit.
Expand a top level folder and then click on a subfolder.
Click on a report and then click the Move Report button above the report tree.
A Select Destination window will appear. You can click on the subfolder you want the report to be copied into, then click Select.
The report will be moved to a new location.
Click Save.

Export/Import Report files (.acctrpt)
After a report is setup, you may wish to move the report and its configured definitions to a new Acctivate database. Acctivate includes a report export function which exports out the report file and its definitions into an .acctrpt file. This file can only be read and imported by Acctivate. To export out a report and its definitions:

Navigate to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.
Click Edit.
Expand a top level folder and then click on a subfolder.
Click on a report and then click the Export Report button above the report tree (second button from the right).
Choose a location to save this file and click Save.
Click Save in the Configuration Manager window.

You can import in an .acctrpt file in a similar manner. When importing in the .acctrpt file, the report will be setup under the same folder as it was when exported.

The import process imports the report definitions and a copy of the .rpt file from when the .acctrpt file was exported. If a report is configured with the same Report ID, the imported .acctrpt file will overwrite the existing definitions.

Navigate to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.
Click Edit.
Click the Import Report button above the report tree (button on the far right).
Select the .acctrpt file for import and choose Open.
If a report already exists in the Custom Reports folder by that name, then you'll be asked if you want to Overwrite it. If you choose Yes, the report will be configured and the .rpt file will be overwritten in the Custom Reports folder. If you choose No, the report configuration is still imported, but the report in the Custom Reports folder is not overwritten.

Properties

Once you've clicked on a report, the Properties tab will include the Report Description and the report Note, as well as other information.

Field	Description
Report ID	The unique name of the report. Acctivate will automatically assign this for new reports, however you can edit it. The standard reports included with Acctivate cannot have their Report ID renamed. This is because during software updates we may make changes to the reports and the update looks for reports with a specific Report ID when processing these updates. Can be up to 15 characters long.
Report Description	The description that you see when using the Reports window in Acctivate. Can be up to 50 characters long.
Report	This is the Crystal Reports file (.rpt file type) that is read when this report is run. Acctivate first looks into the Custom Reports directory ("C:\ProgramData\Alterity\Acctivate\CustomReports" on the computer serving/hosting Acctivate) to see if it can find a report file with this name. If no match is found there, then it looks in the standard reports folder ("C:\Program Files (x86)\Acctivate\Reports\Letter" (or A4) on the computer serving/hosting Acctivate). If the file is found in the Custom Reports folder, the text "Customized Report" will appear in red above this field.
Permission Group	This determines which user permissions affect this report. Typically, the Permission Group will correspond to the top level folder it's in, however it doesn't necessarily have to. For example, if a report under the "OrderProcessing" folder has a Permission Group set to "Purchasing" and a user does not have permissions to view purchasing reports, that user would not have access to the Purchasing report folder or any report with the "Purchasing" Permission Group in other folders. "None" can be used if you don't want the report to show up in the report catalog.
Document Type	The Document Type allows you to define a report as a document that is printed from another window, such as the Enter Sales Order window, Edit Customer window, or Dashboard. If a report has a document type assigned, the report will not show up in the Report Catalog, it will only show up in the window where the document is printed from. Business Activity Form: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Activities List or Enter Business Activity Window. Credit Memo: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Sales Order Manager, Sales List or Enter Credit window. Credit Memo Invoice: Reports with this document type can be selected when creating a credit invoice. They can also be printed from the Customer Credit window. Credit Memo Other Form: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Action menu of the Enter Credit window. Customer: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Edit Customer window or Customer List. Dashboard Panel: This document type makes the report available for inclusion in the Dashboard Panel; it will not be available in the report catalog. Inventory Assembly: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Enter Assemblies window for unposted assembly transactions. Inventory Receipt Form: Reports with this document type can be printed for Posted or Draft receipt transactions. Inventory Reorder Proof: Reports with this document type are included in Print Proof menu of the Business Alerts Reorders tab. Inventory Trace: This document type adds the report to the Track & Trace window. Inventory Transfer Form: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Enter Transfer window. Invoice Preparation Error: This document type adds the report to the final screen of the Create Invoices window and is used to print out the list of orders that were unable to be invoiced. Job Invoice: Only used for CYMA versions of Acctivate. Job Invoice Backup: Only used for CYMA versions of Acctivate. Picklist: This document type adds the report to the Picklist window. Picklist Pack List: This document type adds the report to the Picklist window and is used to print Pack lists for each order in the Picklist. Product Information: This document type allows you to print this report from the Product List or the Edit Product window. Product Label: This document type adds the report to the label menu of the Edit Product window. Product Label (Lot/Serial): Not available for use. Purchase Order: This document type is used for Purchase Orders. Allows printing the PO document from the Purchasing List or Enter Purchase Order window. Purchase Order Product Label: Reports with document type can be printed from the Action... → Labels menu of the Enter Purchase Order window. Sales Invoice: Reports with this document type can be selected when creating a sales invoice. They can also be printed from the Customer Invoice window. Sales Order: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Order Manager, Sales List or Enter Sales Order window. Sales Order Pick Ticket: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Action... → Print menu of the Enter Sales Order window. Used for pick tickets. Sales Order Shipping Document: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Action... → Print menu of the Enter Sales Order window or Order Manager. Used for shipping documents such as a pack list or BOL. Sales Quote: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Enter Quote window or Order Manager. Used for the sales quote document. Sales Quote Other Form: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Action... → Print menu of the Enter Quote window or Order Manager. Used for additional sales quote documents. Service Billing Proof: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Activity Billing Wizard. Service Invoice: Reports with this document type can be selected when creating a service invoice. They can also be printed from the Customer Invoice window. Service Message: This document type will make the report the document that is printed from Email window. Service Order: Reports with this document type can be printed from the Order Manager, Sales List for Service Orders or Enter Service Order window. Shipment: Reports with this document type will be available in the Packaging Manager window.
Do not overwrite changes to this definition during Acctivate Update	Acctivate software updates may contain changes to default report definitions. For example, the report description, note, and selection prompts may be updated to be more accurate. The software updates will "look" for the report definitions to change based on the Report ID. If this box is checked, no changes will be made to this report's definition. This checkbox does not affect how Acctivate looks for reports; Acctivate will always look in the Custom Reports folder for a matching report first.
Number of Copies	Use this to define the default number of copies to be printed.
Collate	If Number of Copies is more than one, you can check or uncheck the Collate option to collate when printing (the image example when checking or unchecking).
Note	A note field that is visible in the Report Catalog. This field is used to give a detailed explanation of the report.

Selection Prompts

The Select Prompts tab is used to define which filters are available when running the report in Acctivate. Acctivate reports are made up of Data Views which contain a list of fields. Any database field that is in a Data View used in a report can be filtered on.

Navigate to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.
Click Edit.
Expand a top level folder and then click on a subfolder.
Click on a report and then click on the Selection Prompts tab.
In the Field field, click the ellipsis lookup button to view the database Views that are used in the report.
Expand a View to see the list of database Fields that are in the View.
Click on a Field and click Select to select a field.
The Type column will fill in automatically based on the database field type, however in some cases it can beneficial to set the Type.
The Prompt field is the text that appears when you run the report. Change this to be the user-friendly name of the field.
If this filter should always be set to something other than "All", check the Required checkbox.
Click Save.

Field	Description
Field	Use the ellipsis lookup to lookup and select the field in the report that you want to filter on. You can filter on any field that is in a Data View used in a report, even if the field itself is not visible on the report.
Type	The data field type. This will default automatically, but in some cases it can beneficial to set the Type. For example, if you add the field ProductClassID as a filter, it will default to text. That would require you type in the ProductClassID as text when filtering on that field. Instead, by setting the Type to "Product Class", you will be able to view a list of Acctivate Product Classes that you can select from when using the filter, rather than typing out the Product Class ID.
Prompt	The text that is displayed for the filter in the Report Selection screen when you run a report.
Required	When checked, this filter will require a user to enter some value every time. If unchecked, the report filter will default to All, but will also select more specific values.

The Print Pick Tickets, Print Quotes, Print Orders, Print Invoices, and Print Credit Memos functions found in the Sales menu require their corresponding forms to be configured with a "Ready to Print" report selection prompt. The selection prompt should be configured as:

Field	Value
Field	{DatabaseView}.ReadyToPrint
Type	Boolean
Prompt	`Ready to Print`
Required	Leave unchecked.

When using one of the batch print functions mentioned above, Acctivate will only include forms that are ready to print, e.g. forms that have not yet been printed.

Printer Assignments

When previewing and printing reports, Acctivate will use the default printer for the workstation that is printing the report. In some cases, you may want certain reports to use a different printer by default. For example, you may want all the Pick Tickets to print to a printer in the warehouse where the picking process starts. You may also want certain reports, such as labels, to print to a specific printer, such as a label printer.

A report can be assigned to use a specific printer. This printer assignment can be defined for all workstations, or you specify that the report get sent to a specific printer when the report is printed from specific workstation.

Navigate to File → Configuration Management → Reports → Report Catalog.
Click Edit.
Expand a top level folder and then click on a subfolder.
Click on a report and then click on the Printer Assignments tab.
In the Workstation Name field, enter the name of the workstation or enter an asterisk * if this rule should apply to all workstations.
Select the Printer Name by using the ellipsis lookup.

When the workstation prints this report, the printer in the Printer Name will be used.

Note

If you are printing to a printer that is not connected directly to the workstation, you will need to first share it or add it to the network so that it's visible.

Field	Description
Workstation Name	The Windows computer name that this rule applies to. For example, if the computer name is "OfficePC", that name should be entered in. Any time "OfficePC" prints this report it will be sent to the printer in the Printer Name field. If an Asterisk `*` is used, all workstations will use the printer in the Printer Name field.
Printer Name	The name of the printer this report should be sent to if printed by computer in the Workstation Name field.

Printer Setup

Acctivate will use the computer's default printer when printing reports, unless a Printer Assignment is defined. You can view the printer default by going to File → Printer Setup. You can change the default printer by double-clicking a printer in the Select Printer area. You can add a printer by using the Find Printer... button, as well as manage some Printer Preferences.