Generate Report Based on View of List Data

Question

I have data in a list. One of the views has the data grouped by a column, so I have it looking the way I want.

Requirements for the report:

• Have a front page with the name of the report, date, etc.
• Have pages showing the list data
• Have a final page with a form for users to sign
• Report can be in Word or PDF format, or potentially even a HTML page that can be printed, as long as the formatting is correct

How can I take this view of the list and generate a report?

I am looking for answers please on how to achieve this both on SharePoint Online and SharePoint on premise (but not necessarily the same solution for both).

Answer 1

You can use the SPContext object to get the current site/list . Using CSOM You are able to get list items from the object.

-->Once you get all the fields items in the object , after that you can make HTML Format to display the list items as you want.

-->At the end of the , You can Add new html control to fulfill Your requirement "Have a final page with a form for users to sign".

-->You got the generated HTML with necessary data, You can use third party tools like "winnovative" html to pdf converter".

--> You have to pass the generated HTML To "winnovative" and set some Properties of winnovative. You have to Add winnovative assembly to your solution.

Properties like : AutoSizePdfPage,PageHeight,PageWidth.

This is the very Traditional Approach. I hope you can fulfill your requirement with this stuff.

Note : You can impliment it using C# code.So i am sure it's working on Prem but i am not sure about sharepoint online.

Reference : http://www.winnovative-software.com/Help/rtf_to_pdf/html/Properties_T_Winnovative_WnvRtfToPdf_PdfConverter.htm

Answer 2

I have done searching on to generate report from share point online.

You can generate report from share point online list item using CSOM.

Using console application you can access all the list item and manipulate as you want.

You have to add "using Microsoft.SharePoint.Client;".

You can get web using below function .

var Test = new Program();
Test.GetWeb(context, web);

function getWeb()
{
     context.Load(context.Web, w => w.ServerRelativeUrl);
     context.ExecuteQuery();
     Console.WriteLine("Connection Established...!!! ");
}

You can use Linq to connect to online sharepoint.

function getList(ClientContext Context, Web web)
{
  ListCollection oList = web.Lists;
  Context.Load(oList, List => List.Include(list => list.Title, list => list.Id));
  Context.ExecuteQuery();
  foreach (List li in oList)
  {
     // Your code to manipulate
  }
}

function ListItem(ClientContext Context, Web web)
{
   List SelectedList = Context.Web.Lists.GetByTitle("**Your List Name**");
   CamlQuery query = CamlQuery.CreateAllItemsQuery(100);
   ListItemCollection listItems = SelectedList.GetItems(query);
   Context.Load(listItems);
   Context.ExecuteQuery();
   Foreach loop on ListItems
   {
     // You html code to generate Report
   }
   // Pass HTml string to third party tool Winnovative.

}

Using Console application you can generate PDF file of your list item in your format with sharepoint online.

--> You have to call console application using Azure timer job or manually.

--> Set your DLL of Console application to the azure machine and set regular time when you want to generate the PDF .

--> This is solution to get data from SharePoint online and generate PDF report on this .

Try it and let me know if you will get any new information regarding it.

Answer 3

• system.data does not work on sharepoint-online(Sandboxsolutions)
• external dll not allowed like itextsharp(not trusted)...

S1-You can Create a webpart(like your page examples) & hide toolbars then fill your data and then Ctrl-P your page save as PDF.

S2-You can use Document Content types and fill your data but I don't know how...(You can't use word automation services on sponline)

Answer 4

For on premises you could user SQL Server Reporting Services. Here's an example on how to create this: https://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/2068/using-a-sharepoint-list-as-a-data-source-in-sql-server-reporting-services-2008-r2/. You might need to redo the grouping, as I'm not sure SSRS will respect this part of the view. SSRS will generate the report for you in Word, PDF or you can view it in the report viewer.

For SharePoint online, this probably isn't going to work as authentication is an issue. You could sync the list with a local DB and use SSRS. Or you can write you're own custom application and use CSOM to get you're data in stead of SSRS. If you can make it work for SharePoint online, on premises should also work. Only the authentication part is different.