Styling Reports

How to:

You can apply custom styling to specific areas of a report. When creating a report, you can perform the following styling customization.

Procedure: How to Apply Styling to an Entire Report

  1. Create a report, or open an existing report.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Report group, click Style.

    The Report Style dialog box opens.

  3. Select any of the following styling options that are available in the Style group.
    • Font. Opens a drop-down list, which you can use to change the font.
    • Font size. Opens a drop-down list, which you can use to change the font size value.
    • Bold. Applies bold font formatting to the selected text.
    • Italic. Applies italic font formatting to the selected text.
    • Underline. Underlines the selected text.
    • Justify Left. Aligns the text to the left of the canvas.
    • Justify Center. Aligns the text to the center of the canvas.
    • Justify Right. Aligns the text to the right of the canvas.
    • Font Color. Opens the Color dialog box, where you can select the font color.
    • Background Color. Opens the Color dialog box, where you can select the background color for the report.

      Note: If you have chosen to specify a color, you must click OK to return to the Report Style dialog box.

    • Currency Symbol. Opens a drop-down menu, from which you can choose a currency symbol. Options are US dollar, British Pound, Japanese Yen, Euro, New Israeli Shekel.
    • Reset to Quick Styles from Template. Resets all settings to the default settings from the template.

    Note: Reset only works while the Report Style dialog box is open. Once you click OK, all changes are committed. To undo global styling after it has been committed, you must use the Undo command on the Quick Access Toolbar.

    Preview. Displays the text as you have formatted it.

  4. Click OK. The report is styled accordingly.

Procedure: How to Perform Field-Level Styling in a Report

You can style data, column titles, or both, in the report output for the selected data source field.

  1. Create a report.
  2. In the Query pane, select a data source field.

    The Field tab appears on the ribbon.

  3. In the Style group, click one of the following:
    • Data Style. Styles only the data for the selected data source field.
    • Title Style. Styles only the column title for the selected data source field.
    • Data + Title. Styles both the data and the column title for the selected data source field.
  4. Select any of the following styling options that are available in the Style group.
    • Font. Opens a drop-down list, which you can use to change the font.
    • Font size. Opens a drop-down list, which you can use to change the font size value.
    • Font Color. Opens the Color dialog box, where you can select the font color.
    • Reset styling to default style. Resets any styling changes to the default style.
    • Bold. Applies bold font formatting to the selected text.
    • Italic. Applies italic font formatting to the selected text
    • Underline. Underlines the selected text.
    • Justify Left. Aligns the text to the left of the canvas.
    • Justify Center. Aligns the text to the center of the canvas.
    • Justify Right. Aligns the text to the right of the canvas.
    • Background Color. Click the button to open the Color dialog box, where you can select the background color for the report.

      Note: When working with font or background colors, you must click OK on the Color dialog box to return to the Report Style dialog box.

  5. Click OK. The report is styled accordingly.

Procedure: How to Add Headings and Footings to a Report

You can make a report more meaningful by adding headings and footings. Headings and footings supply context and key information about a report, such as its purpose and audience. Headings and footings also provide structure, helping you navigate to the detail sought. They enhance visual appeal.

In this procedure, you will add and style a report heading and page heading. The procedure uses sample values, but you can supply values that apply to your own reports.

Headings and Footings are available in Query Design view, Live Preview, and Document mode.

  1. Create a report.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Report group, click the Header & Footer button.

    The Header & Footer dialog box opens.

  3. Click the tab for the heading or footing element that you want to add.

    For a report, you can add a report heading, page heading, page footing, or report footing. By default, the Report Header tab is selected. In this procedure, accept the default.

  4. Click inside the design area of the dialog box, and type the text for the heading.

    For example, the text for a sample report heading might be Quantity Sold by Product.

  5. Using the styling ribbon, apply styling to the report heading text.

    For example, click HELVETICA from the Font drop-down list. From the Font size drop-down list, click 12.

    The sample report heading with the selected styling values is shown in the following image.

    Report Header Dialog Box
  6. Click Apply to save the changes you have made so far, without closing the dialog box.
  7. To add a page heading, click the Page Header tab.

    In this procedure, you are going to add one of the supplied quick text options.

  8. Click the last icon Insert Preformatted Text Content button (Insert preformatted text content for headers/footers) on the right of the styling ribbon, and click Confidential in the list.
  9. Change the font and font size. For example, change the font to HELVETICA and the size to 10.

    You can add your own text before or after the supplied text, for example, For Regional Managers Only.

    Report Page Header Dialog Box
  10. Click OK to save the report heading and page heading and close the Header & Footer dialog box.

    The report heading and page heading that you added and styled are shown in Live Preview in the following image.

    Report With Report Header and Page Header
  11. To make changes to either the report or page heading, right-click the heading and click Edit. You can also double-click on the header to open the Header & Footer dialog box.

Procedure: How to Style Headings and Footings in a Report

You can style headings and footings in the report output for the selected heading or footing field.

  1. Create a report.
  2. With the report opened in Live Preview, select the heading or footing text that you want to style.
  3. On the Home tab, in the Report group, click Header & Footer.

    The Header & Footer dialog box opens.

  4. Select any of the following styling options that are available in the Style dialog box.
    • Font. Opens a drop-down list, which you can use to change the font.
    • Font size. Opens a drop-down list, which you can use to change the font size value.
    • Bold. Applies bold font formatting to the selected text.
    • Italic. Applies italic font formatting to the selected text.
    • Underline. Underlines the selected text.
    • Justify Left. Aligns the text to the left of the canvas.
    • Justify Center. Aligns the text to the center of the canvas.
    • Justify Right. Aligns the text to the right of the canvas.
    • Font Color. Opens the Color dialog box, where you can select the font color.
    • Background Color. Opens the Color dialog box, where you can select the background color for the report.
    • Reset to Quick Styles from Template. Resets all settings to the default settings from the template.

      Note: Reset only works while the Report Style dialog box is open. Once you click OK, all changes are committed. To undo global styling after it has been committed, you must use the Undo command on the Quick Access Toolbar.

  5. Click OK. The report is styled accordingly.

Procedure: How to Style Rows of Data With Alternating Colors in a Report

You can style rows of data in a report with alternating colors.

  1. Create a report.
  2. Open the report in Live Preview.
  3. On the Home tab, in the Report group, click Banded.

    The Color dialog box opens.

  4. Select a color.
  5. Click OK.

    The selected color provides an alternating color scheme for the report. The report output displays alternating rows of data, using a white background for one row and a background of the selected color for the next row. This pattern continues throughout the report, as shown in the following image of Banded report output.

    Banded Report

Procedure: How to Apply Traffic Light Conditional Styling to a Report (By Constant)

You can apply traffic light conditional styling to data for a selected measure field. By default the report displays the values that satisfy the first condition in green, and the values that satisfy the second condition in red.

  1. Open a report in Live Preview.
  2. Open the Traffic Light Condition dialog box in one of the following ways:
    • Ribbon: Select a field on the report, and then on the Field tab, in the Display group, click Traffic Lights.
    • Shortcut Menu: Right-click a field on the report, point to More, and then click Traffic Light Conditions.

    The Traffic Light Condition dialog box opens.

  3. From the Relational Operators drop-down menu below the field name, click a relational operator. For example, Equal to.
  4. In the field to the right of the Relational Operators drop-down menu, click the down arrow for the Type drop-down menu.

    The Type menu opens.

  5. In the Type drop-down list, click Constant.
  6. Enter a value in the Value field.

    or

    1. From the Get Values drop-down menu, select one of the following values: All, First, Last, Minimum, Maximum, or From File. The value that you select appears in the Get Values field.
    2. Select the value in the Get Values field. The value that you selected appears in the Value field.
  7. Click OK.

    The value that you selected appears in the field to the right of the Relational Operators drop-down menu.

  8. Click the Style button.

    The Style menu opens.

  9. From the Style menu, click the Font Color or Background Color button.

    The Color dialog box opens.

  10. Select a color.
  11. Click OK.

    The color appears in the Preview box.

  12. Click Apply to apply the colors to the report.
  13. Click the Drill Down button.

    The Drill Down dialog box opens.

  14. In the Drill Down dialog box, use the radio buttons to specify the action you wish to perform. For example, drill down to a report or webpage, create an auto link target, or refresh a BI portal.
  15. Click OK to close the dialog box.
  16. In the Traffic Light Condition dialog box, click the New button to set traffic light conditions for additional fields.

Procedure: How to Apply Traffic Light Conditional Styling to a Report (By Field)

You can apply traffic light conditional styling to data for a selected measure field. By default, the report displays the values that satisfy the first condition in green, and the values that satisfy the second condition in red.

  1. Open a report in Live Preview.
  2. Open the Traffic Light Condition dialog box in one of the following ways:
    • Ribbon: Select a field on the report, and then on the Field tab, in the Display group, click Traffic Lights.
    • Shortcut Menu: Right-click a field on the report, point to More, and then click Traffic Light Conditions.

    The Traffic Light Condition dialog box opens.

  3. From the drop-down menu below the field name, select a relational operator. For example, Equal to.
  4. In the field to the right of the Relational Operators drop-down menu, click the arrow for the Type drop-down menu.

    The Type dialog box opens.

  5. In the Type drop-down list, select Field.

    The Type dialog box displays a list of the data fields that you can choose from.

  6. Select a data field from the list.
  7. Click OK.

    The field that you selected appears in the field to the right of the Relational Operators drop-down menu.

  8. Click the Style button.

    The Style menu opens.

  9. From the Style menu, click the Color button.

    The Color dialog box opens.

  10. Select a color.

    The color appears in the Preview box.

  11. Click OK.
  12. Click the Drill Down button.

    The Drill Down dialog opens.

  13. In the Drill Down dialog, specify each of the following:
    • Drill down to a report or a webpage
    • URL of the webpage
    • An alternate comment
    • Target (New Window, Same Window)
    • Parameters that you want to use (Name, Value)
  14. Click OK.
  15. Click the New button to set traffic light conditions for additional fields.

Procedure: How to Use Cell Padding in a Report

You can customize the amount of space inserted between rows and columns in a report.

  1. Open a report in Live Preview.
  2. On the Layout tab, in the Report group, click Cell Padding, and then click Custom.

    The Cell Padding dialog box opens.

  3. Type the cell padding values that you want in the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right fields.
  4. Click OK.

    The report reflects the cell padding that you set.

    The following image shows a report with custom cell padding.

    Report With Default Cell Padding