In this article
The following pages describe how to produce a standard published report using Reportal's default settings. For specific details on how to customize and alter reports and report pages, click the links below.
Note: When creating a report based on a professional panel, the panel must have one or more BitStream variants (go to General for more information).
Note: The report used in the following example is based on a fictitious survey that intends to discover respondents’ car preferences.
1. On the Reportal main page, click the Create New > Report button.
The first step of the Report Wizard opens .
Figure 1 - The first page of the report wizard
Specify the report name and source
2. On this page, type the report name into the Name field and select the source for the data to be used in the report.
Note: The Report name can be a maximum of 64 characters long.
You can select one of your Forsta Plus projects or a data source (a collection of one or more projects), or you can select to use external data. Uploading external data allows you to take data from a different system and use that data in your report.
3. You can create your new report based on a scripted wizard (go to About the New Report Wizard for more information). Check the Use wizard script box to include another step in this procedure, in which you can select the wizard to be used.
Note: When using a Reportal wizard script, Data Sources and external data are not supported in the report creation process. You may only select a Forsta Plus Project.
4. If you want to base your report on test data or use test data to check your report, check the Use test data box.
Note that if you are to upload external data then the remaining options are not available. Otherwise -
5. If the BitStream files do not yet exist or are out of date, leave the Create BitStream Files box checked.
6. If you wish to specify that only completed interviews are used in the report, leave this box checked.
7. Click Next.
Step 2 of the wizard opens.
If you have selected to upload external data, then an upload properties box opens .
Figure 2 - The Upload External Data Properties box
In this case, browse to the files you wish to upload, then click Next.
If you have selected a project or a data source, then a list of those available to you opens . Here you can if necessary search for the project or data source(s) you wish to use for this report. Data sources can be Forsta Plus projects and/or Forsta Plus panels (go to Data Source Overview for more information).
Figure 3 - Finding and selecting the project to use as the data source
1. Using the search functionality as necessary, locate the Forsta Plus project/panel you wish to use as the data source.
Use the Projects / Panels drop-down to search for particular types of projects and/or panels.
2. Select the project you wish to use by clicking the button to the left of the project ID, then click Next.
If you have checked the Create a report using a DSL script box, the Select Wizard page now opens . otherwise you go directly to the Select Templates page.
Figure 4 - The Select Wizard page
1. Using the search functionality as necessary, find and select the wizard you wish to use.2.
2. Click Next.
The last page of the wizard opens . Here you can search for and select a Template for your report. A template is the collection of styles that give the report its look and feel. Reportal offers a few suggestions but you can also create your own if desired.
Note: Every time you make a change to a page master, a table or chart layout etc. the template will change. If you wish to create several reports that look the same; i.e. use the same template, the easiest method is to create the first report and set it up as you wish, then duplicate that report (go to Duplicating a Report for more information) and change the data source (go to Replacing a Data Source for more information).
Figure 5 - Selecting and previewing the template
Click the Preview button at the right end of the template row to preview the template in a new window before applying it.
Once you have selected a Template, click Finish to complete the procedure and open the report Page Editor.
Note: You can continue to build the report with the Report Page Wizard. If you wish to use this facility then check the Continue… box before you click Finish.