Installing iReport

[jkitsmiller]

This is probably a very basic thing, but I can't seem to figure it out.

I am looking for a WYSIWYG reporting tool. I am NOT a developer.

We need to run reports like "Give me all contacts that have not had activity in last 45 days" or other things like that.

I use to use salesforce.com and could do this very easily.

I have installed Zucker Reports, but everything I run into seems to expect me to be able to use sql query. I definitely do not know that.

Is there not a simpler way to get the reports we need?

I ran across references to iReport that would help us design the reports, but I can't figure out how we install it.

Any help would REALLY be appreciated.

John

[asimzaidi]

I will be hnest with you john, if you are having problems with zuckerreport sql, ireports will be much harder. However if you go to ireports website, you will find the manual that you can purchase in order to gain an insight of how it works.

[jkitsmiller]

Yeah, I found it on sourceforge.com and installed it.

Reporting is critical, isn't there a reporting tool that you don't need to know sql query?

It would be nice if users could build there own reports - without learning sql.

Any suggestions would sure be appreciated.

John

[asimzaidi]

John I am not sure if you can make queries without knowing sql. However its very easy to learn SQL and with the graphical UI query builder option in ireports, you do not need to be an expert SQL programmer.

[jkitsmiller]

I have so many other thinigs on my list...learning sql is just not going to happen anytime soon.

So is that to say that there is no reporting tool that doesn't require you to learn sql?

[asimzaidi]

I am pretty sure there must be something out there, however I am not familiar if there is. Now for your current situation, you can use basic queries by zuckerreports by using filters and stuff. If you are familiar with odbc and feel comfertable enough with ms access, you can use ms access to use as front end for mysql database and just use the query wizard through threre to get your reports. I am not sure how you set up is, but by what you told me, I think there are ways around to SQL but you loose sophistication in those work arounds.
Thanks

[Byapti]

Hi,

I think the iReport article on http://aspalliance.com/1229_Creating...Report__Part_1 may be helpful in this discussion.

This popular white paper is written by a software engineer from our organization Mindfire Solutions (http://www.mindfiresolutions.com).

I hope you find it useful!

Cheers,
Byapti