django-report-builder

A GUI for Django ORM. Build custom queries and display results. Targets sys admins and capable end users who might not be able to program or gain direct interactive shell access.

News

I'm starting another report related Django project to create a framework for more customized, less flexible, and easier to use reports. Interested? Check it out this: https://github.com/burke-software/django-report-builder/issues/77

Of course Report Builder is still dear to my heart. The two projects are doing very seperate use cases. Hopefully I'll have time to update soon. Pull requests are always welcome :)

What is Django Report Builder?

What's finished?

• Add filters
• Add display fields
• Preview and create xlsx reports
• Very simple security, user must have change or "view" permission to view reports. Unprivileged users can still build reports and see database schema.
• Model properties (thanks yekibud)
• Support for django-custom-fields
• Export to Report global admin action

What isn't

• "or" filters together
• More exports, views
• Decent form validation

Installation

1. pip install django-report-builder

2. Add report_builder to INSTALLED_APPS

3. Add url(r'^report_builder/', include('report_builder.urls')) to url.py url patterns

4. Sync your database, we don't recommend running migrations on the initial install.

   ./manage.py syncdb --all

   ./manage.py migrate --fake report_builder

5. Use admin access

6. (Optional) Limit which models can be used by adding in settings.py

   REPORT_BUILDER_INCLUDE = []

   REPORT_BUILDER_EXCLUDE = ['user'] # Allow all models except User to be accessed

You may also limit which fields in a model can be used. Just add the property:

report_builder_exclude_fields = () # Lists or tuple of excluded fields

Export to Report action is disabled by default. To enable set

REPORT_BUILDER_GLOBAL_EXPORT = True

Django-SIS Example

Django-SIS is a good example integration of report_builder. Note we've given report_builder a grappelli theme by modifying templates.

Access the admin report builder site (sampleurl/admin/report_builder). The following report builder dashboard screen appears:

This dashboard will allow the user to view any reports that have previously been created. Additionally, users will have the option of utilizing the available filter to quickly access, sort, and view previous reports by status, date, and root model.

Starred Reports are utilized to mark important reports, or reports that will be frequently generated. Users may quickly sort the dash to view only starred reports by selecting the View Starred Reports button located towards the top of the dashboard.

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Creating a New Report

From the report builder main screen described above, select Add Report located at the top right-hand corner of the dash. The Add Report screen displays- name and root model (students, applicants, workers, etc.) are required fields.

It may also be helpful to include an extended description as shown above to provide other users with a more clear direction of how the report is used. Once the information has been entered, select Save Your newly created report will now show as the most recent report in the dash, where you can then edit accordingly:

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Editing a Report

All created reports have the option of being edited. Using the newly created report from above, to begin editing, select the pencil icon located under the Edit column by the respective report, in this instance: Basic Student-Worker Information.

With the Report Display Fields tab selected, click and drag the fields from the list of available options located at the bottom-left side of the screen into the empty area located directly to the right while the appropiate tab is still selected. Save your selection.

Note: The Expand Related Fields field located in the box above the current fields list allows users to access expanded fields/information. Selecting one option will generate the expanded fields in the box below where you can then drag and drop into the space available accordingly.

After dragging your specified fields and saving, users then have the option to preview the report by selecting the Preview Report tab. This will generate a preview, where users can then export into an Excel/Libre-Calc document, as shown below:

Using the Report Filters Tab

The Report Filters option is designed to give users the ability to further refine their data. Refining information functions similiar to editing your report, simply select the Report Filters tab and use the available fields list to drag and drop into the empty area.

Using the example above, consider the use case of a user wanting to pull the student-worker data from before, but only for males working on Mondays.

1. Drag and drop Working day and sex into the open area as shown below.
2. Under the value header, select Monday, and Male accordingly.
3. Click Save then enter preview tab to view and download into Excel.

Extending and integrating django-report-builder

Format

Note many python format features require >= 2.7 http://docs.python.org/2/library/string.html#string-formatting

You may add formats in /admin/report_builder/format. See http://docs.python.org/2/library/string.html#format-examples

There are also some examples included in the south migrations. If you use south django-report-builder comes with a few formats for you.

Integrations

Give django-report-builder a native look and feel. django-sis shows a good example of a django-grappelli like style.

https://github.com/burke-software/django-sis/tree/master/templates/report_builder

Note I use django-apptemplates in this example to specify which app template I'm extending.