Chapter 5: Report Formatting

Overview

So far in this book, you've worked with getting your reports up and running. You've learned to connect to a database and place database fields onto your report. With the knowledge you've gained, you can actually begin creating usable reports for you and your company.

The most important goal in report writing is the accuracy of the data that your report displays. However, almost equally as important is the presentation of your report. In order for your report users to make accurate business decisions, they must first be able to decipher the information within your report.

A report that contains all the correct information but has a format that is without any rhyme or reason isn't very useful to report users. An unformatted report is kind of the equivalent of searching for a needle in a haystack. You don't want your users scratching their heads, thinking to themselves, "What am I looking at?"

"Presentation of data" is known as report formatting. Report formatting is the specification of the visible properties of report objects. Some common examples of formatting are the specifying of a report object's font, color, and size.

In this chapter, we unleash the artist within as we explore some of Crystal Reports' formatting tools.