In Intro to Lansweeper Classic reporting we talked about creating custom reports in Lansweeper Classic. However, crafting custom reports from scratch is an approach that works, but it slows you down and creates needless friction.
What's going on?
Writing SQL from scratch takes time. You must remember table names, foreign keys, relationships, and field structures. Even small mistakes create broken joins or empty results. There is a faster way.
Jumpstart your custom report
Lansweeper offers a built‑in reporting tool that assembles the foundation for you. It links tables, exposes the right fields, and gives you clean starter code. You can then shape the report into exactly what you need.
You can accelerate custom report creation by letting Lansweeper build the base SQL for you.
- Open the web console and go to Reports > Create New Report.
- Drag a table into the design area. Lansweeper scans for matching foreign keys and links related tables automatically. It adds the JOIN statements for you.
- Drag in any additional tables you need. Watch as each link forms like a clean line connecting puzzle pieces.
- Tick the checkboxes for the fields you want to display. Each field drops into the SELECT clause below.
- Save the report and run it. If you want deeper control, copy the generated SQL and paste it into a query window in SQL Server Management Studio for more advanced tuning.
More speed?
If you want even more speed, start from an existing built‑in report.
- Open a built‑in report that delivers results close to what you want and click Edit Report.
- Before you touch anything, select Save As. This protects the original report and gives you a personal copy to modify.
- Add or remove fields. Adjust tables. Shape the data until it matches your needs.
- Save your work. You can now run the report directly or copy the SQL into SSMS for fine‑grained optimization.
These methods turn report creation from a slow chore into a quick, precise task. Use the built‑in tools to do the heavy lifting. Then apply your expertise to polish the final output.
