User Defined Facilities

[Len Boorman]

I have constructed a database and it all looks fine. I have now been asked to provide facilities such that a user is able to define there own displays and particularly reports.

In essence that seems quite straightforward BUT the sting is that the users are not Access aware or familiar woth queries, reports or forms.

The intention is also not to train them.

So

If anybody has any ideas about how to construct an interface that allows simple users who have no Access knowledge to define and construct say a report I would be very interested to hear from you.

Advice and comments generally welcomed for all

Len B

 

[PaddyIrishMan]

Hi Len,
I had a similar task, what I did was create list boxes for each of the criteria.
In my case 'Project', 'Assignee', 'Status' etc...

The Report contains static fields but the query returns only relevant information based upon the criteria selected in the lists.

I did this by writing a Function to build a SQL string based upon the value (if any) of the items in the lists. It all works very well & I've since modified it to output a data source for graphs etc.

Hope this points you in a direction if not the right one!!
Regards,
Patrick.

 

[dcx693]

I took the same approach as Patrick and set up an interface with lots of list boxes. Those boxes fed into a SQL string that produced a recordsource for the report. I didn't however, take the extra step to allow the users to define the fields that would display on the report. It would've been more work than it was worth.

You might want to consider letting your users call the Access report wizard from your interface.

 

[Len Boorman]

Thanks for you comments.

Certainly given me something to think about

Len