Report Generation
This chapter describes report generation tools that provide the following functionality:
• Definition of a broad range of queries against Windchill data using a graphical interface rather than Java programming.
• Use of these queries to generate reports in several output formats, including HTML, XML, and CSV.
• Customization of queries and output formats, and re-use of queries and output formats from other customizations.
• Customization of the Windchill Business Reporting (Cognos) report presentation, data sources, and other features.
To author new queries using existing report formats, you need only be familiar with the UML model for the business objects of interest for the query and have an understanding of the query definition tool. Because the report generation tools build on the capabilities of the Windchill foundation and use HTML, CSS, XML, and XSL technologies, you should also be familiar with these areas to use the tools most effectively for customization.