Our Advanced Report interface uses DevExpress to provide our users with the ability to build and execute ad-hoc queries against all data residing in the STIP/TIP Manager database. While the "Advanced Reports" article in the Help Center tackles the generic workflow of building an Advanced Report, DevExpress offers many tools that unlock extended customization. The DevExpress website hosts many articles about the Report Designer (i.e. the framework we leverage for PMG's Advanced Reports). The bulleted lists below provide links to the website and a brief overview of what aspects of the Report Designer are covered.

Report Designer

• Report Designer - Landing page for the articles on this feature.
• First Look at the Report Designer - This article identifies the content on the Design tab and points the user to more articles that specify this content.
• Add New Reports - This article directs the user on where to find the "Add New" functionality, and it provides links to more information on both tactics of report creation (New Blank Report and Report Wizard).
• Open Reports - This article directs the user on how to open a previously created report.
• Save Reports - This article specifies how to save a created report.
• Introduction to Banded Reports - This article describes the layout of a report, what "bands" are available, and how to add/remove bands.

Bind to Data

• Bind to Data - Landing page for the articles on this feature.
• Bind a Report to a Database - This article illustrates how to bind a report to a database and specify a master-detail relationship between data source queries.
• Specify Query Parameters - This article provides general information on query parameters and describes common ways of utilizing parametrized SQL queries to filter data at the data source level.
• Bind a Report to JSON Data - This article details the steps to binding a report to JSON data.
• Bind a Report to an Object Data Source - This article details the steps to binding a report to object data at design time.
• Bind a Report to a Join-Based Federated Data Source - This article describes how to create a federated data source that joins data from multiple data sources into a single query.
• Bind a Report to a Union-Based Federated Data Source - This article describes how to create a union-based federated data source that combines two tables from different data sources by appending rows from one table to another.
• Bind a Report to a Transformation-Based Data Source - This article describes how to use the Transformation query of the Federation Data Source to flatten a JSON Data Source that contains nested data (collection property).
• Bind a Report to a Federated Master-Detail Data Source - This article describes how to create a federated data source that retrieves data from multiple data sources and sets the master-detail relationship between the queries.

Create Reports

• Create Reports - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that explain how to create different reports.
• Table Reports - This article describes how to create a data-bound report that displays information in a tabular format.
• Vertical Reports - This article describes how to use vertical bands to create a report where record fields are arranged vertically and data records are printed horizontally.
• Letters - This article describes the steps to create a mail merge report, in which data fields are embedded into a label's text that is replaced with corresponding data values on preview or export. 
• Master-Detail Report with Detail Report Bands - This article illustrates how to display hierarchical data in a master-detail report using nested Detail Report bands. 
• Master-Detail Reports with Subreports - This article demonstrates how to create a master-detail report using the Subreport control.
• Hierarchical Reports - This article describes how to use the detail band's Hierarchy Print Options property to create a hierarchical report.
• Invoices - This article describes how to create a simple invoice report displaying information about customers and their orders.
• Cross-Tab Reports - This article describes how to create a cross-tab report which displays complex multi-dimensional data, such as summary statistics, surveys, and market research information.
• Labels and Badges - This article describes the steps to create a label report that contains employee badges.
• Multi-Column Reports - This article describes how to arrange report data in multiple columns, which can be used to create mailing labels, business cards or multi-column directories.
• Interactive E-Forms - This article describes how to create an electronic form and make it fillable directly in Print Preview before printing or exporting it.
• Reports with Cross-Band Content and Populated Empty Space - This document describes how to create a report with the following layout options: Print part of the content across bands (the blue panel) or populate the empty space between the detail and footer information with blank rows.
• Reports Merged with PDF - This article describes how to add PDF content to a report.
• Reports with Embedded PDF Content - This article explains how to use the PDF Content control to (1) append PDF file pages to a report and make their paper kind the same as in the inital report, (2) add sequential page numbers to the report and PDF file pages, and (3) include additional information in the embedded PDF file pages.
• Reports with a Visual PDF Signature - This article describes how to create a report with a visual PDF signature.

Configure Design Settings

• Configure Design Settings - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe how to specify a report's various design settings.
• Change Report Measurement Units - This article describes how to assign a system of measurements to a report.
• Change Report Page Settings - This article explains how to use default printer settings or specify page settings in Report Designer.
• Enable the Right-To-Left Layout - This article describes the Right to Left and Right to Left Layout properties.

Use Report Elements

• Use Report Elements - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe how to use various controls in a report, manipulate report elements, and customize the report layout.
• Manipulate Report Elements - This article describes how to add various controls to a report, manipulate report elements, and customize the report layout.
  • Add Controls to a Report
  • Bind Report Controls to Data
  • Use Embedded Fields (Mail Merge)
  • Validate Report Data Bindings
  • Select Report Elements and Access Their Settings
  • Move and Resize Report Elements
  • Apply Styles to Report Elements
  • Copy Report Controls
  • Arrange Report Controls
  • Add Report Controls to Containers
  • Validate the Report Layout
• Use Basic Report Controls - This article is a landing page that hosts links to four types of report controls.
  • Label, Character Comb, Rich Text, Check Box, and Picture Box - Controls that display data in a report.
  • Subreport, Panel, and Page Break - Controls that embed other reports and customize the report layout.
  • PDF Content and PDF Signature - Controls that add PDF-specific features to reports.
  • Table of Contents and Page Info - Controls that display auxiliary information in a report.
• Use Tables - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles that describe the Table control and illustrate its main features.
  • Table Overview
  • Bind Table Cells to Data
  • Manage Table Structure
  • Manipulate Table Elements
  • Hide Table Cells
• Use Barcodes - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles that cover these topics: (1) how to add a barcode to a report, (2) barcode recognition specifics, and (3) supported one-dimensional and two-dimensional barcodes (35 barcode types).
  • Add Barcodes to a Report
  • Barcode Recognition Specifics
  • Aztec Code, Codabar, Code 11 (USD-8), Code 128, Code 39 (USD-3), Code 39 Extended, Code 93, Code 93 Extended, Deutsche Post Leitcode, Deutsche Post Identcode, EAN 13, EAN 8, ECC200 - Data Matrix, GS1 - DataBar, GS1 - Data Matrix, GS1-128 - EAN-128 (UCC), Industrial 2 of 5, Intelligent Mail, Intelligent Mail Package, Interleaved 2 of 5, Matrix 2 of 5, MSI - Plessey, PDF417, Pharmacode, PostNet, QR Code, Micro QR Code, GS1 QR Code, EPC QR Code, Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC), UPC Shipping Container Symbol (ITF-14), UPC Supplemental 2, UPC Supplemental 5, UPC-A, UPC-E0, and UPC-E1.
• Use Charts - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles on using and adding charts to a report.
  • Use Charts in Reports
  • Add a Chart (Set Up Series Manually)
  • Add a Chart (Use a Series Template)
  • Use Charts to Visualize Grouped Data
• Use Gauges and Sparklines - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles on adding graphical content to your reports.
  • Add Gauges to a Report
  • Add Sparklines to a Report
• Draw Lines and Shapes - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles on drawing lines, shapes, cross-band lines, and boxes.
  • Draw Lines
  • Draw Shapes
  • Draw Cross-Band Lines and Boxes

Use Report Parameters

• Use Report Parameters- Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe the tools that allow you to filter report data dynamically.
• Create a Report Parameter - This article demonstrates how to create a report parameter in the Report Designer. The topic also describes the options you can specify for a report parameter.
  • Report Parameters with Predefined Static Values
  • Report Parameters with Predefined Dynamic Values
  • Multi-Value Report Parameters
  • Cascading Report Parameters
  • Date Range Report Parameters
• Reference Report Parameters - This article details how you can reference a parameter in the report's filter string, in expressions, and in a control's Text property. It also specifies how to bind control and data source parameters to report parameters.
• The Parameters Panel - This article describes the Parameters panel which allows the user to specify parameter values in a report's Print Preview.

Shape Report Data

• Shape Report Data - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe the data shaping features reports support.
• Filter Data - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles on filtering approaches: (1) Filter Data at the Report Level, (2) Filter Data at the Data Source Level, and (3) Limit the Number of Records to Display.
• Group and Sort Data - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles on grouping and sorting a report's data: (1) Sort Data, (2) Group Data, (3) Sort Data by a Custom Field, (4) Group Data by a Custom Field, and (5) Sort Groups by a Summary Function's Result.
• Format Data - This article demonstrates how to specify value formatting for report elements.
• Specify Conditions for Report Elements - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles on grouping and sorting a report's data: (1) Conditionally Change a Control's Appearance, (2) Conditionally Change a Label's Text, (3) Conditionally Change a Band's Visibility, (4) Conditionally Filter Report Data, (5) Conditionally Suppress Controls, and (6) Limit the Number of Records per Page.
• Calculate Summaries - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles on calculating summaries in a report: Calculate a Summary and Calculate an Advanced Summary.
• Count Elements and Values - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles that show how to count report elements or data source values.
  • Display Row Numbers in a Report, Group or Page
  • Count the Number of Records in a Report or Group
  • Count the Number of Groups in a Report
• Use Calculated Fields - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles that describe how to add custom fields to a report's data source and use them to perform various calculations in the report.
  • Calculated Fields Overview
  • Calculate an Aggregate Function
  • Calculate a Weighted Average Function

Lay out Dynamic Report Content

• Lay out Dynamic Report Content - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe how to maintain report elements' correct location in a published document.
  • Maintain the Band Location on a Page
  • Keep Content Together
  • Maintain the Size and Content of Data-Bound Controls
  • Anchor Controls
  • Suppress Controls

Customize Appearance

• Customize Appearance - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe how to customize the report elements' appearance.
• Appearance Properties - This article describes the purpose and implementation of the appearance properties.
• Report Visual Styles - This article describes how to combine appearance properties into styles and apply them to report elements.

Add Navigation

• Add Navigation - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe how to use navigation features in your reports.
  • Add Page Numbers
  • Add Cross-References and Hyperlinks
  • Add Bookmarks and a Document Map
  • Add a Table of Contents

Provide Interactivity

• Provide Interactivity - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that provide information on the interactive features that enable report customization in Print Preview.
  • Create Drill-Down Reports
  • Create Drill-Through Reports
  • Sort a Report in Print Preview
  • Edit Content in Print Preview

Add Extra Information

• Add Extra Information - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe how to identify your reports by displaying information about their context.
  • Add Watermarks to a Report
  • Display the Current Date and Time in a Report
  • Display the User Name in a Report

Merge Reports

• Merge Reports - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe how to merge pages from individual reports into a base report.
• Add a Report to the End/Beginning - This article describes how to add a separate report to the end of another report and print it as a single job.
• Use Data-Driven Page Sequence - This article describes how to combine a table report that uses Portrait page orientation and a chart report that uses Landscape page orientation.

Use Expressions

• Use Expressions - Landing page for the articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe how to use expressions in a report.
  • Expressions Overview
  • Expression Language
  • Functions in Expressions
  • How to: Use Expressions
  • Data Binding Modes
• Localize Reports - This article explains how the Report Designer enables you to localize a report for different languages and cultures and save localized values to the report file.
• Preview, Print and Export Reports - This article explains how to preview, print, and export reports.

Report Designer Tools

• Report Designer Tools - Landing page for the sections/articles on this feature. This section contains articles that describe the main tools and features available in the Web Report Designer.
• Report Wizard - This article details how to create reports or modify existing reports based on predefined templates.
  • Empty Report - This article details how to create an empty report.
  • Table and Vertical Report - This article details how to create a table/vertical report and bind it to data.
    • Select Data Source - This article describes how the user can select an existing data source or create a new data source on the wizard page.
    • Specify Data Source Settings (Database) - This article describes the "Specify Data Source Settings" step on the report wizard if Database was selected as the data source type.
    • Specify Data Source Settings (JSON) - This article describes the "Specify Data Source Settings" step on the report wizard if JSON was selected as the data source type.
    • Specify Data Source Settings (Object) - This article describes the "Specify Data Source Settings" step on the report wizard if Object was selected as the data source type.
    • Define Report Layout - This article describes the "Define Report Layout" step on the report wizard.
    • Specify Page Settings - This article describes the "Specify Page Settings" step on the report wizard.
  • Label Report - This article details how to create a report with labels.
• Data Source Wizard - This article summarizes the Data Source Wizard which enables users to add data sources to a report.
  • Specify Data Source Settings (Database) - This article describes the "Specify Data Source Settings" step on the Data Source Wizard if Database was selected as the data source type.
  • Specify Data Source Settings (JSON) - This article describes the "Specify Data Source Settings" step on the Data Source Wizard if JSON was selected as the data source type.
  • Specify Data Source Settings (Object) - This article describes the "Specify Data Source Settings" step on the Data Source Wizard if Object was selected as the data source type.
• Design Surface - This article describes the page that displays a report that is being edited in the Web Report Designer.
• Main Menu - This article describes how to open the Web Report Designer menu and use its tools.
• Main Toolbar - This article describes where to find the main toolbar and how to use its tools.
• Toolbox - This article describes the report controls on the toolbox and how to add them to a report.
• Query Builder - This article describes the Query Builder, how to invoke it, and how to use it.
• Chart Designer - This article describes how to access and use the Chart Designer which allows the user to quickly create and customize charts in the End-User Report Designer.
• Expression Editor - This article describes how to use the Expression Editor to specify expressions in the Report Designer.
• Filter Editor - This article describes the Filter Editor available in the End-User Report Designer.
• Format String Editor - This article describes how to use the Format String Editor which provides the capability to apply the required formatting for report elements to display their incoming data.
• Master-Detail Relation Editor - This article describes how to access and use the Master-Detail Relation Editor.
• Script Editor - This article describes the basic principles of using scripts, the Script Editor interface, and shows how scripting can be used in a report.
• Localization Editor - This article describes the Localization Editor which allows the user to change the text of the localizable textual properties for all the controls in a report.
• UI Panels - This article is a landing page that hosts links to articles that describe the available panels in the Web Report Designer.
  • Properties Panel - This article describes how to use the Properties panel to access and customize the report and report element properties.
  • Expressions Panel - This article describes how to use the Expressions panel to assign expressions to various element properties.
  • Field List - This article describes how to use the Field List to manage report data sources and parameters, add calculated fields and create bound report controls.
  • Report Explorer - This article describes how to access the Report Explorer to show a report's structure and edit report elements, styles, and data sources.
  • Report Design Analyzer - This article describes how to access the Report Design Analyzer which shows errors, warnings, and information messages that help you to detect and fix issues in a report.