Setting Send To Options

Setting Send To Options

Send To options allow you to select an output location for your report or export. For most standard reports, you should send the results to the screen. You can then print or save your report directly from the FIMS Viewer. For data exports, you will send the results to a file on your hard drive.

In the FIMS Report Selections window, click the Send To tab.

NOTE: The available options vary depending on whether you are running a report or an export. If you are running a report, you will have several options where you can send the report and you will be given the option to add a subtitle to the report. If you are running an export, you will only be allowed to send the data to a file and you will be given the option to automatically launch a document that will merge with your data.

Example: Send To Tab (Reports)

Example: Send To Tab (Exports)

The available Export formats were updated in FIMS 14.76

Select one of the following:

NOTE: The available options vary depending on the report or export you are running.

Screen: Sends the report to the FIMS Viewer so you can view it on the screen. You can print or save the report directly from the FIMS Viewer. This is the default value for standard reports.

Clipboard: Sends the report to the Windows clipboard so that you can paste it into a document or another application.

FIMS Printer: Sends the report directly to the printer without using the standard Windows printing system. This option is rarely used and is generally only used for printing checks.

File: Sends the report or export to a data file on your hard drive (or on the server). Click the Save As button (looks like a floppy disk) next to this field to specify the location and file name where you want to save the data. You can also set up a default path and file name for your data files. Refer to Setting Default Export File Locations for more information. This is the only option that is available when you are running exports.

Spreadsheet: Creates a tab-delimited data file that does not have headers. This option exports one record for every row in the report, so the formatting of the report is retained in the spreadsheet. This makes it very easy to bring the report into Excel to create a presentation quality report.

XML: Creates an XML data file that you can use to open the data in Excel, Crystal Reports, or other program to easily create a presentation quality report.

Graphical Viewer: Opens the report in the graphical viewer, from which you can then export to Word, Excel, PDF, and other formats.

NOTE: The Graphical Viewer option is not available for all reports. Many will list an option to send to PDF instead. This option creates an XML data file that automatically runs through a process to create a presentation quality report in PDF format. You must provide a name for the PDF file and save it after it runs if you want to keep it. The file does not save automatically.

Report Subtitle (Optional) If you are running a report, enter a Report Subtitle. This option is not available when you are running exports.

Exports: If you are running an export, do the following:

Select the desired Export Format. This format should match the type of application you are going to use to work with the data file.

If you have an existing merge document that you want to automatically merge your data into, enter the merge document’s path and file name in the Auto Launch Document field. Refer to Autolaunching Microsoft Word for Mail Merging for more information.

Once you have configured the desired mailing options, click the Saved Reports tab to continue setting up the report. Refer to Saving Report Settings for more information.

Tip: Export Data Formats

An export creates a data file that can be used by other applications (for example, mail merging data into form letters using Microsoft Word). The Send To tab for exports permits a selection of data formats.

You may sometimes need to create a data file in a specific format for a mailing house, or a different application. The format includes three variables:

• Whether column headers (labels) are included.
• What character is used to separate fields.
• What character is used to separate records. 

The available Export formats were updated in FIMS 14.76