Chapter :8

Report Painter/Report Writer

Chapter :9

In this chapter you will learn:

Contents

The basics of Report Painter/Report Writer How the Report Painter/Report Writer tools are organized Answers to some of the most fre uently as!ed uestions about the tool

Overview..................................................................................................................... 2 Where Is Report Painter/Report Writer Used?........................................................3 How to Access Report Painter/Report Writer?........................................................4 How Is Report Painter/Report Writer Organi ed?...................................................! How "oes Report Painter "i##er #ro$ Other Reporting %oo&s?.............................! O'tp't and (or$at o# Report Painter/Report Writer...............................................) (re*'ent&+ As,ed -'estions..................................................................................... Where to /earn 0ore...............................................................................................11

('nda$enta&s o# Reporting

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Overview
Report Painter and Report Writer can be used to easily create currency" or uantity"type reports in R/#$ %&amples of these reports include financial statements' sales reports' and in(entory reports$ )ince both tools wor! with the same reporting control tables' you can use either tool to create reports on the configured tables$
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ter Pain er ort t Rep ort Wri Rep

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n ow &d ting & i "r por Re

With the Report Painter you can report on data from multiple applications$ It uses a graphical report structure which forms the basis for report definition$ When defining the report' you wor! with a structure that corresponds to the final structure of the report$ With Report Painter*s intuiti(e W+)IW+, approach to report design' you define a report on a form that displays the rows and columns as they will appear in the report output$

What Is the Difference Between Report Painter and Report Writer?

%arlier releases of the R/# )ystem were deli(ered only with Report Writer$ -ater' the user interface of Report Writer was enhanced and offered to users as Report Painter$ As shown in the graphic below' Report Painter adds an easy"to"use graphical interface to the core functionality of Report Writer$

Report Writer

3raphica& 3raphica& Inter#ace Inter#ace

Report Painter

What Is Report Painter?

With Report Painter you can report on data from multiple applications$ It uses a graphical report structure which forms the basis for report definition$ When defining a report' you wor! with a structure that corresponds to the final structure of the report$ With Report Painter*s intuiti(e W+)IW+, approach to report design' you define a report on a form that displays the rows and columns as they will appear in the report output$

Reporting 0ade 6as+

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What Is Report Writer?

.ust li!e Report Painter' Report Writer lets you report on data from multiple applications$ /sing elements such as sets' (ariables' formulas' cells' and !ey figures' you can create comple& reports that meet specific reporting re uirements$ Note: Report Writer has been a(ailable since the early 0Release 1$& and earlier2 releases of the R/# )ystem$ /sers could access Report Painter (ia a transaction code in Release 1$1$ Howe(er' Report Painter was formally made a(ailable in Release #$&$

Where Is Report Painter/Report Writer Used?

Initially' both tools were only a(ailable to the 3I/45 modules$ -ater' with the introduction of the -ogistics Information )ystem and 3le&ible Analyses in Release #$&' the functionality of these tools was further e&panded$ It still is not widely !nown that the Report Painter/Writer can be used for reporting against structures other than those deli(ered in 3I and 45 0see TechTal! on page 6"72$ A common misconception in the user community is that Report Painter/Report Writer can only be used to report against a single table$ Howe(er' some reporting structures do report against multiple tables$ 3or e&ample' 44)) 0for 4ost 4enter Accounting2 refers to tables 45)P' 45)) and more' depending on the !ey figure configuration$ )imilarly' 3I")- 0)pecial Purpose -edger2 reporting structures include summary and line"item tables 0the !ey figure set determines where the data comes from2$ To configure other table 8oins' (iews may be created 8oining the necessary tables' and (iews can be added to the control tables' (ia 3le&ible Analyses in -I)$ Report Painter/Report Writer can be used in almost any application area in R/# to report on currencies and uantities$

('nda$enta&s o# Reporting

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Data tables supported 9oth Report Painter and Report Writer can be used to report on the following tables and tables types: < %(aluation structures set up in the -ogistics Information )ystem 0-I)2$ These structures normally begin with an :S; or :ZF.; )e(eral different tables and (iews within the R/# )ystem can be added as e(aluation structures$ <ote: +ou cannot add cluster tables' such as BSEG$ < < < < < < < < < < CCSS is used for 4ost 4enter Accounting 045"44A2' Internal 5rders 045"5PA2' Acti(ity 9ased 4osting 045"A942 and for cost element reports in Pro8ect )ystems 0P)2$ GLFUNCT is used for functional area reporting in cost"of"sales accounting$ GLPCT and GLPCOP are used for Profit 4enter Accounting 045"P4A/%4"P4A2$ FILC is used for -egal 4onsolidations 03I"-42$ COFIT is used for the 4ontrolling Reconciliation -edger 045"4%-2$ ZZ tables are created for the )pecial Purpose -edger 03I")-2$ FIMC is used for consolidations in the %nterprise 4ontrolling module 0%4"-42$ GLT0 is used for 3inancial Accounting 0,eneral -edger2 reports by account' company' and business area 03I",-2$ KKBC' KKBE' and KKBU are used for the 4ontrolling Product 4osting module 045"4osting2$ New in Release 4.0A: RWCOOM is used for 45"44A' 45"5PA' and 45"A94$ RWCOOM is used for special standard reports li!e internal order budget reports' cost center budget reports and cost component reports$

<ote: RPPS was used for Pro8ect )ystems 0P)2$ Howe(er' it is obsolete and will no longer be supported in Release 7$=$ In Release #$& there were only two special reports 0>P?= and >P?@2 using RPPS$ These reports cannot be called directly' but (ia A9AP reports RKOPLAN0 and RKOPLAN $

ow to !ccess Report Painter/Report Writer?

To access the Report Painter you may use either of the following two methods: < Transaction FGRP < 3rom the )AP main menu' choose In!"#$a%i"n s&s%e$s A' (") #e*"#%s Re*"#% *ain%e#$ Report Writer functions can be accessed from within the Report Painter$ To access Report Writer' choose the following menu path from the )AP main menu: In!"#$a%i"n s&s%e$s A' (") #e*"#%s Re*"#% *ain%e# Re*"#% W#i%e#.

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ow Is Report Painter/Report Writer Or"ani#ed?

Report Painter/Report Writer has four main components: < Sets: )ets are logical groupings of characteristic (alues$ 3or e&ample' a cash line on a balance sheet is made up of a set of cash accounts or an energy product line on an in(entory report is made up of a set of energy products$ Aariables can also be created which are placeholders for sets' or (alues within sets$ < Libraries: -ibraries control which characteristics and !ey figures from a table are a(ailable for reporting$ < Reports: Reports hold a definition of the rows' columns' and o(erall data selection$ They also include the header and footer te&ts and layout settings$ < Report Groups: Report groups can contain one or more reports$ The report group is what you e&ecuteBnot the actual report$ A report group is generated to create a set of A9AP programs that produce the reports$

ow Does Report Painter Differ fro$ Other Reportin" %oo&s?

< With the e&ception of row titles which ha(e te&t fields' Report Painter/Report Writer reports display numerical fields only 0for e&ample' dollar and uantity fields2$ This is not a re uirement for A9AP Cuery and typical line item reporting tools' which can display arbitrary te&t columns$ < While printed Report Painter/Report Writer reports appear much the same way on paper as they do on screen' the Drilldown reporting tool produces a different output format$ Drilldown reporting is an online analytical tool which can be used to drill down to different le(els of detail' but it is infre uently used for printing$ < Report Painter/Report Writer reports are hierarchical and ta!e ad(antage of configured hierarchies 0for e&ample' with cost center hierarchies2$ +ou can also e&ecute Report Painter/Report Writer reports from each le(el within a hierarchy$ < Report Painter/Report Writer reports can handle multiple currency/ uantity units within a single column$ < Report Painter/Report Writer is well suited to handle reports that re uire mass production$ 3or e&ample' Report Painter/Report Writer is a particularly effecti(e tool for creating month"end reports$

('nda$enta&s o# Reporting

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O'tp't and (or$at of Report Painter/Report Writer

Report Painter/Report Writer reports can be: < Displayed on the screen and then printed < < < < %&ecuted in the bac!ground and displayed or printed from the print ueue )a(ed as e&tract files and (iewed at a later time Displayed on the screen using )AP ,raphics Downloaded to a spreadsheet 0for e&ample' Eicrosoft %&cel2 or a flat file

The sample report shown below was created using an e(aluation structure created in the -ogistics Information )ystem 0-I)2$ The e(aluation structure uses a (iew from the data dictionary that combines tables +BRP 0a billing line item table2 and MARA 0a material master record table2$ < +ou may sort the output on any column in the report by using the sort buttons$ There is also threshold capability to show certain (alues in different colors$ < Report 4all 0sometimes referred to as the drilldown function2 is also a(ailable and can be set up to call the billing document display transaction or a standard )AP report or many others$ The report may be sa(ed as an e&tract and (iewed online later$ These reports do not lose any of their online capabilities when sa(ed as e&tracts$

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(re)'ent&* !s+ed ,'estions

To help you better understand this tool' in this section we include some of the most fre uently as!ed uestions$

Des+top Inte"ration
,: !: What sort of integration with spreadsheet applications (for example, Microsoft Excel or Lotus !"# does this tool pro$ide% The integration with Eicrosoft %&cel includes a download in a special file format 0F$RPW2' which re uires the des!top component Re*"#% W#i%e#: MS E,)el Lin-$ It pro(ides an %&cel add"in for na(igation and drilldown$ Report Painter/Writer reports can be downloaded/e&ported in the A)4II format$ What integration is supported for Extended Export of Lists (&&L#% <one$ 's an external s(stem or special interface re)uired to use this report de$elopment tool% <o$

,: !: ,: !:

-peed and Perfor$ance

,: !: ,: !: ,: !: *oes this reporting tool create reports that offer real+time processing of data% The reports are real"time so long as the data is real"time$ Eost data used by Report Painter/Report Writer is real"time$ %&tract management establishes a !ind of cache to the database 0offline selection2$ ,ow does the speed of report execution change as the data load increases% -hat is, do reports created with this tool get $er( slow as s(stem data increases% <o' Report Writer/Report Painter is designed for mass production of reports and is especially well suited for batch processing$ .re there an( methods (for example, /SS notes, configuration, or others# which users can emplo( to optimi0e or enhance report execution speed% Performance depends on a number of factors$ 3ine tuning performance often re uires a sound understanding of Report Painter/Report Writer and the databases$

('nda$enta&s o# Reporting

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Inte"ration with -tandard R/. -*ste$

,: !: ,ow is R1" data integrated for use b( this tool% Report Writer/Report Painter primarily supports 3inancial accounting and 4ontrolling modules 0financial controlling' treasury' controlling' in(estment management' enterprise controlling' and some industry solutions2$ Howe(er' refer to boo! 1' Re*"#% .e/el"*$en% T""ls for more information on how to integrate -I) data with Report Painter/Report Writer$ What is the a$ailabilit( of reports created with this tool as deli$ered with standard R1"% -argely' the a(ailability of standard reports created with this tool depends on the application area$ 3or e&ample' there are standard reports for 45"5E but there are no standard 3I")- reports that were deli(ered with the Report Painter/Writer$

,: !:

/now&ed"e 0eve& Re)'ired for Report Deve&op$ent

,: !: 's it difficult to learn how to de$elop reports with this tool% Defining a report with the Report Writer re uires a longer time to learn' whereas the Report Painter is much easier to use$ Howe(er' the Report Painter only co(ers appro&imately 6="G=H of Report Writer*s functionality$ Report Painter/Report Writer also offer fle&ibility in designing title page and header lines with te&t (ariables 0including customer"defined ones2$ 's there an ade)uate number of characteristics (2e( figures# and drilldown le$els a$ailable for programming with this tool% In general' the technical limitations for this tool are: < @== characteristics < < < ,: !: ,: !: @== le(els/characteristics @=== sections I== columns/section

,: !:

Howe(er' it is possible to add 0(irtual2 characteristics/!ey figures$ 'f meta data is used b( the reports de$eloped with this tool, is it difficult to integrate or program new data structures for use with this tool% (3ote: Meta data refers to information about the data# There is no special meta data programmed$ In configuration' you can determine which data are read' including meta data 0such as -I) info structures2$ ,ow flexible is this tool for modif(ing reports (de$eloped with this tool#% %&tremely fle&ible$ Howe(er' reporting structures should be properly configured before :going li(e; 0perhaps most important with ,eneral -edger 0,/-2 and Profit 4enter Accounting2$

Reporting 0ade 6as+

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User (riend&iness
Does the Tool Offer Drag and drop capabilityJ )ortingJ )ummationsJ )election screen (ariantsJ )a(ed results 0cached uery2J Adhoc ueriesJ 4olumn or row sizingJ ,: !: ,: !: <5 +%) +%) +%) +%) +%) +%)

's there a common loo2 and feel among reports de$eloped with this tool% +es$ 's there an eas( learning cur$e for users to use this tool% +es$

12ec'tion 3ana"e$ent
,: !: 's authori0ation control programmable with this tool% +es' an authority chec! is done for: < < < ,: !: ,: !: Report 0definition2 )election criteria 0sets2 )elected data 0and a user e&it is possible here2

*oes this tool pro$ide an alert and monitoring capabilit(% (4or example, to let users 2now when output is out of a certain range5# <o$ *oes this tool offer batch 6ob processing and bac2ground report execution% +es$

('nda$enta&s o# Reporting

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Where to 0earn 3ore

< 4hapter #' Re*"#% Pain%e#0Re*"#% W#i%e# in boo! 1' Re*"#% .e/el"*$en%s T""ls' in the Re*"#%in1 Ma'e Eas& guideboo! series$ < The R/# online documentation for Report Painter and Report Writer: In the R/# -ibrary for Release 7$=9' go to: AC2Finan)ials FI Finan)ial A))"3n%in1 FI S*e)ial P3#*"se Le'1e#' then follow the lin!s for Re*"#% W#i%e#$ < )AP training courses offered by )AP %ducation and Training: 4A?=I for Report Painter 4A?@= for Report Writer

11

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