Multiple column layouts for FRx Quarter to Date Reports -- A little extra setup eliminates on-going maintenance.

Many FRx users need to create Quarter to Date Reports which, of course, need to pull data from different time periods depending on what quarter is being reported on. And many users are manually changing the periods in the column layout everytime the quarter changes -- This is un-necessary! Instead you can create 4 separate column layouts (using the first one as a template for the other three) and then use the "Effective Dates" feature on the report catalog for the column layout.

Each column layout would be the same except for the period reference in the GL type column(s) as follows:
Q1 would have "1 TO BASE"
Q2 would have "4 TO BASE,
Q3 would have "7 TO BASE"
Q4 would have "10 TO BASE"

On the report catalog for the Quarter to Date report, mark the Effective Dates box for the column layout. A small window opens with 2 columns - Column Layout and Period. On the first 3 lines, enter the Q1 column layout in the first column and enter 1 to 3 in the second column respectively. On the next 3 lines, enter the Q2 column layout in the first column and enter 4 to 6 in the second column respectively. Continue on for Q3 and Q4 and click OK when done. The window will look something like this:



When you run the report, FRx looks at the BASE period and determines which column layout to use according to what was entered in the Effective Dates window. If the base period is 6, FRx will use the column layout for Q2. If the base period is 8, FRx will use the column layout for Q3, and so forth.

This Effective Dates feature is available for row formats and reporting trees as well.