Purpose and Key Concepts

The Reports module's purpose is to provide resources for data-driven decision-making. The concepts in the following ease the Reports module understanding:

Forms

Report Forms are Rich Text documents that can be saved to disk or visualized in displays. The content can include real-time tag values, tables, and symbols. These forms can be saved as Text or PDF files.

WebData

Web Data encapsulates everything needed to exchange JSON, XML, or HTML data with other applications or save its contents to a file. Web Data objects can also be used in displays, enabling interaction with web services and REST APIs.

Understanding the Report module

Overview

This module gathers data from several sources and levels coming from different locations. This data is organized and transformed from these data into relevant information, providing a valuable resource for the decision-making process.

Features Highlights

• PDF and Text Reports: Generate visually appealing and informative reports in PDF or text format with FactoryStudio. These reports come complete with charts, tables, and other graphical elements, allowing users to effectively communicate insights from your data.
• Forms: Design customizable and interactive forms with FactoryStudio to display real-time or historical data and capture user input. This feature streamlines data presentation and management.
• WebData: With FactoryStudio, users can exchange data between external applications or services using web-based communication protocols like HTTP and RESTful APIs.
• XML and JSON Support: Easily exchange data between FactoryStudio and external systems. This module supports importing and exporting information in standard XML and JSON formats, facilitating seamless data integration and management across various systems.
• Web Services Integration: FactoryStudio's Report module offers robust capabilities to interact with external applications or systems. This integration allows FactoryStudio to access, manipulate, and share data in real-time using standardized communication protocols like HTTP and RESTful APIs. It 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 in FactoryStudio. These automated processes ensure the timely delivery of reports, providing recipients with essential insights and updates.
• Template Customization: FactoryStudio's Report 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: FactoryStudio's 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. It also addresses the unique requirements of each project, paving the way for a scalable and modular approach to system design.

Configuring the Report Module

Configuration Workflow

Report Forms Configuration

You create text, formatting, and values using the text editor. To create or edit a report:

1. Go to Reports → Forms.
2. Select a report name or select the insert row (first row) to create a new report.
3. Enter or select information, as needed.

Forms RichText Editor

In the Forms Editor, you can design your form layout by dragging and dropping UI components (e.g., text boxes, drop-down lists, charts) from the toolbox onto the form canvas, and configure the properties of each UI component, such as data binding, appearance, and behavior.

To use the text editor:

1. Go to Reports → Forms Editor.
2. In the editor, you can visually add text, tags, tables and even symbols to your report.
3. Click Save.
4. Configure the report properties for the display dynamics or script that will run the report.

Check Forms Editor and Dynamic Cell Colors in Reports for additional information.

Creating WebData Definitions

1. Go to Reports → Web Data.
2. Click the "Add" button to create a new Web Data entry, and fill in the following columns:

WebData Contents Editor

In the Web Data Editor, you can create, modify, or delete data entries according to your project requirements.

1. Go to Reports → Web Data Editor.
2. Select the WebData entry you want to edit from the list

Check the WebAccess REST API page for additional information.

Reports Monitor

The Reports Monitor allows you to manage and control report entries, providing an overview of the status and results of each report.

1. Go to Reports → Reports Monitor.
2. The Reports Monitor displays a list of report entries with the following columns:

Manage individual report entries using the "Play," "Pause," and "Stop" buttons located above the spreadsheet. These buttons allow you to manually start, pause, or stop report execution.

Review the status of each report entry to ensure successful execution and identify any issues that may require attention.

By utilizing the Reports Monitor, you can keep track of report execution and quickly identify and address any issues that may arise, ensuring smooth operation and accurate data presentation.

Troubleshooting and Best Practices

Troubleshooting and Common #Issues

The Report module may encounter some issues in its operation. Here are some common issues and their troubleshooting:

#Issue

Solution

Best Practices and #Recommendations

To ensure the smooth operation of the Report module, follow these best practices:

#Best practice

Recommendations

Report Runtime Attributes

The Report namespace exposes properties and methods of the .NET objects used by the Dataset Module execution. For more information on namespaces and objects, go to Objects and Namespaces.

This section describes only some commonly used properties, for the full list properties and methods, go to the Namespaces Reference.

In this section: