Reports Module
(Concept) The Reports Module
generates PDF and text reports, creates interactive forms, and manages data exchange with external systems through JSON, XML, HTML, and web service interfaces.
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Understanding Report Generation
Industrial automation requires comprehensive documentation and data exchange capabilities. The Reports Module bridges operational data with business systems by providing:
- Formatted documentation for compliance and analysis
- Data exchange interfaces for enterprise integration
- Automated distribution of critical information
- Real-time data snapshots in professional formats
Key Concepts
- Forms: Rich
- text documents with embedded real-time tag values, tables, and
- charts that generate PDF, text, or CSV output
- WebData:
- Data exchange
- definitions for JSON, XML,
Configuration Workflow
Reports module configuration workflow
Action
Where
Create Report Forms
Reports / Forms. Learn more at Reports Forms.
Create WebData Definitions
Reports / WebData. Learn more at Reports WebData.
Manage WebData scripts
Use Scripts, Displays or others module to active (save, load) the reports
This module gathers data from several sources and levels coming from different locations. This data is organized and transformed into relevant information, providing a valuable resource for the decision-making process.
- and HTML communication with external systems via REST APIs
- Templates: Reusable report layouts with dynamic content placeholders
- Scheduling: Automated report generation based on time or events
- Isolated Processing: Report generation in separate processes to protect real-time operations
What It Does
The Reports Module provides comprehensive reporting and integration:
- Creates PDF and text reports with charts, tables, and real-time data
- Exchanges data with external systems via REST APIs and web services
- Generates interactive forms for data collection and presentation
- Schedules automatic report generation and email distribution
- Integrates with ERP, BI tools, and custom applications
- Supports SOA and microservices architectures
Architecture Overview
Report Generation Flow
- Template definition with placeholders
- Data collection from tags and queries
- Content rendering and formatting
- Output generation (PDF, text, HTML)
- Distribution or storage
Data Exchange Pattern
- WebData template configuration
- Tag binding for dynamic values
- API request/response handling
- Data parsing and mapping
- Integration with solution logic
Runtime Behavior
Report Generation
Forms execute on-demand or by schedule, collecting current tag values and query results. Reports generate in isolated processes to avoid impacting real-time operations.
Data Exchange
WebData definitions handle bidirectional communication with external systems through REST APIs. The module acts as a service provider for other modules requiring formatted data.
Integration Points
- Displays: DataGrids show JSON/CSV data, PDF viewers display reports
- Scripts: Trigger report generation and process WebData responses
- Devices: Exchange recipes and configuration data with controllers
- Databases: Query results incorporated into reports
Feature Highlights
- PDF and Text Reports - Professional documents with charts, tables, and graphics
- Interactive Forms - Real-time data display with user input capture
- WebData Exchange - HTTP and RESTful API integration
- Multi-Format Support - JSON, XML, HTML, and plain text
- Web Services Integration - ERP, BI, and custom application connectivity
- Scheduling and Notifications - Automated generation and email distribution
- Template Customization - Reusable layouts for consistency
- SOA and Microservices - Modern architecture patterns support
- Built-in Report Designer - Visual layout editor
- Data Access Toolkit - .NET library and REST API for custom integrations
- Dynamic Symbols - Real-time display elements in reports
- Isolated Processing - Protected real-time operations
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Runtime Execution
Providing Query Results
The Reports Module enables the solution to interact with Reports configuration seamlessly, acting as a Service to other modules.
The data retrieved from databases can be utilized in various ways throughout your solution. For example:
- In the Displays Module: Visualization tools like DataGrids can present query results on screens and dashboards, creating custom views of the data that are accessible and easy to understand for your users.
- In the Scripting Module: Custom scripts can reference query results and trigger specific actions, such as sending notifications, updating tags, or performing calculations, thereby implementing complex logic based on database data.
- Devices: Sending data from field equipments to a SQL database, or applying settings from the database to the field equipments.
Visualization and Interaction
Features Highlights
PDF and Text Reports: Generate visually appealing and informative reports in PDF or text format. Reports come complete with charts, tables, and other graphical elements, allowing users to effectively communicate insights from their data.
Forms: Design customizable and interactive forms to display real-time or historical data and capture user input. This allows you to streamline data presentation and management.
WebData: Users can exchange data between external applications or services using web-based communication protocols like HTTP and RESTful APIs.
XML, HTML, and JSON Support: Easily exchange data between external systems. This module supports importing and exporting information in plain text files, or in standard XML, HTML, or JSON formats, facilitating seamless data integration and management across various systems.
- Web Services Integration: This integration allows users to access, manipulate, and share data in real-time using protocols like HTTP and RESTful APIs. It also ensures compatibility with diverse software systems such as ERP, BI tools, and custom applications, thereby enhancing data sharing and collaboration.
Scheduling and Notifications: Keep stakeholders informed by setting up report schedules and email notifications. These automated processes ensure the timely delivery of reports, providing recipients with essential insights and updates.
Template Customization: The Reports Module also offers a feature to create and modify report templates. This capability ensures that users can meet specific project requirements, guaranteeing consistent and accurate data presentation.
Architecture Implementation: The web services integration is designed to support various architectural implementations, including Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and microservices. This adaptability allows for easy integration within existing IT infrastructures and addresses the unique requirements of each project, paving the way for a scalable and modular approach to system design.
Manage WebData
WebData encompasses all functionalities necessary for exchanging JSON, XML, Text, or HTML data with external applications or saving data contents to a file.
External Application Data Exchange: Utilize web services to interact with external applications or systems, enabling our platform to access, modify, and share data using standardized communication protocols like HTTP and RESTful APIs. This facilitates integration with diverse software systems such as ERP, BI tools, and custom applications, enhancing data sharing and collaboration.
Architecture Implementation: Our platform’s web services integration supports various architectural implementations, including Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and microservices. This adaptability enables seamless integration within existing IT infrastructures, catering to the specific needs of each project and fostering a scalable, modular approach to system design.
Built-in Report Designer
Our platform offers a straightforward Report layout editor seamlessly integrated with the engineering workspace. Easily create visually appealing and informative reports in PDF or text format, featuring charts, tables, and other graphical elements.
Scheduling and Notifications
Schedule report generation and set up email notifications to automatically deliver reports to stakeholders. This ensures they stay informed of crucial insights and updates without manual intervention.
Data Access Toolkit
Using our platform, you have access to a comprehensive .NET Data Access library, which you can utilize to develop tailored reporting solutions or integrate with various tools like Microsoft Office, SQL Server Reporting Services, or other vendors' tools. Additionally, a Rest API is available for integration with Web Services.
Create Forms
Create customizable and interactive forms to showcase real-time or historical data and gather user input, simplifying data presentation and administration.
You can incorporate any symbol from the real-time displays into the report. These symbols retain their dynamic behavior, such as color, text output, and rotation, by updating them with the current tag values during report creation. User controls like Trend and Bar charts can also be included. You can also add contents from database tables and queries to the reports. These queries and report generation processes operate in isolated processes, ensuring they don't disrupt real-time processing.