Financial report components

This article describes how the components, or building blocks, of report definitions are used in financial reporting. These building blocks include row definitions, column definitions, and reporting tree definitions. The article explains how to organize and lock building blocks.

The design philosophy behind financial report designer is to break information down into the smallest component or building block, and then mix and match the components as required. Therefore, your report formatting is separate from your financial data, and you can change the design of a report without modifying the financial data in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance. By using this building block approach, you can combine text, amounts, and calculations to produce the reports that you require. Additionally, this flexibility encourages creativity by making it easy for you to view your operations in different ways. The individual building blocks of a report definition are similar to a three-dimensional spreadsheet, but they have more power. A report definition specifies the row definition, column definition, and optional reporting tree definition that should be used for the report. It also includes information about where to store the report that is generated and how to format it.

Building blocks of a report

If you're new to designing reports, you might find want to use the report wizard to quickly create a report definition that you can customize later. If you have experience with designing reports and want more flexibility for report design, you can combine new or existing building blocks to create a new report definition. You don't have to fully understand all the available report definition options to produce quality reports. As you become familiar with designing reports, you can expand your report definitions to take advantage of more advanced features. After you've created a basic report, you can customize the report definition and any of the building blocks in the report definition.

Organize the building blocks

Use folders to organize your building blocks in Report Designer. All folders are specific to the type of building block that they contain. For example, all folders that contain row definitions are located in the Row Definitions pane in Report designer.

Create a folder

1. In Report designer, select the type of building block to organize in the navigation pane. For example, to sort a row definition, click Row Definitions.

2. In the navigation pane, select the existing folder to create the new folder under, and then follow one of these steps:

   • Right-click the parent folder, and then click New folder.
   • Select the parent folder, click File, and then click New folder.

3. When the new folder appears, enter the name of the new folder, and then press Enter.

Lock a building block

You can create a password to lock and help protect a building block. In this way you can add a level of security to a report component without securing the whole system. A password can help protect building block information that is important to your month-end reporting process. A user in any role can lock a building block. However, other users always have read-only access to a locked component. Users can open, change, and save the locked component under a new name. A user who has the role of administrator can always access and change a locked building block.

1. In Report designer, open the report component to lock, such as a row definition, column definition, report definition, or reporting tree definition.
2. On the Tools menu, click Protect/Unprotect. You can also click Protect/Unprotect (the lock icon) on the toolbar.
3. In the Protect dialog box, enter and confirm a password, and then click OK. The lock icon on the toolbar is highlighted when an open building block is locked.

To unlock a locked building block, open the building block, and then click Protect/Unprotect on the toolbar. Alternatively, on the Tools menu, click Unprotect.

Building block groups

Building blocks are the row definitions, column definitions, reporting tree definitions, and report definitions that you create for a report. Building block groups are collections of the definitions and dimension value sets.

View a building block group

You can view all the building blocks that are assigned to a building block group. You can also export or import a building block group.

1. In Report designer, on the Company menu, click Building block groups.
2. In the Building block groups dialog box, select the building block to view.
3. Click View to open the View building block group dialog box, where you can view the contents of the building block group.
4. Click Close to close the dialog boxes.

Export a building block group

You can export a building block group or specific report building blocks in a building block group. You can use the exported building block group as a backup. You can also copy the exported data between installations. Report designer includes the referenced font styles and dimension value sets together with the building block group.

1. In Report Designer, on the Company menu, click Building block groups.

2. In the Building block groups dialog box, select the building block group to export, and then click Export.

3. In the Export dialog box, select the report definitions to export:

   • To export all your report definitions and the associated building blocks, click Select all.
   • To export specific reports, rows, columns, trees, or dimension value sets, click the appropriate tab, and then select the items to export. Press and hold the Ctrl key to select multiple items on a tab.

   Note

   When you select reports to export, the associated rows, columns, trees, and dimension value sets are selected.

4. When you've finished selecting items to export, click Export.

5. In the Save As dialog box, select a location to export the building block group to.

6. In the File name field, enter a name for the file. Report designer automatically adds a .tdbx file name extension.

7. Click Save. The building block group is saved to the location that you specified.

Import a building block group

You can import a building block group into an existing building block group. All imported building block groups retain their original font styles and company references, and include the relevant dimension value sets.

1. In Report designer, on the Company menu, click Building block groups.

2. In the Building block groups dialog box, select the building block to import a building block group into, and then click Import.

3. In the Open dialog box, select the building block group to import, and then click Open.

4. In the Import dialog box, select the report definitions to import:

   • To import all the report definitions and the supporting building blocks, click Select all.
   • To import specific reports, rows, columns, trees, or dimension value sets, select the reports, rows, columns, trees, or dimension value sets to import.

5. When you've finished selecting items to import, click Import.

Undo a checkout of a building block

When you open a building block, other users have read-only access that building block. Sometimes, users forget to close a building block, or they shut down their system without closing the building block. Therefore, the building block remains checked out, and no other users can open it. In these situations, a financial reporting administrator can use the Checked Out Items dialog box to check in building blocks that users have left checked out.

1. In Report designer, on the Tools menu, click Checked out items.
2. In the Checked out items dialog box, select Show items from all users. The list is updated to display all building blocks that are checked out and the users who have checked them out.
3. Select a building block, and then click Undo checkout.
4. Click Yes to check in the building block.

Additional resources

Financial reporting