Customizing the Orion Reporting System

General

The Orion Reporting System is designed to be as flexible as possible while maintaining data integrity.  Users are allowed to save report settings, create their own list of reports and automate the reporting process.  Those interested in report writing may also create their own report styles.  
                                                
The Reporting System can be accessed by clicking on the Reporting System icon in your Orion Sidebar or by accessing the standalone executable (orionreporting.exe).  When Orion is installed on your system, you are provided with all the Orion reports in the system-defined format. These reports will be listed on the Standard Reports tab when you first call up the Orion Reporting System.

No changes can be made to the Standard Reports Tab.  The reports on this Tab are made available to Users through security settings in Orion Administration.  Reports on this Tab can be copied to the Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab, the Favorite Reports Tab and the Batch Reports Tab.

The Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab will be used to place any custom reports written by Orion for your firm or any custom reports you may design.  Items listed on this Tab can be made available to any User and are subject to security settings.  Reports on this Tab can be copied to the Favorite Reports Tab and the Batch Reports Tab.

The Favorite Reports Tab is provided so each User can set up a list of reports.  Items added to the Favorite Reports Tab are accessible only by the User who adds them and cannot be copied to another User.

The Batch Reports Tab is designed to set up groups of reports that you can run as a batch - either manually or using the Windows Task Scheduler.  Items added to the Batch Reports Tab are accessible only by the User who adds them and cannot be copied to another User.

Each report in Orion is made up of two components - the data feed (also known as the data collector) and the style.

    1.    Data Feed - the data feed is the pre-programmed set of information available for inclusion on a report.  Data feeds can only be changed within the Orion programming code.  Some data feeds allow re-organization of a report and others allow you to add information different from that on the standard style.  The data feed determines the sort orders, summaries and filter options available and controls other information such as date range, including inactive timekeepers and other report parameters.

    2.    Report Style - the report style is the designed output (columns, sorts, etc.) of the information gathered by the data feed.  One report item in the report tree can offer multiple styles.  Although output on styles can be varied, there are some limitations based on how the information is gathered by the data feed.

There are several ways you can customize the Orion Reporting System. You can set up different folder structures under the Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab, you can set up default Scenarios for reports and each User can create a set of Favorite reports and a set of Batch reports. It is important to know, however, that everything starts and flows from the Standard Reports Tab.

Saving Report Settings

When you first access an Orion report, the report comes up with system default settings.  If you frequently run the report using different settings, you may save these settings in what is called a Scenario.  You can save multiple Scenarios for a report and you can set one of your Scenarios as the default - basically overriding the system default settings when the report is first accessed.  Scenarios can be created for any report run on any Tab in the Reporting System. They can be made public or accessible to other Users when created on reports in the Standard Tab or the Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab.  Scenarios cannot be shared between or copied from one report item (report option on menu) to another.

For example, you run the Billing Realization Report on a monthly basis with the same detail level and the same summaries.  When the Billing Realization Report is first accessed in Orion, the Report Interface displays as follows:

If you typically run the report sorted by Responsible Attorney, all Client-Matters, Client-Matter Detail and summaries by Working, Originating and Type of Law, you can create a Scenario with these settings and make it the “default” when you access the report.  To create your Scenario you should first change the report settings to conform to the report output you desire.  Following is how the report setup would look after changing your settings to those listed.

Once you have your settings correct, right click in the area to the right of the Sort Order, and choose the Scenarios option from the menu that appears.  The following window will appear:

Click NEW and enter a name for the Scenario.  The only punctuation items you should use are the hyphen (-) or underscore (_).  If you want to make the Scenario available to other Users with access to this report item, check the “Public” option.

Click OK and you will be returned to the Scenarios window.  Highlight your new Scenario and click the SET AS DEFAULT Button.

Click the CLOSE Button to return to your report.  If you close the report entirely and re-open it, it will appear as follows:

Notice in the Title Bar at the top that both the Report name and the Scenario name are displayed.  

Tips on Scenarios

    1.    To change an existing Scenario, make sure it is the current Scenario in use.  Make your changes and then right click and choose Save to Current Scenario.

    2.    Scenarios are attached to a single report item (option in menu) and cannot be copied to another report item.

    3.    Scenarios saved as “Public” Scenarios can only be edited by the User who created the Scenario.

    4.    Although Scenarios can be saved as “Public,” the USE AS DEFAULT setting must be assigned on an User basis.  If you create a new Scenario that you make “Public” and available to other Users, they will have to set the Scenario as their default Scenario.  Let them know the Scenario is available and have them open the report, right click, choose Scenarios, highlight the Scenario and click the SET AS DEFAULT Button.

    5.    If you set up Scenarios for any report items on the Batch Reports Tab, DO NOT touch the Date fields when setting up the Scenario or the Dates will be saved with the Scenario.  Dates saved with a Scenario override any dates entered for a Batch Report run (see below for details on running a Report Batch).

Customizing Your Reporting Tabs

In order to add a report to any of the three customizable tabs, you must first have at least one folder on any of the tabs to which you want to add a report.  To add a Folder to a Reporting System tab, access the tab, right click and choose New, Folder.  Enter a name for the Folder and click the OK Button.  

Now that you have a Folder, you may add reports to the particular Reporting System tab.  To add a report to a tab, access the Standard Reports Tab and locate the desired report.  Right click on the report and choose Add to Firm (will add to the Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab), Add to Favorites (will add to the Favorite Reports Tab), or Add to Batch Reports (will add to Batch Reports Tab).  A list of the Folders available on the Tab will appear.  Choose the Folder under which you want to place the report and click OK.

Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab

The Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab is used to place any customized reports.  This can be anything from a standard report with one or two changes made by Orion Support Personnel to a Custom Report written by Orion.  Reports placed on this Tab are available to anyone in the Firm, subject to Security Rights.  The Folders added will appear in the Reporting section of Security Setup under Site-Defined/Custom Reports.

To make assigning and maintaining security settings easier, it is recommended that you set up multiple Folders, each to contain groups of reports available as a whole to one or more Security Groups.  If you can set security at the Folder level rather than the individual report item level, it is much easier to manage.

Favorite Reports Tab

The Favorite Reports Tab is specific to each User and allows Users to set up a list of reports they most frequently run.  If there are only 4 or 5 reports an User typically runs, it is easier to add them to the Favorite Reports Tab rather than having to wade through all the reports on the Standard Reports Tab.  Folders, Reports and Scenarios located on the Favorite Reports Tab are not accessible by any User other than the one who set them up and they cannot be copied to any other User.

Batch Reports Tab

The Batch Reports Tab allows you to set up and group reports that can be run in a batch.  This Tab is specific to each User and cannot be accessed by or copied to another User.  Each Folder created on the Batch Reports Tab is considered a Batch and contains reports that can be run at the same time - either manually or by using the Windows Scheduler.  When the User elects to print a Batch, there are certain parameters assigned to the Batch that are passed through to each report. They are as follows:

First Day of the Year - used on reports such as the Timekeeper Productivity Report where you are asked for First Day of Year for Year to Date calculations.

Fiscal Year - used by any report (typically General Ledger and some Accounts Payable reports) where you are asked for the Fiscal Year.

Periods from/through - used by any report (typically General Ledger and some Accounts Payable reports) where you are asked for a General Ledger Period range.

Dated From/Through - used by any report (Summary of Hours, Billing Realization, etc.) where you are asked for a report date range.

If you typically run some reports for the current period and run them also for year to date (i.e., Billing Realization for current month and Billing Realization for year to date), you would be better served to set up separate batches - one for those reports run using a current period date range and one for those using a year to date range.

Creating a Report Batch

Before you create any Report Batches, you should map out which reports you want and how many batches you will need.  To create a Report Batch, you must first have a Folder on the Batch Reports Tab. To create a Folder, access the Batch Reports Tab, right click and choose New, Folder.  The Folder Name is the equivalent of the Batch Name so use a descriptive name.  

You are now ready to add reports to your batch.  You can add reports from the Standard Reports Tab or the Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab.  Locate the report, right click and choose Add to Report Batch.  

Once you have your reports you will want to create Scenarios for each report so they will run in the format you desire.  Make sure when you create the Scenarios that you do not touch the Date fields in the report or they will be saved with the Scenario.  Below is a sample of a Batch set up with reports:

After you have your batches set up, you can now run them and print the reports.  Prior to running the Batch, you will first want to enter the date ranges, period ranges, etc. you want to use for the reports.  To specify this information, right click on the Batch (Folder) you want to run and choose Edit Batch.  The following screen will appear:

The first time you edit Batch Settings, the fields will be blank. However, any settings you enter will be saved with the Batch until new settings are entered.  Enter the dates, periods, etc. you want to use and click the OK Button.  Once you are returned to the Batch Reports Tab, right click on the Batch Folder name and choose Run Batch.

If the “Monthly Month to Date” Batch were run with the above Batch Settings, the reports in the Batch would print with the specified parameters in each Report Scenario and the Batch Settings would pass through the Date and Period ranges.  The reports would run as follows:

Timekeeper Productivity - Current Period would be for 10/01/2012 through 10/31/2012 and if the Scenario is set to print Current and YTD, the Year Begins Date would be 01/01/2012.

Billing Realization - the report would run for invoices dated between 10/01/2012 and 10/31/2012.

Aged Work in Process - the report would run for an Aging and Transaction Cut Off Date of 10/31/2012.

Aged Accounts Receivable - the report would run for an Aging Date of 10/31/2012.

Account History - the report would run for Periods 1 through 10 of Fiscal Year 2012.

You can run a Report Batch at any time by editing the Batch Settings and choosing to run the Batch.  You can only run one Batch at a time and the reports are printed in the order in which they were added to the Batch.

You may also set up your Report Batch to run unattended by using the Windows Scheduler.  If you want the Report Batch to run automatically at a specific time, click on the WINDOWS SCHEDULER Button while in the Batch Settings window.  Depending on your operating system, different windows will appear.  

Orion passes through a command line that runs the standalone reporting module (orionreporting.exe) with a switch at the end specifying the Report Batch ID as held in the data files.  For information on using the Windows Scheduler, refer to your Windows Operating System documentation.  You do not need to leave Orion running on your workstation in order for the Batch Report to run using the Windows Scheduler, but you need to make sure the workstation is on when it is run.

Tips on Report Batches

    1.    Each report can be set to print to a different printer.  If no special printer settings are saved with the report, it will print to the Windows Default Printer.  To set a report to go to a printer other than the Default Windows Printer, open up the Report, right click in the blank area to the right of the Sort Order options and choose Printer Setup.  Select the printer to which you want the report to print and click OK.

    2.    You may set your reports to print to a PDF printer; however, you will be unable to use the Windows Scheduler feature and will need to monitor your system as the Report Batch is printed.  After each report prints, you will need to specify a path and file name to which to save the report.  The system will not move on to the next report until this is done.


Creating Custom Reports

In addition to creating a custom reporting structure, you may also create custom reports in the Orion Reporting System.  Custom Reports can be created on the Site-Defined/Custom Reports Tab, the Favorite Reports Tab or the Batch Reports Tab. To begin, you will need to copy a report to an existing Folder on the Tab.  Once you have placed the Report on the appropriate Tab, you can change the name of the Report item (for easier identification) or you can create a custom Report Style.  To rename a Report item, right click on the Report in the list and choose Edit.  The following screen will appear:

You may change the value in the Display Name to anything you like. Changing this name has no impact on the actual report - you are only changing what displays in the list of reports on the respective Tab.

Notice that there is a list of templates in the Report Editor window. Any template with {system} in the name is the Orion Standard Report and cannot be changed.  You can customize the {system} style by making a copy of it and making your changes to the copy.  To copy an existing Template, highlight the template in the list and click the COPY Button (the EDIT Button changes to COPY when a {system} template is highlighted). The Report will appear in the Report Builder similar to the following:

NOTE:    Your screen will most likely not look exactly as above. You may be copying a different Template and you may have your Menu Bar in the Report Builder configured in a different manner.

Choose File, Save As from the menu and assign a name to the template.  You may then begin editing the report.  Since you cannot modify or delete an Orion system report, you can “play” as much as you would like.