For decades, property management professionals and financial analysts have relied on MRI Software’s reporting tools to interpret complex data. If you’ve been in the industry for a while, you’re likely familiar with Report Design, the trusted, Windows-based workhorse for financial reporting. But as the industry shifts toward cloud flexibility, MRI is leading the charge with a modernized solution.
Enter Report Builder in MRI Platform X (PMX). This new tool isn't just an update; it’s a complete reimagining of the reporting experience, transitioning from a desktop application to a fully web-based environment.
In this post, we’ll explore what’s new in MRI Report Builder, how it compares to the legacy Report Design tool, and why this "lift and shift" to the web is a game-changer for your workflow.
Why the Shift to Report Builder?
The primary drivers of Report Builder are accessibility and modernization. For years, users were tethered to Windows environments to design reports, checks, and statements. The goal of MRI Platform X is to free users from these constraints by moving operations entirely online.
Report Builder performs a "lift and shift" of the core concepts you know from Report Design but "webifies" them. This means you don't have to relearn how to build a report from scratch. If you’ve used Report Design for the last 25 years, Report Builder will feel remarkably familiar, yet significantly more powerful.
Key Features and Improvements
While the core logic remains consistent, Report Builder introduces several quality-of-life improvements that address long-standing user pain points.
1. No More Squinting: A Zoomable Interface
One of the most frequent complaints about the legacy Report Design tool was the small font size and inability to scale the view. Report Builder addresses this with a native web interface that lets you zoom in and out effortlessly. Whether you are working on a complex financial statement or a simple rent roll, you can finally see what you are doing without straining your eyes.
2. Unified Design Environment
Previously, designing different outputs required opening different tools: Report Design for reports, Check Design for checks, and Statement Design for statements. Report Builder consolidates all three into a single, unified interface. You can create and edit reports, financial statements, and check layouts from a single menu, streamlining your workflow.
3. Automatic Web Enablement
In the old workflow, building a report was a two-step process: design it in the Windows tool, then jump into Web Design to "web enable" it so other users could run it. Report Builder eliminates this friction. When you create a report now, it is automatically web-enabled by default. This saves time and removes a tedious step from the deployment process.
4. Persistent Property Dialogues
If you’ve ever lost your properties window behind your main report screen in the old tool, you know the frustration of toggling views to find it again. Report Builder features docked dialogue boxes for Fields and Properties that never get lost behind your canvas. You can toggle them on or off, but they stay accessible, improving the design ergonomics.
Seamless Transition and Backward Compatibility
A significant concern with any software migration is the fear of losing legacy work. The MRI product team has ensured that Report Builder is fully compatible with existing work.
- Shared Repository: Files saved in Report Design are accessible in Report Builder, and vice versa. They pull from the exact location in the database (MRI_RPTS and MRI_RPTP tables).
- Legacy Functions: All the familiar expressions and functions you used in Report Design (like Annual for annualizing amounts based on frequency) work the same way in the web version.
- Table Access: Just like its predecessor, Report Builder gives you direct access to every table in the PMX database, including custom tables you may have created.
Conclusion
The transition to the MRI Platform X Report Builder represents a significant leap forward in usability and accessibility. By moving critical reporting functions to the web, MRI provides a more flexible and modern environment that honours the deep functionality of the past while embracing the convenience of the cloud.
If you are currently licensed for Report Design, you automatically have access to Report Builder. It’s time to stop squinting at your desktop and start building in the browser.
