Office 2007 Bible

Understanding Reports

Reports present a customized view of your data. Report output is viewed onscreen or printed to provide a hard copy of the data. Reports provide summaries of the information contained in the database. Data can be grouped and sorted in any order and can create totals that add numbers, calculate averages or other statistics, and graphically display data. Reports can include pictures and other graphics as well as memo fields in a report. If you can think of a report you want, Access probably supports it.

Understanding report types

Four basic types of reports are used by businesses:

• Tabular reports: These print data in rows and columns with groupings and totals. Variations include summary and group/total reports.

• Columnar reports: These print data as a form and can include totals and graphs.

• Mail-merge reports: These create form letters.

• Mailing labels: These create multicolumn labels or snaked-column reports.

• Graphs: Visual representation of your data in a form such as a bar or a pie chart.

Tabular reports

Figure 37-1 is a typical tabular-type report (rptProductsSummary) displayed in print preview. Tabular reports (also known as groups/totals reports) are similar to a table that displays data in neat rows and columns. Tabular reports, unlike forms or datasheets, usually group data by one or more fields. Often, tabular reports calculate and display subtotals or statistical information for numeric fields in each group. Some reports include page totals and grand totals. ...