Last updated: 2025-11-21

Dynamic Reports - Report Setup

Overview

The Dynamic Report Setup wizard takes you step by step through the process of specifying the report name, column layout, filters and other options. The wizard opens when you create a Dynamic Report or modify an existing Dynamic Report.

To navigate through the wizard, use the Back and Next buttons at the bottom or click one of the numbered steps at the top of the wizard.

Important: There are two versions of the wizard: a new version designed to be easier to use and a classic version for users who prefer the original wizard. The version you see depends on whether the Enable new Dynamic Report Setup wizard setting is selected for your user account in User Preferences - Basic Info.

New Report Wizard

Video not available: New Dynamic Report Wizard

Note: You will see this version of the wizard if the Enable new Dynamic Report Setup wizard setting is selected in User Preferences - Basic Info. Otherwise, you will see the classic report wizard, which has some significant differences.

Details

Report Name: (Required) Enter a name for the report. The name will appear in Dynamic Report search results and other areas of the system.
Set Name: To limit the report results to a certain set of contacts, click the Set Name hyperlink to search for and select the set (for more information, see Searching for Sets).
Keywords: Enter a keyword or select an existing keyword from the drop-down list to make the report easier to find during a Dynamic Report search. If you have the Drop-down Choice Customization user right enabled in User Accounts - User Rights, you can click the Customize Choice button to add choices that will be available to all users in the office.

These additional settings are available when you expand the Options section:

Print Disclaimer: To append a disclaimer at the bottom of the report when it is printed, select the Print Disclaimer hyperlink to open the Disclaimer dialog box, and then select a report disclaimer. For more information about disclaimers, see [PDF Reports
Disclaimers](/help/pro/pdf/reports/-/disclaimers).
Excel Templates: To link the Dynamic Report to an Excel template and create an analytic report, select the Excel Templates hyperlink to search for the template. For more information about these types of reports and templates, see Analytic (Excel) Reports.

Only Modifiable by Me: Select this option to make the report read-only to other users. Other users will be able to view, run and copy the report, but they will not be able to edit or delete it (note that any user who has the Administrator: User Rights & Creation/Licenses/Groups user right will still be able to edit or delete the report).
Add to My Favorites: Select this option to add the report to your Favorites List. Favorite reports can be called up quickly when you perform a Dynamic Report search.

Available in SmartOffice Anywhere: Select this option to make the report available to users of the SmartOffice Anywhere mobile app.
Description: Enter a description of the report in this field. The description displays in Dynamic Report search results and can help users better understand the report's scope and purpose.

Report Category

Note: This step is visible for new reports only. It is not visible when you edit an existing report.

The Report Category step contains a list of popular report categories as well as a list of all available categories organized by report family. The choice of category determines the tables and columns that will be available for use in the report. Select a category to advance to the next step.

Tip: To find categories quickly, use the search box under All Categories.

List Layout

This step displays a preview of how the report's column layout will look and what data the report will display. You can add, remove and rearrange columns and define sorting, grouping and other options. You can also define filters to narrow down the data displayed.

Adding a Column

In the list on the left, find the column you want to add. You can browse the list or search for the column name using the search box.
Once you find the column, add it to the layout using one of these methods:

Drag the column to the column heading row in the layout preview
Select the column name, and then select the right-arrow button under Columns Selected The new column appears under Columns Selected, and the preview refreshes to display the column (the refresh may take a few moments).

Removing a Column

Remove a column from the report layout using one of these methods:

Drag the column heading from the layout preview to the column list on the left
Select the column name under Columns Selected, and then select the left-arrow button

The column name is removed from Columns Selected, and the layout refreshes to display the revised column layout (the refresh may take a few moments).

Rearranging Columns

To change the order in which the columns appear, drag column headings the layout preview left or right. After dragging a column, wait a few moments for the preview to refresh before dragging another column.

Another way to rearrange columns is to use the arrow buttons under Columns Selected. The steps for doing this are the same as those for rearranging columns in list layouts. For more information, see List Layout Customization.

Defining Column Attributes and Sorting/Grouping

The options in the Column Attributes and List Layout/Sorting/Grouping (G) Options sections are the same as those used for customizing list layouts in other areas of SmartOffice. For more information, see List Layout Customization.

Adding Filters

Under Filter, you can specify one or more filters that narrow down the data displayed in the report. There are two types of filters you can add:

Built-in filters: These are filters that exist only in the Dynamic Report you are creating and can be modified only when the report is modified. To add a built-in filter, click the New 'Filter' record button.
Stand-alone filters: These are filters that are saved in SmartOffice and can be used in other Dynamic Reports, as well as in searches and sets. Any changes made to a stand-alone filter outside of the report will change the results of the report. To find and add a stand-alone filter, click the Search Filters button.

For both types, the steps for specifying filter criteria are the same and are described in Filters - Creating a Filter.

Tip: To create filters more quickly, you can copy an existing filter that has already been added to the report, and then modify that copy. To do so, select the filter in the Filters list, and then select the Copy Filter button. For more information, watch the Copying Filter Criteria Fast Class.

Use the Advanced Filter drop-down list to filter records based on specific data that they either contain or do not contain. For more information, see Filters - Advanced Filter Criteria.

The Specify filter at run-time option gives you the chance to make non-permanent changes to the report's filter criteria when you run the report. Normally, when you run a Dynamic Report, the report results display without requesting any further input from you. Selecting this option displays a prompt when the report is run showing the report's current filter criteria and options to change those criteria. To prevent certain filter criteria from appearing in that prompt, select those criteria in the Filter Criteria list, and then select the Show/Hide Filter Criteria button.

Previewing the Report

To ensure that you've made the proper selections in List Layout, select Preview at the bottom of the window. SmartOffice will display the complete report results in a new window, just as they will appear when you run the report normally in SmartOffice.

Switching to Classic View

If you prefer to define list layout options and filters using the classic setup wizard, select Switch To Classic View in the upper-right corner. This takes you to the List Layout step of the classic setup wizard.

Automatic Report E-mailing

In the Automatic Report E-mailing step, you can create rules that automatically generate the Dynamic Report and send it as an e-mail attachment to specific recipients and/or upload it to an FTP server on a defined schedule.

Video not available: New Dynamic Report Wizard

The report can be generated either as a PDF file or a comma-separated values (CSV) file.

Note: To limit the attachment size, report results exceeding 20,000 records are not included in the attachment.

To create an e-mail rule:

Click the Options button and select New 'DR E-mail Rule' record to open the E-mail Rule Details dialog box.
Enter the appropriate options for the new rule:

E-mail Rule Name: A descriptive name for the rule that will appear in the Report E-mailing Rules list.
Run Report As: The SmartOffice user under whose account the report will be run. By default, this is the report's creator.
From: If the report will be e-mailed, this is the e-mail address that will appear in the From field. By default, this is the report creator's e-mail address. Note that if the user has configured a Microsoft 365 account for outgoing e-mail (see User Accounts - Detail Content Link), SmartOffice ignores any e-mail address entered in this field and uses the Microsoft 365 e-mail address.
E-mail Subject: If the report will be e-mailed, the text in this field will appear in the e-mail subject line.

Send to FTP: This option is visible to administrators only. To have the report uploaded automatically to an FTP server, select this option.
Report Format: Select the file format for the generated report: PDF or CSV. If you select CSV, use the Line Break Format drop-down list to choose the appropriate line break character.
E-mail Body: If the report will be e-mailed, the text in this field will appear in the e-mail body.

E-mail Frequency: Indicate how often you want the report to be e-mailed or uploaded.
E-mail Duration: Specify how long you want report e-mailing or uploading to continue.

Recipient Users: This section applies only if the report will be e-mailed. Specify the SmartOffice users who will receive the report.
Recipient Contact/Businesses: This section applies only if the report will be e-mailed. Specify any SmartOffice contacts or businesses who will receive the report.

Click the OK button.

To view and/or edit a rule after it has been created, click its first-column hyperlink in the Report E-mailing Rules list. To delete a rule, select the rule in the Report E-mailing Rules list. Then click the Options button and select Delete 'DR E-mail Rule' record.

Report Automation

In this step, you can specify automated actions that can be performed on contacts that meet the criteria in the Dynamic Report. Once these options are set, you can run report automation.

Report Automation

Campaign Name: Click the Campaign Name hyperlink to open the Search Campaign dialog box and select a marketing campaign. The contacts in the report will be automatically added to the campaign when the report is run.
Event: Click the Event hyperlink to open the Event List dialog box and select an event. Invitations to the event will be sent automatically to the contacts in the report when the report is run.

Options for Creating a Call Activity/Letter

Send Letter: Click the Send Letter hyperlink to open the Search Documents dialog box in order to send a letter automatically to the contacts in the report.
Create Calls: Select this option to create a Call-type activity.
Call Script: Click the Create Calls option to select a call script to be associated with the created activity.
Subject: Enter the subject for the call activity.
Activity Description: Enter a reason or other details about the call activity.

Classic Report Wizard

Note: Users see this version of the wizard when the Enable new Dynamic Report Setup wizard setting is not selected in User Preferences - Basic Info.

Report Category

Note: This step is visible for new reports only. It is not visible when the user is editing an existing report.

List Layout

The List Layout step defines the columns that the report will include, sorting, grouping and other aspects of the report's appearance. The options on the List Layout content link are the same as those used for customizing list layouts in other areas of SmartOffice. See List Layout Customization.

Details/Add Filter

In this step, the user names the report and specifies what data the report will contain by associating filters with the report.

Dynamic Report Name/Description

Report Name: Enter a name for the report. The name will display in Dynamic Report search results.
Keywords: Enter a keyword or select a keyword from the corresponding drop-down list to make the report easier to find during a Dynamic Report search.
Print Disclaimer: To append a disclaimer at the bottom of the report when it is printed, click the Print Disclaimer hyperlink to open the Disclaimer dialog box.
Excel Templates: Use this field to link the Dynamic Report to an Excel template. For more information, see Analytic (Excel) Reports.
Set Name: To limit the report results to a certain set of contacts, click the Set Name hyperlink to open the Search Sets dialog box.
Only Modifiable by Me: Select this option to make the report read-only to other users.
Add to My Favorites: Select this option to add the report to the Favorites List.

Description

Enter a description of the report in this field. The description displays in Dynamic Report search results and can help users better understand the report's scope and purpose.

The Filter(s) Associated with This Report

In this section, the user specifies the filters that determine which records will be included in the report. Two types of filters can be added to a Dynamic Report:

Built-in filters: These are filters that exist only in this Dynamic Report and can only be modified when modifying the report. To add a built-in filter, click the New 'Filter' record button.
Stand-alone filters: These are filters that are saved in the system and can be used in other Dynamic Reports, as well as in searches and sets. To find and add a stand-alone filter, click the Search Filters button.

For both types, the steps for specifying filter criteria are the same and are described in Creating a Filter.

Normally, when the user runs a Dynamic Report, the report results display without any further input from the user. To give the user the option of making make non-permanent changes to the report's filter parameters when running the report, select the Specify filter at run-time option.

Select the Available in SmartOffice Anywhere option to enable access to the report through SmartOffice Anywhere.

Automatic Report E-mailing

The Automatic Report E-mailing step in the classic wizard works the same as in the new wizard. See the Automatic Report E-mailing section above for details.

Report Automation

The Report Automation step in the classic wizard works the same as in the new wizard. See the Report Automation section above for details.

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