Building Crystal Reports in MobileMMS
One of many ways of summarizing and displaying information in MobileMMS is to build Crystal Reports. Crystal Reports have the advantage
of allowing the designer to format and summarize the data to a desired format that is consistent with what users are accustomed to.
A few notes to be aware of regarding this process:
- Crystal reports are created on a form by form basis.
- You can only launch the crystal report for a specific form record or group of records for one form.
- Reports can be created in any version of Crystal Report starting at 2008 and through 2020. (The organization is responsible for purchasing a license of Crystal Reports Designer, it is not included with MobileMMS).
- To design a Crystal Report for use in MobileMMS, the user must have "Administrative" privileges.
- Knowledge of using Crystal Report is highly recommended.
How to Create a Crystal Report
Steps:
1. Enter Administrator section of the MobileMMS by clicking on the "gear" icon. The icon will only be visible if you have administrative privileges.
2. Select the form that will be the source of the report; then select the Reports Tab and select "View Report"
3. Download the XSD schema file and save it to a know location on your computer. The XSD file contains a description of the fields available for the report.
4. Open Crystal Reports and start a blank report
- When you open a blank report, you will be prompted to select a data source, select “Create New Connection” (item 1).
- Select the ADO.NET (XML) option (item 2), you will be prompted to select the file path, chose the file that you saved previously (item 3).
- If the ADO.NET (XML) option does not exist, you will need to check to make sure that you have .Net Framework 2.0 and 3.5 installed on your machine.
- Leave the Class Name blank and don’t check the Use Data Set from Class options.
- Click Finish
5. Next you will be shown the “Data” tables that are available for the report. The “Data” tables correspond to the form you selected earlier and any relational tables that exist, like “child” forms, or attached forms if applicable. In general, it’s good to select all the tables and include them in the report. You don’t have to use them all but if you need them, it’s easier to add them now then to try to add them later.
- Note: The number in parenthesis is equal to the form ID that can be found in the admin when managing forms.
- Select finish
- At this point, you can start to create the report, this tutorial is not intended to teach you how to create a report in Crystal, use the help or other resources for that
How to Display Crystal Report in MobileMMS
Steps:
1. In the Administrator section of the MobileMMS, select the reports tab
2. Then select "Add Report"
3. Fill in the below and click "Save"
1. Form:
2. Name: insert title of report
3. Report File: Upload the .rpt Crystal Report file that was created.
4. Display in Detail Pane: By enabling this option, the report can be launched when viewing a single record. To launch the report press the icon that looks like a paper.
5. Display in Grid Pane: By enabling this option, the report can be launched when you are in the grid pane and need to view the report for multiple records. To launch the report press the icon that looks like a paper.
6. Display in Report Pane: By enabling this option, the report can be launched when you are on the main page and need to view annual reports. To launch the report press the icon that looks like a paper.
7. Enabled:
8. Allow Adobe PDF: Able to view the report in a PDF Format
9. Allow Microsoft Excel: Able to view the report in a Excel Format
10. Allow Microsoft Word: Able to view the report in a Word Format
11. Include File Data: IN PROGRESS
12. Include File Thumbnail Data: IN PROGRESS
13. Archive to FormField: IN PROGRESS
Updating a Crystal Report in MobileMMS
Steps:
1. In the Administrator section of the MobileMMS, select the form that will be the source of the report and go to the Reports Tab.
2. Select the report that needs to be uploaded by clicking on the "pencil icon"
3. Then select the "Upload/Download tab" and upload the new/updated .rpt file
How to Update XSD File in Crystal Report
Steps:
1. Updating the Data source of an existing Report
If the form that is referenced by a Crystal report has changed, either a field name has changed or new field names are added, you will need to update the Crystal Report (.rpt) file by following these steps:
- Go into the administrator and download the latest xsd file for the report that needs to be updated
2. Right click "Database Field" and select "Set Datasource Location"
3. In "Current Data Source" box click on form name that needs to be updated
4. In "Replace with" box create new connection by uploading the new xsd file
5. Once "new" xsd is downloaded, click the appropriate form that needs to updated in the "Replace With" box
6. Click update