Working with the Report Design Window

You use the Report Design window to build and modify a report. Using this window, you can add objects to a report and modify their properties. Microsoft provides numerous Report, Report Grouping, and Control properties. These are described throughout the remainder of this hour and in Hour 17, “Power Report Techniques.” By modifying these properties, you can create reports with diverse looks and functionality.

Understanding the Report Design Tools

To help you design reports, several report design tools are available, including the Properties, Toolbox, Field List, and Sorting and Grouping windows. Two toolbars are also available to make developing and customizing reports easier: the Report Design toolbar and the Formatting toolbar. The Report Design toolbar offers tools for saving, previewing, and printing a report and for cutting, copying, and pasting report objects. The Formatting toolbar is specifically designed to help you customize the look of a report. It includes tools for changing the font, font size, alignment, color, shading, and other physical attributes of the report objects.