Manage columns
You can change the order of columns, delete columns, hide columns, and display hidden columns.
If you delete a column from the report, the deletion is permanent. If you think you may need the column later, you can hide the column, and display it when necessary. You can optimize the layout of a report by adjusting the width of report columns according to the space occupied by column data.
- Select and right-click the column, then select Column > Reorder Columns.
- In the Available Columns list, select the column to move. Click Tap the up or down arrow on the right until the column is in the correct position. Moving a column up in the list moves it to the left in the report. Moving a column down in the list moves it to the right in the report.
- Click Tap OK.
- Select and right-click the column.
- Select Column > Delete Column.
To remove multiple columns, press Ctrl and select each column.
- Select and right-click a column.
- Select Column > Hide Column.
- Select and right-click a column.
- Select Column> Show Column. The Show Columns glance (also known as a contextual callout) Provides information and actions in a dialog box for an item on the screen when the user right-clicks or taps the item. lists the hidden columns.
- In the Pick Hidden Column box, select the column to display.
- Click Tap OK.
- Select the column.
- Place the cursor on the right or left border of the highlighted column.
- Using the cursor, drag the border inwards or outwards to increase or decrease the width of the selected column.
You can merge the data from two or more columns into one column. When you merge data, the data appears on multiple lines. Merging data also enables you to include more columns in a table without exceeding the width of a page.
To merge data into one column:
- Press Ctrl and select each column that contains the data to merge.
- Right-click and select Column > Merge Columns.
When you merge data from multiple columns, the column headers appear on multiple rows. You can improve the format by merging the column headers and editing the remaining column header title. To merge column headers:
- Select and right-click the column header in the bottom row.
- Select Cell > Merge Up.
- Add a new column header row
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 until only one column header remains.
The actions you can make on a merged column include modifying font, specifying conditional formatting rules, formatting data strings, creating filters, and so on, similar to actions you can make on an unmerged column.
When working with a merged column:
- Select and right-click the column, then select a modification option.
- In the Select Data Item dialog box, the drop-down list contains a list of columns in the merged column. Select a column for which you want to perform an action, such as formatting, or filtering.
- When finished click OK.
- Repeat the process for every column in the merged column.
If you need to add more text or more space in the header area, you can add multiple column header rows.
When you insert a column header row, to be able to display text that spans multiple columns, you must merge the columns in that row. You also can add a border to the new row.
To add a new column header row
- Select and right-click a column header then select Row.
- To add a row above the selected column header, select Insert Row Above. To add a row below the selected column header, select Insert Row Below.
A new row appears in the position you specified. The row has the same number of columns and the same column widths as the row that follows.
To merge column headers to type text that spans multiple columns:
- Select and right-click the column header, then select Cell > Merge Right. The first cell merges with the second cell to become a single, wider cell.
- Repeat step 1 to merge all cells in the column
- To type text in this cell, select and right-click the cell, select Edit Text, type the text, and then press Enter.
- To add borders:
- Select and right-click the cell. Select Format> Border.
- In the Border dialog box, specify the type of border or borders to add. You can set the border style, color, and width.
- Click OK.