- Using Microsoft Excel as your reporting tool
Just use Microsoft Excel as your reporting tool. You design reports like layouts, formats and styles directly using Microsoft Excel. And you will get reports in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format as a result. Microsoft Excel is powerful, flexible and familiar. You do not need to buy and learn extra reporting tools.
- Making report template directly using Microsoft Excel
The main advantage of using XLReportGen is based on the fact that all formatting is done directly in Microsoft Excel. You can take full advantage of Microsoft Excel including cell formatting, formulas, filtering and sorting, drawing and pictures, charts, multiple sheets, page setup, headers and footers, preview and printing, VBA, macros, and more.
- Accessing to databases using SQL
XLReportGen executes SQL statements to extract data from database. Supports all type SQL: DML, DDL and DCL. Multiple SQL statements can be executed in one report building process. You can perform queries on databases, insert data into databases, and create database objects like tables. The power of SQL can be harnessed for maximum efficiency in reporting.
- Creating reports without programming experience
You know how to use Microsoft Excel and how to write SQL, it is enough. It does not require programming to create reports.
- Connection to all databases using ODBC
XLReportGen connects to databases using ODBC. Access to all databases which support ODBC such as Oracle, DB2, Sybase, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Teradata, MySQL, Microsoft Access, dBase.
- Supporting multi-databases in one report
XLReportGen supports multi-databases in one report. You can get data from some different databases such as Oracle, DB2 and Microsoft SQL Server, and put these data into one report.
- Generating reports with parameters
XLReportGen gives you an opportunity to create reports with parameters. You may use parameters in SQL statements. You will be asked to input the values of parameters while creating reports.
- Supporting Windows mode and command line mode
XLReportGen supports command line mode. So it is possible to call XLReportGen from other program. For developers, you can integrate XLReportGen into your application.
- Creating complex reports
You can create complex reports. The complexity might come from report formatting as well as report content.
- Creating reports with charts
XLReportGen enables you to include sophisticated, colorful charts in your reports. You can use charts any time you want to improve the usefulness of a report.
- Creating reports with pictures
XLReportGen can insert pictures from the graphics files, position and size the pictures according to your instruction.
- Many reports in one Microsoft Excel workbook
One Microsoft Excel workbook may contain many reports. You can generate a book of reports in one generating process.
- Conversion of file formats
XLReportGen is a converter too. You can convert Microsoft Excel workbook to and from other formats, such as HTML, XML, CSV, text, DBF, DIF, and Lotus 1-2-3. You also can convert data from database to other file format.
- Generating reports automatically
The process of report generation can be fully automated, periodically or on events. XLReportGen can be scheduled with Windows Scheduled Tasks or other tools.
- One time configuration
With on time configuration, you can repeatedly generate reports especially periodic reports such as daily, weekly, monthly and annual reports.
- Flexible deployment
XLReportGen can be run on your desktop or server.
To create a report, XLReportGen need to read a report template file and an XRF file. The report template file is a Microsoft Excel workbook that defines the layouts and formats of a report. The XRF file contains SQL statements and some information, and tells XLReportGen how to get data from database and how to put data into a report. First XLReportGen creates a blank report using the report template file, and then executes SQL statements in the XRF file to get data from database, and fills data into the report to generate the desired report in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format.