You would like information about the properties of the fields and other objects in a ACT! report template.
A feature of ACT! is the ability to easily customize the properties for the background or other objects on your report template, through the report Properties window.
ACT! uses the same template editor to modify reports, labels, envelopes and layouts. Consequently, not all of the field properties are appropriate for all fields on your report template.
To access the Report Designer, click the Report menu, click either New Report or Edit Report and then open the report template that you wish to work with.
From the report template, click the View menu, and then click Properties Window. The Properties window appears on the right side of your report template. The Properties Window can be undocked (or docked) by double-clicking the Properties title bar.

The initial field displays the object that you are viewing properties for. Clicking different objects in the template will change this display to reflect the selected object.
By default, the Properties Window displays a categorized
view by clicking the appropriate button below the listed object.
In addition to Subreports, there are six different field types that are appropriate for report templates: Data Field, Text Field, Rectangle,Picture, Picture Field andSystem Field. There are two ways to adjust field properties on an report template: Right-click the field, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu or click a field, click the View menu, and then click Properties Window. See the sections below for detailed information on field properties.
For detailed information on managing reports, refer to the following Knowledge Base document:
Data fields are the most common field types used in a report template. Data fields draw information from the Contact, Group, Company or Opportunity fields in you database.
Right-click a data
field, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The Field Properties dialog box appears.

Under the Font tab, you are able to adjust the Font,Font Style and Size.

Under the Style Tab, you are able to adjust Background Color or Border Style. Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, Dash/Dot or Dash/Dot-Dot.

Under the Format Tab, you can disable (or enable) the Do not print if duplicated, Collapse if blank or Wrap text options.

Under the Data tab, you are able to use the field as a Data or Summary field. Summary field options include Count, Total, Average, Minimum and Maximum.

Under the Type tab, you can enable the Use My Record option. This option will draw the field information from the My Record of the user currently logged into the ACT! database.
If you click a data
Field, click the View menu and then click Properties Window, the Properties window appears on the right side of the template editor with that field name displayed in the initial field.

(Field) Properties are divided into four sections: Appearance,Behavior, Layout and Misc. The left column of the Properties window reflects object descriptions while the right column displays the value assigned to these items. You can adjust the value of items by clicking into the assigned value (right) side, clicking on the drop-down arrow or browse button, and then clicking a different value. The panel at the bottom of the Properties window will reflect which of these sections is currently active.
Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, Font, Font Color or enable Rich Text and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow
to change the value for Font Color, Background Color or Border Color, you are able to select from the Custom, Web or System color palettes. (as illustrated below)

When you click the drop-down arrow
for Border Style, you can change your border style from Transparent to Solid, Dash, Dot, DashDot or DashDotDot.
Clicking the browse button
for the Font value will open the following dialog box.

Here you can modify properties for the Font, Font Style,Size. In addition you can enable the Strikeout and/or Underline Effects. You can also choose between the default Western Script and Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Turkish, Baltic,Central European,Cyrillic or Vietnamese. Clicking the Font value for Name or Size will allow you to change these font properties individually. The Unit value can be changed to World, Pixel, Inch, Document or Millimeter.
Changing the Strikeout value to True will place a line through the text. Changing theBold, Italic or Underline values to True will modify the text with these properties. The Text Alignment property will allow you to align your data Left, Right or Center. It is strongly recommended that you do NOT modify the values for GdiCharSet or GdiVerticalFont or Unit. The GdiCharSet is a byte value that specifies the GDI character set that this Font uses while the GdiVerticalFont is a Boolean (true/false) value that indicates whether this Font is derived from a GDI vertical font. These are settings that come from the font selected and are necessary for the graphic display of that font.
Enabling the Rich Text value is appropriate if you are sending your report output to a word processor. If you change the Visible property to False, your field will not appear on the report. Behavior
Within the Behavior section, you are able to modify Can Grow,Can Shrink,Hide Duplicates or Word Wrap properties.
The Can Grow orCan Shrink properties are enabled by default and may be important for the vertical spacing of the text in this field. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not disable these options. The Hide Duplicates or Word Wrap properties can be enabled or disabled through the Properties Window. Layout
Within the Layout section, you are able to modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by dragging the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field. Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify Name.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop down list. It is strongly recommended that you do not modify this property. Text Field Properties:
Text Field Properties are divided into three sections: Appearance, Layout and Misc. The left column of the Properties window reflects object descriptions while the right column displays the value assigned to these items. You can adjust the value of items by clicking into the assigned value (right) side, clicking on the drop-down arrow or browse button, and then clicking a different value. The panel at the bottom of the Properties window will reflect which of these sections is currently active.

Rectangle Properties are divided into three sections: Appearance,Layout and Misc. The left column of the Properties window reflects object descriptions while the right column displays the value assigned to these items. You can adjust the value of items by clicking into the assigned value (right) side, clicking on the drop-down arrow or browse button, and then clicking a different value. The panel at the bottom of the Properties window will reflect which of these sections is currently active.
Placing a Picture on your report will create a permanent picture on the report output. Pictures are most useful in report for page headers as a company logo or other representative graphic.
Right-click a Picture field, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The following Field Properties dialog box appears.

Under the Style tab, you are able to modify Background Color and Border Style. Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, DashDot or DashDotDot.
If you click a
Picture field, click the View menu and then click Properties Window, the Properties window appears on the right side of the template editor with that field name displayed in the initial field.

Picture properties are divided into three sections: Appearance,Layout and Misc. The left column of the Properties window reflects object descriptions while the right column displays the value assigned to these items. You can adjust the value of items by clicking into the assigned value (right) side, clicking on the drop-down arrow or browse button, and then clicking a different value. The panel at the bottom of the Properties window will reflect which of these sections is currently active.
Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify the Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, Picture, PictureAlign, and Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow
to change the value for Background Color or Border Color, you are able to select from the Custom, Web or System color palettes. (as illustrated below)

When you click the drop-down arrow
for Border Style, you can change your border style from Transparent to Solid, Dash, Dot, DashDot or DashDotDot. If you change the Visible property to False, your picture field will not appear on the report.
When you click the browse
button to change the value for the Picture property, an Open dialog box appears, allowing you to select a different picture for display in this field.
When you click the drop-down arrow for the PictureAlign property, your options include LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop, LeftBottom, CenterBottom, RightBottom, LeftMiddle, CenterMiddle, RightMiddle, Clip, Zoom, Stretch and Tile.
Layout
Within the Layout section, you are able to modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by dragging the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field on the report.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify the Name property.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop-down list. It is recommended that you do not modify this property. Picture Field Properties:
Properties are divided into four sections: Appearance,Behavior,Layout and Misc. The left column of the Properties window reflects object descriptions while the right column displays the value assigned to these items. You can adjust the value of items by clicking into the assigned value (right) side, clicking on the drop-down arrow or browse button, and then clicking a different value. The panel at the bottom of the Properties window will reflect which of these sections is currently active.
Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify the Background Color, Border Color, Border Style,Picture,PictureAlign, and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow
to change the value for Background Color or Border Color, you are able to select from the Custom, Web or System color palettes. (as illustrated below)

When you click the drop-down arrow
for Border Style, you can change your border style from Transparent to Solid, Dash, Dot, DashDot or DashDotDot. If you change the Visible property to False, your Picture Field will not appear on the report.
When you click the browse
button to change the value for the Picture property, an Open dialog box appears, allowing you to select a different picture for display in this field.
When you click the drop-down arrow for the PictureAlign property, your options include LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop, LeftBottom, CenterBottom, RightBottom, LeftMiddle, CenterMiddle, RightMiddle, Clip, Zoom, Stretch and Tile. Behavior
Within the Behavior section, you are able to modify Can Grow andCan Shrink properties.
The Can Grow orCan Shrink properties are enabled by default and may be important for the vertical spacing of the text in this field. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not disable these options. Layout
Within the Layout section, you are able to modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop,Top and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. Modifying the Top value will change the distance of the field from the top of the section. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by using your mouse to drag the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within your Picture Field.
System fields include Page Number, Print Date, Print Time, Activity Range, Note Range, History Range, Sales Range and Custom. System fields are normally placed in the Report or Page Headers and Footers.
Right-click a System
field on your report template, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu, the Field Properties dialog box appears.

Under the Font tab, you are able to adjust the Font,Font Style and Size.

Under the Style Tab, you are able to adjust Background Color or Border Style. Your Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, Dash/Dot or Dash/Dot-Dot.
If you click a System
field, click the View menu and then click Properties Window, the Properties window appears on the right side of the template editor with that field name displayed in the initial field.

System
field Properties are divided into three sections: Appearance, Layout and Misc. The left column of the Properties window reflects item descriptions while the right column displays the value assigned to these items. You can adjust the value of items by clicking into the assigned value (right) side, clicking on the drop-down arrow or browse button, and then clicking a different value. The panel at the bottom of the Properties window will reflect which of these sections is currently active.
Appearance
Within the appearance section, you are able to modify Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, Font, Font Color or enable Rich Text and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow
to change the value for Background Color or Border Color, you are able to select from the Custom, Web or System color palettes. (as illustrated below)

Clicking the browse button
for the Font value, will allow you to change the size, type and attributes of the font. Below the Font value, clicking the value for Name or Size will allow you to change these font properties individually. The Unit value can be changed to World, Pixel, Inch, Document or Millimeter.
Changing the Strikeout value to True will place a line through the text. Changing theBold, Italic or Underline values to True will modify the text with these properties. The Text Alignment property will allow you to align your data Left, Right or Center. It is strongly recommended that you do NOT modify the values for GdiCharSet or GdiVerticalFont or Unit. The GdiCharSet is a byte value that specifies the GDI character set that this Font uses while the GdiVerticalFont is a Boolean (true/false) value that indicates whether this Font is derived from a GDI vertical font. These are settings that come from the font selected and are necessary for the graphic display of that font.
Enabling the Rich Text value is appropriate if you are sending report output to a word processor. If you change the Visible property to False, your field will not appear on the report.
Layout
Within the Layout section, you can modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by dragging the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field on the report.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify Name.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop down list. Subreport Properties:
Right-click a subreport, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The Field Properties dialog box appears.

Under the Style tab,Border Style is the only property that you can change; Background Color cannot be modified.

Under the Data tab, you can rename your subreport or select a different field that will link your main report to this subreport.
Click your subreport while viewing the Properties Window to adjust object properties.

Subreport
Properties are divided into five sections: Appearance,Behavior,Data, Layout and Misc. The left column of the Properties window reflects object descriptions while the right column displays the value assigned to these items. You can adjust the value of items by clicking into the assigned value (right) side, clicking on the drop-down arrow or browse button, and then clicking a different value. The panel at the bottom of the Properties window will reflect which of these sections is currently active.
Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify the Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow
to change the value for Background Color or Border Color, you are able to select from the Custom, Web or System color palettes. (as illustrated below)

Click the drop-down arrow
for Border Style to change your border style from Transparent to Solid, Dash, Dot, DashDot or DashDotDot. If you change the Visible property to False, your Subreport will not appear on the report. Behavior
Within the Behavior section, you are able to modify Can Grow andCan Shrink properties.
The Can Grow orCan Shrink properties are enabled by default and may be important for the vertical spacing of the subreport. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not disable these options. Data
Within the Data section, you can modify the ReportName of your subreport
Layout
Within the Layout section, you can modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop,Top and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can adjust the alignment of your subreport from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the subreport can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the subreport and the position of the left edge of the subreport on the template. Modifying the Top value will change the distance of the subreport from the top of the section. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by using your mouse to drag the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within your Subreport.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify the Name property.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop-down list. It is recommended that you do not modify this property. Custom Fields:
While the example in this document uses the City field, you can replicate this procedure to close up the blank space on any ACT! fields on a label, envelope or report template.
Follow the steps below:
A feature of ACT! is the ability to easily customize the properties for the background or other objects on your report template, through the report Properties window.
ACT! uses the same template editor to modify reports, labels, envelopes and layouts. Consequently, not all of the field properties are appropriate for all fields on your report template.
To access the Report Designer, click the Report menu, click either New Report or Edit Report and then open the report template that you wish to work with.
From the report template, click the View menu, and then click Properties Window. The Properties window appears on the right side of your report template. The Properties Window can be undocked (or docked) by double-clicking the Properties title bar.

The initial field displays the object that you are viewing properties for. Clicking different objects in the template will change this display to reflect the selected object.
By default, the Properties Window displays a categorized

In addition to Subreports, there are six different field types that are appropriate for report templates: Data Field, Text Field, Rectangle,Picture, Picture Field andSystem Field. There are two ways to adjust field properties on an report template: Right-click the field, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu or click a field, click the View menu, and then click Properties Window. See the sections below for detailed information on field properties.
For detailed information on managing reports, refer to the following Knowledge Base document:
Title: How to Manage Reports in ACT!
Answer ID: How to run and manage reports in Act!
Data Field Properties:Answer ID: How to run and manage reports in Act!
Data fields are the most common field types used in a report template. Data fields draw information from the Contact, Group, Company or Opportunity fields in you database.
Right-click a data


Under the Font tab, you are able to adjust the Font,Font Style and Size.

Under the Style Tab, you are able to adjust Background Color or Border Style. Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, Dash/Dot or Dash/Dot-Dot.

Under the Format Tab, you can disable (or enable) the Do not print if duplicated, Collapse if blank or Wrap text options.

Under the Data tab, you are able to use the field as a Data or Summary field. Summary field options include Count, Total, Average, Minimum and Maximum.

Under the Type tab, you can enable the Use My Record option. This option will draw the field information from the My Record of the user currently logged into the ACT! database.
If you click a data



Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, Font, Font Color or enable Rich Text and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow


When you click the drop-down arrow

Clicking the browse button


Here you can modify properties for the Font, Font Style,Size. In addition you can enable the Strikeout and/or Underline Effects. You can also choose between the default Western Script and Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Turkish, Baltic,Central European,Cyrillic or Vietnamese. Clicking the Font value for Name or Size will allow you to change these font properties individually. The Unit value can be changed to World, Pixel, Inch, Document or Millimeter.
Changing the Strikeout value to True will place a line through the text. Changing theBold, Italic or Underline values to True will modify the text with these properties. The Text Alignment property will allow you to align your data Left, Right or Center. It is strongly recommended that you do NOT modify the values for GdiCharSet or GdiVerticalFont or Unit. The GdiCharSet is a byte value that specifies the GDI character set that this Font uses while the GdiVerticalFont is a Boolean (true/false) value that indicates whether this Font is derived from a GDI vertical font. These are settings that come from the font selected and are necessary for the graphic display of that font.
Enabling the Rich Text value is appropriate if you are sending your report output to a word processor. If you change the Visible property to False, your field will not appear on the report. Behavior
Within the Behavior section, you are able to modify Can Grow,Can Shrink,Hide Duplicates or Word Wrap properties.
The Can Grow orCan Shrink properties are enabled by default and may be important for the vertical spacing of the text in this field. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not disable these options. The Hide Duplicates or Word Wrap properties can be enabled or disabled through the Properties Window. Layout
Within the Layout section, you are able to modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.

If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by dragging the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field. Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify Name.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop down list. It is strongly recommended that you do not modify this property. Text Field Properties:
Right-click a Text
field on your report template, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu, the Field Properties dialog box appears.



Under the Font tab, you are able to adjust the Font,Font Style and Size.


Under the Style Tab, you are able to adjust Background Color or Border Style. Your Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, Dash/Dot or Dash/Dot-Dot.
If you click a
Text Field, click the View menu and then click Properties Window, the Properties window appears on the right side of the template editor with that field name displayed in the initial field.



Appearance
Within the appearance section, you are able to modify Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, Font, Font Color or enable Rich Text and/or Visible properties.
Within the appearance section, you are able to modify Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, Font, Font Color or enable Rich Text and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow
to change the value for Background Color or Border Color, you are able to select from the Custom, Web or System color palettes. (as illustrated below)



Clicking the browse button
for the Font value, will allow you to change the size, type and attributes of the font. Below the Font value, clicking the value for Name or Size will allow you to change these font properties individually. The Unit value can be changed to World, Pixel, Inch, Document or Millimeter.

Changing the Strikeout value to True will place a line through the text. Changing theBold, Italic or Underline values to True will modify the text with these properties. The Text Alignment property will allow you to align your data Left, Right or Center. It is strongly recommended that you do NOT modify the values for GdiCharSet or GdiVerticalFont or Unit. The GdiCharSet is a byte value that specifies the GDI character set that this Font uses while the GdiVerticalFont is a Boolean (true/false) value that indicates whether this Font is derived from a GDI vertical font. These are settings that come from the font selected and are necessary for the graphic display of that font.
Enabling the Rich Text value is appropriate if you are sending report output to a word processor. If you change the Visible property to False, your field will not appear on the report.
Layout
Within the Layout section, you can modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
Layout
Within the Layout section, you can modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by dragging the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field on the report.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field on the report.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify Name.
Within the Misc section, you can modify Name.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop down list. It is strongly recommended that you do not modify this property.
Rectangle Properties:
Right-click a Rectangle
field, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The following Field Properties dialog box appears.


Under the Style Tab, you are able to adjust Background Color or Border Style. Your Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, Dash/Dot or Dash/Dot-Dot.
If you click a Rectangle
Field, click the View menu and then click Properties Window, the Properties window appears on the right side of the template editor with that field name displayed in the initial field.
If you click a Rectangle



Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify the Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, and/or Visible properties.
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify the Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow
to change the value for Background Color or Border Color, you are able to select from the Custom, Web or System color palettes. (as illustrated below)



When you click the drop-down arrow
for Border Style, you can change your border style from Transparent to Solid, Dash, Dot, DashDot or DashDotDot. If you change the Visible property to False, your field will not appear on the report.

Layout
Within the Layout section, you are able to modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
Within the Layout section, you are able to modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by dragging the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field on your report.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify the Name property.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop-down list. It is recommended that you do not modify this property.
Picture Properties:Within the Misc section, you can modify the Name property.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop-down list. It is recommended that you do not modify this property.
Placing a Picture on your report will create a permanent picture on the report output. Pictures are most useful in report for page headers as a company logo or other representative graphic.
Right-click a Picture field, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The following Field Properties dialog box appears.

Under the Style tab, you are able to modify Background Color and Border Style. Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, DashDot or DashDotDot.
If you click a


Picture properties are divided into three sections: Appearance,Layout and Misc. The left column of the Properties window reflects object descriptions while the right column displays the value assigned to these items. You can adjust the value of items by clicking into the assigned value (right) side, clicking on the drop-down arrow or browse button, and then clicking a different value. The panel at the bottom of the Properties window will reflect which of these sections is currently active.
Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify the Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, Picture, PictureAlign, and Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow


When you click the drop-down arrow

When you click the browse

When you click the drop-down arrow for the PictureAlign property, your options include LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop, LeftBottom, CenterBottom, RightBottom, LeftMiddle, CenterMiddle, RightMiddle, Clip, Zoom, Stretch and Tile.
Layout
Within the Layout section, you are able to modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by dragging the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field on the report.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify the Name property.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop-down list. It is recommended that you do not modify this property. Picture Field Properties:
Picture Fields draw data from each contact record in the database and provide a way of inserting multiple contact specific pictures in the report output. Picture Fields are commonly placed in the Detail section of a report template or within Subreports.
Right-click a Picture field, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The following Field Properties dialog box appears.

Under the Style tab, you are able to modify Background Color and Border Style. Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, Dash/Dot or Dash/Dot-Dot.

Under the Data tab, there is a Detail or Summary field.
Note: The Picture Field must be configured as a Detail field to function properly.
If you click into a Picture Field, while viewing the Properties Window, the Picture Field Properties appear.

Picture Field Right-click a Picture field, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The following Field Properties dialog box appears.

Under the Style tab, you are able to modify Background Color and Border Style. Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, Dash/Dot or Dash/Dot-Dot.

Under the Data tab, there is a Detail or Summary field.
Note: The Picture Field must be configured as a Detail field to function properly.
If you click into a Picture Field, while viewing the Properties Window, the Picture Field Properties appear.


Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify the Background Color, Border Color, Border Style,Picture,PictureAlign, and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow


When you click the drop-down arrow

When you click the browse

When you click the drop-down arrow for the PictureAlign property, your options include LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop, LeftBottom, CenterBottom, RightBottom, LeftMiddle, CenterMiddle, RightMiddle, Clip, Zoom, Stretch and Tile. Behavior
Within the Behavior section, you are able to modify Can Grow andCan Shrink properties.
The Can Grow orCan Shrink properties are enabled by default and may be important for the vertical spacing of the text in this field. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not disable these options. Layout
Within the Layout section, you are able to modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop,Top and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. Modifying the Top value will change the distance of the field from the top of the section. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by using your mouse to drag the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within your Picture Field.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify the Name property.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop-down list. It is recommended that you do not modify this property.
System fields include Page Number, Print Date, Print Time, Activity Range, Note Range, History Range, Sales Range and Custom. System fields are normally placed in the Report or Page Headers and Footers.
Right-click a System


Under the Font tab, you are able to adjust the Font,Font Style and Size.

Under the Style Tab, you are able to adjust Background Color or Border Style. Your Border Style options include None, Solid, Dash, Dot, Dash/Dot or Dash/Dot-Dot.
If you click a System


System

Appearance
Within the appearance section, you are able to modify Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, Font, Font Color or enable Rich Text and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow


Clicking the browse button

Changing the Strikeout value to True will place a line through the text. Changing theBold, Italic or Underline values to True will modify the text with these properties. The Text Alignment property will allow you to align your data Left, Right or Center. It is strongly recommended that you do NOT modify the values for GdiCharSet or GdiVerticalFont or Unit. The GdiCharSet is a byte value that specifies the GDI character set that this Font uses while the GdiVerticalFont is a Boolean (true/false) value that indicates whether this Font is derived from a GDI vertical font. These are settings that come from the font selected and are necessary for the graphic display of that font.
Enabling the Rich Text value is appropriate if you are sending report output to a word processor. If you change the Visible property to False, your field will not appear on the report.
Layout
Within the Layout section, you can modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can align the text within this field from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the text in this field can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the field and the position of the left edge of the field on the template. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by dragging the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within this field on the report.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify Name.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop down list. Subreport Properties:
Right-click a subreport, and then click Properties from the shortcut menu. The Field Properties dialog box appears.

Under the Style tab,Border Style is the only property that you can change; Background Color cannot be modified.

Under the Data tab, you can rename your subreport or select a different field that will link your main report to this subreport.
Click your subreport while viewing the Properties Window to adjust object properties.

Subreport

Appearance
Within the Appearance section, you are able to modify the Background Color, Border Color, Border Style, and/or Visible properties.
When you click the drop-down arrow


Click the drop-down arrow

Within the Behavior section, you are able to modify Can Grow andCan Shrink properties.
The Can Grow orCan Shrink properties are enabled by default and may be important for the vertical spacing of the subreport. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not disable these options. Data
Within the Data section, you can modify the ReportName of your subreport
Layout
Within the Layout section, you can modify Alignment,Anchor,Height,Left,Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop,Top and Width.
If you click the value for Alignment, you can adjust the alignment of your subreport from General to LeftTop, CenterTop, RightTop,LeftBottom,CenterBottom,RightBottom,LeftMiddle,CenterMiddle,RightMiddle,JustTop,JustBottom or JustMiddle.
The Anchor property for the subreport can be configured as Top, Bottom or TopAndBottom.
The Height, Width and Left properties reflect the height and width of the subreport and the position of the left edge of the subreport on the template. Modifying the Top value will change the distance of the subreport from the top of the section. These values can be modified by typing in a different value or by using your mouse to drag the field to a different size or position on the template.
The Margin Bottom,Margin Left,Margin Right,MarginTop properties allow you to modify the margins within your Subreport.
Misc
Within the Misc section, you can modify the Name property.
Modifying the Name property will only change the name of this field in the initial Properties drop-down list. It is recommended that you do not modify this property. Custom Fields:
You would like to add a Custom field to your report. Custom fields can contain multiple field data. This may occur if you wish to customize a mailing label or envelope template and ensure that the City field closes up blank space so that the State abbreviation will always be the correct distance from the City name.
While the example in this document uses the City field, you can replicate this procedure to close up the blank space on any ACT! fields on a label, envelope or report template.
Follow the steps below:
- Click the Reports menu, and then click New Template. The Report Designer launches and the New Report dialog box appears.
- Ensure that the correct option is selected in the Report Types section. For our example, we will enable Contact Reports, click Contact Labels and then click OK. The Create Label dialog box appears.
- Click the Select a Product drop down arrow and find the correct label size or adjust your label dimensions manually, and then click OK. The label template appears.
- Click the File menu, and then click Save As to save your new label template with a unique name.
- Begin by placing the fields on the detail portion of the blank label template using the field
tool. (as illustrated below)
- Once all fields are in place, we can configure the City field to print with blank space collapsed.
- You must view the Properties Window to proceed. If the Properties are not visible, press F4 or click the View menu, and then click Properties Window. The Properties window appears on the right side of the Report Designer.
- Click the C:City field, and then change the Visible property to False. (the field will display a crosshatched background)
- Examine the Name property. If a space exists between the word City and the associated number, click into this value and delete the space. The value for this name property must display as City1.
- Repeat steps 8 and 9 for the C:State and C:ZIPCode fields in this same line on your label template.
Hint: Take note of the Name values as you will need this information later in the procedure.
The next step is to clear a space for a Custom field that will close up the blank space in any fields you wish to include. - Click the C:City field to select it. Sizing handles appear to surround the field. Place your cursor over the top, center sizing handle and drag down to reduce the height of the field to a minimal value --or-- from the Properties window, under the Layout section locate the Height item and change the value to 0.01. When the field is selected, you may also use your keyboard arrow keys to move the field down slightly (if necessary).
- Repeat step 11 for the C:State andC:ZIPCode fields so that you have an empty space in the appropriate location to insert another field (as illustrated above)
Note: When using a custom field, the fields that compose the custom field must be placed physically above the custom field or it will not pull data correctly. - Click the System Field
tool in the Toolbox, and then drag a new field into the space created in steps 11 and 12. The Select System Field dialog box appears.
- Clear the Include a label option, click Custom from the Available Fields list, and then click Add.
- Click Close to exit the Select System Field dialog box. The Custom field appears on your label template. (as illustrated below)
- Click the Custom field to select it.
You have two options for creating the expression for this Custom field. It is NOT recommended to use both methods in the same template.
Method 1:
Method 2:
- Right-click in an empty part of the template near the Custom field, and then click Edit Report Scripts. The Edit Section Scripts dialog box appears:
- This dialog box can be used to program instructions for Custom field. An Edit Section Scripts dialog box exists for each section that includes Custom fields. You will need to write a small (Visual Basic) script in this dialog box to instruct the report for the included Custom field.
- In our example, you would enter in the above text in the Edit Section Scripts dialog box. This statement will instruct the report when it reaches the City1 field to use data from the City1, State1, and ZIPCode1 fields to fill in the Custom1 field.
Note: This 'If' statement' contains two conditions. When the first statement is false, the second statement will be executed. When the first condition is true, the action in that part of the statement will be executed.
In our example, the If statement is checking the to see if there is a value (data) in the City1 field. The first condition reads:
If City1 = NULL THEN
Custom1.Text = City1&" "&State1&" "&ZIPCode1
This tells the report; if there is no data in the City1 field, to use the data from the City1, State1, and ZIPCode1 fields for the Custom1 field. The ampersand (&) defines the end of the field. Quote marks, separated by a space (" ") instruct the report to place a space between the fields of data.
The statement continues if the first condition is false. The Else in this script, instructs the report that if there is data in the City1 field to use the data from the City1, State1, and ZIPCode1 fields for the Custom1 field.
The End IF closes the 'If statement' and if not included, this function could cause an infinite loop in this statement that would appear to freeze the report. - Click OK to close this dialog box and return to the Report Designer.
- In the Properties window, in the Misc section, rename the Custom1 value. Be sure that you do NOT include a space in this name.
- Locate the Expression property. Click in the blank space on the value (right) column for this property, and then type the name of the first field (as noted in steps 9 and 10) followed by an ampersand (&), a (double) quote mark, a space, another quote mark, another ampersand, the next field name, etc. (as illustrated below)
- When you are finished, the label template reflect the Expression of these values in the custom field. (as illustrated below)
- With the custom field on your label template selected, note that you can place a comma or any valid character (or string of characters) between the quote marks as constants to be printed on each label.
- When complete, click the File menu (in the Report Designer), and then click Print Preview. If your labels (envelopes or report) do not display the data correctly, double check the spelling and placement of the text in the value for the Expression property of your Custom field.