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Reporting World

Site Specific Notes

Report Options and Report Parameters - Individual and Default

There are three Option items that are available on the Report Form.

Report

The Report function gives accesses the Advanced Report Options form. When that form is presented, all of the options will be set according to the Defaults you have defined (via the Default function if the options are included on the Default Report Options form), if you are creating a new, custom criteria. If you are using a report template as the basis for your criteria, the options will be set acczording to the report template. When editing an existing report criteria, the options will be set according to the existing report criteria definition.

Any of these options may be left, set as they are presented, or the settings may be edited for the current report criteria.

Report Description

Each Report Criteria may include a free text description that you may use to help you identify or distinguish between various saved report criteria. This information may be any sort of information that will be of use to you or others at your institution for reference purposes. It may be up to 472 characters in length.

This description is in addition to the title you assign via the Title text box on the Report Form, and is also in addition to the summary and statistical data that the system maintains and can be displayed by accessing the Report Info item from the Report Form's Function Menu Bar's Help action item.

Output List

Each report criteria may be associated with an output destination. After the Millennium Reporter (MR) executes the criteria statements and creates a generic worktable, that worktable may be 'handed off' to:

Within each of these categories, there are several format, program, or utility names from which to choose. To specify which set of names should be shown in the Format/Utility list box on the main Report Form, four radio buttons are shown on this Advanced, Report Options form. You may choose Crystal, Batch File, or Utilities to associate proper set of names with this current report criteria.

Export option when no Crystal format is specified

This option instructs the Millennium Reporter to take the generic worktable generated by the run of a report and convert it to CSV or Tab Delimited format. The exact behavior of this option depends on other reporting options that you specify, as described in the following rules:

  1. If you choose Crystal from the Output List (described above), you must chose (none) in the Format/Utilities text box in the main report form. The export file will reflect the exact contents of the generic worktable.
  2. If you choose Batch File from the Output List, the export file will be generated from the generic worktable, after the batch file, exe, script, or other type of file that you create and specify here, has been executed. If the execution of your file edits the contents of the generic worktable in any way, the CSV or Tab Delimited export will reflect these edits. See Batch File.
  3. If you choose Utility from the Output List, the export file will be generated from the generic worktable, after the utility has executed. The export file will reflect the exact contents of the generic worktable.

Note: This option is in contrast to the option of generating a CSV, Tab Delimited, or other type of export file from the Export Options list box described below. Using those options, the MR's generic worktable is passed to the specified Crystal format, which may have been defined to gather additional information from the database, or to eliminate information that is present in the generic worktable. An export file is then automatically created by Crystal, containing the Crystal-manipulated data, of the file layout you specified in the pull-down list. This will allow you, through Crystal, to create a CSV, Tab Delimited, or other type of export file containing more, less, or different data than was contained in the original generic worktable.

Output Options (used when a Crystal format has been selected)

The Output Options check boxes here allow you to specify which of the Destination options will be made available to the operator in the Run Options form when the current report is run. Some of the options will not apply to some of the Output List choices, and the system will automatically disable those options. You may further restrict the options if you desire, by clearing any of the check boxes here.

When Crystal is chosen from the Output List options above, the set of check box options shown under the heading Output Options are made available in accordance with that software's options. From the set of possible output options, you may further limit the options offered for the current report. To include any of these options on the Run Options form when the report is run, you may click to check that item on this Advanced Report Options form. You may select any combination of the following:

Default Output Option (used when a Crystal format has been selected)

From the set of Output Options listed that you make available to the current report from the set of check boxes described directly above, you may specify that one be used as the default setting for the current report. This is done by clicking one of the radio buttons under the heading, Default Output Option.

Default Export Option

If the current report is set to use the Export Output Option , (and when a Crystal format has been specified) you may also select an export destination from the list box shown under the heading, Default Export Option. When you select one of the items from the list, that export option will be shown by default in the Run Options form when you execute the run of the report.

Default Queue and Printer

The names of the reporting queue and reporting printer that are highlighted when a report is run (see Run Options, Queue and Run Options, Destination) are the default queue and default Printer respectively. If the system administrator so desires, each user can be assigned a default reporting queue and default reporting printer via User Maintenance and/or each user who is a member of a particular Millennium User Group can be assigned a default queue and printer, via Group Maintenance. If not so assigned, the default Queue for each user will be the system default Queue (the first one listed under the Reporting Queues header on the System Information page) and the default Printer for each user will be the default printer for the system default Queue.

A default reporting Queue and a default reporting Printer can be assigned to the current report criteria regardless of the default queue and printer that was assigned to the user. From the list of available Queue names, select the desired Queue. Then, from the list of names of the printers that have been associated with the selected Queue, select the desired Printer. If none is the only default Printer option available, then contact the system administrator. A printer has not yet been associated with the Queue that you have selected as your default. It is not necessary to select a default Printer. But, you must select a default Queue before you can select a default Printer. And, if you change the report's default Queue from one to another, then you must manually re-select the report's default Printer.

Accounting Method

(This function does not apply to Event Reporting and therefore this text box is not shown on the Event Report Option Form.)

The Accounting Method is a standard Millennium parameter that Millennium Reporter passes to a Crystal format when a report is run. The format then uses the value of that parameter to determine what Gift or Dues transaction amount column to display on a format or to use in calculations.

Construct Salutation

(This function does not apply to Event Reporting and therefore this text box is not shown on the Event Report Option Form.)

Some export worktable layouts include a field for the salutation name (salutation) from the selected constituent's data. The presence of this data in the export worktable avoids the need to have the report format perform a "lookup" to the database to locate this information, when salutation names are needed in the final output.

If this check box is not selected, the salutation field will be blank when the export worktable is constructed.

If this check box is selected and if the export worktable layout includes a salutation column, then the Salutation name from one of the Name rows belonging to the selected constituent will be copied into the worktable. You may specify a particular Name Type to be used by means of the pull-down list box to the right of the label, Use this name type if it exists. The list will display all of the Name Types from that lookup table and also the item, (first found). If the (first found) item is used, then the system will use the first Name row that is finds, belonging to the selected constituent, regardless of its Type. Since the "search" is performed in order by the code from the Name Types lookup table, and the code for the Preferred Name is a, the Preferred Name will usually be the "first found" Name row (unless your institution has altered that lookup table).

If you choose a specific Name Type from the listing, the system will first search for a Name record using that type and use its Salutation Name it if it exists. If one cannot be found, then the system will use the first found Name row and copy the Salutation Name from it, into the appropriate field in the export worktable.

The Millennium Reporter will decide whether to use the singular or combined form of the Salutation Name, based on the option that you chose in the main Report form, as regards Spouse combined names.

Address

(This function does not apply to Event Reporting and therefore this text box is not shown on the Event Report Option Form.)

When the generic worktable is created, there are three options regarding the Address information that may be included in that worktable. You may choose any one of these options via the radio buttons on the Options, Report form.

Select the method to use for including addresses in the report worktable.

Remove Spouses

(This function does not apply to Event Reporting and therefore this text box is not shown on the Event Report Option Form.)

If a report criteria uses the Always combine option, the system will try to find and use the combined name form for each row in the export worktable. If the report uses the Combine when either is selected option, the system will try to find and use the combined name form for each half of the selected spouse pair. When using either of these options, you may also want to have the system automatically remove the second spouse's row from the export worktable to avoid duplicate combined names.

The Remove Spouses option in this form allows you to do so, if you want. This option comes into play only when both Spouses or Life Partners would be selected for a report based on the criteria. If both Spouses are selected, and Remove Spouse is set to Yes, one spouse will be removed from the report. If only one Spouse is selected, and Remove Spouse is set to No, the spouse who does not meet the criteria is not added to the report. The Remove Spouses option is used in conjunction with the Combined Name Options that appears on the Millennium Reporter screen.

It will usually be desirable to remove spouses when using a combined name, however, since there could be a circumstance in which you would want to produce combined spouse names, without removing one spouse's row from the export, the option is available.

You may alter the Remove Spouse option for the current report by clicking the desired option button.

Worktable Format

(This function does not apply to Event Reporting and therefore this text box is not shown on the Event Report Option Form.)

When the Millennium Reporter identifies rows from the data base, it does so by creating an export worktable (sometimes called a worktable) that includes identifying data from the selected rows. In previous versions of Millennium, the standard report templates used one of several standard export worktables and formats constructed using the R&R Report Formatter. Beginning with Millennium 6.0, standard report templates use the Generic export worktable, and report formats are constructed using Crystal Reports. We strongly encourage you to use the Generic export worktable in the creation of all new reports in Millennium 6.0 and later, in connection with the direction in which Millennium is progressing.

User Defined

If your institution has staff members who are proficient in creating and using SQL Scripts, they may create their own export worktable. If you utilize custom scripts to create a custom export worktable, you may specify to the Millennium Reporter that the scripts and custom export worktable be used instead of the Generic export worktable by select the User Defined item from this pull-down list box. Please note that although Millennium permits this usage, User-Defined SQL Scripting is not part of standard Millennium training or customer support.

Script Path/Filename

If you select the User Defined Worktable Format, provide the name and location of the script that will be used to generate the custom export worktable. Please see the User Defined SQL Scripting topic for specific requirements of the path and file name.

Worktable Options

(This function does not apply to Event Reporting and therefore this text box is not shown on the Event Report Option Form.)

(In versions of Millennium prior to Release 6.0, the system utilized a variety of export worktables, some of which identified as many as three different Address rows. The Export Options allow the user to specify an Address row of a particular type for some of these fields in those Export worktables. As of Millennium version 6.0, the standard report formats and Millennium training do not use these other export worktables, but instead use the Generic export worktable exclusively. The Export options include the Home and Business Address options for the benefit of those sites who want to re-create scripts that they used in previous versions, to generate alternate export worktables.)

When a report is run, one of the standard export worktables is created. The worktables each have a standard "layout" of fields for use with the various formats. Some worktables include name information, some include information from as many as three addresses, for each selected constituent. In such cases, you may designate that a particular Name Type be used for the formatted name and sortname, and also that particular Address Types be used for the different address fields in the export.

The export worktables use the following conventions:

The Worktable Options allow you to alter this general rule of behavior. If you want to have all the "home" address information in the export worktable to be taken from an Address row of a specific type, you may choose the desired type from the pull-down list. Likewise, if you want to have all the "buss" address information in the export worktable taken from a specific type of Address row, you may edit that choice in the pull-down list.

If you want to have the formatted and sortname fields in the export worktable be of a particular Name Type, you may edit the choice in that pull-down list box. You may also allow the system to use the (first found) Name Type, which will generally be the Preferred Name (unless your institution has altered the code for the Preferred Name Type).

Report Path

The Report Path text box allows you to specify the location of the format definition files. If you are using Crystal Reports, these will be .rpt files and they can be saved in the location of your choice, as long as that location is correctly entered in this Report Path text box.

Command Line Arguments

If the Batch File option is active in the Output List item toward the top of this Option, Report form, you may use this text box to enter up to 50 characters of command line flags to be passed to the Batch File. For more information, see Batch File.

You may create a default for this Option, Report text box via the Options, Default form.

Decrypt Columns

(This function does not apply to Event Reporting and therefore this option is not shown on the Event Report Option Form.)

If Yes is selected, Millennium Reporter will decrypt coressnum, if the key file is basic data, or credccnum, if the key file is creditcard, and place this decrypted value in the field_decrypt field of the GENERIC worktable. If No is selected, then these fields will not be decrypted and column_decrypt field will be null. The default value is No.

Important! If the Decrypt Columns option is set toYes, your reports may run slower than normal.

If you do not want Millennium Reporter to decrypt these fields for you, you can decrypt them by using a Formula that you can build on your Crystal report format. See the topic, Decryption in Reporting, for more information.

Parameters

There are three kinds of parameters that you may use with the Millennium Reporter.

Using parameters allows you to "generalize" certain format definitions for use in varying situations. For example, the format definition might label the heading for a field, "Parameter 1". When that format is used with a set of criteria that defines Parameter 1 as "1997 Total Giving", then "1997 Total Giving" will appear as the label for the field. A different report criteria, using the same format, might define Parameter 1 as "Lifetime Giving Total". In this case, "Lifetime Giving Total" would be used as the label for the field.

When the report is run, an export worktable is constructed and passed to the formatting software. At the same time, the values given for any parameters are also passed along to the formatting software. The formatting software will use the parameter values in the same ways that it uses the data in the fields of the export worktable. That is, they may be used just as they are and positioned in a designated place within the final output. Or, parameters may be used as an element within a formula (a calculated field) to produce the desired data for the final output of the report.

Standard Parameters

Options > Param accesses the Parameters form. On this form are the controls which allow you to define up to 20 different standard parameters and a free text description of each for your own reference purposes. The parameters and descriptions may each be up to 244 characters in length.

If you define parameters as part of the criteria, when the report is run, you will be prompted, on the Additional Run Options page, to confirm or edit the parameter settings before the report is sent to the Queue.

Other standard Millennium parameters are 'fixed' insofar as they are predefined by the system for use in reporting. The values of these standard parameters are inserted or changed elsewhere in the reporting process, or in Millennium.

When inserting standard parameters in your Crystal format that you want passed through the Millennium Reporter you must use the following names. These names are case sensitive.

What to pass Where the value for the parameter is located Use this name in the Crystal format
Account Method Report Options AccountMethod
Institution Name System Information InstitutionName
Landscape ** landscape
Parameter 1 this Parameters Form parameter1 (must be a string)
Parameter 2* this Parameters Form parameter2 (must be a string)
Location of Millennium Attachments*** Photos Location mill_internet_path
Report Title Run Options Form ReportTitle
Total Title 1 Total Form total_title1
Total Title 2* Total Form total_title2

* All work similarly as the one previous.

** The value for this 'page orientation' parameter is 'stored' internally within Millennium. If you want for your report to print with a 'landscape' page orientation, you must define the landscape parameter in your Crystal format, but you do not have to place it on the format nor use it in a calculated field. If the landscape parameter is defined, Millennium will 'pass' the value, landscape. If it is not defined in Crystal, then Millennium will 'pass' the value, portrait.

*** Crystal Reports uses this parameter to display photos on reports.

Stored Parameters

Note: Creating and maintaining stored parameters is performed outside of Millennium, and it is entirely at the option and responsibility of the site to do so.

Stored parameters are defined via SQL statements outside of the Millennium interface, and saved in Millennium's report_parameters system table. If your site maintains stored parameters in accordance with the expectations and requirements of that table, additional options are available as you create and run criteria in the Millennium Reporter. When you use Options, Param(eter) to access the Parameters form, each of the text boxes for one of the twenty parameters will include a check box labeled, Stored. If no stored parameters have been defined, the check box is disabled.

When you click the Stored check box, the Description text box for that parameter becomes a list box, showing the names of the parameters from the report_parameters table.  You may choose one and then the system will automatically default to the value of that is associated, in the report_parameters table, with that parameter name. 

You may edit the value that you will to use for the parameter if the entry in the report_parameters table has been defined to permit you to do so.

If the parameter is defined to do so, it may specify one of the Millennium Lookup tables as the source of the value to be used for the parameter. Do so by specifying the name of the data column that references the Millennium Lookup table. If so, when the report is run, you will be prompted, on the Additional Run Options form, with a list of the values from that lookup table to use as the parameter value for the report.

For example, if you want to have the parameter value's source be a listing of available codes from the constituent_types lookup table, then specify "coreconst" in the report_parameters table, lookup_table column.

Crystal Parameters

Parameters created and named in Crystal can be passed from a Crystal format, to Millennium Reporter. Once you create the parameters, specify the prompt text, and define default values (if applicable and desired) in Crystal, these parameters will then display in Millennium Reporter, instead of the standard Millennium parameters, via the Param(eter) action item. And these will be the parameters that will be shown on the Additional Run Options form when the report criteria is run.

Within a report, you must choose to use either the standard parameters (named parameter1, parameter2, and so forth), OR to use parameters that you define in Crystal. You cannot mix both types in one report. If you attempt to build a report with both types, Crystal parameters will take precedence, and the standard ones will be ignored. This rule applies only to those standard parameters with the 'parameterX' naming convention. Use of the other Millennium parameters, such as Institution Name, Report Title, and Total Titles is independent of your choice of standard versus Crystal parameters.

Default

The Default function accesses the Default Report Options form.

The Default Report Options form allows you to define certain settings that you want to use as your own preferences and defaults for items that are located on each individual Main Report form, on the Advanced Report Options form, and on the Run Options form. When any of these forms are presented during the creation or running of the report criteria, you may edit the settings, without affecting the Default settings that you establish here. Default Report Options settings can only be edited by accessing this Default Report Options form.

Since most of the items shown on the Default Report Options form are described in more detail elsewhere, the information below lists the location where the Default Report Options will be used, and gives either a description or a hyperlink to the documentation for each item.

Variable

Location

Description

Institution Name

Passed to Crystal to use in the final report output

This option allows you to specify the name of the institution or division you want to have appear as part of the heading for the printed report. This institution name will be used when the current user runs any report. For all users, this initially defaults to the Institution name as defined by the system administrator during System Information setup. Each user can then change what Institution name he or she wants to use as a default, and this is the name that will be used until or unless the setting is changed again by the user.

Tables

Main Report Form, Step 2 of creating or editing criteria

This option allows you to specify whether you want to view all lookup table entries by using their codes or their values, as you construct or edit criteria statements. If you choose Codes, the entries will be shown in order based on the Code, and the entry will display the code followed by the value, for that entry. If you choose Values, the entries will be shown in order based on the Value, and the entry will display the Value (only). The display mode you choose will be used when creating new criteria statements, editing existing ones, and when displaying the completed statements in the Report form.

Export option when no Crystal format is specified

Advanced Report Options form

See Export Option when no Crystal format is specified.

Destination associated with the selection of a Crystal format

Advanced Report Options form

See Destination.

File format of data (when Crystal export is selected)

Advanced Report Options form

See Default Export Option.

Print Criteria

Run Criteria

See Print Criteria

Save Worktable

Run Criteria

See Save Export.

Format Names

Run Criteria

See Format Names.

Output List

Advanced Report Options form

See Options, Output List.

Accounting Method

Advanced Report Options form

See Options, Accounting.

Include Salutation

Advanced Report Options form

See Options, Construct Salutation.

Address

Advanced Report Options form

See Options, Address.

Remove Spouses

Advanced Report Options form

See Options, Remove Spouse.

Worktable Options

Advanced Report Options form

See Options, Export Options

Remove Duplicates

Main Report Form

See Report Form, Duplicate Options

Include Deceased

Main Report Form

See Report Form, Deceased Options

Spouse Names

Main Report Form

See Report Form, Combine Options.

Report Path

Advanced Report Options form

See Options, Report Path.

Export Path

Export Prompt

See Default Export Path

Show Clipboard

Main Report Form

If this option is set to Yes, the Main Report Form can be placed in Clipboard Edit Mode. Multiple lines of criteria can be selected and held on the clipboard, and can then be copied into the current report or into a different report.

If this option is set to No, the Main Report Form remains in Normal Edit Mode. Only one line of criteria or one criteria statement can be selected and held in the clipboard at a time. This line or statement can be copied into the current report only.

See Edit Functions, Clipboard for functionality.

Note: The Show Clipboard option will not display for Event Reporting.

Ecommerce Password

The setting of this option is 'read' prior to sending report criteria to the queue.

This option applies to Online Constituent Directory reports. If checked, it is set to Yes, and those Online Constituent Directory users who do not have to change passwords the next time they log on (core1passw = 'N') will be removed from the group of constituents initially selected by the report criteria.

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