Working with Reports: Creating Basic Reports
Creating Header & Footer, Placing Controls on reports, sorting & grouping, Creating Sul
reports.
Working with Reports: A Beginner’s Guide
Reports are a powerful way to present and organize data in a
structured and professional manner. Whether you’re working
on a project for school, creating a business report, or
summarizing data, this guide will walk you through the
essential steps for building and customizing reports, including
adding headers and footers, sorting and grouping data, and
even creating subreports.
1. Getting Started: Creating a Basic Report
Creating a report involves pulling together data from a
database and presenting it in a way that’s easy to read and
understand.
Steps to Create a Report:
1. Choose Your Data Source: Start by selecting the table or
query from your database that holds the data you want to
report on.
2. Select Your Layout: Decide how you want the report to
look—whether you prefer a column-based layout, a tabular
format, or something customized.
3. Add Data Fields: Drag and drop the fields (like names,
dates, totals) you want to display in the report.
4. Adjust the Design: Switch to “Design View” in your
reporting tool to make adjustments to the layout or style of
your report.
Tip: If you’re using tools like Microsoft Access, most of these
steps are automated with the help of the Report Wizard.
2. Adding Headers and Footers
Headers and footers are essential for providing context and
consistency in your report.
What Can You Include?
• Headers: Titles, company logos, dates, or document
names at the top of each page.
• Footers: Page numbers, summaries, or copyright
information at the bottom.
How to Add Them:
1. Open your report in “Design View.”
2. Locate the Report Header and Footer sections in the
design workspace.
3. Drag a text box or label into the header/footer and add
the desired content (e.g., “Sales Report – Q4 2024”).
4. Format the text with bold fonts, colors, or alignment tools
for clarity.
Tip: Adding a date or timestamp in the header can help keep
track of when the report was generated.
3. Placing Controls on Your Report
Controls are the building blocks of reports—they help display
your data in different ways.
Types of Controls:
• Bound Controls: Automatically pull data from a specific
field (e.g., a customer name).
• Unbound Controls: Hold static content, like titles or
labels.
• Calculated Controls: Perform real-time calculations, such
as summing up a column of sales figures.
Steps to Add Controls:
1. Drag and drop the control (like a text box, chart, or
image) onto the report.
2. Use the Control Source property to link it to the right data
field or formula.
3. Adjust its position and size to fit your report’s layout.
Example: To show total sales, place a calculated control in the
footer, set its formula to =Sum([Sales]), and format it as
currency.
4. Sorting and Grouping Data
Sorting and grouping make reports easier to read, especially
when dealing with large datasets.
Sorting:
Organize your data in a logical order, such as alphabetically or
by date.
• Go to the “Group, Sort, and Total” pane in your reporting
tool.
• Select the field (e.g., “Order Date”) and the sorting order
(ascending or descending).
Grouping:
Group similar data together, such as all orders from the same
customer or all expenses in the same category.
• In the Group, Sort, and Total pane, add a new grouping
level based on a field (e.g., “Customer Name”).
• This creates a clear division in the report, with each group
displayed separately.
Tip: You can include subtotals for each group, such as showing
total sales per customer.
5. Creating Subreports
Sometimes, you may need to include smaller, detailed reports
within a larger one. These are called subreports.
How to Create a Subreport:
1. Create the main report and the subreport separately.
2. Drag the subreport into the main report’s layout (usually
in the detail section).
3. Link the subreport to the main report using a shared field,
like “Customer ID” or “Order Number.”
Example: A sales report might include a subreport showing a
breakdown of each customer’s orders.
Flowchart: Building a Report
Start with Data Source
↓
Choose Layout → Add Fields
↓
Customize:
- Add Headers & Footers
- Insert Controls
↓
Sort & Group Data
↓
(Optional) Add Subreports
↓
Preview & Finalize
Conclusion
Creating reports is an essential skill for presenting data
effectively. By learning to add headers and footers, place
controls, sort and group information, and even create
subreports, you can transform raw data into meaningful
insights. With practice and attention to detail, you’ll create
reports that are not only functional but also professional and
easy to understand.
