1. Overview

Welcome to the FineReport Learning Manual. With this Manual, you will have a further study of reporting software. With FineReport, you can design all sorts of complex reports and integrate them to your final system. This Manual has classified and summarized specific requirements from various industry users, typical template cases and integration solutions collected by FineReport during service. In addition, template design steps and solution processes will be described in details.

A complete structure diagram for the reports system is shown above. Following the above steps in sequence, you can finish a complete report system.

2. Application scope

Status: to develop an application software system based on a database, the most boring, repetitive, and time-consuming work is to write out the display, query, and entry pages based on the database by writing jsp/asp/php codes. When designing pages for data display (report), data query (parameter) and data entry (filling) in such way, you will face up with poor development efficiency and high maintenance workload after project delivery. What’s worse, the modification cost will be extremely high even the customer only requires a little change as the operators have to modify corresponding codes.

Solution: with FineReport, you will be freed from boring code writing in design of display, query and entry pages based on database. FineReport template designer allows you to design page templates with data display (report), data query (parameter) and data entry (filling) functions – just through simple drag and drop. Then, these plates will be saved to a directory specified by FineReport server. When a final user remotely accesses a page template through browser, the FineReport server will automatically parse the user-specified page template into zero-client html page and send to the browser. In this way, the user can view or enter data in the browser. In addition, after project delivery, you can deliver this easy-to-use FineReport utility software to the final user for simple page modification to realize system self-maintenance and update.

3. FineReport product features

3.1 Simple basic structure

Having an Excel design interface, FineReport is fully compatible with Excel design modes and undistorted Import/Export of Excel files.

3.2 Remote design

For report environment deployed in a server, FineReport supports direct report design after remote connection so that accidents during the period from report design to deployment can be avoided.

3.3 Support and use of various data sources

FineReport supports a hybrid of data sources and their simultaneous presentation. Examples are database data sources, text data sources, process data sources, etc. After defining data sources, you can refer them to the report through simple drag-and-drop and setting.

3.4 Web chart presentation

FineReport provides a chart design tool with design style similar to Excel and supports on-line chart style switch. It supports map data analysis for an intuitive display of data.

3.5 Data analysis

A combination of controls, parameter panels and charts brings you robust data analysis and data presentation in multiple ways. For details, refer to Data Analysis.

3.6 Ad-hoc report of Web environment

Functions like on-line report generation, export and print are made available only with definition of data sources in use, without the need to understand the backstage execution logic.

3.7 On-line creation of Pivot Table

FineReport can quickly summarize massive data in Browser side and create an interactive report for cross-tabs. It helps analyze and organize data and realize desired effect through operations like secondary filtering and screening.

3.8 Zero-client data filling

Multi-data source filling and several submission methods are provided to help data entry. In addition, zero-code, rich editing styles and various controls will bring you rapid-entry editing methods in different ways. FineReport supports Browser-side auto computing and data check to cut manual costs.

3.9 Flash print

Unlike Applet and Pdf prints that require large plug-in, FineReport can directly print at Browser-side after Flash Player is installed. For details, refer to Flash Print.

3.10 Multiply output methods

The files can be exported in Excel, Word, Pdf, Txt, Html, etc.

3.11 Parameter acquisition and timing task

Frequently-updating reports can be generated through timing task administration to relief the pressure on server from data acquisition in busy hours and to reduce manual workload from frequent report updating. For details, refer to Scheduling.

3.12 B/S resource management method

On-line service management platform provides flexible settings for data connection, server data set, cache, print, e-mail, etc. In addition, multiply log information is provided for query.

3.13 Real-time data update

The report data will be updated along with the database.