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Report Writing: Customizing Standard Reports

There are a number of modifications that can be applied to a standard report to alter the content, generating what appears to be a brand new report. Some of these modifications may simply affect the look of the report; others will re-organize the records on the report by sorting or grouping differently, and still others will add or remove content.

Please keep in mind that there are limitations regarding what can be modified, and to what extent. We will do our best to accommodate your needs or determine an alternate means of achieving the same result.

Types of Customization
	Report Title / Report Labels: When you create a custom version of a standard report, it’s common practice to change the report title, if for no other reason than to avoid confusion between the two reports. The labels, on the other hand, typically reflect the same label names used in the original standard report. In addition to modifying the report title, we can modify the report labels to better reflect your organization’s business terminology.
	Formatting: Formatting modifications affect how data is presented on the report. There are many formatting options, some of which are listed below: Font \ Font Size \ Appearance (bold, italics, underline) Justification (align left, align right, center) Spacing (section height, line spacing) Graphic Elements to increase readability (shading, horizontal lines) Page Layout (portrait vs. landscape, margins, paper size) Data Type Formatting (currency symbols, decimal places, formatting dates differently) Conditional Formatting (highlighting \ suppressing content based on value)
	Grouping / Grouping Labels: Grouping provides a means of organizing records on a report by sub-dividing the records into categories. Many reports are grouped by Labor Levels. The Labor Level Groupings are displayed and sorted as a combination of the Labor Level Name plus Description:       Example:         1003 Associate         1004 Accountant Typically we are able to modify the groupings that a report is based on. We can also modify the wording that displays at the top of each grouping, or remove it entirely.
	Sort Options: Report content is generally sorted in a specific order; sometimes by Employee Name, other times by Department, Shift Start Date, etc. It’s possible to sort by more than one data field, resulting in a multiple levels of sorting. Please keep in mind that Sorting and Grouping are related. Pre-defined groups limit the options by which the detail records may be sorted. on. We can also modify the wording that displays at the top of each grouping, or remove it entirely.
	Add / Remove Fields: To a certain extent, we can add and/or remove various fields to/from the report design. Adding fields may be limited by the available landscape on the report. Removal of fields is possible as long as the integrity of the report is maintained. It’s not uncommon for clients to request a custom version of a standard report, asking that fields be removed to allow the report to focus on content most relevant to their organization.
	Report Output: Our custom reports are designed to be displayed in PDF format. Alternately, we can format the report to be exported to MS-Excel®. Clients often prefer this format if they plan to use the data for other purposes. Formatting for MS-Excel typically involves the following steps: Removal of any ‘empty’ space horizontally and vertically around each field Vertical alignment of all fields Suppression or modification of Page Header / Page Footer content Suppression or modification of Group Header / Group Footer content The time required to format for MS-Excel® is dependent upon the number of fields and report sections.
	Client-Specific Customization: In addition to the types of modifications listed above, we can also modify the custom report to include elements specific to your organization. Examples may include a company logo, custom report headers and footers, etc.
Please Note: For all reports, whether pre-built or fully customized, a Golden consultant will contact you for additional input in order to ensure the report works properly with your database and your list of labor levels and pay codes.