Discoverer and Reports

Question

Hello,
we are evaluating, how we could generate well formated standard reports for printing on standard paper-size. Till now we have built Ad-Hoc Reports with Discoverer Desktop. What would you suggest to generate standard reports based on the ad-hoc-reports built in Discoverer Desktop?
Thanks
Tobias

Answer 1

Boy ... that's an open question.
One thing that I try to setup and enforce at client sites I work at, is to create a Disco User (ie: if using Apps, then an apps user, if using non-apps, then a db user) with a name such as CORP.
Then all reports that will be the 'corp' standard are written using this account. So, in your case, you decide on a corporate standard (ie: pretty title, great logo, column heading colors, exception colors, totals, etc.), and get the owner of your 'ad-hoc' report(s) to share it with CORP. Then CORP checks the validity of the code, adheres to the standards set up and then shares the report NOT WITH USERS, but with responsibilities (in apps) or roles (in database users).
This means that you add users to groups and then when the corp reports are shared with the various groups, you don't have to move usernames in and out of the sharing screen, etc. (and when someone leaves the company, you're not stuck with someone not there anymore once their account's killed, etc.).
Then, as a company, you stand up on a soap box and state that any report that's not a CORP report will not be supported (as you did check the validity of the code when you 'corp'orized it).
This works pretty well and takes time, but gets sites on the right track IMHO.
Finally, running those reports - can do in the scheduler, or using the MS DOS (plus bat files, etc.) to run automatically and post output in html format to a dashboard, etc. - or go whole hog and set up Portals, BIS, etc. and go from there.
Russ