Chapter 3: Working with Reporting Trees

CHAPTER 3: WORKING WITH REPORTING TREES

Objectives
The objectives are

Create a basic two level, dimension based, reporting tree

Add a reporting tree to an existing report

Explore the characters used in reporting trees

Create a multiple level reporting hierarchy

Review other reporting tree options

Introduction

FIGURE 3.1 GLMF BUSINESS UNIT AND DEPARTMENT REPORTING TREE

As mentioned in Chapter 1, reporting trees are an optional component when

building reports in Management Reporter; however, trees are the key to
providing relevant financial information to all responsibility centers of an
organization. Generally, the detail units pull data from your Microsoft Dynamics

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ERP as defined in the Dimensions column. Summary units pull data from their
childreneither the detail units, or other summary units.
Because reporting trees are based on organizational data within the source
system, you may build trees to provide the following information:

Reporting on individual dimensions of the organization

Reporting on summarized aspects of the organization

Creating roll ups that are independent of the chart of accounts

Consolidating multiple companies' data

Reporting trees also provide users the following options for each reporting unit:

A unique row definition

Ability to link to external data

Up to ten rows of unique text

Security

A defined rollup percentage

Two Level Dimension Based Reporting Trees

Reporting tree definitions range from simple to complex, depending on the
reporting needs of the organization. Trees can be defined manually or with the
insert reporting units function.
In this first tree building exercise, students create a basic two level tree that
details the department dimension of the source system and provides a summary
total.

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FIGURE 3.2 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTING TREE

Insert Reporting Units

Follow these steps to add the reporting units for a departmental tree.
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Reporting Tree
Definition.
Notice the new definition displays generic descriptive text in columns A, B, and
C; however a dimension mapping structure is missing from column D. The
structure is a required component that is based on the source system, and must be
defined on at least one reporting unit of the definition.
2. On the Edit menu, click Insert Reporting Units from
Dimensions... menu item.
3. Clear check boxes for all dimensions, except Department.
4. Click OK.

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FIGURE 3.3 INSERT REPORTING UNITS FROM DEPARTMENT DIMENSION

Save the Reporting Tree

The reporting tree definition displays in both a hierarchical or graphical view and
a detailed grid view. Descriptions displayed in the hierarchical view are pulled
from column B, Unit Name.
Notice the summary reporting unit does not contain any dimensions. It is a parent
or rollup unit that summarizes the data from its children, the eight reporting units
that display dimensions. Each of these eight reporting units have a unique
department indicated, while the location/division dimension display the wildcard
symbols shown on the insert reporting units from source system dialog box.
1. In column C, Unit Description, type Summary of All
Departments. The unit description displays in the report header
when you use the @UnitDesc AutoText code.
2. On the File menu, click Save.
3. Type the name Departmental Reporting Tree. Click OK.

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FIGURE 3.4 COMPLETED DEPT TREE

Departmental Income Statement

Many basic report designs gain greater reporting detail by the addition of a tree.
Depending on the source system to which Management Reporter connects, one or
two of the following tree types are available:

Reporting tree - a hierarchical design created within Management

Reporter based on dimensions

Organization hierarchies - existing hierarchies available for import

from Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

Associate the Reporting Tree

Use the following steps to add the completed departmental reporting tree to the
detailed income statement.
1. Click Report Definitions in the navigation pane.
2. Double-click the Summary Income Statement item to open the
report definition.
3. Click the Tree type drop-down arrow and select Reporting tree.
4. Click the Tree drop-down arrow and select Departmental
Reporting Tree.
5. Click the Default base period field, type C+27, and then press the
Tab key. April 2012 is now the default period that is saved with the
report definition.
6. Save the changes and generate the report.

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FIGURE 3.5 UPDATED REPORT DEFINITION

Viewing the Report

When the report opens in the web viewer, the Summary of All Units is displayed.
The Reporting Tree icon is active in the application bar where the different
reporting units can be selected.
1. Click the Reporting Tree icon, then select IT Department. The
report displays financial results relating to the IT department, as

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noted in the report heading. Notice the zero presentation in the
Revenue section. By default a report displays rows with no amounts.
This presentation is cleared on the report definition, settings tab.
2. Continue exploring the reporting units as desired. Close the Web
Viewer.

FIGURE 3.6 IT DEPARTMENT UNIT

Modify the Report Definition

Two modifications are required on the settings tab to fine-tune the report
presentation. The reporting unit selection is also modified to automatically
generate all units.
1. Return to the Departmental Summary Income Statement report
definition and click the Settings tab.

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2. Clear the option to Display rows with no amounts.
3. Select the Reporting unit selection Include all units.
4. Click OK.

Modify the Row Definition

Row headers and underscores are related to total rows in the row definition to
fine-tune the report presentation. With this design trick, headers and underscores
only display if the related total row prints. In combination with clearing the
report setting, display rows with no amounts, the row definition has a more
dynamic nature, adjusting the display across multiple reporting units.
1. Click the Report tab.
2. Click the Open Row Definition icon.
3. On row code 130, click column D Related Rows, and type 280. This
is the row code for Total Revenues. If Total Revenues has no amount
and does not display, the descriptive header row is suppressed as
well.
4. Repeat step 3 for row codes 250.
5. On row codes 490 and 790, type 820 to relate their display to
Expenses.
6. Save the row definition.

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FIGURE 3.7 RELATED ROWS

Regenerate the Report

The report is generated once again to display the modified presentation.
1. Return to the Report Definition, by clicking the toolbar icon or
double-clicking the item in the navigation pane.
2. Click Generate Report.
3. Open the IT Department reporting unit.

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FIGURE 3.8 UPDATED CORPORATE REPORTING UNIT

Multi-Level Reporting Trees

Depending on the number of dimensions within the source system, users may
build reporting trees in Management Reporter that have multiple layers or rollups
in the hierarchy. Generally, design begins with the insert reporting units function,
which may be sufficient for some hierarchy designs. However, users can also
insert additional rollup levels directly in the reporting tree definition.

Create a Cost Center/Division Reporting Tree

Students create the Cost Center/Division dimension based hierarchy in the
following steps.
1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Reporting Tree
Definition.
2. On the Edit menu, click Insert Reporting Units from
Dimensions...
3. Clear check boxes for all dimensions, except Cost Center.
4. Click the From Dimension field for the Cost Center dimension, type
007, and then press the Tab key. In the To Dimension field, type
018.

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5. Save the resulting tree with the name Cost Centers by Division.

FIGURE 3.9 INSERT REPORTING UNITS FOR LOCATION/DIVISION ROLLUP

Maintaining Reporting Trees

Users modify existing reporting tree definitions in a number of ways including:

Inserting or deleting reporting units

Dragging and dropping reorganization

Promoting or demoting reporting units

Students modify the existing Cost Centers by Division tree by adding two new
rollup units; Denver and San Francisco.
1. On the Window menu, click Cost Centers by Division. (If the
reporting tree has been closed, select it from the Reporting Tree
Definitions in the navigation pane.)
2. Click unit number two, Trade Shows, and click the Insert
Reporting Unit icon.
3. Double-click the entity column on the blank row, and select GLMF.
4. Type Marketing in columns B and C.
5. Click unit number five, Service Operations, and right-click. Select
Insert Reporting Unit.
6. Repeat step 3.

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7. Type Operations in columns B and C.
8. Click unit number twelve, Outlet, and right-click. Select Insert
Reporting Unit.
9. Repeat step 3.
10. Type Retail in columns B and C.
Notice the Marketing, Operations and Retail units display at the same level as the
current rollup units. The new units are organized next.
Reporting units are organized through the right-click options; promote and
demote, or by drag and drop.
11. Verify unit three, Trade Shows, is active and right-click.
12. Select Demote Reporting Unit. Notice the unit now displays as a
child of Marketing.
13. Click unit four, Marketing Campaign, and right-click.
14. Select Demote Reporting Unit.
15. Click Service Operations in the graphical display. Press and hold
down the left mouse button while dragging the unit up to
Operations. Release the left mouse to drop the unit into Operations
rollup. Repeat for Production, Quality Control, Logistics,
Procurement and Administration.
16. Make Outlet, Super, Mall, and Online children of Retail by either
demoting them or dragging and dropping them.
17. Save the resulting re-organization.

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FIGURE 3.10 MARKETING, OPERATIONS AND RETAIL ROLLUP UNITS

Summary
Reporting trees add a powerful component to reports created in Management
Reporter. Trees add a level of detail that allow reporting on dimensions in the
financial data. Trees are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing rollups for
summarized data, as well as uncomplicated drag and drop reorganization.
This portion of the training allowed students to build several reporting trees and
review how adding a tree to a report definition affects the report presentation.
Reporting unit selection options and other reporting tree options were also
introduced.

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Quick Interaction: Lessons Learned

Take a moment and write down three key points you have learned from this
chapter
1.

2.

3.

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