Using Filter Strings in Finished Reports – BridgeWorks Help Center

Trouble Viewing Images? Right-click on any image and select "Open in new tab" to view a larger version. You can also zoom in using Ctrl + Mouse Wheel for easier readability.

Article Goal

Learn how to set up a Filter String in the Finished Reports Designer to apply custom filters directly at the report level.

What Is a Filter String?

The FilterString property lets you define conditions that are applied only at the Finished Report level, independent of the View or Visualize filters. This is useful when you want the report to output filtered results based on additional logic not defined in the View itself.

Use Case: Use Filter Strings to exclude archived records, limit the data to certain date ranges, or apply quick filters like [Status] == 'Active' without modifying the View or using parameters.

Why Use Filter Strings?

Adds a layer of filtering without changing the View or query.
Allows quick adjustments without needing to re-run or alter the underlying data.
Useful for testing, custom exports, or client-specific filtering.

Note: The Filter String only applies to the Finished Report—it does not affect the dataset or Visualize elements.

Where Do You Set Filter Strings?

Filter Strings can be configured:

In the Report Tasks panel at the top-left of the Finished Report Designer, or
Through the XtraReport Report properties in the property grid.

Step 1: Open or Create a View

Run the View you want to build your Finished Report from.

Step 2: Launch the Finished Reports Designer

Click the Finished Reports Designer button from VDM’s main screen.

Step 3: Open Report Tasks or XtraReport Properties

You have two options to open the Filter String editor:

Option 1: Click the Report Tasks button (⚙️) at the top-right of the Finished Report Designer.
Option 2: In the Properties panel, select the report (XtraReport) and find Filter String.

Step 4: Enter Filter Criteria

Click the ellipsis (...) next to the Filter String to open the editor. Create your desired condition using the field names and expression editor.

Example Filter:
[Freight] > 50 AND [ShippedDate] >= #2022-01-01#

This would limit the report to only show orders with Freight > 50 and shipped in 2022 or later.

Step 5: Save and Preview

Save the report and click Run View to confirm that your filter is applied and results are as expected.

Article Summary

Filter Strings in Finished Reports are a powerful way to add custom filtering without altering your base View or Visualize elements. Whether you're working with temporary filters, customizing reports for export, or just testing data subsets, Filter Strings provide flexibility while maintaining your existing data logic.