Flexible Columns gives you full control over the columns in a Report widget letting you compare actuals against forecasts, layer in variances, and tailor the view to suit the conversation you're having with your client.
Adding a Report widget
From inside a section in your custom report, click 'Report' to add a new Report widget.
The Editor panel will open on the right of your screen. This is where you'll do all your configuration: picking the report type, setting your dates, and building out your columns.
Choosing your report type
Use the 'Report type' dropdown to pick the base report you want to work from. The available options include:
Profit & Loss
Profit & Loss by Tracker
Cash Flow
Cash Flow by Tracker
Balance Sheet
Once you've selected a report type, the report will load with a single base column already in place which you can find at the bottom of the Editor panel. This is your anchor; the rest of the columns you add will build off it.
Setting up your global options
Above the Columns section, you'll find a few settings that apply to the report as a whole:
Dates: set your Period, choose between Global Date or a Custom Date for this report, and apply a Date Offset if you want to shift the range. In Global date it will be based on what is selected for your Global date selector at the top of the screen, which is why the drop down for Actuals vs Forecast will be greyed out.
Display Data: show your data Annually, Quarterly, or Monthly.
Compare with Previous: overlay one or more previous years.
Basis: switch between Cash and Accrual.
Include: toggle the Report Title Subheading on or off.
These settings define the framework of your report before you start adding columns.
Adding columns
Scroll down to the Columns section and click '+ Add Column'. You'll see five column types to choose from. Pick the one that matches what you want to show.
The five column types
Period: a period of time. Use this when you want to show data for a specific period (a particular month, quarter, or year). Period columns are the building blocks for most reports. For example, you might add a Period column for this year's actuals and another for this year's forecast.
Total: sums values across columns. Useful at the end of a report to show a year-to-date or season-to-date total.
Variance: the difference between two columns. When you add a Variance column, you'll be asked to select a Base Column and a Comparative Column. The result can be shown as a currency value, a percentage, or both. This is the column type to reach for when you want to show the difference between actual vs forecast, this year vs last year, or budget vs actual.
Metric: divides a column by a metric from your Formula Library. Use this to express your numbers as a per-unit value. For example, $/kgMS, $/ha, or cost per cow. The metric you divide by needs to already exist in the Formula Library.
Historical Average: calculates an average across other columns. Handy for showing how the current year compares to a rolling average.
Configure the column settings to suit your needs, then click 'Add Column'.
For a closer look at each column type including settings, examples, and when to use them see Column types in Flexible Columns.
Reordering and removing columns
In the Columns list on the Configuration panel, you can drag columns up and down to change their order on the report. To remove a column, select the three dots and click 'Delete'.
Saving and reusing your report
Once you're happy with the layout, save your custom report. Like any other Reporting Studio report, you can turn it into a template for your firm so others can create the same view in seconds.
Need a hand? If you've got questions or run into anything unexpected, drop us a message through the green chat bubble in Figured.