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Reports overview

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You can use reports to print or display information from a Business Central database. Use reports to structure and summarize information to print documents, such as invoices. For example, create a report that lists all customers and orders that each customer adds. Also, create a report that's automatically filled with the relevant information for an invoice.

Reports can also be used to process data without printing or displaying content. For example, use a report to automate updating all prices in an item list. It can be easier to create a report to process data instead of a codeunit to do the same processing because you can use:

  • Request page functionality to select options and filters for data items, which are available in a report but are difficult to add to a codeunit. The request page also unlocks concepts such as teaching tips and help links for reports. For more information, see Using request pages with reports.

  • Report data items instead of writing code to open tables and retrieve records.

  • Data modeling, which is available when you design reports.

Creating reports

Creating a report involves three tasks:

  1. design the dataset,
  2. design one or more visual layouts,
  3. ensure users can discover and understand how to use the report.

First, you create a report object and design the dataset. The dataset determines the data that is extracted or calculated from the Business Central database tables that can be used in the report.

When the dataset is created, you then design the visual layout of the report. There are three types of report layouts that you can create: layouts using report definition language (RDL), Word report layouts, and Excel report layouts. Each type of layout caters for different user needs - Excel is used for analytical reports, Word layouts are for document reports, and RDL is for advanced scenarios (both for document and analytical reports).

After you develop a report and before you make it available for users, you need to consider discoverability for the report, meaning:

  • How users can discover that the report exists?
  • Ensure that users can find it.
  • Ensure that users know how to use it.

Another option is to extend the functionality of an existing report with a Report extension object by adding columns to the existing report dataset, adding new data items, adding to the request page, or adding a new layout.

Getting started

The following table includes links to help you get started with designing the reports.

To See
Learn the overview of the report design process Report design overview
Understand the report structure and designing the layout for a report. Report object
Understand how to extend an existing report. Report extension object
Understanding the data model and dataset of a report Defining a report dataset
Learn how to create a report using a Word layout Creating a Word layout report
Learn how to create a report using an RDL layout report. Creating an RDL layout report
Learn about creating a report based on an Excel layout. Creating an Excel layout report
Learn how to define multiple report layouts for one report. Defining multiple report layouts
Learn how to use request pages with reports. Using request pages with reports
Learn how to help users discover the report. Report discoverability overview

Report object
Report extension object
Creating a report
Using request pages with reports
Creating an Excel layout report
Creating an RDL layout report
Creating a Word layout report
Defining multiple report layouts
Utilizing Read Scale-Out for better performance