BigTime' s Reporting Wizard

BigTime ships with a reporting wizard that allows users to edit Tabular reports right from their desktop.

Users can edit PDF reports (e.g. - estimates and invoices), too. To do that, they'll use Microsoft Access. A complete set of instructions for customizing PDF reports can be found in the Custom PDF Report section later in this chapter.

Getting Started

If you'd like to create a brand new custom Tabular report, then you'll need to have the right to create/publish custom reports (system permission 11.3). Assuming your system's administrator has granted you that right, then you can follow these simple instructions.

1. Navigate to the Reports...Report Center page in the BigTime main menu.
2. Click the Custom Report Wizard link (in the Report Tools/Options section) on the left-hand side of that page.
3. The system will pop up a report type selection similar to the one shown here.

   

   Select the type of custom Tabular report you'd like to create from this list. BigTime supports a number of different report types, and each one returns a different set of "rows." There are reports that return time details, projects, staff members and more.

4. Once you're ready, click the NEXT link (top of the page) to continue.

Creating Reports Based on BigTime's Standard Reports

Often, when you're attempting to create a custom report, you'll use one of BigTime's standard reports as a jumping off point. To create a custom report that's based on an existing BigTime standard report, just follow these steps.

1. Navigate to the Reports...Report Center page in the BigTime main menu.
2. Click on the standard report you'd like to adjust to pop it up in HTML (Tabular) format.
3. The reporting toolbar has an EDIT REPORT icon. Click on that button to create a new custom report format based on the standard report you are looking at.

   

   When you click that button, the system will warn you that standard reports can't be edited. It will let you know that it's creating a copy of the report you've selected for you to edit. Just click OK to continue.