About the Layout Types
You have several options for designing layouts for reports.
The layout type determines the types of output documents supported. The following formats are supported.
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Publisher layout (XPT)
The Layout Editor is a Web-based design tool for creating layouts. Layouts created with the Layout Editor support interactive viewing as well as the full range of output types supported by RTF layouts.
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Rich Text Format (RTF)
A plug-in utility for Microsoft Word that automates layout design and enables you to connect to Publisher to access data and upload templates directly from a Microsoft Word session. The RTF format also supports advanced formatting commands providing the most flexible and powerful of the layout options. RTF templates support a variety of output types.
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Portable Document Format (PDF)
PDF templates are used primarily when you must use a predefined form as a layout for a report (for example, a form provided by a government agency). Because many PDF forms already contain form fields, using the PDF form as a template simply requires mapping data elements to the fields that exist on the form. You can also design PDF templates using Adobe Acrobat Professional. PDF templates support only PDF output.
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Microsoft Excel (XLS)
Excel templates enable you to map data and define calculations and formatting logic in an Excel workbook. Excel templates support Microsoft Excel (.xls) output only.
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XSL Stylesheet
Layouts can also be defined directly in XSL formatting language. Specify whether the layout is for Data (CSV), Data (XML), FO Formatted XML, HTML, Text, or XML transformation.
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eText
These are specialized RTF templates used for creating text output for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) transactions.