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Creating sample data for report designs

Creating a simple estimate report (Crystal Reports)

Creating Custom Reports—Overview

You use Report Manager in the Estimating Management Console to create estimate reports based on report designs you create using Crystal Reports, Microsoft SQL Server Report Services (SSRS), or another third-party program.

In Report Manager, you specify a Crystal Reports (RPT), SSRS (RDL), or other report design file on which to base the estimate report. Report Manager creates a copy of the report design in a custom reports database, and uses this copy for all subsequent modifications to the report. Whenever you edit the report design, you check it out from the custom reports database. (You do not use the original report design file again.)

Tip: Before creating report designs, you can use Report Manager to generate report sample data. Report Manager creates tables for the sample data in a separate custom reports database based on one or more representative estimates that you select. You can then use the tables and the fields contained in this sample database when you set up your report design in Crystal Reports, the SSRS Report Builder, or other report designer.

Note: An Estimates database can contain many estimates with a mix of features, but you print a report for one estimate at a time. Therefore, you need to set up your report designs to extract data from a single estimate.