Method:Classic General Q&A

Re: Custom Report not in method

Method_Greg — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 15:19:21 GMT

Hello larrydement,

To link tables, you create a dropdown field linking the tables together. Dropdown fields act as the relationships between the database tables.

Is it that you are looking to add and remove fields from the invoice report? You can select customer information from the field list on the right-hand side of the report. The trick is that you may have the Company table with the Invoice table on the main field list branch. You actually want the Customer info contained in the invoice, which is Invoice.Customer. To access more customer information, you need to put more customer fields on the invoice table.

You technically can't put two tables into one grid. You need to create the relationship between the two tables and have one table receive info from the other table. Here, the invoice table gets the corresponding customer table. To do this, using our scenario, to go Customize -> Tables/Fields -> Invoice. Choose Add a Linked Field and choose the Customer table. (The Customer table is already linked to the invoice table). Then choose the field you want to use on the invoice table. Enter a Display As: name and click Add Field. Click Finished Editing Fields. Refresh the report designer and the field should be available.

'Customer' in the screenshot below is the field that should contain the Customer's name. I believe you need to just drag it over to the screen.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I answered your question.

Greg

Re: Custom Report not in method

larrydement — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 17:28:38 GMT

Hi Greg

Thank you for your help. You got me pointed in the right direction. Creating a new screen was missing from the video instructions.

Can I link two tables together? I would like to get the company name to show up in place of bill to address. I’m currently using the invoice table. I think I would have to link the customer table.

Larry

Re: Custom Report not in method

Method_Greg — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 22:25:56 GMT

Hello Larrydement,

In response to your question about the report, I would suggest making a new tab and tab link where you can have a screen that runs your reports for you. This will allow you to set permissions for the tabs to restrict only certain users to generate the report. The reason you can't find the report in Customer Reports is that the Step 2 dropdown is filtered for only reports based on the Contacts table. You would need customization to change the filter and view more reports. I believe you may run into issues because the rest of the steps are meant to manage Contacts reports and no other table.

To create a new tab, go to Customize -> Tabs and follow the steps ontop of the section. To put a new tab link/screen under the tab, in the same screen click Edit Tab Links... for the correct tab. There are steps to create a new tab link at the top of the section. You will have to create a custom screen first before you do create the tab link. On the customized screen, you will need a button. On the button will be a Generate Report action. In this action, you can call your report. You can also copy out existing screens and place a button that calls the report as well.

If you haven't already taken advantage of the free hour offered to new customers, please contact your Account Manager to set up an appointment. They can help you create this new screen.

Greg

Custom Report not in method

larrydement — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 21:06:53 GMT

I reviewed the videos and have set up a custom report in Method Custom report designer. It’s a report using a grid that shows the invoices. In the report designer I can preview the data and even have it colored coded. I have saved the report and named it New_Invoice. I can not locate this report it in Method. I have looked in the tab customer reports under custom reports. I have also looked for this report under the other categories tabs in the report tabs. It doesn’t seem to show up anywhere in Method. Not sure what I’ve done wrong. One other question. How would I go about adding it as a separate tab in the customer screen or to the dash board and can I use and display data from two tables in one report as long as both tables have a common index?