Considerations when you create a Report layout

  • If you are creating a Report layout with grouped data, you should think about how you want the report to look so you can more easily proceed through the New Layout/Report assistant. The assistant asks you to specify the field or fields that you want to categorize (group) the data by. If you are including subtotals or grand totals, you should also think about which fields you want to summarize and define those summary fields before you begin the assistant. (If necessary, you can also define the summary fields within the assistant.)
  • If you're having trouble getting the results you want for a report with grouped data, refer to the onscreen Help available for each panel of the assistant.
  • When you create a Report layout, you have the choice of saving a script that switches to the layout, and sorts the records (if specified). The script is added to the Scripts menu, where you can choose it to run the report in the future. Verify that you're viewing the found set that you want before running the script. You can view or edit the script (for example, you can add a Find script step) by choosing Scripts menu > Script Workspace.
  • You can create a report that displays fields from left to right across the page, with field names as column headings, as a simple list (formerly a predefined layout type known as the List view layout). When you create the Report layout, do not include subtotals or grand totals, and do not organize records by category. Save the layout, and then view the records in List View in Browse mode.
  • If you plan on printing records in a list and the columns extend beyond the width of a page, try doing the following:
    • Reduce the field size or the font size for data in fields.
    • Choose File menu > Printer Setup (Windows) or Page Setup (macOS). (In Preview mode, you can also click Print Setup (Windows) or Page Setup (macOS) in the status toolbar.) In the setup dialog box, change the page orientation to horizontal (landscape). Or reduce the scale at which you print to less than 100%. If necessary, re-create the layout with the New Layout/Report assistant after you set up your printer and page options.
    • Create several layouts that show fewer columns, and then print each layout separately.
  • A Report layout described above arranges fields in columns. You can also arrange records in columns, for example, to print a multicolumn directory of names and addresses. See Setting up to print records in columns.

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