Writing Custom Reports for MISys Manufacturing: A Primer

Presented at a Webinar 7-28-2011

What is Covered

• How reports work within MISys Manufacturing• What experience is required to do customization• The tools MISys provides and the other tools you will

need• Examples of typical customization needs• How to distribute custom reports• Additional resources available

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Limitations: This webinar is not intended to be a detailed tutorial or training session, but will be a general overview and introduction to writing custom reports for MISys Manufacturing.

Selected Glossary

• ADO.NET– (ActiveX Data Object for .NET) is a set of computer software components that programmers can use to access data and

data services. It is commonly used by programmers to access and modify data stored in relational database systems.

• XML– Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. Many application

programming interfaces (APIs) have been developed that software developers use to process XML data.

• Foreign Key/Join/Related Tables– A foreign key is a field in a relational table used to cross-reference another table. A join combines records from two or more

related tables in a database using a cross-reference.

• Schema– A database schema describes the structure and organization of the data. It usually provides the blueprint of the tables,

columns and relationships between tables.

• RPT file– Files produced by Crystal Reports that describe the data connection(s) and report layout. Also describes how fields from

tables in these data connections are placed on the report design surface, and used in custom formulas, using either BASIC or Crystal's own syntax, which are then placed on the design surface.

• ODBC Compliant– ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) is a standard software interface for accessing database management systems. An

application can use ODBC to query data from a database, regardless of the platform it is on or specific database system it uses.

• SQL– Structured Query Language, is a database computer language designed for managing data in relational database

management systems. Its scope includes data insert, query, update and delete, schema creation and modification, and data access control.

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MISys Manufacturing 5.0 Reports

• MISys Manufacturing uses SAP Crystal Reports as the primary engine to define and view reports– Can access data via Direct connection to an ODBC compliant

database such as Microsoft SQL Server– Can access data Via ADO.NET from an external application

such as MISys Manufacturing

• The definition and layout of each report is contained in a standard Crystal Reports .RPT file

• MISys also uses a Report Definition File to describe additional usage information– XML file using MISys defined syntax

• MISys Manufacturing also supports direct export to Microsoft Excel

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The MISys Manufacturing Report Definition File

• For all reports (Direct DB and ADO/XML), defines…– How the report is accessed via the MISys Manufacturing UI

– Which RPT file is used to display the report data

– The definition of the UI parameters presented to the user within MISys Manufacturing to specify the report filter criteria

– Any required parameters to pass to the RPT file

• For ADO/XML reports, also defines…– The definition of the tables used and any special column formatting

– The specification of any required MISys Manufacturing special business logic processing (e.g. exploding a BOM, Shop Floor material status)

– The SQL 'where' clause of the SQL filter expression used to filter the returned records

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Excel Export

• Uses same UI to filter report data• Can select tables and fields to export

• Creates standard Microsoft Excel file– One table per sheet

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Typical Customizations

• Change the layout of an existing report– Add a logo– Add/hide existing fields

• Add custom fields to a report• Add additional related table fields to a report

– Example: you want to add a BOM component part’s Pick Sequence field or Unit of Measure to an exploded view report

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Customizing Reports – 3 Approaches

1. Via MISys Manufacturing’s ADO/XML report definition mechanisms – Can be used to customize existing standard reports

2. Via Excel Export– Can be used to create reports from standard report data

3. Via direct access to MISys Manufacturing’s SQL Server database data from Crystal Reports– Can be used to create new reports– Cannot be used to customize existing standard reports

• Or have MISys do customization for you– MISys can quote a price for your specific requirements

• Or have your MISys Business Partner do it for you

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Customizing with ADO/XML Interface

• MISys creates ADO dataset and passes data directly to .RPT file• Advantages

– No SQL query filtering is required; the ADO records are already prepared by the MISys Manufacturing business logic before being sent to the RPT file

– Column data can be formatted by MISys (e.g. Item formats, numeric formats, currency formats) using the settings in MISys directly

– Additional computed tables and columns not actually present in the database can be inserted

– No need to define joins

– Crystal Reports only needs to be used to do layout and grouping• Eliminating most of the complexities of using Crystal Reports

• Disadvantages– Must import schema into .RPT file

• Best used if you need to customize an existing report

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Customizing using Excel

• Advantages– Can generate reports from the Excel data using familiar tools in Excel– Column data can be formatted by MISys (e.g. Item formats, numeric formats, currency

formats) using the settings in MISys directly– No query filtering or database connection setup is required; the Excel datasheet data is

already prepared by the MISys Manufacturing business logic before being sent to the Excel file

– Schema comes with the data in the Excel file– Additional computed tables and columns from MISys business logic and not actually

present in the database are inserted and can be used in Excel

• Disadvantages– Cannot save template and fill with data except by copy/paste from output file to template file– You must create any needed formulas in Excel for summary computations for each time you

fetch data– You must define report output format using Excel tools– Depending on the report output required, may still require formulas to define sheet (table)

relationships, grouping, etc.

• Best used for general purpose data mining or if unfamiliar with Crystal Reports

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Customizing with Direct Database Access

• RPT file defines UI and reads schema and data directly from the database

• Direct Database Interface Advantages– No need for detailed understanding of Report Definition file syntax

• Direct database Interface Disadvantages– Cannot be used to modify existing reports– The RPT file must either have embedded database credentials or require the

user to enter them– The RPT file must define the SQL query used to filter the data to be reported on– The RPT file must implement all data formatting, grouping and business logic to

process the data to be shown– Cannot support custom fields, calculated data or any special business logic

processing– Often requires more database expertise including use of joins

• Best used for creating a brand new custom report and you are most comfortable with accessing databases directly

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Custom Reports - Experience is Required

• If planning to use Excel data export to create custom report output in Excel– Experience with Microsoft Excel

• If planning to create or edit MISys standard reports– Experience with SAP Crystal Reports– Experience with Microsoft SQL Server

• How tables and columns are used

• How tables relate to other tables

• Some familiarity with SQL syntax

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Tools Provided by MISys

• Custom Reports Interface tool– Tool to facilitate creation and management of custom reports– Available from within MISys Manufacturing

• Print Data Table information– In the form of a user friendly report that shows table schemas

• Header/detail relationships

• Foreign key/join relationships

• Column captions and data types

• Custom Report Export/Import functions– To facilitate distribution of custom reports– Available from within MISys Manufacturing

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Additional Tools Required

• Custom reports license for MISys Manufacturing– No cost for business partners and customers.– Available on request

• A copy of SAP Crystal Reports– Version 10 or later– Must be purchased directly from SAP or SAP distributor - $495

per copy

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Custom Report Interface Tool

• Provides user friendly way to create and manage most of the Report Definition for custom reports– Defines how the report is accessed from within MISys

Manufacturing and which .RPT file to use– Defines the needed UI to allow the user to enter report

parameters for filtering the records or as passed parameters to the .RPT file

• Supports use of widgets that match the functionality of UI within MISys Manufacturing

– Finders, masks, currency and numeric formats based on the MISys Manufacturing database setup

– Can facilitate creation of either Direct Database or ADO/XML style custom reports

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Provided Customization Tools

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Live Demo…

Print Data Tables

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Typical MISys Manufacturing Report

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Editing with Crystal Reports Designer

• All existing 5.0 Reports can be opened and edited using Crystal reports Designer 10 or later

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Distribution of Custom Reports

• For distribution by a Business Partner to their clients• For distribution by a customer to their MISys Client

installations• Exporting a custom report

– Creates 2 files that can by distributed for import • an .XML file that defines the report interface configuration

• a copy of the associated .RPT file that actually defines the report

• Importing a custom report– Considerations if using custom fields

• Company database that the report is imported into must have same custom fields defined

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Advanced Tools in the Works

• New Wizard tab in Custom Report Tool for simplified customization of existing reports– With only a few mouse clicks in MISys Manufacturing, you can…

• Change a report layout or hide existing data

• Add access to custom fields

• Add access to related data fields

– Can be done without any knowledge of Report Definition file XML

– Only requires very basic use of Crystal reports• Drag & drop new fields onto the report designer view

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Where Can I Find Out More?

• The MISys Manufacturing help system provides extensive information on report customization– Note: Most of the information provided in this presentation is available in

the Custom Reports Overview section in help

• The MISys Manufacturing Report Definition details document– Provides details on the XML syntax used for the Report Definition files

– Available as download from the support section of the MISys web site

• MISys Technical Support does not provide assistance on customization other than the above document

• Using Crystal Reports– http://www.crystalreports.com

– http://www.sap-businessobjects.info/crystal-reports.htm

• For more information about MISys: www.misysinc.com

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