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Creating a Custom spreadsheet report

When first start working with aPriori spreadsheet reports, it is best to begin with the simple snippets based on the samples shown in this document: "Elements of Report Files"

Note:

The system-defined spreadsheet report files that are installed as part of aPriori may contain advanced features that are not meant to be used for custom reports, and which are not documented.

Planning your Custom Report

You should have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish with your custom report.

  • If you want to re-format data that is presented in the UI, then you focus on setting up the template Excel file so that it presents the data they way you want it.
  • If you want to extract some values that are not available in a single UI screen and do not care about the appearance of the data, you may define a spreadsheet format file; you define a simple XML file that extracts the data you want and dumps the raw data into a new .xls file.
  • If you automated status report that runs every night, you focus on extracting the data you are most interested in and executing the report generation from a command line script that as a Windows scheduled task.
    • If you want to generate a common-format quoting report, you might start by identifying the quantities and expected costs for various models that can be presented in a uniform way, and also work with the Excel format to ensure that presents the data in a professional and intuitive way.
    • If your report requires graphs, work in the Excel template and define the graphics you want to include.

Regardless of what specific purpose your report serve, spend time planning and defining what you want it to do.

Editing XML Files

aPriori suggests that you use a text editor such as Notepad++ that provides contextual highlighting for editing XML files.

Complexity

Part of your evaluation process should consider the complexity of the report you want to create. Here are some factors to consider:

Spreadsheet

  • Easy: Raw formatting
  • Medium: Basic formatting
  • More difficult: Charts, PivotTables®, or graphics

Type of data

  • Easy: Part level
  • Medium: Process and Operation Level
  • More difficult: GCD Level

Availability of data

  • Easy: Already available as output in UI
  • Medium: Can be calculated from available output
  • More difficult: Needs to be custom-defined (probably for multiple processes)

Note:

In general, if you can see it in the UI, you can access it for a spreadsheet report. However, you may encounter situations where this is not true. If you do run into this situation, file a support ticket explaining which variable you cannot access from XML that you can see in the UI.

To Generate XML or CSV Files

If you want to generate XML or CSV (comma-separated values) files rather than a .xls spreadsheet, see the attributes for the <reports> tag as described <reports>.