Profitera PowerReport

March 03 2009

Profitera PowerReport Fact Sheet

PowerReport is an integral application in Profitera PowerApps suite of Applications designed to automate and streamline the Revenue Collection and Debt Recovery processes.

PowerReport is a flexible and powerful Java Reporting tool which can easily deliver sophisticated print or web reporting. It allows the business users to build, customize, distribute and view/print report as the business demands. PowerReport has Reporting Tools which use a full-featured, fourth generation, English like procedural language to maintain and extract data. Users are able to extract and export reports designed in PowerReport into several formats and environments which include HTML, PDF, Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets, XML, Text files and CSV files.

Proftera PowerReport Benefits :

  • User Friendly : Through a rich and very easy to use GUI, PowerReport provides all the most important functions to create excellent reports quickly.
  • Report Styles : Supports Report Styles that can be applied to a range of elements which need to share the same visual properties.
  • Frames : Supports Advanced Frames / Nested Frames. These can be applied to various elements where the frame element is recognized by the grid exporters and supports overlapping elements. Frames can be nested on an unlimited number of levels.
  • Data / Graphics : Supports Datasets which contain parameters, fields, variables and groups to help in easily generating Charts, Crosstabs etc. Crosstabs is a special type of table component in which both the Rows and columns are dynamic. They are used to display aggregated data using tables with multiple levels of grouping for both columns and groups.
  • Better Image Quality : Supports the XLS Exporter Using the Java Excel API Library, which has better support for images.

Flexible Report Layout

PowerReport enables you to create almost any kind of report imaginable. Reports are built from a number of independently defined and formatted sections: Title, Page Header, Column Header, Group Header, Detail, Group Footer, Column Footer, Page Footer, and Summary. Sections can contain layout elements like lines, rectangles, images, and static or dynamic text fields, as well as source data and computed data.

All report elements can be precisely positioned and sized, allowing for pixel-perfect printed and web-based report layouts. Both single and multiple-column reports are available. Data can be presented in flexible free-form, Tabular, Crosstab (matrix) or Chart formats.

PowerReport easily handles the most complex report requirements through its support for subreports. Any report can be used as a subreport within another report, and any number of subreports can be nested inside a report.


Flexible Output Options

PowerReport delivers operational information wherever you need it: the screen, the printer, other applications and other systems, including those that reside on PCs.

PowerReport provides an embeddable Java Swing viewer for viewing report output and design. Output formats include HTML, PDF, Microsoft Excel, XML, Text files, RTF (Microsoft Word) and CSV.

PowerReport customers may want to use Microsoft Excel for further manipulation of the report data.

Flexible Data Sources

Data used to populate a report may be supplied either as input parameters from Profitera PowerApps application, or a from a data source which is defined within PowerReport. A single report may use data from multiple data sources, which may be of different types.

PowerReport includes JDBC-wrapped data providers for Relational Databases (RDBMS) like DB2, Oracle, SQL Server etc.

PowerReport supports both procedural and non-procedural statements. This allows the user to query one or more databases simultaneously, retrieve / display data and generate reports.

Profitera PowerReport supports querying databases using SQL which is the defacto standard for RDBMS data querying. Connection can be made to various types of databases, using JDBC bridge, and complex data. A number of reports can be retrieved, displayed and viewed/written into various formats.

Comprehensive Charting

Many users prefer easy to understand graphical displays. PowerReport supports an extensive array of chart types through its built-in comprehensive charting capabilities. External charting and graphics libraries can easily be used with PowerReport.

User Friendly

PowerReport is an intuitive and user-friendly application suitable for Individuals with little computer experience for generating simple queries or Computer Professionals to perform more complex data processing operations where data is extracted, summary files are updated, and sophisticated reports are produced.

Through a rich and very easy to use GUI, PowerReport provide all the most important functions to create excellent reports quickly.

PowerReport can help individuals with little computer experience as well as skilled report designers to create reports with varying degrees of complexity and learn the XML syntax taking a look to the generated code.

Profitera PowerReport has a built-in editor with syntax highlighting for creating ad hoc queries as well as running saved queries.

Top Down Analysis

Reports can contain hyperlinks, enabling users to create some form of OLAP-style reports. These allow users to see a high level view of the data and go to areas of interest. This feature can also be used to create a clickable table of contents for fast and easy access to report sections.

Custom Calculation and Variables

PowerReport provides a comprehensive set of built in variables and calculations, which can be extended with custom expressions.

Expressions provide the report developer with a way to perform calculations, create or compute groupings, generate report text, or to further customize the appearance of objects. Expressions can reference report parameters, report fields and report variables. They can be implemented in either Java or Groovy, a Java-like scripting language.

PowerReport has various types of built-in calculation methods including count, sum, average, max, min, standard deviation, and variance. Calculations can be performed at various levels of scope, including at the report, page, column, or group level. Calculations can also be used to define the values of report variables that can be referenced throughout the report. Because they are implemented using arbitrarily scalable algorithms, there is no risk of overflow or underflow. Reports can also call out to your own specialized calculations.

PowerReport provides a number of useful built-in variables that help with layout. They include the current page number, total number of pages, current column number, total number of records processed, number of records processed when generating the current column, and the number of records that make up the current group.

PowerReport Designer

ThePowerReport Designer is a powerful Graphical Report designer and provides an intuitive interface for designing reports.

Features of PowerReport Designer

  • “What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) :

    PowerReport Designer makes the WYSIWYG statement actually true by using a high precision graphical engine able to reproduce with the highest possible fidelity visual objects that compose a report.

  • Integrated Report Compiler :

    Has an inegrated report compiler for fast compiling and effective batch report processing. Also has a Built-in error checking that links to the reports object makes it easier to locate the actual problem and quickly correct it.

  • Preview Reports :

    Allows users to preview reports while still in edit mode. Reports can be previewed and tested using data specified from a data source (JDBC Database connection, an XML document, a custom data source or test data from an empty data source).

  • Report Export wizard :

    Using the export wizard, reports can be quickly exported to PDF, Excel, HTML, CSV and XML formats. Export wizard is also able to open the result using a preconfigured viewer, allowing this way to preview the report in any format.

  • Intuitive Design Tools :

    PowerReport Designer supports:

    • Drag and Drop : Users can drag objects (parameters, variables and fields) from the toolbars and drop them into the report designer. The corresponding objects will be automatically created.

    • Undo/Redo functionality is one of the main requirements for a Visual Report Designer. PowerReport Designer is built around the principle that changes to the report are reversible.

    • Cut/Copy/Paste : Power Report Designer allows you to copy and paste various report objects in the context of the same report or between two different reports opened in the same instance of Eclipse IDE.

  • Holistic Views :

    • Properties View : Users can modify properties of any object within the report designer through a clean and un-cluttered view.

    • Designer View : Outline View provides an overall perspective of the structure of the edited report. This view is also used to edit non-visual report objects such as fonts, groups, parameters, fields and variables.

    • Error / Problem View : All the report compilation errors are displayed in this view. Errors are mapped back to the structure of the report which allows to jump directly to the report object that is the source of the problem.

  • Intuitive Context Menus :

    Intuitive context menus are provided for all report objects. The menu can be invoked directly in the editor as well as in the Outline View.

  • Zoom Support :

    Zoom support is required when high precision design operations are performed. PowerReport Designer allows you to zoom on any portion of the edited report making such tasks possible.

  • A Customizable Palette :

    The Report Designer comes with an integrated component palette. The palette contains tools needed to perform design operations such as selections and creations of visual report objects. The palette can be customized by changing its size and presentation to match your taste and needs.

  • Comprehensive Align and Resize actions :

    PowerReport Designer provides a comprehensive set of align and resize actions aimed to speed up the development with PowerReport. Multiple report objects can be aligned and resized with minimum amount of effort. All actions are available from IDE's toolbar which further simplifies and speeds up the report layout development.

  • Intuitive Expression Editor :

    PowerReport Designer provides an advanced expression editor with integrated Java syntax highlighting and content assistant. Using the content assistant you can easily insert an existing report variable, field or parameter. The content assistant also provides you with a short help for built-in report objects.

  • Integrated User Documentation :

    PowerReport Designer comes with a comprehensive User Guide that can be accessed from the standard Eclipse Help system. The guide is also available in online version or as a downloadable PDF document.

  • Field Wizard :

    Database integration is one of the most desired features for a report designer. PowerReport Designer provides a Field Wizard that automatically discovers the fields returned by a report query and integrates them into the report. The wizard can be invoked at any time during report design allowing you to adjust easily the report fields.

  • Grid and Snap To Grid support :

    To further simplify the report development, PowerReport Designer designer comes with support for Grid and Snap To Grid functionality. By using this feature, laying out visual report objects is easier than ever. To maximize the flexibility, settings such as grid visibility, snap to grid and grid size can be customized globally and individually for each report.

  • Extensible Shortcuts :

    To accelerate the report development, PowerReport Designer provides the possibility to define shortcuts for any of its actions. This way you can align, modify text style and perform other operations by simply invoking a previously defined key combination. Shortcuts can be defined through standard Eclipse "Key Bindings" interface available under the Preferences > Workbench > Keys preference page.

  • Full Support for PowerReports Data Sources :

    PowerReport Designer comes with full support for PowerReport's data sources. Database, XML and empty data sources can be configured and used directly to preview your reports. Other data sources such as "Java Beans Array" data source, or any other user-defined data sources, can be plugged in using the "Custom Data Source" feature.

    Reports can be reviewed on screen and with the option of printing out the reports when necessary. Collectors will only have access to their individual performance screen while the team leaders and manager will have access to the whole report. Reports required by the Customers can be customized during the project implementation stage.

How PowerReport Application Works

The PowerReport Application provides the foundation providing comprehensive and integrated reporting, data analysis (OLAP) and data integration (ETL) capabilities. PowerReport enables delivery of mission critical information to the printer and /or to a variety of file formats.

PowerReport can use multiple types of Data Sources – A single report may use data from multiple data sources. The Data could be retrieved from Databases using JDBC connectivity. The Data Sources could either be defined internally within PowerReports, or Data could be used from other Profitera PowerApps Applications.

PowerReport integrates with existing applications and infrastructure, including authentication and authorization systems, ensuring that people only see the information meant for them. Report definitions can be uploaded and downloaded from the repository on the Server.



The PowerReport Application provides comprehensive, secure Report Management capabilities:


  • Easy to use, Web-based Report Management interface for non-technical end-users. All reports can be customized as per the requirements.

  • Secure access control over reports, report resources and methods by user, group, and role.

  • Built-in single sign-on capability for connectivity to the Data Source.

  • Easy to use report creation wizard, to upload/resolve into the repository all resources, such as images, required for a report.

  • Storage of a broad range of content types, including report definitions, report output instances, fonts, images, data source definitions and sub-reports.

Sample Reports

Requirements

Profitera Corporation is a leading provider of Revenue Collection and Debt Recovery Management Software Solutions. With Office in USA, Singapore, Malaysia, and partners in many countries. Profitera focuses in providing innovative solutions, leveraging the potent mix of people, technology and expertise to bring about greater Profitability for its customers. As a dynamic business technology company, Profitera's aim is to help its Customers focus on their Clients and optimize profits throughout their Revenue & Profitability Lifecycle.

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