Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

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Wirmike
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Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by Wirmike »

Please note that in what follows…
..that CF stands for Custom Field.
..(has content) means that there is >=1 transaction somewhere that is populated.

SCENARIOS (v.1.5.20)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++RESULTS
————————————-++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++—————

1: Transactions for specified PAYEE++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Correctly populated report

2: Transactions for SAME specified PAYEE + CF (has Content)+++++++++++++++++++++++++EMPTY report

3: Blind search just for CF (has Content)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++EMPTY report

*************************************************************************************************************************************************************
The next set of searches may have been related to the earlier Transaction/Number Field bug and is included as information only.
Whilst not resulting in a crash, pre v.1.5.20, they result as in “3” above.
*************************************************************************************************************************************************************
SCENARIOS (v.1.5.20)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++RESULTS
————————————-+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++————-

4: Transaction for specified ACCOUNT/PAYEE + CF (has content DECIMAL) =<999.99+++++EMPTY report

5: Blind search for CF (has content DECIMAL)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++EMPTY report
===========================================================================================================
The upshot of this is that for example, I cannot print out a list of say loyalty points where a CF is used to store these data.

Thanks to @whall3y who provided the following help, which was given as a partial answer, hence this submission…
“With 'String' type you can specify a regular expression, but with the other you need to specify an exact value.”

I hope this is useful.

Also…

Usability Query
=============

Example
————-
To be able to list, say, CF (Warrantee expiry dates) against a Notes search should be possible. (Notes could be a place to record an item Name/Model.)

Problem
————
How is it possible to perform a Blind search in Transaction Filter on a CF Date field against, say a given Payee?
It seems that there always appears to be a date in these fields that limits this.

Or have I missed something?
===============================================================================================================
Hope you can make sense of all this!
MartinArmstrong
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by MartinArmstrong »

> Hope you can make sense of all this!

Sorry but I cannot make sense of this at all. I am not certain I understand what you are asking.

Could you try again please, using fewer words and a clearer layout (no long lines of +++++ ------- characters).
For example, you could break your question down as follows:


1. What I am trying to do
a) Search for transactions that contain xxxxx
b) Search for transactions that contain yyyy


2. Example Data
Transaction 1
- Payee name: XXXX
- Custom field value (blank)

Transaction 2
- Payee name: XXXX
- Custom field value: YYYY

Transaction 3
- Payee name: ...
- Custom field value: ...


3. What I want to happen
a) Using a filter of:
- Payee name: XXXX
- Custom field value (none specified)

Expected result: Transaction 1 and 2 listed
Actual result: ...

b) Using a filter of:
- Payee name: XXXX
- Custom field value YYYY

Expected result: Transaction 3 listed
Actual result: ...

c) Using a filter of...

etc


i.e Please remove all extraneous words and state clearly, with specific examples, what you wish to achieve.
Please make it simple for the reader; they don't know what is in your head.
whall3y
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by whall3y »

The main thing I get from this is that it is not possible to filter (except for perhaps STRING which supports RegEx) on the PRESENCE of a Custom Field, e.g. you can only match on an BOOLEAN equal to a specific value, not the presence of the BOOLEAN custom field. Think it would also be good to allow the specification of a mix/max range for - INTEGER/DECIMAL/DATE/TIME
MartinArmstrong
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by MartinArmstrong »

whall3y wrote: Mon Sep 12, 2022 8:03 am The main thing I get from this is that it is not possible to filter (except for perhaps STRING which supports RegEx) on the PRESENCE of a Custom Field, e.g. you can only match on an BOOLEAN equal to a specific value, not the presence of the BOOLEAN custom field. Think it would also be good to allow the specification of a mix/max range for - INTEGER/DECIMAL/DATE/TIME
Ah, that's clear.

Yes, I agree that presence/absence of a Custom Field and ability to specify a range of values would make the Advanced Filter very flexible.

The way I do this now, and @Wirmike could do similar as a workaround, is to:

1. If appropriate, filter the transactions by Payee (or whatever).

2. Sort the displayed transaction list by the Custom Field I'm interested in by clicking on its column header.
Now I can easily scroll to the range of Custom Field values that I'm interested in, whether it's a range of Decimal values, or a Date range, or whatever.

If I wish to highlight those transactions among all the others, I then:

3. Click and Shift+Click the transactions to select from the beginning to the end of the range of the Custom Field values that I'm interested in.
4. Press Ctrl+1 to colour them Red. (or Ctrl+2..Ctrl+7 for other colours).
5. Click 'View All Transactions' to remove the filter and then click on the Date column to sort by transaction date.

Now I have all transactions visible, with those in my Custom Field range highlighted in Red.

You can also use this technique of sorting by Custom Field values to highlight those that have a value present or absent.

Being able to do this using a more flexible Advanced Filter may save a bit of time - but not much.
Wirmike
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by Wirmike »

Thank you for that suggestion - I’ll work thru it and hope that that could well be an answer.
Sorry for the delay in acknowledgement - life!
I suppose I was ‘simply’ assuming that the Custom Fields are no different to the others on the LHS of the Tranasaction filter screen.
Maybe I need to research more how these fields are used.
In the meantime I need to press on with a work back-log.

Many thanks.

Ps. Yes, the visual presentation was a little lacking in clarity - it seemed a good idea at the time!
Wirmike
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by Wirmike »

I have just had a go at working thru the suggested ‘workaround’.

Sadly, I seem to have fallen at the first hurdle and have ended up as before.

Beginning at the Workaround Step 1:

I selected a Payee (in this case, Amazon - what else?)

I took [OK].

Workaround Step 2:

I was then presented w/- the displayed transaction list.

I searched for the column head for the Custom Field (CF) that I was ‘interested’ in.
Expecting that ‘light-bulb’ moment, when suddenly I would notice what I had not noticed previously, there was/were no CF/CFs for me to sort on!
I am exactly where I was originally, quo ante!

I feel sure if there were CFs for me to sort on, I would have spotted them before.

Trying again what I tried before, and selecting the field that I was interested in, in trying this workaround (it was, for the record, the ‘Order Ref #”), I was, as originally greeted w/- an empty report: the substance of the original error report.

Consequently, I am unable to work thru the suggested workaround Steps 2-5, which is a shame, as I felt that this could have been a back-door to what I was looking for.

Have I missed or mis-understood something?
MartinArmstrong
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by MartinArmstrong »

Wirmike wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 4:33 pm there was/were no CF/CFs for me to sort on!

Have I missed or mis-understood something?
Yes.

When you created each of your custom fields, you did not assign them to a column. You have a choice of 5 columns to display your fields. Please see the attached.
Attachments
CF.png
CF.png (109.15 KiB) Viewed 9535 times
Wirmike
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by Wirmike »

Ah! Clearly I HAVE missed something! That parameter is an aspect of the Custom Fields (CFs) that I started to look at, but could not fathom at the time. Your reply has provided most useful and helpful guidance.

Presumably the column/s can be changed to allow different CFs to use a column on different occasions.

An extra dimension to MMEX is revealed.

Many thanks.
MartinArmstrong
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by MartinArmstrong »

Wirmike wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:07 pm Presumably the column/s can be changed to allow different CFs to use a column on different occasions.
Yes. Of course. Experiment to see how.

If you have more than 5 custom field types you will have to choose which to display in the 5 columns available. You can change this any time you wish.

And regardless of which custom fields are allocated to the transaction list columns, they will all be displayed on the Edit Transaction dialog.
Wirmike
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Re: Transaction Filter: Empty Reports

Post by Wirmike »

I have now worked thru the guidance provided in the previous replies.

A “Thank you!” to @MartinArmstrong.

I can now see the chosen Custom Fields in the Transaction Report screen and look forward to making use of these in the coming weeks.
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