Report authoring workflow: does “authoring” include formatting (layout, fonts, grouping, and presentation choices)?

Introduction / Context:
Authoring a report involves more than writing a query. Designers must pick fields, arrange sections, define groupings, totals, conditional highlights, and the visual layout for readability and compliance. This question checks whether formatting belongs to authoring.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Report lifecycle: authoring → scheduling/distribution → consumption.
• Authoring tasks: data selection, parameterization, layout/formatting, and visual encoding.
• Formatting ensures the report communicates effectively.

Concept / Approach:
Because presentation determines how information is perceived, it is a first-class authoring responsibility. Thus, formatting is inherently part of authoring across static and dynamic reports.

Step-by-Step Solution:
List authoring tasks (data + layout).Map “formatting” to those tasks.Affirm inclusion of formatting in authoring; conclude the statement is valid.

Verification / Alternative check:
Most BI tools provide a “report designer” combining query and layout canvases, confirming formatting is part of authoring.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Authoring is not limited by OLTP/OLAP schemas, static/dynamic behavior, or export formats.

Common Pitfalls:
Treating formatting as an afterthought leads to unreadable or noncompliant reports.

Final Answer:
Valid statement — formatting is an integral part of authoring