Enhancement: Load & Save Query/Report Parameters

[dgebel]

In any of formatting or extracts and reports (especially the directory report for us) it would be useful to have save and restore sets of parameter values because users do not always remember the "proper" values for a particular use case.

For example, in the people directory, we don't usually print the few pictures, the notes, and some of the custom fields like "unlisted phone number", etc. and they are currently pre-selected.
You could have presets like "Photo-directory", "Phone numbers only", "Missionary Address List", "Donors List", etc.

This could be done in 2 stages: Stage 1:

• Save button at top of screen
  • saves all parameters current values
• on page re/load
  • reads value of all parameters and sets parameters to those values
• need to to have initial values already in preset so it will work without the user having specifically Saved anything yet

Stage 2:

• Load Presets drop-down list
  • located at the top of page contents, left side
  • populated with the names of all presets, alphabetically
  • don't need a list box since you only one select one value
  • initial display of the page would always load "Default" preset & use those values
  • include either a Load or Reset/Restore button because user might load a preset, change something but then decide they want the original values back. If you only load values on selection change, the user would have to switch to a different preset and then change back to the one they want. Kind of confusing.
• Save Presets button
  • located at top of page contents, right of the Load drop-down
  • saves the current values to the named preset
  • choosing the name - maybe pop-up a list box with the last used preset name pre-selected, but with ability to choose another existing name, or clicking a new name slot and typing it in
  • confirm the name choice, warning if overwriting an existing name
• Delete preset button
  • located to right of Save button
  • delete currently selected preset name & values
  • confirm action
• alternate layout would be to have:
  • always visible, scrollable list box of all presets, with load, save, delete buttons
  • I think this would be a lot more clunky-looking and a higher cognitive load than a drop-down. We want to make it simpler than it is currently, not an even more daunting page, full of lists and checkboxes etc.

Choosing a preset

Saving a preset

[crossan007]

I really like this.

IMO, the entire reports system needs to be re-written and brought up to the ORM / OOP coding style. I don't know whether this should wait for that, or whether we can shoe-horn it into the current report system.

[dgebel]

Glad to know my Business Analysis experience is of some use in the Real world :)

It would probably be easier to wait if a rewrite is in scope any time soon. It is a nice-to-have usability feature more than anything. Trying to shoehorn it in as general functionality sounds like a lot of work if things are not really standard ORM/OOP already.

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