How Do I Get Started?
A common question received from new Jet Reports users is...
"We are signed up for a training class.
In the meantime, is there a user guide about how to get started creating reports?"
While the searchable knowledgebase (KB) section of our online Help Center is a tremendous resource for anyone using Jet Reports, the large amount of information it contains can be somewhat daunting to new users.
Think of this article as a sort of "Table of Contents" pointing you to some of the the other articles that most apply to the new user who maybe needs to know something about (1) installing, (2) configuring, and/or (3) creating that first report.
(by the way, if you are interested in Training, Sample Reports, or other Resources available to you, click here.)
Creating Your First Reports
For many users, Jet Reports is already installed and configured before they ever need to start. So let's save installation and configuration for later in this article. For now, let's look at creating your first report - starting with the available Wizards.Wizards
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The Jet Table Builder does just that... it helps you create Excel tables. Once you have a table, you can then use Excel's Pivot Table features to slice and dice the data in that table to create a dazzling variety of reports.
There is a lot of information about the Table Builder in our KB. Probably the best place to start is with some videos that walk you through an introduction to the Table Builder and using its simple interface to create some very powerful communication tools.
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Sometimes, all the data you want is in a single table in your database. You can easily create very useful reports from a single table using the Report Wizard.
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The Jet Browser lets you use a simple drag-and-drop interface to create your reports. Unlike the Table Builder (which creates tables for use with Excel's Pivot capabilities), the Browser uses multiple Jet functions to create reports that are more flexible and are used without Pivot tables.
Other Techniques
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Many people learn best by looking at examples. Jet Global provides a number of pre-built reports that are designed using sample data that is readily available from Dynamics NAV, Dynamics GP, or here at Jet Global.
A specialized Report Player application is available in two styles (The Jet Report Player for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and the original Jet Report Player) or you can download just the report files themselves. Each choice gives you access to a large number of reports that you can view and refresh.
Jet Report Player for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Jet Report Player -
Jet Function Wizard and entering functions by hand
For those users who prefer a more "hands on" approach, you can create your reports by typing the Jet functions by hand, or using the Jet Function Wizard ("Jfx") to help you.
We have a series of five videos that walk you through the process of creating a report using a variety of powerful Jet Reports features.
Financial Reporting
Another question we sometimes hear is...
"Most of the examples I see are sales reports or inventory reports or customer reports.
I need to create our financial reports. Is there some information that can help me?"
Yes, there is!
The Jet GL() function works with both Dynamics GP and Dynamics NAV.
We've created some video tutorials to help you get started.
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For Dynamics GP users, a great deal of functionality has been built in to the GL function to help you get the information you need.
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Fast Financials for Dynamics NAV
Starting with Jet Reports version 2018, creating basic financials reports is faster and easier than ever before. The Fast Financials tool provides simple drag-and-drop functionality - all while providing the automatic formatting for your chart of accounts.
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The GL function for Dynamics NAV places a great deal of General Ledger functionality at your finger tips.
Installation and Configuration
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Maybe Jet Reports has *not* been installed and that's where you need to start. So, you'll need to be able download, install, and configure Jet Reports.
Regardless of where you are in that process or what type of database you are needing to use with Jet Reports, our Getting Started guide provides a one-stop location for all that information.
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