Epicor Advanced Financial Reporting Feature Summary

Epicor Advanced Financial
Reporting Feature Summary

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Disclaimer
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Revision: June 23, 2014 8:26 a.m.
Total pages: 36
sys.ditaval
Epicor Advanced Financial Reporting Feature Summary
Contents
Contents
Epicor Advanced Financial Reporting Feature Summary.....................................................6
Version 10.0.700.............................................................................................................................................6
Replicate Data from Enterprise Databases.................................................................................................6
Version 10.0.600.............................................................................................................................................7
Single AFR Installer...................................................................................................................................7
Request License from Installer...................................................................................................................7
Multiple Source Replication.......................................................................................................................7
Daily Balances Replication.........................................................................................................................8
Replicate Data from Prophet 21 Databases...............................................................................................8
Change Replication Task Credentials.........................................................................................................8
Default SSRS Folder..................................................................................................................................9
Enable Segment Display Order..................................................................................................................9
Single From/To Parameters........................................................................................................................9
Rounding..................................................................................................................................................9
Override Numeric Format for Excel..........................................................................................................10
Unposted Balances Support....................................................................................................................10
Expression for All Companies..................................................................................................................11
Period and Book Filters for Rows.............................................................................................................11
Handling of Hide Rows with Zero Value Setting......................................................................................11
Override Numeric Format in Columns......................................................................................................12
Apply Separate Style for Column Headers...............................................................................................12
Account and Expression Fields in Reporting Trees....................................................................................12
Catch-All in Reporting Tree Wizard.........................................................................................................13
Inline Drill Down Reports........................................................................................................................13
RDL Merge Tool......................................................................................................................................13
View Reports in Web Browser.................................................................................................................14
Select Styles............................................................................................................................................14
Page Size and Orientation.......................................................................................................................14
Adjust Column Width.............................................................................................................................14
Adjust Header/Footer Width...................................................................................................................14
Batch Report Export................................................................................................................................15
Query User-Defined Tables in Reports.....................................................................................................15
Select Segments for Group By.................................................................................................................16
Version 9.05.702c..........................................................................................................................................16
Specify Location for Snapshot Scripts......................................................................................................16
Access Reports on Multiple SSRS Servers.................................................................................................16
Version 9.05.702...........................................................................................................................................17
Additional Row Set Wizards....................................................................................................................17
ODBC Driver for Microsoft Excel.............................................................................................................18
Column Expression Assistant...................................................................................................................18
Column Set Wizard.................................................................................................................................19
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Contents
Version 9.05.701...........................................................................................................................................20
Upgrade Support for Previous Versions...................................................................................................20
RDL Advanced Presentation Options.......................................................................................................20
Advanced Currency Conversion..............................................................................................................21
Row Grouping........................................................................................................................................22
Row Set Wizard......................................................................................................................................23
Reporting Tree Wizard............................................................................................................................24
Date and Period Formatting....................................................................................................................24
Select and Edit Multiple Rows or Columns..............................................................................................25
Renumber Rows.....................................................................................................................................25
Pre-Defined Report Templates.................................................................................................................25
Version 9.05.607a.........................................................................................................................................26
AFR Financial Data Security Manager......................................................................................................26
Multi-Currency.......................................................................................................................................27
Report Security.......................................................................................................................................27
Import from FRx Database......................................................................................................................28
Specify Row Number Increment..............................................................................................................28
Include RDLs in Export/Import.................................................................................................................28
Report Description in Header/Footer.......................................................................................................28
Version 9.05.607...........................................................................................................................................28
Import from Management Reporter Database.........................................................................................28
Version 9.05.606...........................................................................................................................................29
Display Only Natural Segments...............................................................................................................29
Format Date in Header/Footer.................................................................................................................29
Hide Columns With Empty/Zero Values...................................................................................................29
Open Balance Updated to Opening Balance............................................................................................30
Version 9.05.605...........................................................................................................................................30
Hide Columns.........................................................................................................................................30
Opening Debit and Credit Balance..........................................................................................................30
Display Currency.....................................................................................................................................30
Version 9.05.604...........................................................................................................................................31
User Properties.......................................................................................................................................31
Version 9.05.603...........................................................................................................................................31
SQL Query Timeout Setting.....................................................................................................................31
Version 9.05.602...........................................................................................................................................31
Local Language Support.........................................................................................................................31
Multi-Company Reports..........................................................................................................................32
Report Security.......................................................................................................................................32
Format Numeric Values...........................................................................................................................32
Convert RDLs..........................................................................................................................................32
Refresh RDL List......................................................................................................................................32
Version 9.05.601...........................................................................................................................................33
Multiple Books........................................................................................................................................33
Report Header and Footer.......................................................................................................................33
Updated Availability of Report Parameters...............................................................................................33
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Contents
Language Globalization..........................................................................................................................33
IF Function..............................................................................................................................................33
Version 9.05.600...........................................................................................................................................34
Supported Epicor ERP Applications..........................................................................................................34
Report Designer......................................................................................................................................34
Report Viewer.........................................................................................................................................34
Logon Server..........................................................................................................................................35
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Advanced Financial Reporting (AFR) is a financial report writer for complex management and financial reporting.
Use AFR to create, manage, and view custom GL reports for your Epicor ERP applications.
Advanced Financial Reporting Overview
Epicor AFR is a tool you can use to create general ledger (GL) reports, for example, a balance sheet or a cash
statement with multiple rows linked to the account schedule. GL reports differ from other data reports in that
each line in a GL report is typically defined in terms of an account range for which you must calculate a total.
AFR uses row sets, column sets and reporting trees to consolidate GL data.
Advanced Financial Reporting components include:
Epicor Financial Report Designer
Epicor AFR Viewer
Logon Service
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Database
SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio (optional)
AFR simplifies report creation with a user interface that uses familiar financial terms and does not require
familiarization with SQL query syntax or the database structure. A Reporting Database passes data from the
application to the Report Designer. The reporting database is an optimized for reporting performance database
containing financial data aggregated on the daily and period basis. This database is maintained by the Financial
Report Subscriber which is a plug-in for the existing Epicor Database Replication server.
To support several varieties of report browsing scenarios, AFR offers a web interface for viewing generated
reports.
The output of reports you design in Epicor Financial Report Designer (EFRD) is generated using Microsoft SQL
Server Business Intelligence Reporting Services (SSRS). All report designs can be managed using Microsoft SQL
Server Management Studio connecting to SQL reporting services. Reports can be published to the SQL reporting
services web site or to Microsoft SharePoint. You can optionally do more formatting of the report definition file
in SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio.
Additional components of AFR include the ability to import/export report definitions and the scheduling and
distribution of reports. This dependence on SSRS requires you to license Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (Standard or
Enterprise) and Epicor Replication Server.
Version 10.0.700
The following topics describe the Epicor Advanced Financial Reporting functionality released with the 10.0.700
service pack.
Replicate Data from Enterprise Databases

A new plugin was added to the AFR Replication Monitor, which enables replication of data from Enterprise
databases.
When you launch the AFR Replication Wizard from within the AFR Replication Monitor, select Enterprise in
the Source ERP Type window. Follow the subsequent wizard windows to select the source Enterprise (Control)
database. The Control database contains sytem information and currency rates. Company information from each
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Company database is then loaded automatically. For replication purposes, all the databases must be located on
the same SQL server, with the same security credentials.
Once you have initiated the replication tasks (in the same way as tasks for replication from other Epicor ERP
databases), you can create reports in the AFR Report Designer.
For details of which tables are replicated from an Enterprise database, view the application help for the AFR
Replication Monitor.
Version 10.0.600
The following topics describe the Epicor Advanced Financial Reporting functionality released with the 10.0.600
service pack.
Single AFR Installer

You can now install multiple AFR components from a single installer.
When you launch the AFR installer, in the Product Features window you can now select the components to install,
including the Logon Server, Report Designer, AFR ODBC Driver, and AFR Report Server.
Note By default, the AFR Report Viewer is not installed, because you can now view reports in a web
browser. However, you can still install the Report Viewer if required.
Request License from Installer

You can now request an AFR license direct from the installer.
When you run the AFR installer and have selected the product features to install, you reach the AFR License
window. Click Request to launch the Epicor AFR License Requester from the installer. Once you have requested
the license by email, and received the license file (.frlic), save it to the LogonServer folder, and enter the file
path in the License File field. Click Next to proceed with the installation.
Multiple Source Replication

You can now create replication tasks for multiple source databases of different types.
When you launch the AFR Replication Wizard, you can now select the Source ERP Type, for example Epicor 10
or Prophet 21. If you select the Epicor ERP option, you can select from both Epicor 9.05 or Epicor 10 source
databases.
You can also create replication tasks for multiple source databases, to replicate to one single target database.
Important Each company ID must be unique.
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Daily Balances Replication

When you create AFR replication tasks with the Replication Wizard, you can now select from two options on
how to aggregate daily balances.
In the AFR Replication Wizard, when the Type of Aggregation window displays, there are two options for
Aggregation behavior:
AFR 9.05 behavior - Aggregate using the full accounting string taken from transaction lines.
Aggregate using Balance Segment settings in ERP - Only balance segments are used to aggregate the
amounts. Other segments, for example a dynamic segment for customer, are not treated separately.
To view an illustrated example of the different treatments, view the online help in the AFR Replication Monitor.
Replicate Data from Prophet 21 Databases

A new plugin was added to the AFR Replication Monitor, which enables replication of data from Prophet 21
databases.
When you launch the AFR Replication Wizard from within the AFR Replication Monitor, select Prophet 21 in
the Source ERP Type window. Follow the subsequent wizard windows to select the source Prophet 21 database
and select which companies to replicate.
Note Because the Book concept is not part of Prophet 21, you make selections of companies and fiscal
years only.
Once you have initiated the replication tasks (in the same way as tasks for replication from other Epicor ERP
databases), you can create reports in the AFR Report Designer.
Due to the data that is replicated from a Prophet 21 financial database, there are some small differences that
affect report creation in the Report Designer:
As the multiple book concept does not exist in Prophet 21, when you have to enter a book definition in the
AFR Report Designer, simply use 1 as a hard-coded book ID.
Example On the Reports > Detail > Parameters sheet, you have to enter at least one Company.Book
string. So, for company Acme, enter Acme.1
As Prophet 21 replicated data does not include Currency Rate Type and Currency Conversion data, it is not
yet possible to use the Advanced Currency Conversion functionality in AFR with P21 data. Therefore, use the
Simple Currency Conversion, which involves manual entry of currency exchange rate details.
For details of which tables are replicated from a Prophet 21 database, view the application help for the AFR
Report Designer or AFR Replication Monitor.
Change Replication Task Credentials

In the AFR Replication Monitor you can now change the Windows credentials for existing replication tasks, which
removes the need to recreate tasks when a password expires.
This feature is especially useful if your organization requires regular password changes to Windows accounts.
In the Replication Monitor, when the ERP Databases sheet is in focus, click the Change replication task
credentials button to open the Task Security window. Here you can update the windows login and password
details, thus ensuring ongoing data replication.
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Default SSRS Folder

A new Default SSRS Folder field was added to the Settings > RDL sheet, which enables users to specify the folder
where all newly-generated or imported RDLs are placed.
If you do not specify a value, the default SSRS folder is called AFR.
Note If you change the default folder, it has no effect on RDLs that were already generated. They remain
at the path which was current at the time of their generation.
Enable Segment Display Order

The new Enable segment display order setting enables you to display GL accounts in AFR reports with the
same segment order as they display in your ERP system.
On the Tools > Settings > General sheet, select the Enable segment display order check box. GL accounts will
now display in the same segment order as you use in Epicor 9.05 or Epicor 10.
Note In a multi-company scenario, it is expected that the same accounts will use the same segment display
order. If this is not the case, each different display order displays as a separate row in the report.
Single From/To Parameters

There is now just one From and one To field in the report parameters. These fields accept both date and period
expressions.
This provides greater flexibility for selection of the start and end point for a report, as combinations of date and
period are now possible.
Conversion of these parameters from AFR 9.05 to AFR 10 is handled automatically when you upgrade to AFR
10.
Rounding
In the Numeric Format section for reports, rows, and columns, a new Rounding option field enables you to
select the rounding for numeric values.
To set rounding at the report level, use the Rounding option field on the Reports > Detail > Options sheet.
To set rounding for a specific row, navigate to the Row Sets > Detail > Row Definitions > Detail > General
sheet, select the Override report numeric format check box, and select an option from the Rounding option
field.
To set rounding for a specific column, navigate to the Column Sets > Column Definitions > Detail sheet,
select the Override row numeric format and Format as text check boxes, and select an option from the
Rounding option field.
Note For numeric format options, column settings override row settings, and row settings override report
settings.
The rounding options are:
No Rounding
Nearest Hundred
Thousands
Millions
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Billions
Tip To display the above options as whole numbers, combine the Rounding option with the appropriate
setting in the Decimal places field.
The following table gives examples of how numbers display, according to selections made in the Rounding Option
and Decimal Places fields.
Example number: 33,135,712.25
Rounding Option
Decimal Places = 2
Decimal Places = 0
No Rounding
33,135,712.25
33,135,712
Nearest Hundred
33,135,700
33,135,700
Thousands
33,135.71
33,136
Millions
33.14
33
Billions
0.03
Override Numeric Format for Excel

In column definitions, a new Format as text check box is enabled when you select Override row numeric
format.
If you generate reports for use in Microsoft Excel, and you want numerical data to transfer to Excel in the
Number format, select Override row numeric format on the Column Sets > Column Definitions > Detail
sheet for each column, and clear the Format as text check box.
When you generate the report in Excel, you can do any necessary numerical formatting within Excel.
Note The above combination of settings is specifically for users who generate reports in Excel, so that
numerical data can be formatted within Excel. If you use SSRS to view reports, and want to set the numeric
format for a specific column, select both Override row numeric format and Format as text. The Numeric
Format section for the column definition is then enabled.
Unposted Balances Support

Unposted transactions in Epicor ERP databases are now part of the data replicated to AFR the financial database,
where they are stored in separate tables.
Some report users require the ability to see posted balances separately from unposted balances. Therefore, in
the report parameters, you can select what kinds of balance data will display in the report - posted, unposted,
or both. Also, in each column, you can override the report parameter. Therefore, you can create separate columns
to view posted and unposted balances side-by-side.
In the report parameters (Reports > Detail > Parameters), a new PostedStatus field was added. There are
three options available in the drop-down list:
Posted - Only posted items are included in the balances.
Unposted - Only unposted items are included in the balances.
Both - Both posted and unposted items are included in the balances.
Note The option you select in the report parameters applies to the whole report, unless you override the
setting in a specific column.
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In each column definition (Column Sets > Column Definitions > List or Detail), use the new Posted Status
field to override the report parameter just for that column. The options are the same as for the report parameters,
with an additional <Default> option, which means the column uses the option selected in the report parameters.
Expression for All Companies

You can now select all company/book combinations in the report parameters Book field, using the * (asterisk)
as a wildcard.
On the Reports > Detail > Parameters sheet, in the Book field, enter * to denote all company/book combinations.
You can also limit the expression to a specific book within all applicable companies, with the expression *.BookID
(where BookID is the book you require).
In addition, if you enter only the company ID, you set the expression to include all books within that company,
for example, Epic06.
Click ... (ellipsis) to launch the Expression Builder. Here you can select <All Companies>, individual companies,
or a particular chart of accounts (COA). If you select a COA under a particular company, all company/book
combinations which use that COA within the company are included. Select a book ID under the <ANY COA>
node to include all company/book combinations that use the selected book.
Period and Book Filters for Rows

You can now filter individual rows by GL book and/or Period From/To. This works in a similar way to the filters
that already exist for columns.
On the Row Sets > Detail > Row Definitions > Detail (or List) sheet, you can enter filter values for a specific
row in the new Book, Period From and Period To fields. The same functionality already exists for columns.
To filter by book, simply enter or select the required Company.Book string.
To filter by period, enter the required date or period expression in the Period From and Period To fields. You can
also use the Expression Builder to assist you.
These row filters override the report-level Book, From and To parameters (set on the Reports > Detail > Parameters
sheet).
Important If period filters are specified for both rows and columns, the results are intersected. For example:
Row.From = Period (2013,1) and Row.To = Period (2013,12)
Column.From = Period (2013,4) and Column.To = Period (2014,4)
The effective filter for the cell is: Period From (2013,4) - Period To (2013,12).
Note The Book row filter does not pass to drill down reports in the current release.
Handling of Hide Rows with Zero Value Setting

The Hide Rows with Zero Value setting, on the Reports > Detail > Options sheet, was adjusted to insure rows
with an empty Expression field are not hidden by this setting.
This enhancement is especially useful if you like to create titles or sections using rows with empty expressions.
Now such rows will remain visible even if the Hide Rows with Zero Value check box is selected.
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Override Numeric Format in Columns

You can now override the numeric format for individual columns. This works in a similar way to the existing
functionality for rows.
To set formats for a particular column, navigate to the Column Sets > Column Definitions > Detail and select
the Override row numeric format check box, then set the Numeric Format fields as required. As with row sets,
you can override the following:
Decimal Places
Thousand separator symbol
Negative number wrap symbol
Show zero as
Currency symbol
Important As the check box suggests, column override settings take precedence over row override settings,
which in turn take precedence over the report parameters.
Apply Separate Style for Column Headers

You can now set the style for column headers, independent of the style for the column data.
On the Column Sets > Column Definitions > List sheet, click in the Header field, then set the required styles
for the header - font size, face, color, background, alignment, and so on. To set different formatting for the
column data, click in another field in the column, for example Expression, then set the required style.
To set the same formatting for both the column header and data, select the entire column in the tree view (or
click the arrow to the left of the column in the List sheet), then set the style.
Note Column style overrides row style settings.
Account and Expression Fields in Reporting Trees

Two new fields were added to the Reporting Trees > Nodes sheets: Account and Expression. These fields replace
the Group By field in previous service packs. You can now enter account filters and/or logical expressions within
a single reporting tree node.
On the Reporting Trees > Nodes > Detail ( and List) sheet, use the Account field to enter an expression to
filter by GL account, account category, or dictionary definition. This aspect is similar to expressions in Account
Sum and Account List row sets. Click the ellipsis button (...) to launch the Expression Builder if needed.
Use the Expression field to enter a filter based on a logical expression based on database fields. For example,
you can create a filter for a particular company or fiscal period. Enclose the value part of the expression in inverted
commas (" ").
Example
Company =
"EPIC03"
FiscalPeriod = "11"
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Catch-All in Reporting Tree Wizard

A Catch-All check box was added in the Reporting Tree Wizard. Select the check box to create an extra node
on a reporting tree level. This node will display data for all segments which did not exist when the reporting tree
was created.
This option is important for levels with dynamic segments, especially if they are linked to ERP entities.
Inline Drill Down Reports

You can now create inline drill down reports, so the parent report and its drill down load together and can be
viewed in the same report window.
When you select a drill down report on the Row Sets > Detail > Drill Down sheet in the Report Designer, there
is a new check box Display as inline subreport. If you select this check box, when you upload an RDL file for
the report, the child report is also uploaded.
When you display such a report in a web browser, or as a preview (or in the Report Viewer), each row in the
parent report can be expanded (+/-) to display the relevant child report details.
Note There is no obligation to update existing reports which have separate drill-down reports. The inline
method is optional. Whilst convenient, bear in mind that all connected reports load at the same time, so
the overall load time will be slightly longer.
If you change this setting for existing reports, the RDL files are updated automatically.
Note In this release, if you use inline drill down reports, it is not possible to use a different drill down for
individual rows (via Row Sets > Detail > Row Definitions > Detail > Drill Down). If you have such requirements,
stick to the non-inline drill down method. Also, column filters in the parent report do not pass to an inline
drill down report.
RDL Merge Tool

When you make certain changes to a report structure in the Report Designer, which would require an update to
the RDL file in MS Visual Studio, you can now update the RDL file within the Report Designer, using the Merge
tool.
This functionality applies especially to changes in the report definition's building blocks, for example:
Adding / removing a column
Adding / removing a header or footer row
The Merge on Save field, on the Reports > Detail > RDLs sheet, determines how the system synchronizes
changes to the report definitions with the associated RDL file(s).
Select Automatic from the drop down list to update the RDL according to default behaviors when you click
Save.
If you select the Manual option, when you save the RDL file the Merge window displays, which enables you to
select which aspects of the RDL file to overwrite or keep, with details of the Existing RDL value and the Result
RDL value that will overwrite it.
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View Reports in Web Browser

The AFR Report Server, part of the AFR installation pack, creates a web service, which enables users to view
AFR reports in a web browser.
You connect to the web service via the AFR Report Server option in the Windows Start menu. This launches your
default web browser, and displays the SSRS Home page. From there, you can access and view your AFR reports.
Internet Information Services (IIS) is required to use this functionality.
The AFR Report Server removes the need to view reports in the AFR Report Viewer. Therefore, the AFR Report
Viewer is not installed by default, though you can still install it if required.
When you select a report RDL in the Report Designer and click View Report, the report launches in your default
web browser.
Note If it is installed, the AFR Report Viewer is used instead.
Select Styles
You can now select from various style themes in Report Designer, Replication Monitor, and Data Security.
From the Tools menu, select Load Style Theme. By default, the AFR folder displays, with several themes already
available for selection. The default theme is Inspired.isl, which is also the default for Epicor 10.
Page Size and Orientation

On the Reports > Detail > Options sheet, you can now set page orientation and paper size for your report.
In the Page Size section, select either Portrait or Landscape (the default is portrait).
In the Paper Size field, select from a number of standard page sizes. Alternatively, manually enter the page size
(in inches) in the Width and Height fields.
Adjust Column Width

Use the new Reports > Detail > Body sheet to view and adjust column widths for the selected report.
The Body sheet displays the current width for all columns in the selected report. Drag column dividers to change
column widths. A dotted line on the right of the page shows the current page width limits. If you make the
overall column widths wider than the page width, when you click Save a warning displays, with the option to
keep the changes, reduce the column size to fit the page, or return to the Report Designer.
If the total width of the columns is higher or lower than the page width, select Fit Columns from the Actions
menu to automatically change the columns to fit the page width exactly.
Adjust Header/Footer Width

On the Reports > Detail > Header Footer sheet, you can now adjust the width of header and footer columns.
Drag column dividers in report headers or footers to adjust their width. A dotted line on the right of the page
shows the current page width limits. If you make the overall header or footer wider than the page width, when
you click Save a warning displays, with the option to keep the changes, reduce the width to fit the page, or
return to the Report Designer.
If the total width of the header or footer is higher or lower than the page width, select Fit Header and Footer
from the Actions menu to automatically change the width to fit the page width exactly.
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10.0.700
Batch Report Export

You can now set up schedules and subscriptions in MS SSRS to run AFR reports unattended, and export them
to a folder in a selected format.
This feature makes use of the Report Server Delivery extension in SSRS.
Note To use this feature, you must have an AFR license which is enabled for Report Scheduling. See the
latest AFR Install Guide for details on how to request such a license.
In simple terms, the following steps are required.
1.
Your AFR license must include the Report Scheduling capability.
2.
Within SSRS, set up suitable Windows credentials on the Properties sheet of the relevant AFR data source.
3.
In SSRS Site Settings, create a schedule to use in the subscription
4.
In SSRS, in the required report(s), create a subscription for each report, to determine the output type (for
example, PDF), the save location (write access required), access credentials, and the schedule to use.
Important You must also fill in the AFRLogonServerUri field. You can see the AFR Logon Server
address in the Report Designer window, on the status bar at the bottom. For example:
tcp://serverA:12345/.
Query User-Defined Tables in Reports

A new property was added to the Row Sets > User Properties function. The Query property enables users to query
data from non-AFR tables in the ERP database, using standard SQL query syntax.
On the Row Sets > Detail > User Properties sheet, you can now create a user property called Query. Once
you select a query in the Name field, and enter an Alias, click the ... (ellipsis) button in the Default field to
launch the Query Builder.
In the Query Builder, you can enter details for the SELECT, FROM, and WHERE sections of your SQL query.
In the SELECT field, specify the fields to retrieve from the table.
In the FROM field, right-click to select from a list of all non-AFR tables found in the Preview AFR financial
database.
In the WHERE field, you can right-click to select from report parameters, for example Company ID, Row or
Cell values, to include in the WHERE expression.
Example SELECT Name FROM MiscTable WHERE AccountField = {Row.Account}
Once you complete the details, click Check to verify the validity of the query, then click OK to accept the query.
This populates the Default field with the query (read-only).
Important Non-AFR tables are not part of the standard replication tasks set up with the AFR Replication
Monitor. Therefore, to replicate other tables from your ERP financial database, use SQL Management Studio
to create a new table within the AFR financial database, and set up a replication task to replicate the
required tables from your ERP database to your AFR financial database.
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Select Segments for Group By

In Account List rows, you can now select which GL account segments to group by in the Settings field.
When you create an Account List row type, click the ... (ellipsis) button in the Settings field to launch the Group
by the following window. Here you can select which GL account segments to include in the group by expression.
The default value is All. In previous AFR service packs, only Natural Segment (segment 1) was available to limit
the group by expression.
Once you select the segments you want to include, click OK to populate the Settings field. The format for the
expression is * (asterisk) for included segments, and - (dash) as the separator symbol. The expression is read-only.
Example If you include segments 1, 2 and 3 only, the expression is *-*-*------------- .
Version 9.05.702c
The following topics describe the Epicor Financial Report Designer functionality released with the 9.05.702c
service pack.
Specify Location for Snapshot Scripts

In the AFR Replication Wizard, when you create replication tasks, you can now specify the location to store
snapshot scripts.
By default, the snapshot scripts folder is located on the publisher (Epicor ERP) server. However, you can specify
an alternative location on a different server. Change this location in the AFR Replication Wizard - Miscellaneous
window (where you also set the Replication Task Name Prefix). In the Select path for shared folder field, specify
the snapshot scripts location, or click the ... (ellipsis) button to search for a location.
Access Reports on Multiple SSRS Servers

You can now link to multiple SSRS servers, while using just one AFR Logon Server. You can also specify the full
Report Manager URL.
In the AFR Logon Server config file (Epicor.FinancialReporter.LogonServer.WinService.exe.config, located in the
Logon Server folder), locate the <ReportViewer> element. In the <WebServiceUrl> element, enter additional SSRS
server URLs after the existing URL. Each URL must be on a separate line.
In the <ReportManagerUrl> element, you can specify the full URL. This can be, for example, an HTML file which
contains links to each of the SSRS servers.
In addition, you can specify a particular SSRS server, or individual report, in the command line for the Report
Viewer. Simply right-click on the Report Viewer icon on the desktop or Start menu, select Properties, then
append the full URL for the server or report at the end of the Start in string.
If you make changes to the AFR Logon Server config file, you must restart the Epicor AFR Logon Server service.
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Version 9.05.702
The following topics describe the Epicor Financial Report Designer functionality released with the 9.05.702 service
pack.
Additional Row Set Wizards

Two new wizards were added, which enable users to create row sets based on account categories or on segment
values.
Access the Row Set Wizard from the Tools > Wizards menu. This launches the Welcome window, where you
select the Chart of Accounts, and select which version of the wizard to use. All three versions work in a similar
way, with several windows where you specify settings.
Account Categories
In the Welcome window, select Build Row Definitions using Account Categories Hierarchy.
In the second window, Build Row Definitions using Account Categories Hierarchy, select which type of
account categories to include in the row set:
For all Categories
Only for Balance Sheet Categories
Only for Income Statement Categories
You can limit the number of sub-levels of categories to include, using the Restrict depth by field.
You can determine which type of rows are created in the row set: No Details (Account Sum rows); Summarized
by Natural Account (Account List rows which display only natural segments); Full Details (Account List rows).
In the third window, Row Definitions Formatting, specify how different levels of the row set will display. There
are four row types: Header, Summary, Details, and Footer. You can determine whether to show Title Only,
Title and Totals, or to Hide particular header or footer rows.
On the fourth and final window, Create Row Set, name and generate the row set.
As with the other versions of the Row Set Wizard, three user properties are created: LineType, Level, and
ReverseSign.
Segment Values
The Row Set Wizard based on segment values works in a similar way to the wizard for account categories. Select
Build Row Definitions using Segment Values in the Welcome window.
Instead of selecting categories in the second window, you select the segments on which to base the row set, for
example Chart, Department. You can also set an Effective Length for each segment. For example, if a segment's
maximum length is 4, and you set an effective length of 2, separate rows are created only where the first two
characters of the segment differ.
Also, the Catch-All check box enables the capture of all segments not available at the time of generation. This
is important for dynamic segments, especially if they are linked to ERP entities.
As with the wizard for account categories, you can filter which accounts are used: All Accounts, Balance Sheet
Accounts, or Income Statement Accounts.
Subsequent steps in the creation process are similar to those for the account categories version.
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ODBC Driver for Microsoft Excel

The new ODBC Driver for Excel enables users to generate a Microsoft Excel file for a report in the Report
Designer, which contains a predefined connection to the AFR data sources.
This driver enables end users to work with AFR reports in Excel, to view and adjust financial data in the reports,
and to customize the report using Excel functionality. This is significant for countries where reports must follow
strict presentation templates, for example, displaying a column set in two parts side-by-side.
To generate an Excel file with a predefined connection to the data source, open a report in the Report Designer,
then click Actions > Generate Excel file.
The generated file has two sheets:
Report Parameters - Displays the report parameters in the same way as the Report Designer. You can change
the parameters and click Refresh All (on the Data tab) to display updated report data.
Report - Displays the report data. The data update after you change the parameters and refresh.
To make the most of this tool, you can link fields on the Report sheet to an existing Excel report template, which
is formatted to your reporting requirements. Simply copy the report template sheet to the Excel worksheet you
generated. Then copy cells from the Report sheet to the required location on the template sheet. When you
change the report parameters and click Refresh All, the updated data displays on the template sheet as well.
Note To use this functionality, the Epicor AFR ODBC Driver must be installed. For details, refer to the
AFR Installation Guide.
Column Expression Assistant

The Column Expression Assistant is a powerful tool which simplifies the creation of columns and column definitions.
Users can set basic column options, such as accounting metrics, column header text, and fiscal period ranges
and fiscal years.
Launch the assistant from an existing column set. There are three versions, all accessed from the Actions menu
when a column set is selected in the Report Designer.
All versions of the Column Expression Assistant use three key concepts, which refer to aspects of the column
setup:
Reporting Indicator - Consists of several predefined accounting metrics, for example OpeningBalance,
DebitAmount.
Fiscal Period Range - Consists of selection of the period range itself (within a fiscal year), for example
From/To Period. The period range can include Rolling Periods ranges, which enable creation of multiple
columns, each to cover a period in the range. Use the Split By field to group these periods, for example by
fiscal quarter. Use the Progressive Total functionality to display cumulative totals in rolling period columns.
Fiscal Years - Consists of selection of the fiscal year (relative to the Reporting Year, which is determined by
the report parameters). This works on the Offset principle, where 0 is the Reporting Year, previous years
have a negative value, and future years have a positive value. Use the Compare options to compare other
fiscal years with the Reporting Year.
The three version of the Column Expression Assistant are:
Generate Multiple-User Defined Columns - The user manually selects the required Report Indicators, Fiscal
Period Range, and Fiscal Year(s), with appropriate parameters and options. The Column Expression Assistant
generates columns with the selected properties.
Generate Predefined Groups of Columns - The user selects the required predefined group(s) of columns,
for example the period ranges required, and the comparisons required. The Column Expression Assistant
generates the required columns.
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Single Column Update - Select the required details for a single column. This can be used to replace an
existing column, or add a new one.
Note If you select Start Column Expression Assistant for new columns on the Settings > General
tab in the Report Designer, the Single Column Update window launches whenever you create a new
column in a column set.
The assistants for multiple columns also have a Review option, which enables you to view, edit, rearrange or
delete particular columns. From the Review window, you can also launch a different version of the assistant, to
add additional columns.
The number of columns created depends on the reporting indicators selected, the number of different fiscal years
included, and the complexity of the fiscal period range.
Note The Column Expression Assistant is also accessed from within the Column Set Wizard, another
functionality new in version 9.05.702.
Column Set Wizard

Use the Column Set Wizard to generate column sets, including column definitions complete with column
headers and period ranges, in a few simple steps. You can also determine the columns that are created, based
on the type of report you want to make.
Within the wizard process, you can also access the Column Expression Assistant, a powerful new tool which
enables you to create multiple columns with header and period expressions.
Access the Column Set Wizard from the Tools > Wizards menu.
You can specify which identification columns to include in the column set, then select which kind of report for
which the column set is to be used, for example, Balance Sheet, Trial Balance.
At this point, you can generate the column set. This creates columns with the Expression and Header fields
populated.
Alternatively, to create more columns in the set, select Activate Column Expression Assistant to review and
adjust columns. When you proceed, the Review Generated Columns window launches. From here, you can
edit, rearrange, or delete columns. More importantly, you can launch any of the three Column Expression
Assistants, which enable you to add alternative accounting metrics, fiscal periods, and fiscal years. See the Column
Expression Assistant topic above for further details.
As with all wizards in AFR, in the final window, Create Column Set, name and generate the column set.
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Version 9.05.701
pack.
Upgrade Support for Previous Versions

To upgrade to the latest AFR version, it is no longer necessary to export reports before upgrading, then import
them into the new version. After upgrade, when you launch the Report Designer, you can now select a database
from a previous version, rename it, and convert it to the latest AFR version.
When you launch the Report Designer after upgrade to AFR version 9.05.701, on the Log on to Report Definition
DB window there is a new Show previous versions check box.
If you select this check box, you can select a previous database from the Database drop down list. When you
select such a database, and click OK, the Upgrade the report definition database window displays. Enter a
name for the database in the New Database Name field. Click Yes to create the new database, or No to cancel.
Note The new database must have a unique name. The old database is retained; it is not overwritten or
deleted.
RDL Advanced Presentation Options

Advanced Presentation Options have been added to the report parameters, which enable the use of drop down
lists for all the report parameters in the Epicor AFR Viewer at runtime.
On the Reports > Detail > Parameters sheet, there are two presentation options: Standard and Advanced.
With the Standard option, each report parameter (except Reporting Tree Node) is presented as a simple text-box
in the Epicor AFR Viewer, in which you can manually type the required values. This is the functionality found in
all previous AFR versions.
The Advanced presentation style enables you to decide what kind of drop-down list, check box, or calendar
pop-up is available for each parameter, as well as what currency conversion options are available, according to
the particular report requirements. For example, you can determine whether the report's book selection is
multi-book, or restricted to just one book. Similarly, you can decide whether to have drop-down lists to select
the fiscal year and period, or a calendar pop-up to select specific dates. You can also specify how currency
conversion is executed for the report. Set all these options in the Advanced Presentation Options section.
In the Book Selection Type field, specify whether users can select a single book or company, or multiple books
or companies, from a drop down list. In the Period/Date range selection type field, specify what period or
date options will be available on the report.
Select the Use Fiscal Year combo-box and Use Fiscal Period Number combo-box check boxes to enable
selection of values from drop down lists at report runtime, instead of requiring manual entry.
For more details of the options available for selection, refer to the Reports > Parameters topic in the Application
Help.
Once you have generated an RDL file, you can change the presentation options on the Reports > Detail > RDLs
sheet, then save the changes. You do not have to regenerate the RDL file after making such changes.
When you select Generate RDL File from the Actions menu, the RDL Generator window displays. There is a
new RDL Parameters sheet in this window, where you can change the presentation options for the particular
RDL generation, without changing the default options on the Reports > Detail > Parameters sheet.
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Advanced Currency Conversion

Multi-currency support has been significantly expanded. The Advanced Currency Conversion Definition option
- part of the new Advanced Presentation Options - enables the use of actual currency master and exchange rate
data replicated from an Epicor ERP application database.
In addition, you can separately set each report column to display in a different currency, which greatly improves
the options for side-by-side multi-currency reports.
The multi-currency logic now uses an additional parameter in all currency conversions: the CrossRateCurrency
value. Conversion works according to the following logic: The source book currency is converted to the cross-rate
currency, which is then converted to the specified report or column currency.
There are two methods of using multiple currencies in your reports: Simple Currency Conversion Definition
and Advanced Currency Conversion Definition.
On the Report > Detail > Parameters sheet, in the Advanced Presentation Options section, select a method
in the Currency Conversion Definition field.
Simple Currency Conversion Definition
Recommended when currency and exchange rate data is not replicated from your ERP system. This method
requires manual entry of the report currency, cross-rate currency, and exchange rate values.
This method is essentially similar to the multi-currency functionality introduced in AFR version 9.05.607a. The
report currency is still specified in the Currency field, but you must also specify the cross rate currency.
On the Column Definitions sheet, the new Currency field replaces the Convert to Report Currency check box.
From the drop down list, select Report Currency to display the column in the report currency at runtime. You
must also specify a GL book in the Book field.
Advanced Currency Conversion Definition
Recommended when currency and exchange rate data is replicated from your ERP system, for example, Epicor
9.05. This method enables selection of various currency-related values via drop down lists at report runtime.
You can specify the report currency and cross rate currency at report runtime. Apart from the currency itself, the
following data is also available for selection via drop down list at report runtime:
Rate Type - Corresponds to the Rate Type in Epicor 9.05, and specifies the conversion methods for currency
pairs. Epicor 9.05 allows for more than one rate type, therefore this option is also available for Advanced
Currency Conversion.
Rate Calculation Type - Two options are available. Select Spot Rate to use the exchange rate based on the
Rate Date parameter. Alternatively, select Period Average to apply an exchange rate based on a weighted
average for the specified report period or date range.
Rate Date - Enables you to select a date from a calendar pop-up. The exchange rate from this date is used
for the Spot Rate calculation.
On the Column Definitions sheet, in the Currency field, select a currency in which to display the column at
runtime. By default, this field is blank, which means no conversion is made in the column. If you specify a currency,
you must also specify a GL book in the Book field.
When you launch the report in Epicor AFR Viewer, the currency parameters can be selected from drop down lists
or entered manually. This makes multi-currency support far more flexible and versatile.
Note Advanced Currency Conversion Definition can only be used for data replicated from Epicor ERP. For
details on how to set up replication to include the required currency fields, refer to the AFR 9.05.701 Install
Guide.
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Row Grouping
A new row grouping functionality was added which enables users to group data in rows by each unique value
of a financial database field.
To set up a group, use the new Group Start and Group End row types to enclose required data rows in the
group. In the Group Start row's Expression field, specify the database field by which you want to group data.
You can also specify whether you want the grouping to be in ascending or descending order.
The following financial database fields can be used for row grouping:
Company
BookID
FiscalYear
FiscalPeriod
SegValue1 to SegValue16
JEDate (only usable if you use FromDate and ToDate in Report Parameters)
Data from Account List or Account Sum rows included in a row group is filtered and grouped according to the
field(s) specified in the Group Start row expression.
Example You want data on your report to be grouped by fiscal period, in ascending order. In the Group
Start row Expression field, enter FiscalPeriod ASC. To display groups in descending order, use the keyword
DESC.
You can place groups within other groups. Both the Group Start and Group End rows of a child group must be
inside the parent group's Group Start and Group End rows.
In the Description field of data rows, right-click to select the database field value(s) specified in the Group Start
expression. This enables users to identify which value is represented in each row.
To separate each grouping in the report, enter a formatting row before the Group End row.
If a Row Sum row is included in a group, or a Row Sum expression references a row found in a group, the result
is calculated according to a specific algorithm, and is dependant on the relative positions of the Row Sum element
and the group(s).
If the Row Sum element contains a link to a row in the same group, the value used by the Row Sum element
is equal to the value for the linked row in the group.
If the Row Sum element contains a link to a row in a child sub-group, the value used by the Row Sum element
is equal to the value for the linked row in the child sub-group.
If the Row Sum element contains a link to a row in a parent group, the value used by the Row Sum element
is equal to the value for the linked row in the parent group.
If the Row Sum element contains a link to a row outside a group, the value used by the Row Sum element is
equal to the value for the linked row.
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Row Set Wizard

A Row Set Wizard was added which enables users to create a row set based on a chart of accounts (COA),
using sections.
To create a row set with the wizard, select Wizards > Row Set Wizard from the Tools menu.
The process consists of five main stages:
1.
Select Chart of Accounts
2.
Define Partitions and Sections
3.
Fill Sections
4.
Define Formatting
5.
Name and Create Row Set
In the Select Chart Of Accounts field, select the COA you want to use to create the row set.
Click Next to move on to the Report Sections Definition window. In the Specify Partitions grid, create new
partitions. These represent the high-level headings in the row set. Select the Reverse Sign check box if the sign
should be reversed for all accounts under the partition.
In the Specify Sections grid, enter details of sections which come under each partition. Sections represent
specific headings in the row set. Each section has a sequential number, with a prefix of the partition number to
which the section belongs, for example, 2.4. You must select the appropriate partition in the Specify Partitions
grid, in order to create each section.
Alternatively, you can load hard-coded partitions and sections based on typical balance sheet or income statement
report structures. When you click Load Balance Sheet Sections (default) or Load Income Statement Sections
(default), the partitions and sections automatically load into the grids. For details, refer to the Default Sections
topic in the Application Help.
Click Next to move on to the Report Sections Filling window. Specify which natural accounts belong in each
section. The Balance Sheet Accounts or Income Statement Accounts check boxes enable you to filter the
available natural accounts by their type. To assign accounts to a section, you must first select a value in the
Partition and Section fields.
The Specify if details for each account to be included in Report field determines which row type is created
for all the rows. There are three available options:
No details - Creates Account Sum rows in the row set.
Summarized by Natural Account - Creates Account List rows with NS (Display only natural segments)
selected in the Row Definitions > Settings field.
Full Details - Creates normal Account List rows.
Click Next to move on to the Row Definitions Formatting window. Specify how the different levels of the
row set will display. For formatting purposes, there are three levels:
1.
Partition (Header and Footer)
2.
Section (Header and Footer)
3.
Summary or Details - Represents the data rows in the row set, of either Account Sum or Account List type.
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In the Exposition field, specify how the partition or section header or footer will display in the row set. You have
the option to display only the description (Title Only), the description and the sum total (Title and Totals), or
for the row not to display at all (Hide).
Click Next to move on to the Create Row Set window, where you specify a name for the row set. Click Finish.
Reporting Tree Wizard

A Reporting Tree Wizard was added which enables users to create a reporting tree based on a chart of accounts.
This greatly reduces the time taken to create reporting trees, especially those with a large number of nodes and
levels.
To create a reporting tree with the wizard, select Wizards > Reporting Tree Wizard from the Tools menu, On
the Tree Constructor screen, select the chart of accounts (COA) from which you want to create the reporting
tree.
Create at least one level in the grid. Levels correspond to node levels in the reporting tree. Specify an accounting
segment in the Source Segment field for each level, for example, Department. The Max Length field displays
the maximum number of characters for the selected segment. By default, the Effective Length field displays
the same as the Max Value field. If you reduce the Effective Length value, the resulting node expression uses the
asterisk (*) wildcard to the right of the digits. For example, 13*.
In the Node Name Template field, specify a format for naming each node in the reporting tree. Right-click to
select from several keywords. The default is [SegmentName]:[XXXX]/[AccountMask].
Note Each node must have a unique name. If the template you enter does not enable this, an error message
displays when you create the reporting tree.
Click Next to move to the Create Reporting Tree screen. In the Reporting Tree Name field, enter a name for
the reporting tree, then click Finish.
The new reporting tree displays in AFR Report Designer. Click Save.
Date and Period Formatting

A new functionality was added which report designers to specify how dates and fiscal periods display on reports.
This includes the ability to set default formats for an entire report definition database, for a particular report, or
for particular column headers, rows, or header/footers.
To set default display formats for a report definition database, select Settings from the Tools menu, then navigate
to the Default Formats sheet.
In the Date Format field, use the right-click menu to select from a variety of standard or custom date formats.
The Sample field displays an example of the selected format, or the system default if the Date Format field is
left blank.
In the Fiscal Period Format field, enter a default display format.
To set default formats for a particular report, navigate to the Reports > Detail > Options sheet, where you can
specify formats in the Date Format and Fiscal Period Format fields.
To set the format in a particular field, such as a column header, right-click in the field, select the required date
or period keyword, for example, @FromDate, and select the desired format from the menu.
The formatting of dates and periods follows this hierarchy:
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1.
Format specified in a particular row, column header, or header/footer expression.
2.
Format defined on report definition level (Reports > Detail > Options).
3.
Format specified on report definition database level (Tools > Settings > Default Formats).
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4.
For dates: Formatting specified in the Short date field in Region and Language settings in Windows
Control Panel.
For fiscal periods: YYYY[-S]/PP format string. For example, 2012/07.
For details of available date and period formats, refer to the application help.
Select and Edit Multiple Rows or Columns

You can now select multiple rows, columns, header/footer lines, or RDL files at once. This enhancement also
enables you to copy, paste, delete, and apply styles to multiple rows.
In the AFR Report Designer, in Row Definitions, Column Definitions, RDLs, Security, and Header/Footer
sheets, hold SHIFT to select a range of lines, or CTRL to select discrete lines.
Where styling is applicable, for example in row sets, you can apply styles to all the selected lines.
To delete multiple selected lines, click Delete. A confirmation window displays, to protect against accidental
deletion.
Note If you switch to the Row Definitions > Detail sheet, then click Delete, only the single displayed
row is deleted, even if you have selected multiple rows in the Row Definitions > List sheet.
To copy and paste rows, select the required rows, and select Copy from the Edit menu. Select the row under
which you wish to paste the additional rows, and select Paste from the Edit menu. The new rows keep the
formatting of the copied rows, and are re-numbered appropriately.
If you want to paste new rows between existing rows, there must be enough unused row numbers between the
existing rows to accommodate the new rows.
Example You copy ten rows, and try to paste them between rows 25 and 30. An error message displays.
Consider renumbering existing rows first, using the new Renumber Rows function.
Renumber Rows
A new option was added to the Actions menu which allows you to renumber the rows in an existing row set,
according to an increment value you specify.
To renumber rows, select Renumber Rows from the Actions menu. This option is only available if a sheet under
Row Sets is in view, or a row set is selected in the tree view.
In the Renumber using increment field, enter the value by which each row number will be incremented. The
default value is 10.
Select Adjust references for loaded associated Column Sets to apply the row number changes in column
set expressions which reference the row set.
Note The column sets must be open in the AFR Report Designer for changes to be applied.
Pre-Defined Report Templates

A new set of pre-defined Report Templates was created which you can download from EpicWeb for use with
Advanced Financial Reporting version 9.05.701.
The report templates are in .xml format. Once you have downloaded and saved the package, import the files
through the File > Import > Exported AFR reports option.
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The reports included in the download package are:

Standard Balance Sheet Summary Report
Detailed Balance Sheet Report
Standard Income Statement Report Summary with Detailed breakdown and General Ledger Journal Detail
General Ledger Journal Detail Report
General Ledger Trial Balance Report
Multi-Company/Multi-Book Income Statement Report Summary with Detailed breakdown and General Ledger
Journal Detail
The reports include standard account numbers, based on the Epicor 9.05 demo database. Once you have imported
the reports, you can adjust certain parameters and settings to fit your business needs. These reports come provided
with Epicor-built RDL files included, which are formatted in Landscape mode and specifically designed so minimal
effort is required in formatting or designing these types of financial report.
Instructions on how to modify the reports to match your business accounting structure are embedded within the
Reports Description. Additional Report Templates will be released with each future AFR release.
Version 9.05.607a
The following topics describe the Epicor Financial Report Designer functionality released with the 9.05.607a
service pack.
AFR Financial Data Security Manager

A new program was added to the AFR suite: AFR Financial Data Security. This enables you to restrict access to
particular financial data in reports to certain users and user groups. You can do this at the database, company,
book, and account level.
This standalone program, which installs automatically with the latest AFR service pack, uses three key elements
to set up restricted portions of financial data, and assign permissions to particular users or groups:
Account Sets - A portion of financial data, made up of one or more general ledger (GL) account mask
expressions, such as account ranges, account masks, account categories, and so on. Set up account sets for
each particular chart of accounts (COA). The pre-defined account set, <ALL ACCOUNTS> represents access
to all accounts in the particular COA. Set up account sets on the COAs > Detail and List sheets.
Account Masks - Expressions created for a particular account set, such as account ranges, account masks,
account categories, and so on. Use the Expression Builder to create more complex account masks. The
syntax used is the same as that in the Expression Builder in the AFR Report Designer. Set up account masks
on the COAs > Detail sheet.
Users or Groups - Users are identified by their Windows user login, which can belong to several user groups.
Grant permissions to users or user groups. Assign users to account sets on the Books sheet, in the particular
book.
To activate the data security settings set up in this program, you must select the Activate AFR Financial Data
Security check box.
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Multi-Currency
Multi-currency functionality was added which allows users to set a report currency for displaying reports, and
the ability to convert data from books with different currencies into the report currency.
Two new fields were added to the Report > Detail > Parameters sheet:
Currency - You can select the report currency from the drop down list or enter a value manually. The list of
available currency codes is made up of the currency codes from all books available in the AFR financial database.
CurrencyConversions - Manually enter currency exchange rates in this field. Each unique currency assigned
to any selected books is displayed in the format <CurrencyCode>/0.00. You must specify an exchange rate
value that is not zero (0.00). You can use either the * (multiply) or the / (divide) operator. The report currency
exchange rate displays as <CurrencyCode>*1.00.
These two fields were also added to the AFR Report Viewer, so you can select currencies and alter exchange rates
at runtime.
A new check box was added to the Column Sets > Column Definitions > Detail and List sheets.
Convert to Report Currency - Select this check box to convert the financial data in a column to the report
currency. For example, use this functionality when you specify in the column a book with a currency different
from the report currency.
Report Security
The existing security settings for editing reports now include separate security settings for editing each element
assigned to a report, namely row sets, column sets, reporting trees, and dictionaries.
In the AFR Report Designer, a Security tab displays under the sheet for each report element, namely Row Sets,
Column Sets, Reporting Trees, and Dictionaries.
The security settings work according to the logic in the following example:
There is a report, Report1.
RowSet1 and ColumnSet1 are assigned to Report1.
Users JSmith and HSanchez have Edit and View rights to Report1.
Only user JSmith has Edit rights to RowSet1.
Users HSanchez and KChu have Edit rights to ColumnSet1.
Based on the above settings, the behavior is as follows:
User JSmith can add other column sets to Report1, and can remove Columnset1 from Report1. They cannot
edit ColumnSet1.
User HSanchez can assign a different row set to Report1, but cannot edit RowSet1 .
User KChu can edit ColumnSet1. They cannot edit Report1, cannot add/change row sets/column sets in
Report1, and cannot edit RowSet1.
When you create a new element or report, the username of the Default Edit Access Role (set up in the Settings
> General window) and the currently logged in user are assigned Edit rights in the Security tab for the element.
To assign edit rights to additional users or user groups within a report or element, select New XXX Edit Access
from the New menu (where XXX is Report, Row Set, Column Set, Reporting Tree or Dictionary).
An element cannot be edited or deleted if the user does not have Edit rights for that element. This includes
adding, editing, or deleting Edit rights to the element itself.
This expansion does not affect View rights, which remain at the report level only.
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Each element must have at least one Edit permission. Otherwise, the element cannot be saved.
Import from FRx Database

The import functionality was extended to allow you to import and convert reports and dimensions from Microsoft
FRx for use in Advanced Financial Reporting.

To import reports and report dimensions, in the AFR Report Designer, select Import > FRx DB... from the File
menu, then select the FRx report definition database to open.
Select the reports and report dimensions you want to import and convert for use in AFR.
After conversion, the report and/or dimensions are available in the AFR Report Designer.
View the log file which is created to determine items which require attention before an AFR report can be created.
Specify Row Number Increment

You can now specify the sequence gap between new row sets when defining settings for your report. This is
beneficial to allow for a larger number than the default of 10 to avoid resequencing in the future when creating
large reports.
A new field has been added to the General Settings sheet. From the New row number increment in a row
set field, enter the number of rows you would like in-between row sets.
Include RDLs in Export/Import

It is now possible to include RDL files in the Export and Import functionalities in AFR Report Designer.
When exporting reports, select the Include RDLs check box on the Export Reports window to include RDL files
in the XML file you export and save.
When importing reports, select the Include RDLs check on the Import window to include RDL files in the import.
Report Description in Header/Footer

The ReportDescription value was added to the values available for selection in report header and footer fields.
On the Reports > Detail > Header Footer sheet, right-click to access the context menu which contains values
for selection in the header or footer cell.
The ReportDescription value displays the contents of the Description field on the Reports > Detail > General
sheet.
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Import from Management Reporter Database

An import functionality was added to allow users to import and convert reports and dimensions from a Microsoft
Management Reporter database, for use in Advanced Financial Reporting.
To import reports and report dimensions, select Import > Management Reporter DB... from the File menu.
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Select the reports and report dimensions you want to import and convert for use in AFR.
View the log file which is created to determine items which require attention before an AFR report can be created.
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Display Only Natural Segments

A Settings field was added to the Row Set > Row Definitions > Detail and List sheets to allow users to display
only the natural account segment on rows in the report.
To display only natural segments, in the Settings field, enter NS. Alternatively, click on the ... (ellipsis) button
and select the Display only natural segments check box.
Note This option is only available in rows with the Account List row type.
Format Date in Header/Footer

A Format option was added to the context menus for fields in the Reports > Detail > Header Footer sheet,
to allow users to display the date and time in various different formats.
To select a date and format, right-click in the required header or footer field, select Format, select one of the
options: @FromDate, @ToDate, or Now, and select the required date format.
The @FromDate and @ToDate values are taken from the report parameters.
The formats available are based on the Standard Date and Time Format Strings in Microsoft.NET.
Hide Columns With Empty/Zero Values

New values were added to the Visible text box in the Column Set > Column Definitions > Detail and List
sheets.
In addition to the True and False options, the following expressions are available, all of which return a result of
either true or false, which determines whether a column displays or not:
Column.IsNotZeroOrEmpty - The column only displays if there is at least one field in the column which
contains a text value or non-zero integer.
Column.FromPeriod >= @FromPeriod - The column only displays if the column's Period From filter is equal
to or later than the FromPeriod value in report parameters.
Column.ToPeriod <= @ToPeriod - The column only displays if the column's Period To filter is equal to or
earlier than the ToPeriod value in report parameters.
<Expression...> - Opens the Expression Builder, where you can specify other parameters to create an expression
which evaluates as true or false.
Example Column.FromPeriod = @ToPeriod
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Open Balance Updated to Opening Balance

Previously, when building a column set, one was allowed to choose debit, credit, or open balance as a financial
keyword expression. The name open balance has now been changed to opening balance, since the balance
amount refers to the open sum at the end of the month/ period.
Also in this release, a new expression selection called open balance was added. This calculated balance refers to
the open sum at the beginning of the month/period.
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Hide Columns
A Visible text box was added to the Column Set > Column Definitions > Detail and List sheets to allow users
to optionally hide columns in AFR reports.
To hide a column, in the Column Sets > Column Definitions > Detail or List sheet, click the button next to
the Visible text box and select False.
The purpose of the hide column option is to enable the hiding of columns which should not display on the final
report, such as columns containing complex expressions which lead to final results in other columns.
Opening Debit and Credit Balance

Two new keywords were added to the Financial Data Keywords in Column Definitions - Expression Builder:
OpeningDebitBalance and OpeningCreditBalance.
The purpose of separate opening balances for debit and credit is to meet reporting requirements in some countries,
such as Russia.
This feature also facilitates the reporting of amounts in different locations on the report, according to whether
there is a debit or credit balance.
Display Currency
A new keyword, Book.CurrencyCode, was added to allow users to display the currency code of the report,
based on the book(s) specified in the report parameters.
This keyword is available for selection in the context menu on the Reports > Detail > Header Footer sheet,
and also in the Header field in Column Sets > Column Definitions sheets. The path in the context menu is
Book > [CompanyID] > [BookID] > CurrencyCode.
When used in a report header or footer cell, this keyword returns the currency code defined for the book specified
in the report parameters. If there are multiple books with different currencies specified, a comma delimited list
of currencies displays.
When used in a column header, the keyword returns the currency code of the book specified in the column's
Book Filter. If no book is specified in the filter, the keyword returns an empty string.
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User Properties
A User Properties sheet was added to the the Row > Details sheet to allow users to optionally define row
properties in AFR reports.
To create a new user-defined property, from the New menu, select Row Set User Property.
The purpose of user-defined properties is to enable the display of values other than those provided by the normal
functions, such as Row Number, Row Description, Account Description, and so on. Once you create a new
property, you can assign values the properties on each row in the Row Definitions > List sheet. You can reference
these properties in column expressions to display the values on your reports or use them as variables in expressions.
There are four types of user-defined properties available: Character, Number, Boolean, and DateTime. You
can create up to ten properties of each type.
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SQL Query Timeout Setting

You can now define how long a SQL query (executed AFR report) can be idle before it stops, or times out.
You enter this value in seconds on the General sheet (found under Tools > Settings) and the default number of
seconds is 180 (3 minutes).
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Local Language Support

The Report Designer interface can be localized to display various languages. You do this by purchasing a language
pack from Epicor, uncompressing these files, and then copying over various string files within your Epicor Advanced
Financial Reporting installation.
Epicor AFR is delivered with English as the default language. Other languages are available for installation using
local language packs. The process includes downloading and installing the language pack into the environment
so that it can be accessed by Epicor AFR.
For installation instructions, review the Epicor Advanced Financial Reporting Installation Guide. The Install Local
Language Support section describes how you install the localization files within your AFR environment.
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Various languages are currently available from Epicor for the Advanced Financial Reporting application and more
languages will be released in the future. To find out which languages are available, contact your Epicor customer
account manager.
Multi-Company Reports
Each report can display the financial results from multiple companies. You do this by first defining the company
and then the specific book from that company you want included on the report.
You define which companies and books you want to display within each row. To do this, launch the Expression
Builder within the specific row and select the specific company and book you want to display in the row.
Be sure the books you select to include on the report share the same fiscal period structure. If they do not, you
will receive poor results on the report.
Report Security
You can restrict which users view and/or edit each advanced financial report. To do this, you limit access to each
report by selecting Windows users and/or Windows local groups.
You assign security to each report within the Report Designer. Under the Report tab, a Security sheet is available
where you can assign specific Windows users and/or local groups to the report. Only the specific users and users
contained within the selected local groups can then run the financial report.
Users can either have Edit or View permission on the report. The users who have View permission can only run
and display the report, while users with Edit permission can make changes to the report within the Report
Designer.
Format Numeric Values

You can define the numeric format for all row values in a report or on a row by row basis.
You define the default numeric format for all rows on the Reports > Options sheet. You select the Override
report numeric format check box on a specific row definition to override the numeric format for that row.
Once you override the numeric format on a row you can define a different numeric format in the row definition.
Convert RDLs
Use the Convert RDLs action to transform report definition language files previously customized by users, to the
new version of AFR. The conversion process backs up the RDL by copying the original file to the /AFR.bak folder
located on the server where Microsoft SQL Reporting Services is installed.
Refresh RDL List

Select the Refresh RDL list action to update the list of RDLs for a selected report.
Selecting Refresh RDL list activates a search of all RDLs saved to the \AFR folder that reference the selected report.
The \AFR folder is located on the server where Microsoft SQL Reporting Services is installed.
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Multiple Books
You can display the financial results from multiple books together on the same report.
To leverage this functionality, you define the parameters to include results from the specific books you want to
appear on the report.
Report Header and Footer

You can define a header and footer for the report and specify what you want to print in the left, middle, and
right sections of the report.
You have the ability to enter multiple lines and insert images in any section of the report's header and footer.
Formatting (such as font selection, size, color, and spacing) is available for each cell in the header and footer.
Parameter values, based on the parameter values from the application, are also available to select in each cell.
Updated Availability of Report Parameters

A new option to use report parameters in Column Period From and Period To expressions is now available in
Epicor Advanced Financial Reporting (AFR).
Use of report parameters in the column period expressions improves the inflexible static definition of column
from and to periods, such as Period(2011,1). You can now add dynamic column definitions, such as
Period(FiscalYear(@ToPeriod),1.
Language Globalization
The Report Designer interface can now be modified to display using different languages.
You leverage this feature by first installing a file that contains the language strings translated for the Report
Designer. You then run the VantageLocalizer utility to make these strings available for display within the Report
Designer. This translation utility is installed with your Epicor application.
You then configure the Report Designer to see this new language file by modifying its Culture Code value to
match the code for the installed language. When users launch the Report Designer, the interface displays using
the new language.
IF Function
The IF function is introduced.
In certain cases, the calculated values are to be shown in different places depending on the sign or other conditions.
For example, amount must be shown in the Gain or Loss column depending on its sign.
Another case where conditional operations are strictly required is in the replacing of zero-values in some cells by
a specified indicator. In Russian reports, some cells which are always zero by nature, or when zero value is
expected, shall be filled by 'X' sign.
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Supported Epicor ERP Applications

You use the Epicor Financial Report Designer to create reports for Epicor ERP. Leverage this application to create
unique financial reports that display the information you need.
Report Designer
Report authors use the report designer to create SQL Server Reporting Services report definition files (.rdl). You
can view the rdl files through the Report Viewer or generate them for display in a variety of other formats.
Row sets, columns sets and reporting trees
The main building blocks for AFR reports are row sets, column set and reporting trees. Once these items are
defined, you can combine them for view in a report.
Row sets - Row sets can be created of types: Account Sum, Account List, Row Sum, Single under score, Double
under score, single underline, double underline or page break. Rows are pre numbered to 200, but you can add
additional rows if you need. Row set versions can also be created to accommodate multiple GL books. Use the
Expression Builder to select the account(s), account category(s), or dictionary definition for each report row. A
font control is available for the formatting of font type and size.
Column sets - Column sets can be based on summarized balances or transactions lines. Column definitions can
use Expression Builder, Header, PeriodFrom, PeriodTo, FilterAccounts and FilterBooks.
Reporting trees - Use reporting trees to create reporting hierarchies by company and chart of accounts. You
can further define reporting trees by account ranges, account categories, and dictionaries you define.
Putting the report elements together and creating .rdl
You give each report a name, select the reporting tree, and row set. You can then add one or more column sets
and set parameter values. You can also set the option to hide rows with zero values.
You can also preview the report within the Report Designer by highlighting it, clicking the Actions menu, and
selecting the preview option. When you are satisfied with the report, use the Actions menu again to generate
the .rdl file. You can save the .rdl to the file, system and/or upload to SQL Server Reporting Services report server
site. Optionally you can choose to further format the .rdl file in SQL Server Business Intelligence Development
Studio or SQL Server Report Builder.
Report Viewer
The Report Viewer is configured with the URLs to the SQL Server Reporting Services Report Manager and Report
Server.
Users open the report viewer and can select to view published reports they have been enabled to see.
Administrators can manage user access to reports using the SQL Server Reporting Services Report Manager.
Once a report is opened, users can use the SQL Server Reporting Services Report toolbar which allows them to
navigate through reports by page, search for words or numbers, zoom and print. Depending on the report, the
Report toolbar also may allow them to enter report parameters.
Also on the Report toolbar is the capability to export reports to the following formats:
XML
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CSV
Acrobat (PDF)
Microsoft Excel
TIFF
Logon Server
The AFR Logon Server service is installed on a server on your network. It provides centralized license management.
The Logon Server tracks both Report Designer and Report Viewer concurrent license use.
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Additional information is available at the Education and

Documentation areas of the EPICweb Customer Portal. To access
this site, you need a Site ID and an EPICweb account. To create an
account, go to http://support.epicor.com.

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