Report Definitions

Overview - What is a Report Definition?

A Report Definition allows you to define the contents of each individual line on a report and to determine the sequence in which these lines appear.

Using a report definition also allows you to Explode the level of detail for each line in your report. For example, in a report where each line represents part of  P&L you can explode each line to show details by cost centre or account.

Report Definitions can be used in many areas of IFP including Reporting, Graphing and Forecasting. For example, you may use report definitions to define templates for data entry in forecast editors.

Reports without a Report Definition

Each database contains a basic hierarchy that provides reports with automatic sub-totalling at each level of that hierarchy.

Reports with a Report Definition

However, some management reports require sub-totalling that does not follow this basic hierarchy. For example, a key products report may require a selected set of products to be listed in a specified sequence. Report Definitions may be used to define each line in reports and graphs independently of the basic hierarchy.

In order to tailor reports to produce such features, you may create report definitions that determine the contents, format and description of each line of each report for which that definition file is used. Report definitions are maintained using the Report Definition Editor and may be used in any report or graph. See Creating Reports.