Ways to plan/design a report before touching the server
This may sound strange but I'd like to start designing a report on paper before I approach a server. I graduated from Computer Program/Analyst years ago and I've been looking for a way to plan out a report before tackling the code. I'd also like to have reference material for my boss in case they don't extend my contract after July so its clear what the parts are that make up the report.
My Google searches return how-to's of making the actual report but very few with good planning to make the developing easier. Does anyone know of any good resources or something I'm not specifically asking for in my searches that can help me find information on planning my reports?
My Google searches return how-to's of making the actual report but very few with good planning to make the developing easier. Does anyone know of any good resources or something I'm not specifically asking for in my searches that can help me find information on planning my reports?
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ASKER
Thanks everyone for your input!
I went into the database and executed a query to return all the table names and their field names so I have a nice little booklet now that I am making notes on so we know what fields are as we figure them out.
I don't think we will be able to get a fool-proof report and we'll need live users to point out any discrepancies but I'm already having to make changes and suspect it will be an ongoing process. I think creating lookups either in the report or on the database itself will help improve the performance of the reports since they are pretty slow running for the first time.
Thanks again!!
I went into the database and executed a query to return all the table names and their field names so I have a nice little booklet now that I am making notes on so we know what fields are as we figure them out.
I don't think we will be able to get a fool-proof report and we'll need live users to point out any discrepancies but I'm already having to make changes and suspect it will be an ongoing process. I think creating lookups either in the report or on the database itself will help improve the performance of the reports since they are pretty slow running for the first time.
Thanks again!!
ASKER
One of the biggest challenges I face is that the database was set up by the company that provides the accounting and time-tracking software the company uses so the database is a big mess. Without the expertise of a database developer there are tons of redundant data, no documentation or even in database information to identify what the fields represent, many empty/unused fields and tables that just don't make sense.
I want to be able to have a broad overview of the entire report and be able to see where data will be needed and how to get to that data. I think I need to implement Lookups to get around some of the challenges.
The reports are not designed but are printed reports from the CPA program that they want to add more functionality to. So I recreate the report and include what the CPA program can't or doesn't. The company also wants to start using their Sharepoint site and get the employees using it so reports will be accessed through Sharepoint.
I've made up a couple of example reports in excel but I don't have a step-by-step plan in my head of how to go from start to finish in the report process. Now this isn't a set in stone methodology, I just mean that my mind will identify the first thing to do, then the next, then next, etc. With so little information and documentation present in the workplace, I'd like my stuff to be the exception.