BIRT

BIRT (Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools) is an open source Eclipse and Java-based reporting system. Eclipse BIRT is supported by USoft Version 8.1 using an Off the Shelf component, named BIRT. Using BIRT, you can generate reports in various formats, for example: PDF, HTML, DOC, and XLS. BIRT includes features making it possible to add graphs (SVG is possible). Data can be imported from a variety of data sources, such as JDBC, XML, (CSV) Flat Files, etc. USoft supports Eclipse BIRT version 3.7.2 and higher. For more information about Eclipse BIRT, visit http://www.eclipse.org/birt/phoenix/

NOTE: Eclipse BIRT is not shipped with the USoft software distribution. However, you can download Eclipse BIRT components from the Eclipse website. To use BIRT with USoft you need the Eclipse BIRT runtime environment, and to design BIRT reports you need the Eclipse BIRT Report Designer. You will also need to import and configure the USoft BIRT Off the Shelf component, which is shipped with the USoft software distribution.

Before you can generate a BIRT report from USoft 8.1, you must perform the following tasks:

1.	Download and install Eclipse BIRT software from the Eclipse website..

2.	Create a BIRT Report Definition file, using the Eclipse BIRT Report Designer.

3.	Import and Configure the USoft BIRT off-the-shelf component, in USoft Definer.

4.	Start a USoft Rules Service, so that BIRT can access data.

5.	Call the USoft BIRT component to generate the report.

Optionally, to facilitate easy deployment of this report definition where multiple data sources are present, you can parameterize the Report Definition.