When to use Preview Report or View PDF
At the bottom of the Configure Report Screen, you will find the following two options:
and
This article outlines the advantages of each and when one will be more beneficial than the other.
- Report displays to the screen in the original browser window
- Each page is separate (can jump to a page)
- Usually can use the browser's back button to go back to configure the report differently
- Can Drill Down on some items
- Report may generate a little faster
- If you use the printer icon while previewing the report:
- There will be a header and footer on the page
- The footer will have different information
- The addition of the header will increase the number of pages that print and may print a final blank page containing only the header/footer.
- Formatting will be different from either PDF option as shown below.
Report format when print icon selected from the Preview Report option
- If you use the disk icon to create a PDF
- There is not header
- There are lines separating column headings
- There are lines indicating a total
- The footer information will be different from that in the Preview Report
- Formatting will be different
Report format when PDF save icon or save/open icon is selected from the Preview Report option
- Continuous pages
- Can scroll through the pages
- Use the Find Function (Ctrl + F) to open a search box
- Can use the printer icon or File → Print
- Drill Down may be blocked but it does work in many instances
- Formatting has a more professional look
Updated