Purpose Statement

This article will review selecting your Ad-Hoc Report Type within the Reports module. The options available in each tab will vary based on if you choose Tabular Report or Summary Report, making it essential to understand the differences before proceeding with report creation.

Background Information

When creating ad-hoc reports, selecting the appropriate report type is a critical decision that determines how your data will be presented and what configuration options become available. Tabular Reports display detailed, row-by-row data ideal for comprehensive analysis, while Summary Reports provide aggregated views perfect for high-level insights and visualizations. Understanding these differences ensures you choose the right format for your reporting needs.

Required Permissions

• Reports Module Access: User must have access to the Reports module
• Ad-Hoc Reports Permission: User must have permission to create ad-hoc reports
• Data Source Access: User must have access to the selected data sources for report creation

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Step-by-Step Guide

1. After completing the Data Source Configuration selections, click next to go to the Report Type tab.

2. Select Tabular Report for a report that is grouped in columns and rows and displays all of your data in an organized format for review.

3. Select Summary Report for a broad look at your data like totals, averages, percentages, and counts. Charts and graphs can be made from Summary Reports.

4. Click on Next to move to the next tab for creating a report.

• For a Tabular report you will go to Columns next. (See Ad-Hoc Reporting: Columns)
• Summary Reports do not have Columns, and you can go to the Sort tab next. (See Ad-Hoc Reporting: Sort)
  
  

Understanding Report Types

Tabular Reports:

• A tabular report returns all the rows in a dataset after the data and joins have been processed
• Users can filter, sort, add criteria, and group the data in various ways
• The focus is on displaying all individual rows contained within the dataset
• Tabular Reports now have the ability to add in a Summary Row aggregating the columns inside of the report

Summary Reports:

• A summary report aggregates data based on one or more columns
• Instead of displaying individual rows, it summarizes the data, offering an abstraction
• For example, the report might group data by fire station and provide a count of incident reports for each station, without showing the underlying rows

Key Differences

Tabular Report Example of data display:

Summary Report Example of data display:

Best Practices

• Choose Tabular Reports when you need to see individual records and detailed information
• Select Summary Reports for executive dashboards, KPI tracking, and high-level overviews
• Consider your audience - field users may prefer tabular data while administrators often need summary views
• Plan for visualization - only Summary Reports can generate charts and graphs
• Review data volume - large datasets may be more manageable as Summary Reports
• Think about export needs - Tabular Reports provide more detailed export options

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Can I change the report type after I've started creating the report? A: No, you must restart the report creation process to change the report type. The type selection affects all subsequent configuration options.

Q: Which report type should I use for compliance reporting? A: This depends on the requirement. Use Tabular for detailed incident logs and Summary for statistical compliance reports.

Q: Why don't I see a Columns tab after selecting Summary Report? A: Summary Reports don't have a Columns configuration tab. You'll proceed directly to grouping and aggregation options.

Q: Can Summary Reports show individual records? A: No, Summary Reports are designed for aggregated data only. Use Tabular Reports to view individual records.

Related Articles

• Reports List Features
• Ad-Hoc Reporting: Tabular Grouping
• Ad-Hoc Reporting: Summary Grouping
• Ad-Hoc Reporting: Summary Rows