Running, Creating, Editing and Exporting Searches & Reports
All information displayed on the Loan Ledger screen is the result of a search, otherwise known as a query or report. Because the program is a relational database, searches are the most practical way to display multiple loan information Searches have two primary components.
- The first component is the search criteria that defines which loans from the database will be displayed. The more general the criteria, the more loans will be displayed. The more specific the criteria, the fewer loans will be displayed.
- The second component of a search is the identification of the fields to be displayed. Because there are several hundred fields of information for each loan, a search must specify only those fields relevant for display. Most searches will display the borrower's name, the loan number and the amount of the loan in addition to any other desired information.
1. To open and/or edit a search from the Loan ledger screen, select the Lookup button next to the Search heading (and to the left of the Show Me the Loans button). The last performed search will always be displayed until a new search is identified.
2. Select the desired search from the Select a Search list, and press the OK button. Be aware that the group displayed in the Search Group field may limit the searches available for viewing. Select the appropriate group or the “All” search group, if necessary.
3. Select the Show Me the Loans button to run the search. The results will appear as a grid on the Loan ledger, 10 loans at a time. Use the Fetch More or Fetch All buttons that now appear at the bottom right of the loan ledger screen to view the rest of the loans in the search.
4. Print the search (otherwise known as a report or query), by selecting FILE > Print from the menu bar at the top of the Loan ledger.
5. Export the information so that it can be viewed or opened in another program, by selecting the FILE > Export > Entire Ledger > ASCII (or dbase or paradox, if preferable) to save the data to a specified location. The saved file can then be opened using Excel, Word, Access, or a number of other programs. The dBase format tends to be the easiest export format to use when opening the export data with MS Excel or Word.
Other Searches/queries/reports
Searches are created to show a specific group of loans. This “report” or “query” will look for loans with specific parameters, put them in a specific order, and show the fields most important for that search. Searches preformatted to show groups of loans may be edited or created by using the Edit > Edit Search menu option. Additionally, earches may be named, given printer/paper options and security rights as to who may use or edit them.
Configure Report display using grid settings
If the loans displayed by the search are the desired loans, but the information displayed in the loan ledger,printed or exported is not the desired information, the search grid will need to be changed. When the correct search is displayed in the Search heading at the top of the Loan ledger
1. Select EDIT > Edit Search from the menu bar. This will open the Edit Loan Search screen.
2. Select the Report tab to view the current grid setting indicated by the Grid Settings File at the bottom of the screen. If another grid is known to contain the correct fields desired, select the Lookup button at the right of the Grid Settings File field, and select the appropriate grid from the ensuing table.
3. To view the actual fields displayed in this grid setting, the grid needs to be opened. To do so, return to the Loan Ledger and select the FILE >Configure grid option from the menu bar.
4. Once selected, the Configure Fields screen will be displayed. The initial fields displayed are those corresponding to the search (query, or report) currently displayed in the Loan Ledger. Use the “+” or “-“ icons to add or delete fields and the directional, pointing hand icons to change the order of the fields. Select the Load Named Settings button, if a grid other than the one currently displayed needs editing.
5. If the Load Named Settings button is chosen, a list of all, currently available grids will appear.
6. Select the desired grid, and press the OK button. The grids format will be displayed in the Configure Fields screen. Once the grid contents are edited to satisfaction, select the OK button to save the new configuration under the current grid name. To rename the grid, select the Name these Settings button.
Edit Search Criteria
If the correct loans are not being displayed, the search criteria needs to be edited. When the correct search is displayed in the Search heading at the top of the Loan Ledger, select EDIT > Edit Search from the menu bar. This will open the Edit Loan Search screen.1. Existing criteria can be edited by double-clicking on the condition or pressing the Enter key when highlighted. Use the “+” or “-“ keys to add or delete a condition of the search.
The Select Field for New Condition screen will appear to add a new condition to the search. Select the field that the search criteria will be dependent upon, and press the OK button. Once a field has been selected, the appropriate edit condition screen will appear.
2. Designate the desired conditional properties, and press the OK button. Note that there is a check box that can be selected if the condition may change at the time of each report. Select the Ask for Value When Query is Run box when a condition should be edited before the report is run, for example, reports based on specific time frames when dates must be edited. The Sort tab is used to display and edit the sorting of all the fields contained in the search (query or report).
3. Use the “+” and “-“ buttons to add or subtract fields by which to sort the search.
4. Use the directional hand keys to change the priority order of fields to be sorted.
5. To edit the sorting direction, select the appropriate box with the mouse or directional arrows. A drop-down arrow will appear. Use the mouse or the Alt plus Space Bar to change the sort direction.
6. Security rights can be assigned to the report by specifying certain information under the Security tab. The report viewing can be restricted by user security level with the drop-down selections at top. The editing rights are specified with a check box. If the box is unchecked, all users that can view the search can also edit it; if the box is checked, only users with supervisor status can edit the search. The search can be assigned to one or more search groups using the group tab. The search group is used to categorize the search by purpose in the Select a Search screen
