Asking For Your Report Correctly.

If you run a report, or any another function, in your software, and the results are not what you expect, do not automatically assume that "it is not working".  Instead, check the specific parameters that were chosen.

For example, we have a customer who runs a report which recalculates the minimum and maximum figures for inventory.  Many times personnel at there stores complain that "it is not working" correctly.  In every case, upon checking specific item, or items, that they are questioning, the result has been that the parameters used caused the item in question to be excluded.  In the majority of the cases, one of there BIN locations has a value in it, and their report parameters specify that the BIN location must be empty.  So, the report did exactly what it was requested to do, and excluded that item.

There are cases where a piece of software is truly not working properly.  By checking that the parameters that you are using are not what is causing a problem, will greatly reduce your frustration level.

There are also cases, where a combination of parameters is the underlying reason that something is not working as expected.  This is not immediately obvious.  There have been times I have had to take a copy of the data, and add the parameters one at a time, to determine which is causing the unexpected results.  Then, evaluate the data to determine exactly what the combination is that gives the results found.

In summary, checking the obvious parameters and data will many times help you address what are perceived to be problems with your software, that are in fact your software doing what it was told to do.  If that does not clear things up, then of course pass it on to your support vendor, who has the tools to look inside the program and data to determine exactly what is causing the results you are getting.  Whether it is due to parameter selection and interaction, or is truly an error in the program can then be determined, and a satisfactory resolution can be obtained.

If you are struggling with a report, contact CCS Retail Systems Support.   We have lots of experience resolving these kinds of problems.