Need a query that specifies "end of last month" without tweaking each month

Denise Small Kelley

I routinely do things like this through Crystal Reports, but am looking for streamlined ways to build a query that will compare giving YTD with last year YTD, Both need to be as of end of last month, because those are what we call official numbers. Can this be specified using a RE query?

Ann Fleming

Have you thought about using <ask> operators in your query.  If someone is actually running the Crystal Reports, they would have to answer the question for both periods, but that is pretty easy to do.

Denise Small Kelley

Well, no one else in my office is willing to try Crystal (they claim it makes their head hurt). I was hoping I could find a way inside Raiser's, because we're always talking about cross-training, for when I get hit by that proverbial bus. 

JoAnn Strommen

It would require changing date range but have you looked at Reports>Analytical Reports>Comparative Report.  The report is designed to compare two time periods. 


For a query you could capture current year using a criteria of less than current month and greater than/equal to start of your year.  But to capture a fluctuating month in previous year I don't think can be done without updating dates. A query is not going to easily compare the data, it's going to just lump it/group it into a list of all the gifts/constituents. You would need want to take the query to the Export function to do any reporting.

Karen Stuhlfeier

The Custom Reports in RE are Crystal Reports. You set them up and they run them from RE>

Christine Cooke

I would use either the Analytical Reports -> Comparative Report that JoAnn Strommen suggests or the the Campaigns Funds Appleals Report -> Funds Comparison Summary Report.  The output is different as far as the info you see in both.  And as with every canned report you can also push it out as a query if needed.

Denise Small Kelley

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'll come back to this in a couple of days to process the replies. My plate is full today, what with end-of-month reports and prepping our president for board meeting tomorros. 


Denise

Sunshine Reinken Watson

I use the "ask" operator for dates on reports like this, and I write the procedure/instructions to detail how to use those operators when they pop up.