Trouble with Multiple Phone and Action Types

Joanne Felci 2

Hello!


I'm trying to set up a CR that can be used as a custom report so I'm using the Blackbaud Report Writer Database (MDB) as the export format.


The issue I'm having is I'm trying to export multiple Actions and multiple phones and when I am in Crystal Reports instead of the database fields available being CnAct1_02_Action_Date and CnAct1_02_Action_Date it is only giving me one instance of the date (CnAct_3_Action_Date) in the database fields list but if there are multiple actions exported for a record it is printing the same account twice on the report


What I'd like to do is be able to access multiple Action Date/Category, etc. for one record at a time, so the donor only prints once on the report


Another question - if I update the export output (add/change fields) how do I refresh or update the CR


When I click refresh it does not seem to recognize the additional fields - do I have to set up a new connection?


 

Marie Stark

To add new fields, go to Database/Verify Database.  If there is a new table, then you have to go Database Export to add it, then verify the correct linking on the Links tab.

Joanne Felci 2

Thanks Marie!


Still don't know why it isn't pulling in two actions that I can select as 1 and 2, but knowing how to update the field pull helps so much 

Marie Stark

You could check your export and make sure you are exporting the date for each action type. I'm not sure what else would be the problem.

In the export, sometimes it helps to select View/Export Field names to match up with what you see in Crystal reports.

Cathleen Mai

Would you mind sharing a screenshot of your export?

Joshua Bekerman bCLO bCRE

Hi Joanne, sounds like you are expecting the export to export a separate set of fields for each action like it does when exporting in Excel or csv format.  The mdb format will not do that, it exports into separate tables, so you will only see one field for each field you are exporting from RE. 


You'll need to use a subreport that contains your actions so your donors don't show up multiple times for each action. 

Joanne Felci 2

Thank you Joshua Bekerman bCLO bCRE‍! 


I did learn sub reports in my Crystal Reports 2 class - need to look at my notes and I will play around with that.  Mystery solved though - it was driving me nutso as I know it used to work with other export formats

Joshua Bekerman bCLO bCRE

Let us know if you need help with the subreport.

Joanne Felci 2

Joshua Bekerman bCLO bCRE‍ - funny you'd ask...


So I got it all set up and working but then when I tied it to a Custom Report in RE I lost the tabs for the subreports


What I mean is that in addition to Design and Preview there were tabs for each of the Subreports I created so I could format the sub reports. How do I get these tabs back?


These are the tabs I mean:



 

Joshua Bekerman bCLO bCRE

Did you insert the subreport into your main report?  If so, right-click on the subreport and select "Edit subreport"

Joanne Felci 2

ok - that worked 


I just don't know why my tabs went away to begin with but as long as I know how to get them back I'm cool


Another question - I want to have two donors, with their information, on every page, is there a way to format this so it will do a page break after two people (but not before). Right now because of the spacing in the sub reports it is uneven.

Joshua Bekerman bCLO bCRE

On your main report, open the Section Expert, select the Details section on the left, then click the X-2 button next to New Page After.  Enter " if Remainder (RecordNumber, 2) = 0 then true else false"  (without the quotes)


 

Joanne Felci 2

WOW!


I actually had to apply the formula to the Group Footer #2a - because I have a sub report in that footer that goes with the record


It worked except for one thing


The report has two groups

1. by solicitor

2. by last name


The Group Export option for the first group has Keep Group Together box checked


With the formula for next page on the second group of solicitor records (and all after that but not the first set) it puts the first record for that solicitor on their own page, then groups them in records of two after that


Any idea why?

Alan French

The subreport tabs always disappear for me each time I close a report, I guess that's just how Crystal behaves (unless I've missed a setting for that somewhere). As well as the way Joshua mentioned, you can also get the tabs back by double-clicking on the subreport.

Joshua Bekerman bCLO bCRE

Joanne Felci‍ try putting the formula in the "New Page Before" in a different section, although it's difficult to say exactly which section without seeing your report.  If you could, please post a screen shot of the design tab.

Joanne Felci 2

Joshua Bekerman bCLO bCRE‍  - SO appreciate your help with this


Here is a screen shot of the design tab




I need to use CR more often as then I might retain some of this stuff