Report Writer Question

I am trying to write a report that includes information from the vendor certificate database. The report must also include the YTD vendor activity. The database that includes the YTD vendor activity isn't part of the primary database for the vendors.


So I created a calculated field that is supposed to go to the vendor activity database and pull that field. The calculated field is named vndact^ytdact

However, when I print the report, instead of printing the value of this field, the report prints "vndact.ytdact"

Can anyone provide a suggestion about what I'm doing wrong? Tech support can't/won't help me ... they referred me to the report writing class. I paid $75 and took that course - and still can't get the field to work. Now what?

  • 0

    BrendVM-

    You can contact your Business Partner who can put you in touch with a consultant in your area that can further assistant you with report writing. That is not something we currently can help you with in support. If you do not know who your Business Partner is, please email me directly at [email protected] with your Customer ID # so I can get you that information.

    Thank you.

  • 0

    Hi Brenda

    There isn't any table called vndact.  The 6 letters to the left of the ^ need to be an actual table in Sage, only the right 6 letters can be whatever you want.  If you only need the ytd total, then you can get that from the actpay table.  Perhaps that what you meant to do.  Compare your calculated field to others that are already in Sage and you'll see the difference.

  • 0 in reply to Char DeLange

    Hi Char ... I was doing the table name from memory ... not at the office today. I did use the correct table name.

    Version 19.2 doesn't have the ytd information in the actpay table anymore - because of the fiscal year changes.

  • 0 in reply to Brandi Laube

    Brandi, we have NEVER heard of or used the business partner in New Jersey (we are in Michigan) that Sage assigned to us. That's an unacceptable answer as far as I'm concerned - we're being forced to pay someone else when we are already paying in excess of $3,000 per year for support.

  • 0 in reply to BrendaVM

    BrendaVM-

    In support, we are not trained in report writing. We assist you with questions or issues with the program and the "canned" reports that come with the software. Report writing is outside the scope of our support. That is why I suggested you contact your Business Partner and they can put you in touch with a consultant who is trained in report writing.

    Thank you,

  • 0 in reply to Brandi Laube

    The problem is (and I truly believe this) that the issue I'm facing is not a "report writing" issue but a database table issue. I can't even get anyone to listen to me to understand that. I took the report writing class. I followed it step by step. It doesn't work because the table isn't associated with the primary table. I can't even get anyone at Sage to listen long enough to look at the problem. I don't want to waste more money on a business partner when I've already wasted money taking the class Sage recommended and gotten nowhere because the tables are not properly linked.

  • 0 in reply to BrendaVM

    I can make other calculated fields from associated tables and they work just fine. The problem is these two tables aren't talking to each other and no one at Sage seems willing to even look at it.

  • 0 in reply to BrendaVM

    BrendaVM-

    I provided you my direct email if you would like to follow up with me by email. As I explained we are not trained in report writing and creating calculated fields. We can take this off line since you feel like you are not being helped in the way you would like.

    Thank you,

  • 0 in reply to Char DeLange

    Hi Char,

    The actual table/field I used in the report (now that I'm at the office and can look) was vndytd.ytdact.

    This is the new table created to hold multiple fiscal year activity for a vendor in version 19.2.

    I selected this table/field directly from the vendor tables provided and copied it exactly.

    Here's the problem, as I see it.

    In order to get expired certificate information, the primary table that you have to use is "Vendor Certificates."

    There is another table called "Vendor Invoice Activity"

    Ultimately, I need information from both of these tables to write the report that I want, as I want to see expired certificates for vendors with whom we have had activity in this fiscal year.

    If I select "Vendor Certificates" as the primary table, the "Vendor Invoice Activity" table is not one of the additional tables listed as available. Even if I use a global calculated field (which is what I've been doing), the system doesn't seem to like this - as it prints vndytd.ytdact - instead of the amount of activity in this fiscal year.

    If I select "Vendor Invoice Activity" as the primary table, the "Vendor Certificates" table is not one of the additional tables listed as available. If I create a global calculated field using information from the vendor certificates table (again, copying the table name and field names directly from those tables), I get a report that shows the vendor name and correct invoice activity, but prints the field names (vndcrt.dscrpt and vndcrt.expdte) instead of the actual description and expiration date.

    This leads me to conclude that the problem is that the report writer only allows use of tables that are included in the "sub tables"  under the primary table - and that the issue here is that the vendor certificates table (vndcrt) and the vendor activity table (vndytd) are not linked in a way that allows them to be combined on one report.

    Does this description make more sense to you now? I am still hoping to get some resolution without having to spend hundreds of more dollars and still needing a program fix at the end of the day.

    Again, we used to be able to create this report just fine in version 18.3 - but in that version, the vendor ytd activity was included in the accounts payable table. In version 19.2, a new table has been created to hold that information.

  • 0 in reply to Brandi Laube

    I think it is important that the discussion continue here.

    This is a community, right? Aren't we all supposed to help each other out? What happens when the next person encounters the same problem, turns to the forum for help, and discovers that it was handled in secret or for a fee?

    I believe it is important that BrendaVM be allowed to explain that you don't understand her problem.

    Hopefully, someone in the community will come up with a solution.

  • 0 in reply to jamesrshoemaker

    Hi James,

    I was finally able to talk with someone at Sage in customer support who did understand the problem - and who acknowledged that this is a programming issue, not a "you don't know how to make a calculated field" issue.

    I just installed the latest update to 19.2 (with the year end information) and it appears to me that the issue is now resolved. The table "Vendor Invoice Activity" has been added in the available tables for reports in the A/P screen, so I think this will fix the problem. I will confirm when I have had time to play with it a bit.

    I agree that we should be able to talk about these things in the forum. Sometimes forum members have useful insights that can solve the problem.

    We did not end up having to pay a fee to have this fixed ... and the customer support supervisor I finally was able to speak with was extremely helpful.

    Note: be sure to fill out the surveys on your customer support experience honestly -- this was what enabled me to speak with someone who actually was able to help me.

  • 0 in reply to BrendaVM

    So .. I had a chance to play with the update. This is still not fixed.

    Vendor Certificates and Vendor Activity are not linked in any way that allows me to access both of them for a report.

    This is something I've been told is in the "development" side at this point (a couple of weeks ago), so I assume it just hasn't made it to the top of the list yet. We have a BAD workaround, but a workaround never the less (requires printing 2 reports and then comparing them)

  • 0 in reply to BrendaVM

    BrendaVM-

    A manager from Sage will be contacting you back in regards to your question.

    Thank you!

  • 0 in reply to BrendaVM

    Hi James

    I'm sorry I wasn't able to get back with you but we hadn't upgraded yet so I couldn't test your issue.  Please let us all know if you get an answer from tech support.

  • 0 in reply to Char DeLange
    Was this problem ever resolved? I am having the same problem with other fields/tables.
  • 0 in reply to JonNin
    No. This was never resolved within Sage.

    We have now subscribed to Sage Intelligence Reports and I was able to write a report there that gives me the information all in one report.