A subreport can be used for many things:

1. A "report within a report" to print multiple reports at once. Create a subreport for each report you want to add.

2. The detail portion of a master/detail report. Use a subreport to present data in a way that isn't possible in the main report. Subreports use different queries and permit unique data manipulation.

3. The drill-down portion of a drill-down report. Focus Reports supports drill-down reports -- Put the detail portion of the report into a subreport that will expand when the active field is clicked in the main report.

A subreport is placed into a report by clicking the Subreport button on the Advanced Components toolbar. Hovering the mouse cursor over each button on the toolbar will display the name of the tool. If the Advanced Components toolbar is not displayed, click View | Toolbars | Advanced Components to display it.

After placement of a subreport, tabs will appear at the bottom of the visual designer screen to permit switching the view between the main report and subreport.

Designing a subreport follows the same procedure as designing any other report with one exception. Each portion of a report (main report, subreport) must have a separate data pipeline. A data pipeline is a connection to MediSoft data through a query designed in the Data workspace. In other words, each part of the report must have a separate query.

To assign a data pipeline a separate query must first be created in the Data workspace. After creating the query, display the Design workspace, click the subreport tab to open that part of the report, then click Report | Data... and select the data pipeline from the drop-down list.

A thorough review of the use of subreports is provided in the Focus Reports Developer Advanced Training CD.