BIRT (Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools) is an open source Java project that provides reporting and business intelligence functions. It can be used to graphically depict business logic and analyses. It was launched by the Eclipse Foundation in 2005 and has been one of the non-profit organisation's top-level projects ever since.

BIRT can be used to create detailed reports, including sales analyses and business reports that use various data sources. The application makes it possible to prepare these reports clearly and present them in an understandable way, making important correlations clearer. The software can also be used to monitor key indicators of business success.

Tooling by BIRT: designer and engine

The tool essentially consists of two parts: the designer and the engine.

The powerful designer is based on the Eclipse platform and offers an extensive range of functions for creating reports. It has an intuitive interface that allows users to place report elements such as tables, charts, crosstabs and text fields using drag-and-drop. Numerous design options are available to make the reports appealing.

In addition, complex reports with groupings, sorting, filters and calculations can be created. The software supports the use of scripts for advanced customisation and additional functionalities. A real-time preview allows changes to be checked immediately. Reports can be exported to various output formats such as PDF, HTML, Excel and CSV.

The main tasks of the engine include

• The connection and utilisation of a specified data source for the reports
• Providing all necessary drivers for the data sources
• The application of the created templates and their generation in the corresponding output format

The engine can be integrated and thus operated in almost any existing Java application or via a plug-in in a Tomcat server. Utilisation with Tomcat offers advantages such as the integrated BIRT Viewer Servlet, which supports display of reports in a browser.

Data sources in BIRT

Data sources are a key aspect in the creation of reports. BIRT provides an extensive and powerful selection for this:

• Simple data structures such as CSV files and flat files can be used.
• It is also possible to connect to more complex sources such as JDBC, MongoDB, Web Services, XML and many more.

Open data access in BIRT

If the existing options are not sufficient, ODA (Open Data Access) offers the option of developing specially customised drivers that are precisely tailored to the respective requirements. Customised masks can be created that can be used by the DataSets in the Designer. One potential use case for ODA is merging and analysing data from various sources such as databases, CRM systems and Excel spreadsheets.

With BIRT and the appropriate ODA drivers, it is possible to create reports that combine and visualise different data sources to make informed business decisions.

Advanced data processing with scripted datasources

Scripted Data Sources in BIRT allow developers to create customised scripts to retrieve and process data from a variety of sources (such as parameters, ODA interfaces, MySQL).

These scripts are used to generate complex queries, transform data, apply filters or perform other data manipulations. By using scripted data sources, developers can extend the functionality of BIRT and implement custom requirements for data retrieval and processing in their reports. This enables greater flexibility and customisation when creating reports.

Flexibility trough parameterised reports

In this context, it is important to emphasise the extremely flexible parameterisation of the reports. These parameters are freely definable and can be configured by both the end user and the program before the report is created. Later on, these parameters can be used in the queries of the data sources or directly in the logic for displaying elements conditionally.

JavaScript in BIRT: dynamic design

Another notable strength of BIRT is its ability to design content in a highly dynamic way using JavaScript. The designer allows you to control all output and display options such as visibility, colours and labels using JavaScript while also including access to all variables.

By incorporating your own libraries or integrating them into your own software, BIRT offers the option of accessing Java methods, as the ‘Rhino’ engine is used internally.

This flexibility also extends to scripting and the available event system, which can be used to intervene in the component rendering process. This allows adjustments to be made or the data to be prepared accordingly, such as dynamically changing the colour of a row in a continuous table on the basis of a custom query. This adjustment is implemented in the event by accessing the data.

Conclusion

BIRT is a versatile open source piece of software that enables users to create and design customised reports and dashboards. With BIRT, data from various sources can be brought together and visualised in clear charts and tables. These functions support companies in making well-founded decisions based on meaningful reports.

BIRT is very popular due to its flexibility and customisability. Thanks to the active community and the structured organisation of the project, developers can access knowledge quickly and free of charge. In addition, integration into existing software offers even greater customisability compared to other external solutions.