1. Implementing Enterprise Contracts
  2. Create and Edit Report Layouts

Create and Edit Report Layouts

The layout determines what and how data is displayed on report output. Each report has at least one layout template. This topic describes the following aspects of report templates:

  • Layout templates

  • Layout template types

  • Overall process of managing layouts

  • Deleting layout templates

Layout Templates

To modify a layout, you edit the layout template, which:

  • Defines the presentation components, such as tables and labeled fields.

  • Maps columns from the data model to these components so that the data is displayed in the correct place.

  • Defines font sizes, styles, borders, shading, and other formatting, including images such as a company logo.

Layout Template Types

There are a few types of template files to support different report layout requirements.

  • RTF: Rich text format (RTF) templates created using Microsoft Word.

  • XPT: Created using the application's layout editor, these templates are for interactive and more visually appealing layouts.

  • eText: These templates are specifically for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and electronic funds transfer (EFT) information.

You can also create and edit other types of templates using Adobe PDF, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Flash, and XSL-FO.

Overall Process to Create or Edit Layouts

Editing or creating report layout, for example using Microsoft Word or the layout editor, involves making the actual changes to the template file. But that task is just one part of the entire process for modifying layouts.

  1. Copy the original report and save the new version in Shared Folders > Custom in the business intelligence (BI) catalog. You create or edit templates for the new copy of the report.

    Tip: You can use the Customize option if the original is a predefined report.

  2. Review report settings for online viewing.

  3. Generate sample data for the report.

  4. Edit or create the layout template file.

  5. Upload the template file to the report definition. Skip this step if you're using the layout editor.

  6. Configure the layout settings.

You can also add a table of contents to the PDF document created when previewing a contract using the Opt-In page. A table of contents helps you quickly scan and locate a specific section in a PDF document. See the Enable Table of Contents in the Contract Preview topic to enable this feature.

Click where you want to insert the table of contents, usually at the beginning of a document.

Click References > Table of Contents and then choose an Automatic Table of Contents style from the list.

Deleting Layout Templates

To remove a layout template for a report:

  1. Select your report in the BI catalog and click Edit.

  2. In the report editor, click View a list.

  3. Select the layout template and click Delete.

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