Report Exports from accounting software NewViews 2
July 15, 2019 3:25 PM   Subscribe

Accounting software package NewViews 2: I’m trying to find out if this software can output (export) a report in excel, without also downloading the line items that make up the report. Just an output of the high-level, rolled up data that the report displays in NewViews.

I’ve searched across the internet for some documentation, tutorial or forum that could answer this question, with no luck other than some vague wording in the NewViews user guide.

I don’t own or have access to the software. If I could buy the software, I would; it’s just that I don’t have a PC desktop to install it on. I’m part of my housing cooperative’s Finance Committee, and we’re having a dispute with my co-op’s staff about what can be done with exports from their software. The staff is saying that such an export will reveal “confidential information,” and are resisting providing us this data based on that argument. But from my reading of the software documentation’s vague wording (user guide), it appears that the New Views 2 report statement the staff provides us (which is printed on paper) will export to excel with no additional data. We are requesting this from staff so that the Finance committee can analyze the data for monthly trend analysis.

Anyways! In a week, I’m appearing in front of my co-op’s board to state my case and argue my committee’s position. Hopefully, I can get a concrete answer to this question by that time so that the co-op staff doesn’t try to run circles around me during the board meeting due to my lack of knowledge about NewViews software!
posted by In The Annex to Computers & Internet (2 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: While I do not have specific experience with NewViews, I have worked with many ways of storing data and producing reports. Their user documentation is cringe-worthy IMO. However, regarding compatibility with Excel, it appears to be good news.

That being said, I hope this helps:
I looked at two sections, Data Export and Printing.

Under Data Export for Excel it refers you to the Printing section, specifically to Printing to Display or File.

There is also a data export option for Other and the only section under other is Caseware. Per the documentation, exporting to Caseware provides a CSV file. Excel can open CSV files, but you need to know how to parse the data. Also the only thing they talk about exporting to Caseware is a trial balance and I don't know if that is the report you want.

Better News: Under the Printing section, this phrase jumps out: all printing is performed using Microsoft Excel. From my perspective that means that any report can be provided in an excel or a compatible format.

Under Printing it talks about two classes of product: reports/tables and documents. It looks like documents, e.g., use templates to produce formatted output.

When I click the Reports/Tables link, the page specifies that one can choose Excel as a print destination. It's hard to get much simpler.

At the bottom of the page for Presentation Quality, under Instructions and options there are links for each step: Setup, Printing Reports, Batch Printing Reports to One File, Custom HTML Reports, and Near Presentation Quality With Excel. Each page under the Printing section of the user guide has specific instructions.

There is also a feature that allows you to select columns to be printed, so they can exclude confidential information.

If you want additional ammunition, you can memail me and I can help you that way or give you a direct way to contact me.

Hope this helps.
posted by Altomentis at 4:17 PM on July 16, 2019


Response by poster: This is amazing, Alto! Thanks so much for the diligent detective work. I think I have all I need to tackle this upcoming meeting!
posted by In The Annex at 4:43 PM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]


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