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You can send Request output directly to Microsoft Excel as a spreadsheet, chart or pivot table.

Lesson Goals: You are going to create a Request whose output is an Excel chart. When you run the Request, Foxfire! automatically starts Excel with the generated chart active.

Note: Generally, Excel charts and graphs work best when there are just a few rows and columns in the output. Here are some things you can do to keep your output manageable.

  • Use summary type Requests.
  • Use aggregating calculations such as sum on numeric data items
  • Use a filter to reduce the number of records you retrieve


To create an Excel chart:

  1. From the Request Manager, create a new Summary report named XXXLESS12 (substituting your initials for xxx). For the title, enter “Summary Comparison of Price Paid and Profit.” 
  2. Click the Select Data Items tab.
  3. Move Cars Make to the Selected Items List.
  4. Click on Cars Purchase Price and click Sum.
  5. Click on Gross Profit and click Sum.
  6. Click the Filter Results tab. You will create a filter selecting Cars Make being either Honda or Ford.
  7. Click Add.
  8. Select Cars Make in the Data Item drop-down box.
  9. Select In the List in the Relationship drop-down box.
  10. Type Honda, Ford in the Values box.
  11. Click on the a to save the filter.
  12. Click the Specify Output tab.
  13. Select Excel Chart in the Type drop-down box. You will see the Options change as soon as you select the Excel Chart Type.
  14. In the Chart Type drop-downbox, select Excel Column.
  15. Check the box that says Display in 3-D.
  16. Click the Save icon on the Design icon on the Design Preview window.
  17. Click the Close icon on the Design Preview window.
  18. Click the Run icon in the Request Manager window. The chart will be saved as xxxLESS12.xls. Excel will open and display your chart.
  19. After looking at the chart, close Excel.

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