Report Output Types

Report Output Types

You can output reports to PDF, Excel, Interactive, or CSV format.

PDF Format

PDF format provides consistent layout and pagination properties between PDF and HTML output formats, and high-quality images for charts and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format.

PDF files are high-quality with small file size.

Excel Format

When output to Excel, crosstab report content is displayed as a pivot table. Users who do not have access to Interactive crosstabs can analyze the exported crosstab output using Excel. If the crosstab contains a grand total, however, the grand total in the Excel pivot table is different from the grand total in the report. In this case, do not export crosstab content as a pivot table.

Interactive Format

Interactive viewer enables you to interact with your reports. When you open an interactive report, the viewer opens in a new tab.

With interactive viewer, you can customize reports based on your needs and preferences. For example, you can do the following on reports containing up to 200 pages:

  • Modify the report layout
  • Create computed data
  • Move or delete columns
  • Create aggregate data
  • Modify tables displaying summary information
  • Modify charts and graphs
  • Modify data in crosstabs
  • Rearrange data using simple menu options
Note

Interactive viewer operates on a document file generated from a design created in Report Studio. As a result, some properties specified at design time, such as formatting, filters, and so on, cannot be modified using interactive viewer. In interactive viewer, you can make changes to the document file, save it as a design, and edit the design.

CSV Format

CSV files are plain-text files, which makes them easy to import to spreadsheets or databases. This flexibility makes CSV output the best choice when you want to get Dimensions reporting data to a third party application other than Excel.

The selected report is rendered as a CSV file that can be saved to your computer. CSV report output provides these features.

  • The CSV report version will maintain the defined grouping and provide grouped data and detailed data in the report output.

  • Hidden columns are not included in the CSV report.

  • The report will provide all numeric values as unformatted.

  • Data in the CSV will be in raw format allowing you to format as needed.

  • The CSV report will always include the column headers as the first row of exported data.

  • CSV report rendering is best suited for flat (tabular) reports. It is not for highly formatted reports.

  • It is a best practice to use CSV output instead of Excel output for larger reports, specifically for those that exceed 10,000 employees or locations.

Interactive Viewer

In interactive viewer, select and right-click an area in the report. The context menu varies depending on the type of content selected. Options include the following: 
  • Change Text - Change the header text, alignment, or font of the report header. 
  • Group - Add a group or delete an inner group as well as define page breaks before or after groups.
  • Freeze - Freezes columns to the left of the cursor while allowing remaining columns to scroll. 
  • Column - You can hide or delete columns to improve the presentation or change the order of data in a report. You can also hide duplicate data rows in a column or a group by selecting “Do Not Repeat Values” in this option. Use “New Computed Column” to add a new calculated column in the report.
  • Aggregation - Create aggregate data such as sums, standard deviations, rankings, and differences.
  • Filter - Often, a report or report element provides more information than you need. You can display specific rows of a report with a filter. For example, instead of listing all employee accrual balances, you can create a filter to list only employee accrual balances under 20 hours. Filtering data helps you work effectively with large amounts of data. From the Filter option, you can choose to view only the top or bottom value or percent. 
  • Sort - Sort data to display report content in a more meaningful order. You can sort data in ascending or descending order, and you can sort by as many as three fields. For example, you can sort a list of employees by opening balance, then by available balance. 
  • Alignment - Align left, right, or center.
  • Format - Modify the font or copy the style. 
  • Export Content - You can export content to different formats: Excel, Word, PDF, PostScript, PowerPoint, or extensible HTML.
  • Display calculated data - You can create calculations to count items in a warehouse or provide more complex financial data, such as tracking stock portfolio performance over time. 
  • Analyze - You can modify crosstabs using a tool called Interactive Crosstabs. Add, remove, reorganize, and customize the data in a crosstab to examine relationships and trends.