About Templates

Templates are tools that an administrator or template writer uses to define the structure of a periodic report and the way this report will be laid out when it prints. Once a template is processed, the resulting report is a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx). A template:

• Can be scripted for the entire periodic report and/or can be split into sections that can be allocated to different users for processing. Once processed, the resulting report is a Microsoft Word document (.doc/.docx)
• Normally has a one-to-one relationship with a single product (active ingredient) and agency
• Can be used to create a template for another product/agency

Template writers use predefined syntax and elements to script templates. The basic objective of the syntax and elements is to provide tools that enable the template writer to:

• Author predefined textual narratives in the body of the template
• Pre-populate values in the body of the document directly from the database
• Prompt users for values not available in the database
• Process user entered values and insert narratives in the document
• Insert instructional text for the report authors
• Insert referential text with links to non-submission content. (Example - Attached Case Listings, CDAs, CIOMSII reports etc.)

The template automates the report generation process as much as possible. However, report authors have the ability to manually edit the content of a report as necessary.

For more information, see: