Creating report with a lot of subsummaries and monthly columns - using executesql queries?

[Rachel]

This is my first time posting, and I apologize if this is the wrong place. I've only been filemakering for a few months, so again, apologies if this is a stupid problem.

I could use some advice.

 

I'm working on a solution that must create monthly reports in the following form:

 

http://i.imgur.com/Cf4Fjic.png

 

I've given up trying to bend the summary fields to my will, and began using the following approach:

 

Make two new tables - Queries and Reports.

 

In queries table, I have fields for M1, M2, M3, Region, Category, Subcategory and four result fields (M1, M2, M3 and YTD.) I also have foreign key into the reports table.

 

Then in reports table, I portal into the Queries table.

 

When report is run, a bunch of queries in queries table are created. The Results are populated via ExecuteSQL expressions.

 

My question is mainly this:

Is this too backwards? I feel like maybe this is too weird of an approach and I"m just missing something simple about reporting and creating summaries?

Thanks!

 

[Steve Martino]

Reports using sub summaries is a pretty standard way of reporting.  You didn't say what you tried and how you tried it.  

If you want your report to look more like a spreadsheet, look up/Google 'FileMaker cross tab report'.

If you could post a sample file, maybe someone could help.

[comment]

7 hours ago, Rachel said:

I'm working on a solution that must create monthly reports in the following form:

 

http://i.imgur.com/Cf4Fjic.png

I don't understand your required format: why are there 3 months (and not 2, or 6, or ...12)?

I also could not understand the approach you have described.

--
P.S. You can (and should) attach pictures directly to your posts here.

 

Edited June 4, 2017 by comment