Batching Reports

[GShockley]

A database I built for work has the purpose of printing
out 1-6 differant fax cover sheets for each set of file
material I plan fax to offices across the state. I want
to batch the fax cover sheets so that all the different
covers that pertain to one file print out together.
Ex. Using Suits of cards (Mr. Spades, Mrs. Diamonds, Ms.
Hearts, Dr. Clubs to represent 4 different people, and
Ace, King, Queen, Jack as type of reports.)

Because I have each report set up separately, I am
currently running each report and getting
Ace report for Dr. Clubs; Mrs. Diamonds, Ms. Hearts, Mr.
Spades,
King report for Dr. Clubs; Mrs. Diamonds, Ms. Hearts, Mr.
Spades,
Queen report for Dr. Clubs; Mrs. Diamonds, Ms. Hearts,
Mr. Spades,
Jack report for Dr. Clubs; Mrs. Diamonds, Ms. Hearts, Mr.
Spades,
so that after printing, I have to batch the reports
manually per person.

I want: to press one button, or run one macro and print
all the reports batched together and sorted
alphabetically to get:

Dr. Clubs - Ace report, King report, Queen, report, Jack
report
Mrs. Diamonds - Ace report, King report, Queen, report,
Jack report
Ms. Hearts - Ace report, King report, Queen, report, Jack
report
Mr. Spades - Ace report, King report, Queen, report, Jack
report

Points: I have minimal experience with Macros, but have
built 2-3 sucessfully, I have no exp with Modules.

The current Queries are already sorted alphabetically and
are important (rather than tables) because the queries
add routine information to each report from other tables.

I also want the set-up to skip a report if it is not
needed and move on to the next in order. Ex. If I don't
need the Queen report, I want: Mr. Spades - Ace report,
King report, (no Queen report), Jack report

The current reports each contain report headers, body,and
footers. I considered copying report 2 as a second page
of report 1 but in copying and pasting it messed up the
headers and footers...so I think I would have had to
manually build a brand new report with no headers/footers
with page separators for each report which is more time
than I can spend at work to do. (My computer duties fall
under the catagory of other duties as assigned and rank
low with my supervisor)

I also thought of doing it as a sub-report, but although
each field printed, it wasn't formated as the fax cover
sheet.

Thanks for any help.

GShockley

 

[Marshall Barton]

A database I built for work has the purpose of printing
out 1-6 differant fax cover sheets for each set of file
material I plan fax to offices across the state. I want
to batch the fax cover sheets so that all the different
covers that pertain to one file print out together.
Ex. Using Suits of cards (Mr. Spades, Mrs. Diamonds, Ms.
Hearts, Dr. Clubs to represent 4 different people, and
Ace, King, Queen, Jack as type of reports.)

Because I have each report set up separately, I am
currently running each report and getting
Ace report for Dr. Clubs; Mrs. Diamonds, Ms. Hearts, Mr.
Spades,
King report for Dr. Clubs; Mrs. Diamonds, Ms. Hearts, Mr.
Spades,
Queen report for Dr. Clubs; Mrs. Diamonds, Ms. Hearts,
Mr. Spades,
Jack report for Dr. Clubs; Mrs. Diamonds, Ms. Hearts, Mr.
Spades,
so that after printing, I have to batch the reports
manually per person.

I want: to press one button, or run one macro and print
all the reports batched together and sorted
alphabetically to get:

Dr. Clubs - Ace report, King report, Queen, report, Jack
report
Mrs. Diamonds - Ace report, King report, Queen, report,
Jack report
Ms. Hearts - Ace report, King report, Queen, report, Jack
report
Mr. Spades - Ace report, King report, Queen, report, Jack
report

Points: I have minimal experience with Macros, but have
built 2-3 sucessfully, I have no exp with Modules.

The current Queries are already sorted alphabetically and
are important (rather than tables) because the queries
add routine information to each report from other tables.

I also want the set-up to skip a report if it is not
needed and move on to the next in order. Ex. If I don't
need the Queen report, I want: Mr. Spades - Ace report,
King report, (no Queen report), Jack report

The current reports each contain report headers, body,and
footers. I considered copying report 2 as a second page
of report 1 but in copying and pasting it messed up the
headers and footers...so I think I would have had to
manually build a brand new report with no headers/footers
with page separators for each report which is more time
than I can spend at work to do. (My computer duties fall
under the catagory of other duties as assigned and rank
low with my supervisor)

I also thought of doing it as a sub-report, but although
each field printed, it wasn't formated as the fax cover
sheet.

Subreports are your best hope.

First, don't bother sorting the query. The order of the
data in a report is governed by the Sorting and Grouping
window (View menu).

Next thing to be aware of is that subreports do not process
Page header/footer sections. The main report is in charge
of paging issues.

With all that in mind, create a new main report based on a
query that only includes the list of offices. Then add the
fax cover sheet and each of the the other reports as
subreports and set the subreport controls Link Master/Child
properties to the office id field.

If you size the subreports appropriately, you should get
something that starts to approach what you're looking for.
Then you can post more specific questions about filtering
the data, getting the subreports on separate pages, etc.