When adding a report, you need to select a report engine. The choices are WebServices or Interactive Reports.

WebServices is a method for drawing data out of your Series25 database and converting it to Extensible Markup Language (XML) format. 25Live is built on WebServices which provides an intermediate step between the Series25 database and the 25Live application.

Because XML is a standardized format that is recognizable by many applications and protocols, it is possible for Series25 data to be transformed into many different contexts. For example, it can be converted to .pdf or spreadsheet form, read as a table in a web browser, or imported into third-party applications for digital signage and other uses.

For information on creating Custom Reports using Series25 WebServices, view this video tutorial available from Series25 Customer Resources: http://knowledge25.collegenet.com/display/WSW/Series25+WebServices+Video+Tutorial

Interactive Reports produces reports in multiple formats, including .pdf, .xls, .doc, .rtf and HTML. It can also email reports. Its designer tool is a desktop application that provides a drag and drop GUI interface for developing custom report templates. It lets users design, develop, and test custom reports prior to deploying them in the 25Live production environment.

The designer creates report templates. At runtime, these templates are populated with data retrieved using the WebServices API. Templates are connected to WebServices through Data Sources which represent connections to individual WebServices. Data Sources are defined and managed within a designer component known as the Catalog.

For information on creating Custom Reports using Series25 Interactive Reports, read the following article available from Series25 Customer Resources: http://knowledge25.collegenet.com/download/attachments/34930709/ Creating_25Live_Custom_Reports.pdf