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      Format Spreadsheet Reports

      Format Spreadsheet Reports Laura Vautour

      The Report Format step lets you customize your report.

      System Merge Fields

      • Each field selected in the “Select Fields” step will display as a “merge field” in the report formatter. Engagifii uses merge fields to bring information from your tracked bills into your report.

      • Merge Fields are delimited with "$[" (dollar sign, open square bracket) at the beginning of the field and "]$" (close square bracket, dollar sign) at the end of the field.

      • You must leave the special characters around the merge fields, or the system will not know where to put the information from your tracked bills!

      Report Formatting Tools

      1. Undo / Redo buttons

      2. Insert Picture (by referencing an image in an online location)
        Note: you can also copy and paste an image into a report from the clipboard.

      3. Insert Link
        Link to other locations/files on the Internet.

      4. Cut

      5. Copy

      6. Paste (drop down selection)
        All
        Values
        Format

      7. Cell Format Options (drop down selection)
        General
        Number
        Currency
        Accounting
        Short Date
        Long Date
        Time
        Percentage
        Fraction
        Scientific
        Text

      8. Font
        Note: Arial and Verdana fonts work very well for on-screen viewing.

      9. Font Size

      10. Text Formatting
        Bold
        Italics
        Strikethrough
        Underline
        Color

      11. Hide Gridlines

      12. Fill Color

      13. Borders

      14. Merge Cells

      15. Alignment
        Left
        Center
        Right

      16. Vertical Alignment (in cell)

      17. Text Wrap

      18. Conditional Formatting

      19. Clear
        Clear all
        Clear Formats
        Clear Contents
        Clear Hyperlinks

      20. Sort and Filter Options
        Ascending
        Descending
        Custom Sort
        Filter

      21. Find

      Example Report w/No Formatting:

      You can certainly use the report without formatting, however there will be some things that look better if you do a little formatting.

      Here are some specific changes that are easy to make on this example:

      1. Replace the # in the column header with the words Bill Number, leave it centered. Make the column smaller.
        Sort on this column, bill number.

      2. Make the Title column wider to accommodate more words and make the text wrap.

      3. Center the data in the column.

      4. Change the column heading to Link to Full Text and make the column smaller.

      5. Center the information in the Status columm.

      6. Make the Staff Analysis column wider and make the text wrap.

      7. Center the data in the column.

      Tips:

      • To format an entire column, click in the column heading at the top on the column label (letters).

      • Change the column heading name to make it more clear.

      • Sort on the bill number column to present the information in order by bill number.

      • Make columns wider by positioning your mouse on the left or right side of the lettered column headings, until it becomes a 2 headed arrow, then click and drag to the desired width (like Excel).

      • Use color to make information stand out.

      11. When you have completed your formatting, click Save & Next.

      Moves you to the Publish step.

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