This 2 day instructor-led training class is presented by Microsoft training partners to their end customers. Channel Partners nationwide hire proven AMS Subject Matter Expert Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCT’s) to teach on-site or on-line classes.
This class teaches students the basic report design skills you need to create, maintain and distribute presentation quality reports using Microsoft FRx. It also includes additional functionality designed to help you create new reports, and distribute and analyze your company’s financial information. Students learn about basic foundational skills, complex calculations, drag and drop reorganization, rounding adjustments and account sets.
A thorough understanding of these topics allows students will easily design and maintain standard and essential reports your organization needs to understand its financial position. Learn how to use templates or create customized report designs as well as how to setup self maintaining reports that will dynamically include newly added GL accounts and newly closed periods. This class also teaches how to generate and electronically distribute reports using your in-house email system. These skills enable you to take control of the financial reporting process, allowing you to be more productive and efficient in the way you create, generate and distribute financial information, which in turn help you to enable internal and external stakeholders to make well informed decisions to positively impact your organization as a whole.
After completing this class students will be able to:
• Understand basic navigation and report creation in Microsoft FRx
• Drill down, analyze, print and export from FRx Drilldown Viewer
• Efficiently create and distribute many financial reports including:
• Trial balances
• Balance Sheets
• Transaction detail reporting
• Trended reports
• Side-by-side presentation
• Relational reporting
• Actual vs. Budget
• Rolling quarters
• Know some tips and tricks for increasing speed and accuracy of month-end close
• Create presentation quality reports
• Understand security settings within Microsoft FRx
• Understand many ways to improve your company’s financial reporting package
Before attending this class students must have basic knowledge of accounting principles.
Course Outline
Module 1: Overview and Introduction
This chapter gives students a general overview of the features
and benefits of using Microsoft FRx for financial statement design. It also
introduces the demo company that will be used in the course exercises.
o About FRx Software Corporation products
o Terminology
o Demo company account structure
o Sample report demonstration
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Understand the terminology used in class
o Have a high level understanding of rows, columns, trees and how
they relate to each other in the catalog
o Generate a catalog to FRx DrillDown Viewer and navigate to the
various reports and drill down levels
Module 2: Creating a Trial Balance
This chapter focuses on one of the most basic and essential
reports, a trial balance that shows the general ledger activity for the month
and/or year. A trial balance is a starting point for analyzing and reconciling
account balances and activity. Once your trial balance is in balance, Income
Statements and Balance Sheets, which group together certain natural or main
accounts to report assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses, may be created.
o Using the “Add Rows from Chart of Accounts” feature to automatically populate the row format with account numbers and descriptions
o Using wildcards or ranges to summarize data
o Using the Normal Balance field and how C’s affect the account presentation
o Using underscores and totals
o Using Header Codes to automatically update column headers each month
o Use of the BASE Period and Year in the Column Layout to ease maintenance
o Setting the Report Date to an option that automatically progresses through the year for ease of report maintenance
o Defining a detail level in the Catalog
o Introduce the default Formatting options
o Using existing building blocks to speed setup time
o Using the View, Subtotals function in FRx DrillDown Viewer
Lab : Detailed Trial Balance
Lab : Summary Trial Balance
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Create a new Row Format either manually or with Add Rows from Chart of Accounts
o Add format codes and related information to a row
o Create a new Column Layout designed for current and year to date
results
o Add column headers, using either header codes or text
o Create a new Catalog, defining the detail level, report date, building blocks and formatting as desired
Module 3: Creating an Income Statement
This chapter focuses on another primary financial statement, the Income Statement. Income Statements may be detailed or summarized and may also compare current performance to budgeted projections or previous results.
o Using the Add Rows from Chart of Accounts function to quickly
create a basic template
o How proper placement of C’s in the Account Balance column of the
Row Format will flip the balance of an account for presentation
o How the presentation of the accounts included determine the math
for related TOT or CAL formulas
o How to use a Special Format Mask on a row formula to determine
display
o Using system defined or custom fonts for emphasis
o Working with rounding options
Lab : Detailed Income Statement
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Understand the use of “C” in the Row Format
o Add a TOT or CAL format code and related information to a row
o Add a Special Format Mask to a row
o Define the font for a given row
o Edit the report header using either codes or text
o Define a font for a report header
o Define rounding options
Module 4: Reporting Trees
This chapter examines Reporting Trees, what they are, why to use
them and most importantly, how to create and maintain them.
Reporting Trees are created by defining a number of related attributes, such as the company name and account mask. Tree depth and complexity is up to the report designers needs and may include security items, email addresses, links to external spreadsheet data and more.
o Characters used with Add Reporting Units
o Segment hierarchy
o Defining a segment range
o Adding custom units to a tree
o The default Reporting Tree
o Relating Reporting Trees to Row Formats
o How trees define multiple reports in a single catalog
o Using check rows to insure all accounts are included
o Rounding options and how they relate to calculations
o How to relate description or underscore rows to other rows
o Exception reports and how they work
Lab : Creating Reporting Trees
Lab : Departmental Income Statement
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Understand the symbols used in Reporting Trees
o Create a basic Reporting Tree using Add Reporting Units from
Chart of Accounts
o Define the hierarchy when building a Reporting Tree on multiple
segments in the account mask
o Limit the range of a segment when building a Reporting Tree
o Add new units to a Reporting Tree
o Modify the hierarchy of a Reporting Tree
o Understand how Reporting Trees relate to the Row Format
o Relate rows in the Row Format
o Add a check row or exception report to verify report accuracy
o Define rounding in the catalog
Module 5: Review
This chapter allows students to review the concepts learned thus
far in class by correcting some errors or omissions in a report.
Lessons
o Review basic report design concepts
Lab : What’s Wrong?
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Recognize common errors in reports
o Correct errors in report design
Module 6: More on Reporting Trees
This chapter continues with the concepts learned thus far, and
expands that knowledge with more complex building blocks and catalog settings.
o How to create a Column Layout based on current and prior results
o Defining unit hierarchy when building a Reporting Tree
o How to split a segment to create a virtual segment in Reporting
Trees
o Adding custom units to a Reporting Tree
o Generating specific Reporting Tree units
o Using header and footer codes in the Catalog
Lab : This year vs. last year Income Statement
Lab : Income Statement by Location
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Create a multiple year Column Layout
o Add column header text that will span multiple columns
o Dynamically print the year in the column header
o Define the account segment hierarchy when building a Reporting Tree
o Add custom units to a Reporting Tree
o Create a Reporting Tree containing a virtual reporting segment
o Set specific Reporting Tree units to automatically generate
o Understand the difference between using Save As and Clone to copy
an existing catalog
Module 7: Transaction Detail Reporting
This chapter looks at transaction details and the specific columns that work with them. These allow for reporting on such items as source journal, transaction date and transaction reference number. Common column restrictions are also introduced.
o Creating a transaction detail Column Layout
o Restricting a column to either debit or credit activity
o Restricting a column to display beginning balances
o Generating a Catalog to the Microsoft Office Excel output option
o How report presentation varies between Microsoft Excel and FRx
DrillDown Viewer
Lab : Cash Transaction Details
Lab : Debit/Credit Details
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Understand how wildcards in the Row Format display multiple
accounts
o Add transaction details to the Column Layout design
o Restrict a column to include debit or credits only
o Define a column to present beginning balances for the period
o Generate a report directly to Excel
o Understand how the ‘format as Excel outline’ option affects the
output
Module 8: Using FRx DrillDown Viewer
This chapter shows students some additional functionality
available within FRx DrillDown Viewer.
Lessons
o Printing reports from FRx DrillDown Viewer
o Sending reports
o Export options in FRx DrillDown Viewer
Lab : Viewing/Printing Account Detail
Lab : Using the Send feature
Lab : Export Options
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Print a financial or detail report from FRx DrillDown Viewer
o Send a report from the FRx DrillDown Viewer
o Export a report using Formatted Excel
o Export a report using standard Excel
o Export a report to an HTML format
Module 9: Working with Specification Sets
This chapter focuses on Specification sets; the file that
contains all the building blocks created during report design.
o Understand the specification set (.F32) file
o Defining the active spec set in the Company Information settings
o Navigation in the Specification Sets window
o Learn to “save as” between spec sets
o Learn to export and import between spec sets
Lab : Saving between Spec Sets
Lab : Export and Import between Spec Sets
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Assign a specification set to a company
o Create a new spec set
o Move building blocks between spec sets
Module 10: What we Know
This chapter allows students to review the concepts learned so
far by taking a concept quiz and modifying an existing report.
o Review basic report design concepts
Lab : Modify Building Blocks
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Modify an existing report
Module 11: Balance Sheets
This chapter focuses on Balance Sheet design, another primary financial report. Students learn about Account Sets and how to create them, as well as functionality designed to keep Balance Sheets in balance.
o Account Sets
o Presentation of Balance Sheet accounts (using C in the Normal
Balance)
o Defining Year to Date Income in the Balance Sheet
o Using the XD code to suppress drill down on specific rows
o Using column G of the Row Format to define placement in the
Column Layout
o Using the Rounding Adjustments function
o Using XD in the Column Layout to suppress GL details
Lab : Detailed Balance Sheet
Lab : Comparative Balance Sheet
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Create a variety of Column Layouts for use in Balance Sheet
reporting
o Define or modify Account Sets
o Understand data presentation in Balance Sheet reporting
o Suppress a row in the Row Format from drill down to account or
transaction details
o Understand Rounding Adjustments and how to work with them
o Define specific column placement for information in the Row Format
o Suppress details in GL type columns
Module 12: Income Statement Variations
This chapter introduces several variations of the standard
Income Statement.
o Summary Income Statement design
o Trended Income Statement design
o Using conditional statements in the Column Layout
o Using Account Modifiers in the Row Format to override the Column
Layout
o Variance reporting (Over/(Under) and Favorable/(Unfavorable)
methods
o Sort commands
Lab : Summary Income Statement
Lab : Trended Income Statement
Lab : Current & YTD Trended Income Statement
Lab : Over/(Under) Budget Income Statement
Lab : Favorable/(Unfavorable) Budget Variances
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Create a trended Column Layout
o Define conditional print controls in the Column Layout
o Use Account Modifiers in the Row Format to override Column
Layout definitions
o Add a variance calculation to the Column Layout
o Understand XCR and how it is used for variance reporting
o Add a sort format code and its related information to a Row
Format
Module 13: Relational Reporting
This chapter introduces the concept of relational reporting,
where one or more base rows and related column calculations are defined. Common
uses of relational reporting include percentage of sales and percentage of
total expenses, however this concept may be used for any report that requires
reporting on a relationship between elements.
o Defining CBR (Base) rows in the Row Format
o Defining Column Layout calculations that work with CBR in the
Row Format
o Suppressing CBR in detail reports
Lab : Defining a Base Row
Lab : Multiple Base Row Definitions
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Define one or more CBR (base) rows in a Row Format
o Understand the proper placement of CBR rows
o Enter a calculated column in the Column Layout that references
the CBR rows
o Suppress CBR calculations for account details when drilling down
Module 14: Side by Side Reporting
This chapter continues working with Income Statement designs by
introducing a side by side presentation of departmental data.
o Using Account Filters in the Column Layout
o Restricting columns to specific Tree Units in the Column Layout
Lab : Side by Side Reporting with Filters
Lab : Side by Side Reporting with a Reporting Tree
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Create a Column Layout using Account Filters
o Create a Column Layout using the Reporting Unit restriction
o Understand how these two methods of side by side reporting
differ and when to use each
Module 15: Report Distribution
This chapter introduces a variety of topics related to report
distribution.
o Naming conventions
o Chain to Catalog ID functionality
o Report archive options
o E-mail distribution methods available in Microsoft FRx
o FRx WebPort distribution
o FRx Report Manager Demonstration
Lab : Chaining Report Catalogs
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Chain catalogs for easier report generation
o Understand the common methods for creating an archive of reports
o Distribute reports via E-mail
o Have a high level overview of WebPort and Report Manager,
optional components available with Microsoft FRx
Module 16: What’s Wrong?
This chapter gives students an opportunity to correct a report
containing some basic report design flaws.
o Importing a .tdb file
o Troubleshooting a report
Lab : Broken Income Statement
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Correct design errors in an existing report
Module 17: Troubleshooting
This chapter shows students how to perform basic maintenance
within Microsoft FRx.
o Rebuilding the GL Index (.G32 file)
o Compacting the Microsoft FRx Databases
o Getting additional help
o Report Design Guidelines
Lab : Rebuilding the GL Index
Lab : Compacting the Microsoft FRx Databases
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Delete the .G32 file, forcing it to rebuild
o Compact the Microsoft FRx Databases
o Understand where to get additional help
o Understand basic report design guidelines
Module 18: Advanced Concepts
This chapter introduces some creative uses for Microsoft FRx reports and previews some reports taught in the Report Design Essentials II course.
o Adding a Microsoft FRx report to Microsoft Office Outlook
o Adding report information to Excel and Microsoft Office Word
documents
o Overview of Microsoft FRx Report Design Essentials II training
class
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Think creatively about report display
Module 19: Appendix A: Solutions
This appendix contains solutions to quizzes and tutorials
completed during class.
Module 20: Appendix B: Using Report Launcher
This appendix covers the features and functionality of Microsoft FRx Report Launcher. Report Launcher is a separate Microsoft FRx component that allows users to generate reporting catalogs that have been created with FRx Report Designer.
Based on student needs, this appendix is optional for classroom
presentation.
o How does FRx Report Launcher differ from FRx Report Designer
o What are the functions available in FRx Report Launcher
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Use FRx Report Launcher to generate a Catalog
Module 21: Appendix C: Concept Review
This appendix is intended for future reference and contains a recap
of the functionality discussed in class.
o Row Formats
o Column Layouts
o Reporting Trees
o Catalog of Reports
Module 22: Appendix D: Security
This appendix provides an overview of the security options
available in FRx Report Designer.
o Network security
o Padlock security
o How to activate security in Microsoft FRx
o How to create Microsoft FRx users and groups
o How to apply component security within Microsoft FRx
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
o Use the padlock to secure a component
o Activate Microsoft FRx security and create users and groups
o Assign users or groups to Microsoft FRx components
Module 23: Appendix E: Report Manager
This appendix introduces the five simple steps to Report Book
creation and covers FRx Report Manager functionality.
o Report Book design
o Properties – General
o Headers and Footers
o Security
o Distribution
o Publishing
o File or Report Properties
o Report Options
o FRx DrillDown Viewer display
To Hire a proven Microsoft FRx Reports Subject Matter Expert Consultant and Instructor who teaches this class, call 800-798-3901 today!