Report Development Tools 3–1 Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Contents Learning the Basics of Report Painter/Report Writer .3–2 Creating a Report with Report Painter .3–7 Understanding the Report List 3–26 Getting the Most from Report Painter/Report Writer: Tips & Tricks .3–26 Review .3–38 Where to Learn More 3–38 3 In this chapter you will:  Understand the difference between Report Painter and Report Writer  Learn how to create a simple report with Report Painter  Explore helpful hints and information on the Report/Report Interface, formula variables, and creating your own evaluation structures Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Learning the Basics of Report Painter/Report Writer Reporting Made Easy 3–2 Learning the Basics of Report Painter/Report Writer In this chapter you will learn about Report Painter/Report Writer, tools that let you report on data from multiple applications. Before jumping into how you can use Report Painter/Report Writer to create reports, it is important to understand its features and basic organization. Overview Report Painter/Report Writer can be used to easily create currency- or quantity-type reports in the R/3 System. Examples of such reports include, financial statements, sales reports, and inventory reports. Earlier releases of the R/3 System were delivered only with Report Writer. Later, 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. Graphical Interface Graphical Interface Report Writer + 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 work with a structure that corresponds to the final structure of the report. With Report Painter’s intuitive WYSIWYG 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 Report Writer? Just like Report Painter, Report Writer lets you report on data from multiple applications. Using elements such as sets, variables, formulas, cells, and key figures, you can create complex reports that meet specific reporting requirements. Note: Since Report Painter provides the core functionality of Report Writer, most users may not need to use Report Writer. A general understanding of Report Writer should suffice for most users. Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Learning the Basics of Report Painter/Report Writer Report Development Tools 3–3 How Is Report Painter Different From Report Writer? Although there are a few differences between the two tools, both Report Painter and Report Writer share the same execution engine. Since both tools work with the same reporting control tables, you can use either tool to create reports on the configured tables. Here are some of the important differences between Report Painter and Report Writer: Report Painter Report Writer Page breaks occur only between row elements Page breaks occur at arbitrary summation- levels within a report. Allows use of single lines (--) only for over- and underscoring Allows use of any characters (for example, double-line ==) for over- and under-scoring Before 4.0A, authorization groups for report handling are not supported. Refer to OSS note 69090 for a workaround. Starting in Release 4.0A it is possible to maintain the header of a Report Painter report via the menu path: Environment → report header. Allows set up of authorization groups for report handling Key figures can only be used in columns Key figures can also be used in rows and data selection Row-detail is restricted to three levels: No explosion, single values, and all levels In addition to the levels supported by Report Painter, you can also select intermediate levels Copying reports between Report Painter and Report Writer If you want to build a report using features that are only available in Report Writer, then the report must be created in Report Writer—not Report Painter. As shown in the graphic on the following page, Report Painter reports can only be changed or displayed using Report Painter. Later, if you want to change a Report Painter report using Report Writer, you must first copy it into a Report Writer report (with a different name) and then modify the copied report. When the report is copied, the necessary sets are automatically generated; you can define a 5-character prefix for the set name. Note: In Release 4.5 you no longer have to define a prefix since the system automatically attaches one to your “automatically created sets”. The system-created set is deleted when you delete the report. Reports written in Report Writer cannot be edited using Report Painter. Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Learning the Basics of Report Painter/Report Writer Reporting Made Easy 3–4 Report Painter Report Writer Copy to a Report Writer Report Display or Change Report Display or Change Report Data tables supported Both Report Painter and Report Writer can be used to report on the following tables and tables types: < Evaluation structures set up in the Logistics Information System (LIS). These structures normally begin with an “S” or “ZF.” Several different tables and views within the R/3 System can be added as evaluation structures. Note: You cannot add cluster tables, such as BSEG. < CCSS is used for Cost Center Accounting (CO-CCA), Internal Orders (CO-OPA), Activity Based Costing (CO-ABC) and for cost element reports in Project Systems (PS). < GLFUNCT is used for functional area reporting in cost-of-sales accounting. < GLPCT and GLPCOP are used for Profit Center Accounting (CO-PCA/EC-PCA). < FILC is used for Legal Consolidations (FI-LC). < COFIT is used for the Controlling Reconciliation Ledger (CO-CEL). < ZZ tables are created for the Special Purpose Ledger (FI-SL). < FIMC is used for consolidations in the Enterprise Controlling module (EC-LC). < GLT0 is used for Financial Accounting (General Ledger) reports by account, company, and business area (FI-GL). < KKBC, KKBE, and KKBU are used for the Controlling Product Costing module (CO- Costing). New in Release 4.0A: RWCOOM is used for CO-CCA, CO-OPA and CO-ABC. RWCOOM is used for special standard reports like internal order budget reports, cost center budget reports and cost component reports. Note: RPPS was used for Project Systems (PS). However, it is obsolete and is no longer supported in Release 4.0. In Release 3.x there were only two special reports (6P70 and 6P71) using RPPS. These reports cannot be called directly, but via ABAP reports RKOPLAN0 and RKOPLAN1. Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Learning the Basics of Report Painter/Report Writer Report Development Tools 3–5 How Is Report Painter/Report Writer Organized? Report Painter/Report Writer has four main components: < Sets: Logical groupings of characteristic values. For example, a cash line on a balance sheet is made up of a set of cash accounts, or an energy product line on an inventory report is made up of a set of the energy products. Variables can also be created which are placeholders for sets, or values within sets. < Libraries: Control what characteristics and key figures from a table are available for reporting. < Reports: Hold a definition of the rows, columns, and overall data selection. They also include the header and footer texts and layout settings. < Report Groups: Can contain one or more reports. The report group is what you execute—not the actual report. A report group is generated to create a set of ABAP programs that produce the reports. Related Terminology The following is a list of key terms you need to understand when working with Report Painter/Report Writer tools. Report Definition A report definition has three main components: < Rows: The rows of a Report Painter report contain characteristics that determine how the rows will appear in the report. In the first report example on page 3–8, materials and material types drive the outcome of the rows, therefore only these characteristics are included in the rows of the report. < Columns: The columns of a Report Painter report must have key figures. If needed, columns may also contain characteristics. In the second report example on page 3–18, plants are shown across the page, which means the plant characteristic is included in the columns as well as a key figure for net value of a billing document. < General Data Selection: The general data selection area contains the additional characteristics that should control the data included in the report. In the second example on page 3–18, you may want to limit the selected data by material group or industry. Since these fields do not affect the outcome of the rows or columns, they are included in the general data selection as additional selection criteria. Any required fields that are not in the rows or columns are also included in the general data selection. In the first example on page 3–8, ledger, version, and record-type are all required but not included in the rows or columns. Therefore, these fields must be included in the general data selection in order for the report to run. Each table has certain required fields. To check your report for missing fields, choose the Check icon in Report maintenance. Key Figures Key figures are the currency or quantity buckets for a report. Some examples of key figures include the local currency amount in profit center accounting, the costs bucket in cost center Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Learning the Basics of Report Painter/Report Writer Reporting Made Easy 3–6 accounting, the net value of a billing line item, and the quantity of materials sold in a sales order. Characteristics Characteristics are the fields—other than currency or quantity—needed to build the report. For example, company code, plant, sales organization, G/L account, cost center, or period. In a balance sheet report, G/L accounts probably appear in the rows of your report. In a customer sales report, customers are likely to appear in the rows of the report. How to Access Report Painter/Report Writer? To access Report Painter, choose the following menu path from the SAP main menu: Information systems → Ad hoc reports → Report painter Report Writer functions can be accessed from within Report Painter. To access Report Writer, choose the following menu path from the SAP main menu: Information systems → Ad hoc reports → Report painter → Report Writer. How Does Report Painter Differ from Other Reporting Tools? < With the exception of row titles which have text fields, Report Painter/Report Writer reports display numerical fields only (for example, dollar and quantity fields). This is not a requirement for ABAP Query and typical line item reporting tools, which can display arbitrary text columns. < The printed Report Painter/Report Writer reports appear much the same way on paper as they do on screen. In contrast, the Drilldown reporting tool produces a different output format. Drilldown is an online analytical tool which can be used to drilldown to different levels of detail but is infrequently used for printing. For more information, see chapter 4. < Report Painter/Report Writer reports are hierarchical and take advantage of configured hierarchies (for example, with cost center hierarchies). You can also execute Report Painter/Report Writer reports from each level within a hierarchy. < Report Painter/Report Writer reports can handle multiple currency/quantity units within a single column. < Report Painter/Report Writer is well-suited to handle reports which require mass production. For example, Report Painter/Report Writer is a particularly effective tool for creating month-end reports. What Are the Prerequisites? < Table: You must know the table you need for the report as well as the data within the table. Every table has characteristics and key figures, or evaluation structures that are required for a report. Each table’s characteristics and key figures are different. For example, in the Special Ledger the key figures are based on currency: transaction, local, and group. In Cost Center Accounting structure CCSS, the key figures are based on currency and the type of cost: cost, quantity, statistical quantity, and variances. Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Creating a Report with Report Painter Report Development Tools 3–7 < Sets: You will need to build sets that include the values for the characteristics that are needed for your report. Although the values can be directly entered into the report, it is recommended that you use sets. Sets can be used in multiple reports because when values change, only the sets are changed and not each individual report. As an example, cost center hierarchies (groups) are sets and can be used directly (as with profit center groups). The same holds true for cost elements, activity types, statistical key figures, orders, and business processes (you do not have to create technical sets for these characteristics in order to use Report Painter). < Library: You must create a library for the table or evaluation structure. Most tables supported by Report Painter/Report Writer have one or more libraries you can use. When creating evaluation structures in the Logistics Information System, the system creates a library beginning with a 2. Since the Special Ledger is not delivered with the libraries, you will need to create a library on each new special ledger table. Creating a Report with Report Painter The main steps in creating a report are shown in the graphic below: Add your report to a report group Add your report to a report group Trained Employee Available? Create your report Create your report Find or create variables for the fields in your report Find or create variables for the fields in your report Find or create required sets for your reports Find or create required sets for your reports Find or create a library for the table Find or create a library for the table Determine the table you need for your report Determine the table you need for your report 1 2 3 4 5 6 In this section you learn how to create the following two reports with Report Painter: < Profit Center Accounting report Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Creating a Report with Report Painter Reporting Made Easy 3–8 < Billing report For these sample reports, you should focus on the tables that correspond to the SAP application areas you are working with. For example, if your expertise is PCA (Profit Center Accounting), you should work with table GLPCT. Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the scenario and the desired report. For more information, see page 3-4. The examples shown in this section were created in Release 4.0B. Example 1: Gross Profit Margin Report Bungee Corporation wants to use Report Painter to create a Gross Margin Report. This Profit Center Accounting report will use data table GLPCT. The desired PCA report displays the gross margin for each profit center. The following general data selection values were used: Fields version (0), Record type (0), Period (1-12), Company code (3000), Profit center (3010–N999), and Ledger (8A). Below is an illustration of the completed gross margin report. The rows in this report list the G/L accounts and the columns contain the current as well as prior years (with the company code currency key figure). Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Creating a Report with Report Painter Report Development Tools 3–9 Guided Tour Step 1: Determine the Table Before you can start creating the report, you must select the table you need to use. In this example, we use table GLPCT in Profit Center Accounting. Step 2: Find the Library Select the library you want to use for the table chosen in step 1. If necessary, choose the following menu path to create a library: Information systems → Ad hoc reports → Report painter → Report Writer → Libraries → Create. As shown in step 5, we use an existing library 8A2 for this report. Step 3: Create Sets Create required sets for your report. To create a set, choose: Information systems → Ad hoc reports → Report painter → Report Writer → Set → Create. Note that this step is not necessary for this sample report. Step 4: Create Variables Create any variables for the fields that must be entered before the report is executed. To create a variable, choose: Information systems → Ad hoc reports → Report painter → Report Writer → Variable → Create. Note that this step is not necessary for the sample report. Step 5: Create Report 1. From the SAP main menu, choose Information Systems → Ad hoc reports → Report painter → Report → Create. 2. In Library, enter the name of the library to be used for the report (for this example, we use 8A2). 3. In the Report field, enter a name for your report and a short text description. 4. Choose Continue. 2 3 4 Chapter 3: Report Painter/Report Writer Creating a Report with Report Painter Reporting Made Easy 3–10 To help you better understand how to create a report in Report Painter, this step has been divided into the following substeps: < Define the rows < Define the columns < Define the general data selection Define Rows 1. When defining the rows of a report, notice the Lead column at the top of the rows. Report Painter refers to the rows of a report as the Lead column. You can type over this with your own description. 2. To start defining the rows, double- click on Row 1. 3. In Row 1: Choose Characteristics, select the desired characteristics. For this example, select Account number from the list of available characteristics. 4. Choose Enter to continue. 5. Enter the account number(s) you want to include in the row definition. Either enter to/from values or a group (set). See Tips&Tricks on page 3-12 for more information. 6. Choose Enter. 2 1 4 3 5 6 [...]... to the Report/ Report Interface setup in the report group Report Calls may also be assigned to a library This means all reports created for that library have access to the reports/transactions that are assigned to the Report/ Report Interface 3–28 Reporting Made Easy Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Getting the Most from Report Painter /Report Writer: Tips & Tricks To set up the Report/ Report Interface,... same type In the example, it assumes report group because we are adding reports to a report group To add a different type of report, choose Other report type 8 Report Development Tools 3–29 Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Getting the Most from Report Painter /Report Writer: Tips & Tricks 9 Double-click on the type of report you would like to add to the Report/ Report Interface 9 10 In the example... 3–14 Reporting Made Easy Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Creating a Report with Report Painter Your report is now ready 14 13 Choose Save to save the report 13 14 To go to the display mode of the report, choose Report → Display 15 Make sure the correct Library and Report names have been selected 16 Choose Continue 16 15 17 Review the report display 18 18 To execute the report, choose Report. .. structure to the Report Painter /Writer control tables and creates a library for reporting The library name will begin with the number 2 Report/ Report Interface Report Call or Report/ Report Interface allows for drilldown functionality from a report group Remember that a report group contains one or many reports and is executed using Report Painter /Report Writer All reports within the report group have... generate the report group 47 48 49 Choose Execute to run the report 3–24 Reporting Made Easy Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Creating a Report with Report Painter 50 After executing the report, add the headers and footers while viewing the report From the report, choose Settings → Texts → Headers (or Footers) 51 52 51 Enter the title of the report and any text such as Date:, Time:, Report: To... report has 12 columns for periods p = 1 through 12, you need to create 12 such variables Report Development Tools 3–35 Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Getting the Most from Report Painter /Report Writer: Tips & Tricks General Notes on Formula Variables < On the report selection screen, Report Painter /Report Writer will only generate input fields for independent variables, that is variables that... choose Report → Execute 17 You need to display the report before you execute it so that you can later change the report layout directly from the report list Report Development Tools 3–15 Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Creating a Report with Report Painter You are prompted to include the report in a report group 19 Choose Yes 19 20 Enter the name of a report group It must be four characters long... maintain a report group: Information Systems → Ad hoc reports → Report painter → Report Writer → Report group → Change 2 To maintain a library: Information Systems → Ad hoc reports → Report painter → Report Writer → Library → Change 3 Enter the name of the report group or library that you would like to add report call capability to Choose Header 4 From the Header screen, choose the Report/ Report Interface... Enter the variables used to execute the report We will execute the report for fiscal year 1998 and profit centers 23 3010 through N999 23 Choose Execute 3–16 22 Reporting Made Easy Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Creating a Report with Report Painter Change Layout 1 After executing the report, add the headers and footers while you are still viewing the report Since there is no automatic centering,... decimal places, column width, text column width, and rounding Make necessary changes and save your report Your billing report is now ready Report Development Tools 3–25 Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Understanding the Report List Understanding the Report List After executing a Report Painter report, there are several additional functions you can perform on the output: < Sort on each column . Writer Learning the Basics of Report Painter /Report Writer Report Development Tools 3–5 How Is Report Painter /Report Writer Organized? Report Painter /Report. the report. Reports written in Report Writer cannot be edited using Report Painter. Chapter 3: Report Painter /Report Writer Learning the Basics of Report