Tip of the Week

Tip for: 10.21.02

Quick Reports

With all that there is to do as a librarian, we are all looking for ways to cut the time that it takes to do different tasks. One of those things is using Quick Reports for reports we run on a regular basis, such as overdue notices, loaned items lists, etc.

Quick Reports save time by allowing you to set the report criteria once and then saving it in the quick report list. From that point on, all that you have to do to run that same report for the current data is to select Quick Report from the Reports menu and then select the report you want to run. No more changing the drop-downs and typing in selection criteria every time you want to run a certain report.

To create a Quick Report, you first select the report you want to create (i.e. overdue notices). Once you have the appropriate report window open with the right Report Name selected, you can then go through the process of setting the Sort by and Select by criteria as desired. Then, instead of just printing the report that one time, click on Create Quick Report. A window will then appear asking you to name the report. In the example of overdue notices, I might name the report with the teacher's name and then overdues (i.e. Wishard's Overdues). By using the same report window and just changing the homeroom under Select by I can then create Quick Reports for all of my teachers.

Then, to use these Quick Reports the next time I need to run overdue notices for a teacher, all I have to do is select Quick Reports from the Report menu and then double-click on the report name. I can also click on the name once to highlight it and then click on Print. This window also allows me to remove or edit reports as needed, right from the Quick Report window.

This process can be used on any report that you want to have quick access to. It uses the current data to run the report, thus saving you the time of using the drop-down menus and entering information every time you desire to run a particular report.

We hope this tip will help save you time in your busy schedules.

Thank You,
Alexandria Staff Librarians