5. Running Smart Report Suite (srs) Reports
5.1. Introduction: Smart Reporting
The Smart Report Suite (srs) is a report library in Partner. srs contains dozens of powerful reports, all with a consistent interface. If you learn to run one srs report, you will have learned to run them all.
Read below to learn how to operate srs and run reports. The criteria options in srs allow you to create thousands of different reports. You will learn about setting criteria to limit the report output and about storing your criteria for later use. The last section below will teach you how to export your srs reports for use in a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.
 | One of the most powerful features of srs is report creation and modification. If you need a personalized report with particular columns and subtotals, PCC can create that report for you. If you want more freedom and control in Partner reporting, PCC can teach you how to use srsgen, a program for creating and modifying srs reports. With srsgen and srs's built-in criteria options, nearly any report you imagine is possible. |
5.2. Quickstart: Run an srs Report
Follow these steps to run any srs report.
Run srs
You can run the Smart Report Suite from the Practice Management window, or by typing srs at a command prompt.
Select a Report Category
For your convenience, srs reports are sorted into several categories. Choose a category and press [F1 -- Select Category] to see a list of reports on the subject you have chosen:
Choose a Report and Press [F1 -- Select Report]
Use the arrow keys to pick from the list of reports and press F1 to run the report. Press Page Down to see the rest of the list if there are too many report to fit on one screen. Reports are sorted alphabetically by name.
Enter a Date Range
The report will only only include data from within the specified date range. After entering "from" and "to" dates, press [F1 -- Generate Report] to continue.
Some reports may ask additional questions about the date range. In the example above, srs needs to know if the dates entered should limit the output based on the date of the transaction (Transaction Date) or based on the date the information was entered into Partner (Posting Date).
Review Criteria and Press [F1 -- Process]
Read the sections below to learn more about criteria options. To use the default settings, simply double-check the dates you entered and press [F1 -- Accept Criteria].
Choose the Output Destination and Press [F1 -- Process]
You can send srs output to the screen, a printer, your e-mail inbox, or to a workstation or Partner server account. You can also change the format so it will work in a spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice. Read below to learn more about these output destination options.
Review Results
When the results appear on your screen, you can press Page Down or the space bar to scroll through them. Use the right and left arrow keys if the report extends off the side of the screen. Read the Reporting in Partner manual for a complete guide to your options while viewing a report.
When you are finished reading the report, press F12 or Q to quit the report. srs will ask you if you want a printed copy, and then return you to the report's date selection screen.
5.3. Working with Criteria
You may wish to run an srs report for only one provider, one procedure group (such as "Well Visits"), or a combination of restrictions. srs allows you to restrict by a wide variety of criteria. Once you have configured a set of criteria for a report, you can save and restore that criteria at a later date.
5.3.1. Adding Criteria
Follow the steps below to learn how to add criteria restrictions to an srs report.
Select and Run the Report
Find and begin running the desired report in srs. Enter a date range for the report.
Press [F8 -- Add Criteria]
On the "Confirm Criteria" screen, press F8 to add criteria.
Enter or Search For the Criteria Categories
Enter each of the criteria categories you want to use to restrict the report.
You can enter an asterisk (*) to view a list of all available criteria and select the one you want to use as a restriction.
As with other look-up fields in Partner, you can also use the asterisk to search for a particular word or phrase. For example, enter "*insurance*" to see a list of restriction items containing "insurance."
Press [F1 -- Proceed] to Continue
For Each Criteria You Chose, Make a Selection
For every criteria category you selected, srs will show you a screen with a list of possible restrictions. Select each item (or group) you wish to include on your report and press [F1 -- Process].
As with the restriction lists in other Partner reports, you can use the [F5 -- List By Group] and [F6 -- List By Pattern] functions to make selecting the desired criteria faster. Read the Advance Criteria Screens section of Partner Reporting for more information.
Review Criteria Selections, Run the Report
When you are finished with each of the restriction list pages, srs will return you to the Review Criteria page. Check your work and press [F8 -- Add/Edit Criteria] again if you need to make changes. Press [F1 -- Confirm] to run the report.
5.3.2. Saving and Retrieving Criteria
On the Review Criteria page, you will see two options for saving your criteria selections:
- [F4 -- Save As Default]
Press F4 to save the current report criteria as your personal default. Whenever you log in and run this report, the criteria you have assigned and the restrictions you selected will be used automatically.
- [F5 -- Save Rpt Criteria]
Press [F5] to save the current report criteria to a file that can be restored later. You will see a screen asking you to name and describe the criteria you have selected. Be as clear and detailed as possible.
You can save multiple sets of criteria and then retrieve them from the date selection screen whenever you run the report.
When you wish to retrieve a saved criteria file, press [F8 -- Restore Criteria] from the Date selection screen:
Select the criteria set that you wish to retrieve, and press [F1 -- Restore File] to load it into the report.
| If you want to share your custom criteria with someone else in your office, save it as a set as described above. Then show your coworker how to retrieve your saved report criteria. They can then press [F4 -- Save As Default] and they will never need to open the criteria file again. |
5.4. Exporting srs Results to a Spreadsheet
You or your practice's accountant may use financial data from Partner to analyze profits and make policy decisions for the future of your practice. srs can produce thousands of different reports, but you may wish to export those reports to another program, such as a spreadsheet, in order to make graphs or combine the numbers with other information.
5.4.1. Transfer an srs Report to Your Personal Computer
The first step is to run an srs report and transfer the resulting file to your computer. There are two methods of doing this.
5.4.1.1. Option 1: E-Mail
If you use a graphical e-mail program, such as Mozilla Thunderbird or Microsoft's Outlook Express, you can send yourself a "Comma Separated" e-mail containing srs data. You can then save the e-mail to a file on your computer and open it in your spreadsheet program.
Select and Run the srs Report
Run srs, choose the category and report you need, and enter the desired date range. You can retrieve or add criteria to limit the output, if desired.
Select "E-mail", Enter an Address, and Select "Spreadsheet (Excel)"
On the Report Output Selection screen, choose "E-mail" as the destination and "Spreadsheet (Excel)" as the output format. If the default e-mail address is not correct, enter a different address. Press [F1 -- Generate Report] to continue.
Check Your E-Mail
After a few minutes, the report should appear in your e-mail inbox.
Save the E-Mail to a File
Click on the "File" menu and select "Save As..."
Pick a Save Location
Use the standard Windows save dialog to save your report in an appropriate location. If a "File Type" or "Save as type" option is visible, change it to "Text File" as shown.
5.4.1.2. Option 2: File Transfer in AniTa
If you are using AniTa, you can create a report file in srs and then run a file transfer. Follow the procedure below.
Select and Run the srs Report
Run srs, choose the category and report you need, and enter the desired date range. You can retrieve or add criteria to limit the output, if desired.
Select "Save to Workstation" and "Spreadsheet (Excel)"
On the Destination Selection screen, choose "Save to Workstation" as the destination and "Spreadsheet (Excel)" as the output format. Press [F1 -- Generate Report] to continue.
Press [F1 -- Start Transfer]
After reading the instructions on the screen, press F1 to begin the transfer. The instructions for AniTa may be different from the instructions for Tera Term or other programs that connect to Partner.
You will see a message telling you to start your YMODEM transfer:
Choose "File Transfer" from the File Menu
Click on the "File" menu and select "File Transfer" to start the communication between your Partner server and your personal computer.
Click "Receive"
Click the "Receive" button in the resulting dialog box.
When the file has finished transferring to your personal computer, srs will return to the date selection screen.
Where is the File? After a File Transfer, your report will be stored in the "PCC" folder on your C: drive.
5.4.2. Opening srs Files in a Spreadsheet Program
After you have completed one of the transfer processes described above, you will find the transferred file on your computer. If you used the e-mail method, you could save the file to any location. If you ran a file transfer through AniTa, the file will be in the C:/pcc directory of your personal computer. Follow the procedure below to load the report into an Excel or OpenOffice spreadsheet.
Launch Your Spreadsheet Program
First, run your spreadsheet program. There are many different spreadsheet programs. The most common one is Microsoft Excel™. Another popular program that is compatible with Microsoft Excel is Calc, which is part of OpenOffice.org's office program suite. PCC recommends OpenOffice to its clients and can provide some assistance with installing and using it.
Click on the "File" Menu and Select "Open..."
From within your spreadsheet program, choose the Open option from the File menu:
Find Your srs File
If you are familiar with moving around in Windows folders, this part will be easy. If not, you can find files transferred through AniTa by clicking on "My Computer," "C:," and the "PCC" folder. If you saved the report from an e-mail message, look in your My Documents folder, or wherever you saved the message.
Select Your File and Click "Open"
You may see several files in the PCC folder. Fortunately, srs gives the file a name that is based on the date you ran the report. Click on a file to select it and then click "Open."
Confirm Data Formatting Details
Some spreadsheet programs, including OpenOffice's Calc, will show you a brief summary of how the data will be imported. There may be options on the screen allowing you to import the data in a different way.
The default settings should work fine, but you should double-check that "Comma" or "Comma Separated" is selected.
View Your Data, Make Adjustments
Your spreadsheet program should load the data from the file into a new spreadsheet.
You may wish to make adjustments to the column widths if the contents of the fields do not fit perfectly. Once your data is in a spreadsheet, you can manipulate it using the various calculation features of the spreadsheet, generate graphs and charts, and create attractive, printable reports for presentations.
If you want to learn more about using a spreadsheet program, there are many books and online resources available. For help with OpenOffice, visit OpenOffice.org or contact PCC for installation assistance.