Matrix Queries

I've just started using report martix's (RS2005) and have a couple of
questions.
Is it possible to change the way a summary for a column calculates. By
default it does a sum but on a certain row I want an average. can this been
done or am I stuck with a sum.
Also i would like to be able to have a static heading right at the top of
the matrix, at the moment i'm using the top left cell but this isn't ideal
--
Cheers
Luke
http://beakersoft.blogspot.comOfcourse you can use "Average", Give a title which is not changing, I mean
different values. then it will display single value. If you want the title to
be same then might as well you can think of table instead of matrix.
Amarnath, MCTS.
"lukethepunk" wrote:
> I've just started using report martix's (RS2005) and have a couple of
> questions.
> Is it possible to change the way a summary for a column calculates. By
> default it does a sum but on a certain row I want an average. can this been
> done or am I stuck with a sum.
> Also i would like to be able to have a static heading right at the top of
> the matrix, at the moment i'm using the top left cell but this isn't ideal
> --
> Cheers
> Luke
> http://beakersoft.blogspot.com

Matrices in reporting services

Hello All,

I am attempting to produce a Summary report that will detail all financial losses incurred by a company. These losses are seperated into categories and each category has two types, direct and indirect. To date I have employed the use of multiple matrices.

The problem is that if the company has incurred no losses for a specific category then this will cause the matrix to automatically cater for the lack of this column. However I want this to show up regardless of there being data...

I cannot employ the use of tables...as it simply does not work!

Does anyone have any suggestions? Ideas?

All would be appreciated!!

Thanks

JrDevRon,

You could return "Zeros" or Blank space in your SQL where no losses occur for specific categories. This is ensure that you always return all categories regardless.

Ham

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Hi Ham,

Thanks for the reply!

I have this implemented already and this works fine when at least one of the cells in the same column/row has been populated. If there is no data for a specific column then the whole thing disappears regardless...this is something I do not want.

Right now I have it this way and giving me a subtotal, I also then have another row detailing the recovered amounts which apply to my categories below my subtotal, obviously due to restrictions I have to use a second matrix for this information. I then subtract the corresponding information from the subtotal. But due to the above problem these columns do not always line up on the report...

I know this sounds convoluted and more complex than it probably needs to be but I would be appreciative of any help...

Thank you all!!

Master->Detail Reporting

I'd like to put together a summary report for some of my management staff. The report should show the # of jobs that match about 20 different statuses. Each status has different criteria. For example, one might look for a date in a datetime field and the type of job. Another might look at whether a date has passed and the quantity we're shipping.

Sort of like this:
Status Items Jobs
Status #1: 50000 15
Status #2: 25251 3

I want the user to see this summary information, but also have drill down capability. I'd like the ability to print the summary or just a drill-down.

I'm also considering using Dundas Charts for RS on the report.

Can I accomplish this with Reporting Services? If so, any tips on how to do it? If this a bunch of sub-reports? Can I sum the # of jobs on a sub-report? Should I be looking at BI for this?

Or should I be working on a Forms-based?

Thanks!
Brian

bes7252 wrote:

I'm also considering using Dundas Charts for RS on the report.

Why would you need a chart for this? Basically you would use either a table or matrix for this.

bes7252 wrote:

Can I accomplish this with Reporting Services? If so, any tips on how to do it? If this a bunch of sub-reports?

Yes, you can accomplish this with RS. You need to craft the proper SQL query that will give you the data you need for the table. If you get stuck, there are many SQL pros here that can help you. This doesn't have to be a bunch of sub-reports. It could be as little as two -- one to drilldown on the Item field and one to drilldown on the Jobs field.

Tips:

1. Create the parent report and get the data for the report that you need using a SQL query.

2. Create the subreport layout and pass parameters as needed from the parent report to subreport.

bes7252 wrote:

Can I sum the # of jobs on a sub-report? Should I be looking at BI for this?

1. Yes

2. If you want to, but it isn't necessary.

You will find that the power of these reports is SQL. If you aren't comfortable with SQL, you probably won't be very comfortable doing this.

|||> Why would you need a chart for this? Basically you would use either a table or matrix for this.

I should have used the word Gague instead of Chart. The report is sort of a dashboard look at a section of our business. I figured if I wanted to provide more info for each status (like avg jobs/day over the last 2 weeks) then a gague might provide a nice visual.

I am comfortable with SQL, but an not familiar with all the ways to use MSSQL. It seems like every time I figure out a way to do something, someone shows me a better way. I think you're suggesting I create the columns in the SELECT statement like this:

SELECT (SELECT COUNT(*) AS EXPR1
FROM Person.Contact
WHERE (EmailPromotion = '1') AND (LastName > 'S')) AS col1,
(SELECT COUNT(*) AS EXPR1
FROM Person.Contact AS Contact_1
WHERE (EmailPromotion = '0') AND (LastName <= 'S')) AS col2

Assuming I've done this correctly, I have a concern. One of the reasons I considered a sub-reports is then I know the data from each subreport will match the total on the parent. If I use a WHERE condition (like shown above), can I make sure the drill-down data always uses the same condition? Maybe store it in a variable? I'm concerned that down the road we'll change the condition in the parent, but forget to change the detailed view.

Brian
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bes7252 wrote:

> If I use a WHERE condition (like shown above), can I make sure the drill-down data always uses the same condition? Maybe store it in a variable? I'm concerned that down the road we'll change the condition in the parent, but forget to change the detailed view.

Brian

The where condition shown above is what we call a 'hard-coded' value. You would want to create parameters in place of those values. In reporting services, we typically use parameters (similar to variables).

It would be something like WHERE EmailPromotion = @.emailPromotion AND LastName <= @.lastName.

When I use parameters, I like to put them in a stored procedure (as opposed to a text query).

The final step to this (once you get a stored procedure working in the parent report with parameters) is to pass the values by right clicking on the chart -> properties -> navigation. Here you can pass the parameters to the drill down.

In the drill down you would use a similar approach:

WHERE EmailPromotion = @.emailPromotion AND LastName <= @.lastName

Therefore, it would get the passed parameters from the parent report. Then the values are not "hard-coded".

|||

Greg,

That makes sense. Can I define the entire Where clause as a parameter? Then pass it in to the stored procedure and have the SQL built on the fly?

(This one might be outside the scope of this forum.) I'll probably use a ReportViewer control embedded in a WPF application. Once the user drills down he'll see job numbers. When the user clicks on a job #, can I have launch a form? Perhaps this would involve some kind of event binding between my code and the ReportViewer control?

Brian

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bes7252 wrote:

Can I define the entire Where clause as a parameter? Then pass it in to the stored procedure and have the SQL built on the fly?

I would just use the parameters that I indicated with @. signs as parameters. I wouldn't pass the entire where clause as a parameter.

bes7252 wrote:

When the user clicks on a job #, can I have launch a form? Perhaps this would involve some kind of event binding between my code and the ReportViewer control?

I use Visual Studio to handle all of the event binding. Do you have Visual Studio 2005 or just SQL 2005? Visual Studio handles this quite well.

|||

>> I would just use the parameters that I indicated with @. signs as parameters. I wouldn't pass the entire where clause as a parameter.

Will I suffer performance loss if I do this? I ask because the WHERE clause for each status will be drastically different. I'd prefer to guarentee the parent always matches the child by storing the entire string in a parameter.

>> I use Visual Studio to handle all of the event binding. Do you have Visual Studio 2005 or just SQL 2005? Visual Studio handles this quite well.

I have VS2005 Pro. The app uses WPF for the interface, but the ReportViewer is inside a Winform control. (I can't remeber what it's called). I'll look through the event bindings.

Thanks much for your help.

Brian