Report Form-Parameters
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.
There are three kinds of parameters that you may use with the Millennium Reporter:
- Standard Parameters are defined within the Millennium Reporter.
- Stored Parameters are defined outside of Millennium, using SQL statements, and saved to the report_parameters system table.
- Crystal parameters are defined outside of Millennium by using the Crystal report formatting software.
The Parameter Options tab lets you add up to 20 parameters from Crystal or other reporting tools from separate, stored work files, or by entering the parameter name and description in the form.
The Parameter Options tab includes the following fields.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Number | This column lets you organize the parameters in the order they will be displayed when the report is run. |
| Use Stored | Select this check box to make stored parameters available for selection. You can choose an existing parameter from the Description list. |
| Description |
Enter or select the parameter by its Description. For new parameters, you can enter a text description.. When you choose to use a stored parameter, this field lists any available stored parameters for this report. |
|
Parameter |
Enter a Parameter type or accept the type when you choose a stored parameter. |
Standard Parameters
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 | Report Criteria | total_title1 |
| Total Title 2* | Report Criteria | 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, Use Stored. If no stored parameters have been defined, the check box is disabled.
When you click the Use 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.
- You may assign any desired name to the Crystal parameters, with the exception of the Standard Millennium parameter names listed above.
- You may specify an unlimited number of Crystal parameters.
- You may assign any data type to a Crystal parameter.
- You must enter Prompting text for every Crystal parameter.
- You may define Default values for your Crystal parameters. If so, when the report criteria is run, a drop list box with the list of default values will be presented for you to choose a value from.
- A Crystal parameter that is defined and used in a sub-report must be defined both in the main report and in the sub-report. But, the parameter does not have to be used in the Main report.
- When you run report criteria that includes a Crystal parameter, the parameter will display on the Additional Run Options form even if you do not first give a value to it via the Param(eter) action item. If you want to assign a default value to the parameter, for this report, you must do so via this action item at the time you save the report criteria.
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.