Post date: Nov 28, 2012 2:1:37 PM
The SMCP Query Selector is a querying tool (using standard SQL database syntax) that allows you to create custom queries (reports) against all of the data in the system. You can quickly create lists of customers, overdue invoices, slow moving items, search for orders with certain items or descriptions, list purchase orders or receipts that don't match, even review how often other reports are run and by whom. And unlike a report writer, the query tool can include secure links within the results, allowing you to 'drill down' into further information: to show the actual invoice, or purchase order, or edit the order, and so on. You can build prompts into your queries for things like 'starting date', or invoke a prompt for a customer number, order number - whatever you can imagine.
We've added the ability to save queries for future use. You can save a query as a 'public' query (meaning people with the 'List public queries' permission can use them) or as a 'private' query, meaning that it is only available to you. Each query is saved with a title and comment that you can add to identify it easily from a list at a later time.
Being able to save and re-use queries means that you can provide pre-built queries for other people to use; and it's as simple as picking the query from a list. Separate permissions for viewing public queries, viewing private queries, saving, and deleting queries insure that you can maintain fine control over who is allowed to use which queries.
A link on the query screen to the 'Data definitions' takes you to a complete list of the database tables and fields, including field types and sizes. This provides all you need to know to begin to develop your own queries and leverage your own data in the SMCP.