BIRT Report Crosstab Element Tutorial

We cannot predict the number of records available in a database table. To display it in a BIRT report, we have to generate the table dynamically. BIRT report tables help achieve this for dynamic rows.

But what if we want to generate a table with dynamic columns? With the BIRT report Crosstab element, we can generate both columns and rows dynamically.

What is a Crosstab?

A crosstab presents data in a matrix format and summarizes it in a compact way. It aggregates data by column and row groups. Common aggregations include sum, max, min, first, etc.

The Output

This is what we aim to achieve in this tutorial:

Initial Data Set

This is the raw data we are working with:

You can download the sample data set here.

1. Create a BIRT Report Project

Go to File > New > Project > Report Project. Name it "Birt-Tutorial".

2. Create a Report Design File

Go to File > New > Report. Name it `cross-tab.rptdesign` and choose a Blank Report template.

3. Create Data Source

In the Outline palette, right-click on Data Sources > New Data Source. Choose JDBC Data Source.

Provide your database connection details:

4. Create Data Set

Right-click on Data Sets > New Data Set.

Enter your SQL query to extract data:

Preview the data to ensure it's correct:

5. Create a Data Cube

A data cube is a multidimensional data structure. BIRT crosstabs rely on data cubes. Right-click on Data Cubes > New Data Cube.

6. Define Groups and Summaries

Drag your fields into Groups and Summaries.

Data Groups (Dimensions): Fields that define row keys (e.g., Student Name) and column keys (e.g., Course).
Summary Fields (Measures): The values to display in the cells (e.g., Marks).

By default, the summary function is SUM. Since we have unique values per student/course, change this to FIRST by double-clicking the summary field.