Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Reporting Cookbook Update: Over 90 recipes to help you resolve your new SSRS Reporting woes in Dynamics AX 2012 R3

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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Reporting Cookbook Update

Chapter 2. Enhancing Your Report – Visualization and Interaction

We will look at the following recipes in this chapter:

Creating multiple data regions and charts in reports
Creating a chart data region
Creating a new layout template
Expression in reports
Aggregation in reports
Adding an image in auto design
Formatting reports
Adding unbounded parameters in reports
Adding filters to data regions
Adding document map navigation to reports
Creating drill-up/drill-down actions in reports

Creating a new layout template

In Chapter 1, Understanding and Creating Simple SSRS Reports, we discussed how to use templates to standardize a report. There are several predefined layout and style templates that you can use for your reports. These templates are standard templates for Microsoft Dynamics AX reports and provide consistent layout and style settings.

The following table lists the predefined templates that are available, and describes what each template can be applied to:

Template name	What each template can be applied to
`BarChartStyleTemplate`	Bar chart data regions
`ColumnChartStyleTemplate`	Column chart data regions
`LineChartStyleTemplate`	Line chart data regions
`ListStyleTemplate`	List data regions (top-down list or horizontal list data regions)
`MatrixStyleTemplate`	Matrix data regions
`PieAndDoughnutStyleTemlate`	Pie or doughnut chart data regions
`ReportLayoutStyleTemplate`	Reports (company information is displayed in the report header)
`ReportLayoutStyleTemplateNoCompany...`

Aggregation in reports

Aggregate functions are very useful in SSRS reports in AX R3 to calculate the aggregate values that show the numeric data. Totals are an obvious need in all reports. For example, the sum aggregate function calculates the total of transaction amounts. SSRS provides easy and powerful aggregation capabilities. This recipe will discuss a couple of aggregation methods and how they can be applied at different levels.

How to do it…

In this recipe two aggregations will be implemented:

Total value of transactions per customer
Count of the total number of transactions per customer

To define the total value of transactions implement the following steps:

Navigate to the Data | AmountMst node.
Set the Aggregation Function property to Sum.

To display the count of records implement the following steps:

Go to the Groupings | AccountNum node in the table data region as shown in the following screenshot:
Right-click and go to Add | Field.
Set the following properties:

Property

Value
...

Creating a new layout template

The following table lists the predefined templates that are available, and describes what each template can be applied to:

Template name	What each template can be applied to
`BarChartStyleTemplate`	Bar chart data regions
`ColumnChartStyleTemplate`	Column chart data regions
`LineChartStyleTemplate`	Line chart data regions
`ListStyleTemplate`	List data regions (top-down list or horizontal list data regions)
`MatrixStyleTemplate`	Matrix data regions
`PieAndDoughnutStyleTemlate`	Pie or doughnut chart data regions
`ReportLayoutStyleTemplate`	Reports (company information is displayed in the report header)
`ReportLayoutStyleTemplateNoCompany...`

Aggregation in reports

How to do it…

In this recipe two aggregations will be implemented:

Total value of transactions per customer
Count of the total number of transactions per customer

To define the total value of transactions implement the following steps:

Navigate to the Data | AmountMst node.
Set the Aggregation Function property to Sum.

To display the count of records implement the following steps:

Go to the Groupings | AccountNum node in the table data region as shown in the following screenshot:
Right-click and go to Add | Field.
Set the following properties:

Property

Value

Caption...

What you will learn

Create and deploy reports in AX 2012 R3

Understand the SSRS report programming flow

Modify the reporting framework

Create RDPbased reports

Design tabular matrices and chartbased reports

Debug reports, the reporting framework, and business logic

Migrate reports from the legacy reporting framework

Get to grips with unit testing and troubleshooting SSRS reports

What do you get with Print?

Instant access to your digital eBook copy whilst your Print order is Shipped

Paperback book shipped to your preferred address

Download this book in EPUB and PDF formats

Access this title in our online reader with advanced features

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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Reporting Cookbook Update

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adnan baloch May 19, 2015

Businesses depending on ERP to make their decisions have a great need to generate their own customized reports. In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, the reporting component is powered by SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). This book demystifies the generation of reports using SSRS through easy to understand code samples. However, a sound understanding of object oriented concepts is a prerequisite. The book starts off by showing how to create a simple report using a query as a data source. The formatting of the report is made quick and easy with the help of the auto design feature. Ranges are utilized to help the users filter the data according to their needs. Finally, the report is deployed so it is visible as a menu item in AX. The second chapter tackles sprucing up the report through charts and custom images based on the evaluation of user defined expressions. The next chapter delves into the Report Programming Model in AX and explains how the Model-View-Controller pattern is used in the reporting framework of AX to generate data based on specified parameters and display the report. A particularly useful recipe in this chapter deals with using the same controller for calling multiple reports simulataneously while also handling their security. When reports are dependent on the analysis and consolidation of data provided by the business logic, the Report Data Provider(RDP) comes into play. Creating a report with multiple data sources in a single table as well as displaying company images in the report is made possible thanks to RDP. Connecting SSRS reports with external data sources like XML feeds, SQL server and OLAP are discussed in the next chapter. Adding a map sub report as well as using precision design to create a flexible sub report are also explained clearly. Using charts and gauges and adding validation in reports is made possible with AX 2012. The recipe showing how to upgrade from previous reports is very reassuring to longtime users of Dynamics AX. Surrogate fields introduced in AX 2012 can prove to be quite powerful. However, their proper use is shrouded in mystery for the uninitiated. Two practical examples demonstrate how to leverage surrogate fields in query-based as well as RDP-based reports. A chapter on troubleshooting provides a good deal of solutions for common issues encountered in deployment, rendering and data in reports. Tips are also provided for dealing with barcode generation and improving the performance of language-specific reports like Sales Invoice. Readers plagued by performance problems will particularly appreciate the section showing how to troubleshoot the cause of slowdown by using the free Report Log Viewer tool. The final chapter deals with creating unit classes for contract, controller and RDP classes to aid in testing the feature logic. The book bids adieu to the readers with some great time-saving and productivity-enhancing best practices for report development.

Amazon Verified review

Brian Apr 05, 2015

Deepak gives you the easy route to become an AX report expert. Great reference book for recall and patterns too!

gcc Spain May 20, 2015

This book drives you, in a very practical way, from the basics of Ax reporting to the most complex scenarios. Troubleshooting and performance tips are also really helpful. In my opinion it is a must for Ax technical community

Filippo Gallocchio Apr 23, 2015

Great book!Deepak has huge experience and that's make all easier

Pradeep May 06, 2015

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Reporting Cookbook is really a very useful to develop the SSRS report for a beginner level to an expert level. This book is explained in detail of developing a report with detailed screen shots and step by step explanation of development of a report. This book is very useful to me, so suggest to all technical consultants .....

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3 Reporting Cookbook Update: Over 90 recipes to help you resolve your new SSRS Reporting woes in Dynamics AX 2012 R3

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