Output

• Multi-format report capability.
• Present numeric data, charts, 3D charts, graphs, exceptions, percentages, and trends.
• Generate dynamic reports that include exception notification (user-defined) that can track and report (on screen via color changes) differences in data (e.g. total cost of maintenance under budget, slightly over budget, over budget, or highly over budget).
• Highlight exceptions graphically.
• Hide non-essential information.
• Include images and charts (pie, spread, line, bar, etc.) within body of report.
• Generate cross-tab queries.
• Copy one report to another and edit.
• Copy report definitions.
• Save reports (or data as snapshots).
• Edit saved reports.
• Reports available on screen or printout.
• Output reports to disk files in ASCII format.
• Deliver reports and data via email, FTP, or file copy.
• Transfer data to MS Office (Word and Excel) and Lotus applications. OLE compliant.
• Schedule reports for unattended generation.
• Schedule report updates and perform updates automatically.
• Views, charts, and graphs can be assembled in interactive briefs. Briefs update automatically on a user-definable schedule.

Usability

• Users are insulated from underlying database structure.
• Menu-driven programs are used to develop the reports.
• Pre-defined pop-up or pull-down mouse-selectable complex functions enable non-programming users to easily build any needed report.
• Sample report templates are included.
• Predefined complete data extracts for reports are provided with system installation (e.g. maintenance information needed to complete Section 15 Database Report; vehicle cost reports; vehicle PM status reports; etc.).
• Cut-and-paste MS Windows features available for reports.
• Descriptive error messages tell the user what is wrong.
• Supports off-line browsing and database snapshots.
• User-definable, multi-dimensional drill-down on any management report.
• Search multiple files, records, and fields for multiple conditions.
• Dynamic run-time selection of records to be printed and specifications of calculations.
• Multi-level file linking.
• Fully interfaced to all application software files and capable of combining data from one or more files.

Security

• Integration with database and operating system security.
• Controlled access to database, dimensions, categories, and measures.
• Security by user class.
• Users can belong to multiple classes.
• User security available to original report creator.

Data Manipulation

• Mathematical manipulation of the data within the report is simple.
• Use arithmetic operations:

• Use relational operators:

• Use Boolean operators:

• Use general report writing functions:

• Sort on any field in the database.
• Sort in ascending or descending order.
• Identify calculation break points.
• Total on any field, with automatic sub-totals on level breaks.
• Create derived fields for further calculation.

Format

• Identify page breaks on field, subtotals, and/or multi-value fields.
• User description of level breaks.
• Specify margins, vertical alignment, double-spacing.
• Control header and footer information, including page numbers.
• Suppress header, footer, record ID, columns.
• Banner pages identifying report, user, selection criteria, and calculation rules.
• Optional “totals only” print.

Technical

• Data warehousing – business intelligence tools.
• Online analytical processing (OLAP) tool.
• Dynamic 3- and 4-dimensional report writer, capable of reporting on any information contained in the relational database.
• Able to manipulate 20 million records, 100,000 categories, and 100 measures.
• Minimum compression ratio of 4:1 (i.e. from 250 MB source to 36 MB (OLAP) on PC).
• Able to communicate with DB2 and Oracle databases and others.
• Works on Windows 95 and NT.
• Client-based report able to run both local and remote.
• Online mouse-selectable access to valid file and fieldnames, fields in each file, field format (metadata).
• Does not permit illegal, erroneous, or burdensome joins.