On this page you will find basic information for configuring the Custom Report Module:
Download and UnPack
When you purchase the Custom Reports Module, we will send you a download link. Double-click the downloaded "ExternalItems.exe". The module gets installed to c:\mastersolutions and is named "BMS-ExternalItems.mdb".
Setup
You may want to create a shorcut to your desktop from "c:\mastersolutions\BMS-ExternalItems.mdb" (optionally) rename it "Custom". When you open the Custom Reports Module for the first time, you will likely get a couple pop up messages indicating that the BackEnd Databases could not be found, then the following interface will display:
In the Forms section, Double-click on the "ezf_AttachmentManager to begin the Linking process:
This opens up the Attachment Manager so the Reports Module can be linked to the BackEnd databases. Select Company1 from the Select Company menu, then click on Group1 in the Group field, then click the Change File button:
Browse for the the Backend MainData file called "Data1.mdb". Once selected, click the Attach/Reattach Tables to Data Files button:
Click the OK button when it says the attachments were made successfully and click the No button when it asks if you want to update the Local Preferences. The next step is to open BusinessMaster, go to the Utilities/Preferences/Options screen, and make sure that the ExtObjPath is "C:\mastersolutions\BMS-ExternalItems.mdb". If it is not, then type that path in this field:
The next step is to go to the Utilities menu and open the ExternalItems Manager:
The ExternalItems Manager lists all the BusinessMaster reports in its drop down menu. So for example, lets say we are going to link up the Sales Order Quote Report for use with the Custom Report Module. Select "SalesOrderQuote_r" from the ItemName menu:
If you need to know what the name of the report is that you want to customize, open the report regularly, and look at the top of the report window. It will list the name of the report there (minus the "_r") as pictured below:
If you want to check if you selected the right report, click the "PrintItemCheck" button to see if the desired report comes up:
Now when you click the Print Quote button from the Projects Line Items screen, you will actually be working with a copy of the Stock Sales Order Quote report, which you can then customize however you wish. When you click the Report Button, the Custom Report Module opens, with the Sales Order Quote on top in in preview mode.
Note: If you encounter problems setting up or running the Custom Report Module, especially with Access 2003, it may be due to Macro Security Warnings being turned on in Access. Open up Access by itself, create a blank database or open a different one, then go to Tools/Macro/Security and change the security level to "low".
Disclaimer
Using the Custom Report Module to edit the layout and design of BusinessMaster reports is a safe and supported undertaking. In the event you go outside that function, it is possible to interact with live data which could potentially result in data corruption. In the event this occurs, Master Solutions will not be held liable for such data corruption, and any repair will be billed accordingly as training.
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