Running Reports

Reports in Prime are dynamic

What that means is they have a set format (certain fields, the way they look, etc.). However they can be filled with different data. For example, dates opened, dates closed, offices, funding codes, etc. can all be used to change the data that is used by a report. It also means that if you run a report today it might differ from one tomorrow if data has been added or changed. Within the Web version, reports in this portion of the system are run using the QBF (Query By Form) screen.

Criteria Screens (QBF-Query by Form) Reports

The Criteria or QBF screen, allows you to enter the criteria you want to use to fill your report. Criteria screens exist for all of the major tables in Prime. If the report you select gives you a Criteria screen, you must:

1) Make sure the report name you chose shows up in the Report Name in the Report Control Panel section

2) Enter the criteria for the records you are looking for. There are several steps for entering criteria

i) Use a dash for a range (e.g., 1/1/05-6/30/05)

ii) Use a comma for a list, e.g., 32, 63 for divorces and landlord tenant.

iii) Within the Web version, use a range and list combination (e.g., for PCODE: 1-9, 15, 31-37, 43, 72)

iv) Exceptions to the use of dashes and commas

(a) If what you are searching for contains a DASH, such as a case number, the system gets confused and thinks you want a range. The Criteria screen will interpret the dash as a range (e.g., 13-2002541 will cause the system to look for cases between 13 and 2002541 instead of case number 13-2002541).

When requesting a range of case numbers or the records for a single case such as time records, go to the Range Specifier and change it to COLON (:) Then use a colon as the range specifier (e.g., instead of 1-9 you would put in 1:9)

(b) The same applies if the data you are looking for has a COMMA in it. Select something other than the comma from the List Specifier

(c) Remember, this only applies if what you are searching for contains a dash or a comma (e.g., case # 96-70001 or Jones, Jr.)

3) Use the word NULL to indicate no entry (e.g., NULL next to Date Closed gives you open cases)

4) Use < > and = signs (e.g., > 65 with age or < $8000 for income)

5) Use the * sign as a wildcard for an unlimited number of characters (e.g., Sm* gives you Smith, Smoot)

6) <<Not currently available in the Web version>> Use the ? as a wildcard for a single character, J?n gives you Jan and Jon, but not Jane or John.

7) Criteria are cumulative (e.g., an F with Gender and 59 with Age gives you 59 year-old women)

8) Select Choose other below to choose fields that aren’t mentioned specifically on the Criteria screen. For example you could use it to choose Adults since it isn’t listed on the form.

9) Choose Sort (Forms) and use the menu to choose how you want the report sorted. Indicate if you want the sort to be ascending (A to Z) or descending (Z to A). Forms and Queries can be sorted but the Report object can’t because the sort order is part of its setup.

10) Select Prepare Report and Produce Report to get a print preview

11) <<Not currently available in the Web version>> Save and Load Criteria – It can be difficult to remember the criteria used to run a report when that action is only performed monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or yearly. Using the Save & Load Criteria feature can greatly reduce the strain on your memory when it comes time to run the reports.