About Field Options for Reports and Conditions
Each report in Unite has a report definition that includes fields selected for the report as well as a field-operator-value condition with at least one selected field. The options you configure for each field define the report output and differ based on whether the field is added to the report or to the report condition.
Options for fields added to reports
The following table provides a description of the options you can configure for fields you add to reports in Unite.
Option |
Description |
|
|---|---|---|
| Sort Order | The Sort Order option determines how data is organized and displayed on the report. Typically, you set the sort order for at least two fields. For example, you may have fields for First Name and Last Name on the report. If you want the report sorted first by last name, and then by first name, you should select 1 for the Last Name sort order and 2 for the First Name sort order. | |
| Descending | The Descending option determines whether Unite changes the sort order of the field values from ascending (A to Z and 1 to 10) to descending (Z to A and 10 to 1) on the report. The default is ascending. | |
| Length | The Length option determines the maximum number of characters you want to display for the field on the report. Any characters beyond the limit do not display. Consider the page orientation (portrait versus landscape) and the report type, such as a letter or mailing label, when you define the length for each field. | |
Options for fields added to report conditions
The following table provides a description of the options you can configure for fields you add to report conditions.
Option |
Description |
|
|---|---|---|
| Parentheses ( ) | The open and close parentheses options allow you to group multiple instances of the same field with AND and OR joiners. | |
| Sign | The Sign option provides mathematical equation symbols, conditional operators, comparisons, and other filters that allow you to define criteria for the field. | |
| Value | The Value option allows you to specify a field value for the condition. | |
| Join | The Join option allows you to set conditions for a group of multiple instances of the same field. Use parentheses whenever you use a Join option to group the fields. Use AND for the condition to include more than one value for the field. Use OR to include either value for the field. | |
| Ask | The Ask option allows you to define whether Unite prompts you at report run time to enter a value for the field. For example, you can configure the condition to prompt you for a date each time you run the report. If you plan to use a condition for a custom report, a scheduled report, or a report that runs in the background, do not select the Ask check box for any field in the condition. | |
The signs you select depend on type of field. For example, fields that have numeric-based values typically take a sign of “equal to,” “not equal to,” “greater than,” or “less than,” while fields that have character-based values take signs of “begins with,” “like,” and “contains.” The following table provides a description of the signs.
Sign |
Description |
|
|---|---|---|
| = | The Equal sign includes records that have an exact match to the selected field value. | |
| < > | The Does not Equal sign includes records that do not match the selected field value. | |
| Empty | The Empty sign includes records that are missing a value or contain a null character. | |
| Not Empty | The Not Empty sign includes records that are not missing a value and do not contain a null character. | |
| > | The Greater Than sign includes records that have values that are greater than the selected field value. | |
| >= | The Greater Than or Equal To sign includes records that have values that are greater than or equal to the selected field value. | |
| <= | The Less Than or Equal To sign includes records that have values that are less than or equal to the selected field value. | |
| + | The Plus sign includes records that have values that equal the selected field value plus additional data indicated in an expression or function. | |
| - | The Minus sign includes records that have values that equal the selected field value minus the additional data indicated in an expression or function. | |
| Begin With | The Begin With sign includes records that have values that begin with the selected field value. | |
| Like | The Like sign includes records that have values similar to the selected field value. | |
| Not Like | The Not Like sign includes records that do not have values similar to the selected field value. | |
| In List | The In List sign includes records within the series you enter as the field value. For example, the report returns the field value within a list of LSAC Account numbers. | |
| Contains | The Contains sign includes records that match some part of the selected field value. | |
| Does not Contain |
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