Before you can add fields and data to the report layout, you must decide where to place that information in the layout area. The Report Layout window for a new report contains four evenly-spaced blank sections, separated by border lines. Each border has a handle in the left margin that is labeled using a one- or two-letter abbreviation. Each section can be resized by dragging the handle up or down. Once fields have been placed in a section, you can’t drag the lower border of a section above the lowest field in the section.
Seven types of sections can appear in the Report Layout window, depending on which options are selected in the Report Section Options window. Once the Report Layout window has been opened, you can access the Report Section Options window by choosing Report Section Options from the Tools menu.
Each section is described in the following table.
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|
Section |
Use |
|---|---|
|
(PH) |
Items in this section are placed at the top of every report page. Page number, date and time fields are commonly placed in this section of a report. You can prevent the Page Header from being included on the first page of a report by deselecting the First Page Header option in the Report Definition window.
To exclude page headers from a report, deselect the Page Header option in the Report Section Options window. |
|
(RH) |
Items in this section appear only on the first page of a report. The title of the report and introductory information are often included in this section. If a page header is also included on the first page, the report header will appear after the page header.
To exclude a report header from a report, deselect the Report Header option in the Report Section Options window. |
|
(H1, H2, H3...) |
Additional headers and footers allow you to create groupings in your report. Each header will print when the data in the field it is based on changes. Therefore, the sorting order used will affect the order in which the headers appear on the report. For example, if the field related to header 2 is sorted before the field for header 1, header 2 will print before header 1.
Use the Report Section Options window to add additional headers. You can have up to 15 additional headers in a report. |
|
The report body normally contains the bulk of the report. Depending on the number of additional headers and the sorting order used, there could be a body section for each additional header section. |
|
|
(F1, F2, F3...) |
Additional headers and footers allow you to create groupings in your report. Footers should correspond to headers and break on the same fields. They are often used to display summary data, such as a total of all records in the report’s body under the footer’s related header.
Use the Report Section Options window to add additional footers. You can have up to 15 additional footers in a report. |
|
(RF) |
Items in this section appear only on the last page of a report. Summary information is often included in this section. If a page footer is also included on the last page, the report footer will appear before the page footer.
To exclude a report footer from a report, deselect the Report Footer option in the Report Section Options window. |
|
(PF) |
Items in this section are placed at the bottom of every report page. This section often includes administrative information, such as the name of the person running the report. You can prevent this section from being included on the last page of a report by deselecting the Last Page Footer option in the Report Definition window.
To exclude page footers from a report, deselect the Page Footer option in the Report Section Options window. |