IFS Info Services is the common name for features in IFS Applications that let you order, distribute, preview, and print reports. Different ways of producing and displaying reports exists, the main report types are Operational Reports and Quick Reports. Operational Reports can be distributed to receivers in Distribution Groups.
IFS Info Services handles scheduling of report orders in the Scheduled Reports
IFS Info Services keeps old reports in a Report Archive.
IFS Info Services provides means of outputting reports, operational reports can be printed, quick reports can be forwarded to another application using Output Channels. In the case of Crystal Reports and Crystal Analysis Reports, you can print, preview and export it in to other formats such as MS Word, MS Excel, PDF etc using the features provided in the Crystal Viewer.
IFS Info Services provides three tools that you can use to manage your report orders and completed reports:
To use these tools efficiently, you must first understand how IFS Info Services manages your orders and reports. When you place a report order, using either standard or direct order, the following takes place:
Reports can be either Operational Reports or Quick Reports.
The base concept of IFS Application reports are the Operational Reports which are programmed into the application. The operational reports are run in two steps, first a collecting step, then a presentation step.
Operational Reports are associated with layout definitions and may be previewed before printing, they can also be saved to file, and they can be generated as PDF-files.
A Normal Report can be
The alternative to operational reports are Quick Reports. Quick report data is collected and displayed in one step, and has a default presentation of data in a table window. Quick Reports may use alternative layouts together with Crystal Reports and Crystal Analysis Reports.
Quick Reports are simple, easily accessible, and easily used. They are designed to provide correct, up-to-date information that you can instantly print or transfer to other applications, using Output Channels, for further processing.
Quick Reports are accessed through the Quick Report Navigator, located in the Info Services folder in IFS Navigator. The result of a Quick Report is presented in a table window.
Quick Reports do support query conditions and query saving.
Quick Reports can be added at any time and can typically be added by an administrator at will.
The Quick Reports are easier to create and use but they have a limited set of features. Quick reports can only be executed by a user online, they can not be scheduled, archived, distributed, nor can they be executed in the background.
Quick Reports have some advantages over operational reports, such as the ability to export the contents of a Quick Report using Output Channels.
The result of a Quick Report is always presented in a normal table window in your application.
Operational Reports will generate result sets, these are stored in the server in the Report Archive.
The Archived Reports manages the individual reports. Every report is stored in the report archive, remaining there until they expire. Expired reports are automatically removed. Use the report archive when you want to reprint an existing report or collection of reports.
Orders of scheduled Report jobs are put in the List Scheduled Reports. In the List Scheduled Reports you will find a list of all active orders (reports that have been ordered but not yet finished). From within the List Scheduled Reports, you can modify, execute, and delete your orders. Scheduled jobs runs in background processes on the server.
The print job is basically a list of the reports in your order. When the print job has been created, you are notified according to what you selected for When Report is Finished on the Execution tab in the Order Report dialog. You can modify and delete print jobs in the Print Manager. For instance, you can change the server that handles the printing, or you can print it online.
Reports will be available in the Report Archive for all users listed in the distribution tab of the Order Report window when the report was ordered. To ease distribution to common groups of users, Distribution Groups exists to connect users into groups.
An Output Channel is a logical connection through which data can be transferred from IFS Applications to another Windows application. Output Channels enables you, with a single mouse click, to transfer data from any IFS Applications table to Office programs and other analysis tools.
This functionality is achieved in two steps:
Step 1 is performed by IFS Applications, and step 2 is handled by the operating system.
Typically, your system administrator configures the Output Channels for you. You can then transfer data into a program, such as MS Excel, by clicking on the 'Excel' Output Channel toolbar button.
IFS Enterprise Explorer
Order Reports,
List Reports,
Print
Reports, Print
Manager,
Distribution
Groups,
Report Archive,
PDF Archive,
List Scheduled
Reports,
Create new Report Schedule,
Quick Reports,
Quick Report Query ,
Quick Report
Result,
Order Report, Preview and Print Reports, Run, View, and Print Quick Reports, Configure and Use Output Channels