You can view an existing building block group and examine its contents to determine if it meets your needs to create a report.

1. In Report Designer, on the Companymenu, click Building Block Groups.

2. In the Building Block Groupsdialogue box, select the building block to view. Click Viewto open the View Building Block Groupdialogue box and view the contents of the building block group.

3. Click Closeto close the dialogue boxes.

You can save an existing building block group with a new name. Then you can modify the new building block group without changing the original building block group.

1. In Report Designer, on the Companymenu, click Building Block Groups.

2. In the Building Block Groupsdialogue box, select the building block group to save with a new name.

3. Click Save As.

4. Enter a new name and description for the building block group.

5. Click OK. The new building block group should appear in the Building Block Groupsdialogue box.

You can export an entire building block group or specific report building blocks in a building block group for backup purposes or to be copied between building block groups or Management Reporter installations. Management Reporter includes the referenced font styles and dimension sets with the building block group.

1. In Report Designer, on the Companymenu, click Building Block Groups.

2. In the Building Block Groupsdialogue box, select the building block group to export, and then click Export.

3. In the Exportdialogue box, select the report definitions to export:

   • To export all of your report definitions and the associated building blocks, click Select All.

   • To export specific reports, rows, columns, trees, or dimension sets, click the appropriate tab and select the items to export. Press and hold the Ctrl key to select multiple items within a tab.

     Note
     When you select reports to export, the associated rows, columns, trees, and dimension sets are selected.

4. When you have finished selecting items to export, click Export.

5. In the Save Asdialogue box, select a location to export the building block group to.

6. In the File Namefield, enter a name for the file. Management Reporter automatically adds a .tdbx file extension.

7. Click Save. The building block group is saved to the location specified in step 5.

When you open a building block, other users can only access that building block in read-only mode. Sometimes a user will forget to close a building block or will shut down their system without closing the building block. As a result, the building block is checked out and other users cannot open it. In these situations, a Management Reporter administrator can use the Checked Out Itemsdialogue box to check in building blocks that any user has left in a checked out status.

Note
You must have the role of administrator to check in building blocks from the Checked Out Itemsdialogue box.

1. In Report Designer, on the Toolsmenu, click Checked Out Items.

2. In the Checked Out Itemsdialogue box, select Show items from all users. The list is updated to display all building blocks that are checked out and the users who have checked them out.

3. Select a building block, and then click Undo Checkout.

4. Click Yesto check in the building block.