Astral Reports - Help V5:

When creating a report, waiting for the report to refresh using the web service call every time you input a function can sometimes make the process time consuming.

Design Mode allows you to make changes to a report without the function making a web service call and refreshing all the time.

Once you place a report into Design Mode, you are able to make as many changes as you would like without it doing any web service calls until you are happy with your changes.

Once you take the report out of Design Mode the worksheet will refresh only the once, saving you a lot of time.

To access Design Mode, in your report, click 'Design Mode' in the ribbon, which will activate it.

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Figure 1 | Design Mode in the Ribbon

Any changes that you make in Design Mode will not be updated or call the web service.

Make the required changes to the report. Usually, in Design Mode, the value will return #DESIGN# within the formulated column, or return #VALUE# if you then try to use the return value as part of another formula, such as reversing the sign or adding it to another number until Design Mode is turned off.

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Figure 2 | Insert Function in Design Mode Indication

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Figure 3 | '#VALUE' Returned

Once you have finished making your changes, click 'Design Mode' again in the ribbon which will deactivate it, and then click 'Refresh' and the workbook will then refresh to show the values for your changes.

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Figure 4 | Deactivate and Refresh

Design Mode allows you to swiftly edit your reports without the added lag of the web service call whilst you are making multiple edits.