FRX Tips and Tricks

 

Frx is the GL reporting engine for all Solomon users.   Here are some tips for working smarter with FRx:

 

 

Row Tricks:

 

1)      Use wild cards and ranges as much as possible in row definitions.  By following this trick, you will new less maintenance to your row definitions when new accounts are added.

 

i.e.     10??                        As a linked reference

or 1010 to 1099

 

 

2)  When creating Tot or Total commands in a row definition, it is a good practice to use a range than includes the underline code

Row    Description               Format                       Link code

Code                                 Code

2180                                 Desc

2184 Product Cogs                                              4020

2200 Sub Contractor Cogs                                    4035

2300 Misc. Cogs                                                  4099

2313                                 ---                                    

2325 Total Cogs TOT  2180 TO 2313                                

 

Totals are easier to maintain when new accounts are inserted within these range, since maintenance is typically not required for these sections

 

 

 

3)      You can copy your hand typed descriptions from FRx to Excel, where you can check spelling within Excel.

4)     You can use the find and replace feature within FRx .  This feature is under Edit/ Find.

5)     You can put a remark in your row format.  Use the REM format code and in the description column, enter your note/ remark. 

a.      It is a good idea to use the REM idea for creating an audit trail as to when the report was created, modified and who did the changes and what type of changes were done.

6)     FRX can create a solid line running across the report.  This is done by selecting the format code: LNE and in the description column you will need to enter TYPE=1  (creates a thin line) or TYPE=2 (creates a thick line) or TYPE =3 creates a dotted line or TYPE =4 creates two thick lines followed by a thin line or TYPE=5 creates two thin lines followed by a thick line.   You can apply any font you like to the line to change its color or boldness.

 

7)     Keyboard shortcuts are: F1 = help, F2 = edit and F3 = zoom

 

 

8)     Create rows at the bottom of your report as check figures. 

 

Sample rows for a balance sheet:

Row    Description               Format                       Link code

Code                                 Code

3000      page break                         PI

3010      check sum   total Assets                                                    =1???

 

                        Sample rows for a Profit and Loss report                                                 

Row    Description               Format                       Link code

Code                                 Code

4000      page break                         PI

4010      net income check                                                               4000 to 9999

 

Note:  check figures always appearing on a new page and they can be also set up to report on an exception basis.  In the balance sheet example above, we could make row 3010 as a non printing row by inserting the NP command in column F (Prnt Control).  Next add a new line 3020 which is a Tot format code which subtracts line 3010 from the total asset line on your regular balance sheet.  This line 3020 only prints if there is a non zero value when you set up the print control for column F as X0, B0

 

           

 

           

 

 

In a later article we will cover hints and tips for Column and Catalogs areas of your FRX designer reports