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Step by step: Items on Loan- Current loans entity

Learn how to get an items on loan report in Amlib OpenReports.

Skills outlined in this Sample – Selecting the Title to show on the first page

  1. Introducing a Group Column in the body of the Report
  2. Select fields from different entities
  3. Move the Data Field up or down the Column to set the Display order
  4. Alter the width in the Format,
  5. Add a Page Break
  6. Filter using a Drop-down option
  7. Use the Current Loans entity

 

  1. Access the Report Designer TAB
  2. Select New from the buttons
  3. The Edit Report Window will display
  4. Enter a Report Title in the Report Title section.. For the sample we can give a Title of “Items on Loan”.
  5. Enter a Group since we want to find it later easily – for example Loans
  6. Enter a Sub Group – for example Current

    Note: Eventually there could be many Sub groups of Loans including Overdues, Students, Staff, Very Overdue Items etc.
     
  7. Choose Report Type from the Drop-down options (Table is default):
    • Table – set out in rows and columns (select for the sample)
  8. Select Orientation
    • Landscape (select for the sample)
  9. Leave Show Sql
  10. Show details: For this sample Report we will leave as the Defaults
    • All: Shows the break-down of details within the Fields (Default)
  11. Show Sub totals: leave this unticked.
  12. Show total: leave this unticked.
  13. Tick Private: leave this unticked.
  14. Show header on first page: For our sample tick this one!
  15. Show header on next pages: This is your choice. But for now leave this unticked

Display Fields

  1. Highlight the required Entity from the Entities / Data Fields - For our sample, select the Entity of Borrower
  2. Highlight the first Field for the Borrower. This could be Full Name - Surname, Given
  3. Drag and drop into the Display Field Table. Alter the heading again if required, for example to Borrower
  4. Continue to drag other Data Fields as required

    For the Sample we would like to see the Item Title as well. From the Stockitem Entity select Item Title.

  5. Continue to select any other Data Fields required into the Display fields Table by dragging and dropping. For example Item Issue Due Back Date and Issue Date from the Current Loans Entity. It is possible to determine where it will drop by Selecting between existing Display Fields until a Box is formed, into which the Field can drop

    For example if Item Call No is to be included after the Item Title then a box can be created and the Data element dropped into the space between the other Fields

  6. Once the Display Fields are selected, it is possible to set the Display hierarchy by moving the Display Fields up or down the Table
    • Highlight the Field to move
    • Drag it up the list to where it will display and drop it into the Box formed

Group Fields

It could be useful to Group the Borrower’s name so that it only shows once for each Borrower

  1. Add the Full Name-Surname, Given Field to the Group Fields table
  2. Remove the Field from the Display Fields Table by dragging it and dropping it into the white space
  3. It may be necessary to alter the Header again. It is possible to decide if you want a Page break for the Group field. For our Sample select No
  4. Preview the report again to see the changes. The Borrower’s name no longer repeats

Note: The Grouped Fields display as shadowed Text on the report, making it stand out

Filter

  1. Select Current Loans Entity
  2. Select Item Issue Date
  3. Choose Not Empty from the Drop down options
  4. Other Filters may include Issue Dates to target exactly the data required. For example: filter the results to get only those loans issued in the last week, only those overdue, only those out to Students, only those out to Housebound borrowers etc.

Order by

It is useful to have an Order sequence to ensure it orders correctly

  1. Drag and drop Data Fields over to the Order by section
  2. Select either Ascending or Descending from the drop-down box
  3. In the sample report it is useful to Order it by Full name – Surname, Given in Ascending Order

Width

For the sample, notice the Call No had lots of space but the Title was sometimes a bit cramped. It is possible to change the width of the Call No Field and Title

  1. Return to Report Designer
  2. Select on the Item Call No Field
  3. Options will display
  4. Change the Width from 6cms to 4cms
  5. Select out of the box
  6. Change the Title width too, to make it from 10cms to 15cms in the same way
  7. Preview the report again to see the changes. There is now less space taken up by the Item Call No and the Item Title does not wrap so much

If the Report is successful it is useful to save it, to be available in the Report Viewer