# Start Creating New Reports

## Enable data source

Before you create new reports using JReport Designer, you have to first create a catalog and then create a connection to your data source. Currently, seven methods are provided for you to achieve this goal: via JDBC/ODBC Connection, XML Connection, Web Service Connection, MongoDB Connection, HIVE Connection, Hierarchical Data Source, or by creating a User Defined Data Source.

- When the JDBC, XML, web service, MongoDB or HIVE connection is set up, you can then create queries based on tables in the connection, and then use the queries to create reports.
- The user defined data sources (UDS) and hierarchical data sources (HDS) can be used to create reports directly.
- Moreover, to change the property value of data objects, you should first click File > Options , and then uncheck Forbid editing data object properties in the Catalog category of the Options dialog.

More information about data source connections >>

## Creating a page report

To create a page report, follow the steps below:

1. Start JReport Designer.
2. Click File > New > Page Report on the menu bar.

3. In the New Page Report dialog, select the layout of the first report tab in the report.

   Since a page report cannot be empty, you will also need to create a report tab in it when creating the page report. See the section "Creating a page report tab" below for details about how to create the first report tab in a page report.

4. Click OK to create the report.

## Creating a page report tab

Before you can create a page report tab, you first have to create a page report or open an existing page report.

JReport provides you with the following report layouts, which are designed for serving different reporting requirements:

- Banded
  Creates a report containing a vertical banded object.
- Table (Group Above)
  Creates a report containing a table with group information above the detail panel.
- Table (Group Left)
  Creates a report containing a table with group information left to the detail panel.
- Table (Group Left Above)
  Creates a report containing a table with group information left above the detail panel.
- Summary Table
  Creates a report containing a table with only group and summary information.
- Chart
  Creates a report containing a chart.
- Crosstab
  Creates a report containing a crosstab.
- Horizontal Banded
  Creates a report containing a horizontal banded object.
- Mailing Label
  Creates a report containing a banded object in the form of a mailing label layout.
- Tabular
  Creates a report containing a tabular component.
- Blank
  Creates a report with nothing in it.

More information about creating page reports >>

## Creating a web report

To create a web report, follow the steps below:

1. On the JReport Designer menu bar, click File > New > Web Report.
2. A blank web report with a tabular of one cell is displayed. You can then split the tabular, insert components to the tabular cells, and modify the component properties as you want.

More information about working with components >>