How To Edit Reports Or Letters

This topic covers the basic steps necessary to modify existing reports or letters in Collect!.

Requirements

- setup Company Details
- review help on Report Definition and Report Body
- examine sample reports for guidelines
- have a definite plan for your report
- study help topics related to your specific needs
- print sample reports and view the results

Editing Reports Or Letters In Collect!

Creating reports and letters begins with an understanding of the basic codes used in the report writer and knowledge of the steps taken pull information from your database records.

When you intend to make changes to one of Collect!'s existing reports, you have to know what the code in the report is doing. Print a sample report and examine the results.

Beyond The Basics

Once you are familiar with the basics, you can extend your use of the report writer to create your own reports or letters. The possibilities are quite limitless! For this reason, it is necessary to learn the basics and proceed from there.

See Also:

- Report Definition
- Report Body

Examine The Pre-Defined Reports And Letters

Return to the pre-defined reports and samples provided with Collect! whenever you need a new report or letter.

Pull down the Print menu and choose Customize Printing, Edit Report Templates. This will display the Report Definition list with all the reports and letters that are within Collect.

Take time to examine several of these reports and letters to get an idea of the way reports are designed.

Use the up and down arrows on your keyboard to navigate through this list.

Copying A Report Or Letter

When you find a pre-defined report or letter that you would like to use, make a copy of this report. To do this, make sure the correct report or letter is highlighted.

1. Pull down the Edit menu and choose Copy, or use the Ctrl-C key combination.

2. Next, Pull down the Edit menu and choose Paste, or use Ctrl-V, to paste an identical copy of the report into the Report Definition list.

3. Click on one of these copies to open the Report Definition form for this report.

4. Click in the Name field and rename your copy of this report.

Now you can experiment freely with changes. If you are not satisfied with the results, the original report or letter can be used to restore the design.

5. Refer to help and How To topics for guidance and code snippets. Also, find sample reports and letters in the Report Definition list. You can copy code from these samples into your report. As well, an extensive list of Report Samples is included with Collect!

See Also:

- Report Definition
- Report Body
- Choose Report Item
- How To Print A Sample Report Or Letter

Collect! Report Library

For many years, Comtech Systems has designed reports in answer to the needs of its clients. This has resulted in a large library of sample reports that are made available to you. Besides the reports which ship with Collect!, many additional report and letter samples can be viewed and downloaded from the Member Center at www.collect.org.

If you wish to obtain a Membership which includes Technical Support and access to the FREE samples on the Member Center, contact 250-391-0466 and press 3 for Administration.

Custom Reports From Collect!

Collect! creates custom reports on request. You can send us your requirements and we will contract to design a special report for you.

Summary

The reports and letters shipped with Collect! handle many of the basic requirements of your day to day business needs and Month End process. You will find samples of all sorts of letters, invoices, statements and reports that you can use as is or with slight modification.

Don't change the codes in these reports or letters without making a copy of the report and only change what you are sure of.