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Quick Report

Quick Reports are designed to give the user the ability to print a list of their data and select which fields they want to appear and in what order. You are limited to certain fields and files, depending on what information is available to you. Some information may not be available to you. A Report Writer can be used to give you more flexibility in your file, field and sorting needs. With the Premier Edition, the Interactive SQL feature in roomMaster can be used to create custom reports from the iQ-POS data, including check history information. For more information on the Premier Edition, visit our website at www.innquest.com or give your sales representative a call.

The Quick Report feature runs the Report Wizard, then the Query Wizard. The report wizard is used to build your custom report then the Query Wizard is used to determine the selection criteria for your report. If you do not want to use any selection criteria, you can press Cancel on the Query Wizard screen and it will run the report for all data in the file.

Report Wizard allows you to ...

  • Use a simple, intuitive interface to quickly create and save an unlimited number of reports.
  • Optionally specify totals or averages for numeric columns.
  • Select from an existing sort or create ad-hoc sorting on up to three levels.
  • Create group headings, footings and/or sub totaling on group breaks.
  • Create summary reports by suppressing report detail printing.
  • Automatically adjust the report width to landscape mode when necessary.

Working with Reports ...

The Quick Report Selection dialog window is presented when the report is not printing a list box format. All saved reports with the same report classification are displayed on this dialog in alphabetic order. You may quickly jump to a report by typing the first letter of the report description. As you highlight a specific report, details pertaining to the report are displayed on the lower portion of the dialog.

New - Allows for the creation of a new report. At times, the Copy command may be a better alternative.

Copy - Copies the highlighted report then asks for a new report name.

Modify - Allows for the modification of the highlighted report's layout options.

Rename - Allows for the modification of the highlighted report's name.

Delete - Deletes the highlighted report.

Select - Selects the highlighted report for execution.

Columns Printed - Displays the list of columns selected for the highlighted report. Columns preceded by a + are total columns. Columns preceded by a @ are average columns.

Sort Order - Displays the list of fields selected for the highlighted report's custom sort order. Fields appearing in < brackets > are in descending order.

Designing a Quick Report

The Report Column Layout dialog is the first of three potential steps when creating or modifying a report. From this dialog you will select the columns to appear in the report, their layout from left to right and which columns should be totaled or averaged.

The list on the left represents those fields (columns) which are available while the list on the right displays those fields which have been selected for the report. The text displayed in these lists will become the column heading(s) in the report. Selected fields will be printed from left to right as they appear from top to bottom. When the Column Layout has been completed press the Next button to continue.

This Overview section consist of the following topics:

Designing the Query

You may design the report's layout using the following techniques

To add fields to the report...

  • Highlight a field in the left list and press the Add -> button to move the field from the available field list to the selected field list.
  • Double-click any field in the available field list to move the field to the selected field list.
  • Drag-and-drop any field from the available field list to the selected field list.

To remove fields from the report...​

  • Highlight a field in the right list and press the <- Remove button to move the field from the selected field list to the available field list
  • Double-click any field in the selected field list to move the field to the available field list.
  • Drag-and-drop any field from the selected field list to the available field list.

To change the column layout...​

  • Selected fields will be printed from left to right as they appear from top to bottom in the selected field list
  • Click up arrow to move a column up (or to the left in the report).
  • Click down arrow to move a column down (or to the right in the report).

To enable column totals or averages...​

  • Highlight a field in the right list. The Average and Total check boxes will normally be enabled if the highlighted column is numeric.
  • Click the Total check box to enable column totaling or the Average check box to average all values in the column.
  • To change a column from Total to Average (or vice versa) deselect the current option and both options will once again become enabled.

Sort Orders

Default Sort Order​

This option uses the default sort order specified by the developer of this application. When this option has been selected group heading and footing options will not be available.

Predefined Sort Order​

This option will provide a list of sort orders that have been pre-defined by the developer of this application. This option is the most desirable of the three because it allows group heading and footing options. Pre-defined sort orders are usually faster than custom sort orders defined with the next option.

Custom Sort Order​

This option allows you to display the report in any desired order. When enabled, this option will allow you to invoke the Report Wizard's ad-hoc sort designer. The sort designer will allow you to create up to three sort levels. Each level may be ascending or descending and the entire sort may be case sensitive or insensitive.

Group Breaks

A group break occurs each time the breaking field's value changes. This enables the report to subdivide itself into sections (with subtotals and/or to start a new page) as they pertain to a specific group.

Break Levels​

When a non-default sort order is selected you may customize up to two group break levels. The first break level represents the first field in your sort order. Likewise, the second break level represents the second field in your sort order. The following options allow the customization of each these group breaks.

Group Identifier in Heading​

When enabled, this option will create a group heading break and print the value of the group field in the group heading.

Group Identifier in Footing​

When enabled, this option will create a group footing break and print the value of the group field in the group footing.

Group Totals​

When enabled, this option will create a group footing break and print the totals (or averages) for those fields where totaling (or averaging) has been enabled by the end-user.

New Page After Group​

When enabled, this option will force a new page after the group break.

Suppress Report Detail Rows​

This option will prevent report detail rows from printing thereby printing group footings and/or headings only. This feature is quite useful for producing summary level reports. This option is not available unless a group heading or footing has previously been enabled.

Special Feature Note​

When the sort order allows two break levels and the first break level options are not enabled. If you choose to place the second break level's group identifier in the header or footer, the first break level's identifier will also be printed with the second break level.

Report Design Considerations

Field Selection​

  1. Fields will be displayed left to right in the report as they appear top to bottom in the selection list.
  2. The report will automatically adjust to landscape mode when appropriate.
  3. When the width of all fields exceeds landscape width, the report will attempt the "best fit" within landscape. Notification will occur when this condition exists.

Totals and Averages​

  1. Any numeric field may be set to total or to average.
  2. Totals will appear (for the selected columns) at the end of the report and are optionally available in the group footing options.

Sorting​

  1. Custom sorting on large databases may be very time consuming. For the fastest results, use a pre-defined sort option.
  2. Select sort options that allow for the appropriate grouping, totals and summary reports.

Grouping​

Grouping options can play a significant role in the overall appearance of the report.

The following grouping options manifest in a report as follows;

  1. Place totals in either group footing to create report subtotals for each group.
  2. Omit report detail to produce summary reports based on group the group footing subtotal and label.
  3. Place group labels in the 2nd level but not the first level and both (1st and 2nd level) labels will print on the summary row.

Query Wizard​

The Query Wizard is a powerful tool allowing you to determine selection criteria for your report. This section is broken down into the following components:

Components of a Query​

By definition, a query is much the same as a question. In the case of database queries, a user is asking their database a question. Computer programs use languages that we, as humans do not ordinarily use in our daily lives. In this case Query Wizard acts as our interpreter. The Query Wizard interpreter allows questions to be asked in a language that both the user and their database will understand.

Each Query may consist of one or more questions, logically connected with an AND or an OR logical operator to complete a valid "computer" question Query Wizard must collect three components of information: Field, Operator and Value. Given these three components, Query Wizard will construct a meaningful question.

Field​

The Field is generally representative of information contained within in the database for which the developer has made available here for considered the subject of the question or what you would like to learn about. A few examples of fields would be Account Balance, Last Name or Zip Code.

Operator​

The Operator represents the comparison to be made between the Field and Value. Due to the nature of the value, operator selections for numbers are limited when compared to those for text. For example the most common numeric operators are Greater Than, Less Than or Equal To. The nature of text operators allow for such comparisons as Contains and Begins With. The Operation Selections issues in greater detail.

Value​

The Value will be compared (via the operator) to the field in your database. The value entry is the way you wish to describe the subject (field) of the question. In essence the value describes the trait the field should have (or not have).

Field Selection​

The field dialog window is the first of three steps and is composed of a list of fields available to be queried. These fields were made available by the developer and are generally representative of information contained within in the database.

To select a field, simply highlight the desired field and press the Next button.

For more information, see Components of a Query.

Operator Selection​

The operation selection dialog screen is the second of three steps and is composed of those operators relevant to the selected field. The Operator represents the comparison to be made between the Field and Value. Due to the nature of the value, operator selections for numbers are limited when compared to those for text.

To select an operator, simply highlight the desired operator and press the Next button.

Common Operators (both numeric and text)

  • Equal To - The field and the value must have the same value.
  • Greater Than - The field must be greater than the value.
  • Less Than - The field must be less than the value. Text Operators
  • Begins With - The field must begin with the value.
  • Contains - The field must contain the value at any position within the text.

For more information, see Components of a Query.

Value Entry​

The Value dialog box is the last step and is used to collect the value component of the query. This value will be compared (via the operator) to the field in your database. In essence the value describes the trait the field should have (or not have). When the value entry has been completed simply press the Next button continue.

Case Sensitivity and Absolute Power Query Wizard offers many useful features to assist the user with their value consideration. Two examples are Case Sensitivity and Absolute Value. Case sensitivity may be invoked if the selected field is a string while absolute values may be compared when the field is numeric.

Types of Values (constant, another field, expression) Constant Value - This option allows the user to type the value directly into Query Wizard. As illustrated above, this is the default option and would normally be used with most queries.

Another Field - This option is quite useful for comparing two existing database elements. This selection may be made from a list of fields identical to those in the first Query Wizard step. The actual value of this field will be used for comparison to the field selected in step one.

Expression - This is an advanced option which requires a limited knowledge of the underlying computer language. Although more complex, when used in the appropriate context this can be a very powerful feature. This expression should return a value to be used for comparison to the field selected in step one. The appearance of an ellipses button adjacent to the expression entry field indicates the developer has provided access to the Expression Builder to assist with selecting a value for this entry.

For more information, see Components of a Query.

Expression Builder​

The Expression Builder is a guided interface for creating expressions and manual queries. Use this interface to recall function and or data element names. The function help displayed in the lower portion of the dialog will provide a general explanation for the selected function/data element.

The current expression is displayed above the series of operator buttons. The list on the left provides the categories of data and functions to choose from. The list on the right displays those elements applicable to the currently selected category.

To select a specific Data element or Function simply double-click on the desired item from the right list. You may optionally select the desired item and press the Insert button. The function and parameter requirements will be pasted into the expression area of the dialog. Edit the parameter list to include the specific variable elements of the expression. Use the small operator buttons to insert an operator within the expression. The expression may be manually edited at any time.

  • Clear - This button will erase the current expression.

  • Validate - This button will determine if the current expression has been constructed properly.

  • OK - This button will exit the Expression Builder and apply the current expression.

  • Cancel - This button will exit the Expression Builder without applying the current expression.

For more information, see Components of a Query