PC-SPAN® Version 4 creates reports using some advanced new features of XML - Extensible Markup Language - and Internet Explorer version 5. When you select the Reports tab (either click on it, or select it from the menu using View Reports), a temporary SPAN® document is created, which is then opened in the Reports module.  The window will now display two panes:

• On the left, the Contents pane, which allows you to select from the set of available reports, and
  
• On the right, the Report pane, in which the selected report will display.

On the Contents pane, there are several report folders. Click on these to open the folder, and display the list of reports within the folder, and again to close the folder. By default, the Portfolio reports folder is open when you first enter the Reports tab.

Click on a specific report to prepare it.

Entering Report Parameters
Depending on the report you select and the data available, dialog boxes may display so that you can select particular report parameters.

For example, suppose you have selected the Positions report, and you have several portfolios defined at each of several different points in time.  In this case, first a dialog box will display allowing you to select the particular point in time.  Then a second dialog box will display allowing you to select one or more portfolios to be included in the report.  You can also use the standard Windows Shift-Click and/or Ctrl-Click combinations to select more than one portfolio.

Working with Reports
Once you have requested a particular report and specified any necessary parameters, a small dialog box will display advising you to wait while the report is being generated.  When it is ready, that dialog box will disappear.

The report will now display in the Report pane, with the Report button bar at the top of the pane.  Here's what each button does:

• At the right-hand side of the button bar, you'll see the Page, Go To Page, and Page Size fields:
  • The Page button shows you how many pages the report consists of, and which of them is displayed now.  For example:  "Page 1 of 6."
  • The Go To Page button allows you to go directly to a particular page. Enter the desired page number, and click on the button to display that page.
  • The Page Size shows the number of data lines which are included per page. Change this value as desired, and click on the button to change the page size.  The report will then be re-paginated automatically.
    
• In the middle of the button bar, you'll see the First, Previous, Next and Last buttons.  Use Previous or Next to go backward or forward one page at a time, and First or Last to jump directly to the first or last page of the report.
  
• On the left-hand side of the button bar, you'll see the following buttons:
  • Click the Hide button to hide the contents pane, providing more room on the screen for viewing the report. Click it again to display the contents pane again.
  • Click the Print Current Page button to print just the currently displayed report page.
  • Click the Print All Report Pages button to print the entire report.
  • Click the Save button to save the report to a file, so that you can view it or print it again without having to rerun it.

Almost all of the reports print nicely in the default portrait mode.  Occasionally, you may need to change a report to landscape mode.  You may do this by using the Properties button for the printer, after you have clicked on either the Print Current Page or the Print All Report Pages buttons.