Getting Visio and Diagram Help

Creating Network Reports

You can create a report on the equipment in your network diagrams by using the shape data stored in the diagram. Visio includes several standard report types, such as the Inventory report and Network Device report. You can also define your own report by creating a report definitiona set of criteria that specifies which shapes and custom properties are included in the report, as well as the format to use. You create report definitions or modify existing ones by using the Report Definition Wizard, which guides you through the process of specifying the criteria for your report. You run the report by clicking the Reports command on the Data menu. You can save the results in a spreadsheet, an XML file, or a Web page, or you can display the report as a Visio shapea specialized shape that displays the report data directly on the drawing page in your network diagram.

In this exercise, you create a new report definition, specifying which shapes and shape data to include in it, and then you display the report as a Visio shape in the network diagram.

OPEN the NetworkReport file in DocumentsMicrosoft PressVisio 2007 SBS8_Networks.

1.	Click one of the network equipment shapes in the diagram, then hold down the key, and click all the other network equipment shapes except the Ethernet shape.
2.	On the Data menu, click Reports to open the Reports dialog box.
3.	In the Reports dialog box, click New. The first page of the Report Definition Wizard appears.
4.	On the first page of the Report Definition Wizard, select Shapes that are selected, and then click Next. The second page of the wizard appears, asking you to select the shape data fields you want to include as columns in your report.
5.	Select the , , Location, Manufacturer, Network Name, Product Description, Serial Number, and User Name check boxes.
6.	Click Next. The third page of the wizard appears, asking you to title the report.
7.	In the Report Title box, type Tradeshow Network Report, and then click Next. The fourth page of the wizard appears, asking you to name the custom report definition you're creating.
8.	In the Name box, type Tradeshow Equipment Report. In the Description box, type Includes all network equipment and is sorted by shape name.
9.	On the same wizard page, select the Save in this drawing option.
10.	Click Finish. The Reports dialog box reappears, listing the Network Equipment Report in the Report column.
11.	In the Reports dialog box, make sure Tradeshow Equipment Report is highlighted.
12.	Click Run. The Run Report dialog box appears.   Tip To run an existing report, on the Data menu, click Reports. Click the report you want, and then click Run. In the Run Report dialog box, select the format for the report, and click OK.
13.	In the Run Report dialog box, in the Select report format box, click Visio shape, and then click OK. Visio generates the report and places it at the bottom of the drawing page in a Visio shape that looks like a table.
14.	Drag the shape to the bottom of the drawing page.
15.	On the File menu, click Close, and then click No so you don't save the changes to the diagram.