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Report Builder

Create custom reports tailored to your organization's needs.

Overview

The Report Builder allows you to:

  • Create custom reports from scratch
  • Combine multiple data sources
  • Add filters and grouping
  • Design layouts and visualizations
  • Save for reuse

Accessing the Report Builder

Report Builder

  1. Go to Reports in the main navigation
  2. Click Create Report or New Report
  3. Choose Custom Report or start from a template

Report Types

Inspection Reports

Focus on inspection data:

  • Inspection completion rates
  • Pass/fail statistics
  • Overdue inspections
  • Inspector performance

Item Reports

Focus on item data:

  • Item inventory
  • Items by status
  • Items by location
  • Items by type or manufacturer

Compliance Reports

Combined data for compliance:

  • Inspection compliance by location
  • Compliance trends over time
  • Failed inspection analysis
  • Corrective action status

Activity Reports

Track system activity:

  • User activity logs
  • Recent inspections
  • Item changes
  • System usage

Building a Report

Step 1: Select Data Source

Choose what data to include:

SourceDescription
ItemsItem inventory and details
InspectionsInspection records and results
UsersUser activity and assignments
LocationsLocation-based data
Corrective ActionsAction tracking data

Step 2: Add Fields

Select fields to include:

  1. Click Add Field
  2. Browse available fields by category
  3. Click to add to report
  4. Drag to reorder

Available field types:

TypeExamples
TextItem name, Location name, User name
NumberInspection count, Item count
DateInspection date, Due date, Created date
StatusItem status, Inspection result
CalculatedPass rate, Days until due

Step 3: Apply Filters

Narrow down data:

  1. Click Add Filter
  2. Select field to filter
  3. Choose operator (equals, contains, greater than, etc.)
  4. Enter filter value

Filter examples:

FilterPurpose
Date rangeLast 30 days, This month
LocationSpecific site or region
StatusOnly failed inspections
UserSpecific inspector
Item typeSpecific equipment category

Step 4: Group Data

Organize report by categories:

  1. Click Group By
  2. Select grouping field
  3. Optionally add sub-groups
  4. Choose sort order

Common groupings:

  • By Location
  • By Item Type
  • By Date (day, week, month)
  • By User
  • By Status

Step 5: Add Calculations

Include summary calculations:

CalculationUse For
CountTotal items, inspections
SumNumeric totals
AverageMean values
PercentagePass rates, completion rates
Min/MaxRange values

Step 6: Design Layout

Configure report appearance:

Table Settings

  • Column widths
  • Header formatting
  • Row alternation
  • Totals row

Chart Options

Add visualizations:

Chart TypeBest For
Bar chartComparing categories
Line chartTrends over time
Pie chartProportions
GaugeSingle metrics

Report Preview

Previewing Your Report

Before saving:

  1. Click Preview
  2. Review data accuracy
  3. Check formatting
  4. Test filters
  5. Verify calculations

Sample Data

Preview shows:

  • Limited rows initially
  • Full data on generate
  • Approximate counts

Saving Reports

Save Options

OptionDescription
SaveSave to your reports
Save AsSave copy with new name
Save as TemplateMake available to others

Report Metadata

When saving, specify:

  • Report name
  • Description
  • Category
  • Access permissions

Report Settings

General Settings

SettingDescription
NameReport title
DescriptionWhat the report shows
CategoryFor organization
Default formatPDF, Excel, or CSV

Data Settings

SettingDescription
Date range defaultDefault time period
Max rowsLimit data volume
Sort defaultInitial sort order
Auto-refreshUpdate interval

Display Settings

SettingDescription
Page sizeA4, Letter, etc.
OrientationPortrait or Landscape
Show filtersDisplay applied filters
Include timestampAdd generation time

Working with Saved Reports

Editing Reports

  1. Go to Reports
  2. Find your report
  3. Click Edit
  4. Make changes
  5. Save

Duplicating Reports

Create variations:

  1. Open report
  2. Click Duplicate or Save As
  3. Modify as needed
  4. Save with new name

Deleting Reports

  1. Go to Reports
  2. Find report
  3. Click Delete or trash icon
  4. Confirm deletion

Advanced Features

Calculated Fields

Create custom calculations:

Pass Rate = (Passed Inspections / Total Inspections) * 100
Days Since Last Inspection = Today - Last Inspection Date

Conditional Formatting

Highlight based on values:

  • Red for failed inspections
  • Yellow for approaching due dates
  • Green for compliant items

Parameters

Make reports dynamic:

  • Date range selector
  • Location picker
  • Status filter
  • User selection

Parameters prompt user when running report.

Sub-Reports

Include linked reports:

  • Summary with detail drill-down
  • Master-detail layouts
  • Cross-referenced data

Performance Tips

For Large Datasets

  1. Use filters to limit data
  2. Avoid unnecessary fields
  3. Use date ranges
  4. Group to summarize
  5. Export for detailed analysis

Optimization

IssueSolution
Slow loadingAdd date filter
Too much dataIncrease grouping
Timeout errorsReduce scope

Common Report Examples

Weekly Inspection Summary

  • Group by: Week
  • Fields: Inspection count, Pass count, Fail count, Pass rate
  • Filter: Last 12 weeks
  • Chart: Line chart of pass rate

Items Needing Attention

  • Filter: Status = "Needs Attention"
  • Fields: Item name, Location, Last inspection, Issue
  • Sort: Last inspection date ascending

Inspector Performance

  • Group by: Inspector
  • Fields: Inspections completed, Pass rate, Average time
  • Filter: This month
  • Chart: Bar chart of completions

Location Compliance

  • Group by: Location
  • Fields: Total items, Inspected, Overdue, Compliance rate
  • Filter: Active items only
  • Chart: Gauge for each location

Troubleshooting

No Data Returned

  • Check filter values
  • Verify date range
  • Confirm data exists
  • Check permissions

Incorrect Calculations

  • Verify formula
  • Check field types
  • Review grouping
  • Test with sample data

Report Won't Save

  • Check required fields
  • Verify permissions
  • Try different name
  • Contact support

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Use clear, descriptive names:

  • Include purpose: "Weekly Inspection Summary"
  • Include scope: "Building A Compliance"
  • Include frequency: "Monthly Safety Report"

Documentation

For each report, document:

  • Purpose
  • Who uses it
  • When to run it
  • Key metrics
  • Filter recommendations

Regular Review

Periodically review reports:

  • Still needed?
  • Data accurate?
  • Can be improved?
  • Users satisfied?

Next Steps