A template is a worksheet that contains placeholders for the report's output. ReportsDNA will replace the the placeholders with their values when the report is generated. Creating a template is easy. Simply open a worksheet, format it and add placeholders for the report's fields. Placeholders are designated by entering the field name enclosed by two pipe delimiter.
Example placeholder for a field named Last Name.
ReportsDNA includes a Template Field Placer dialog that makes it easy to enter placeholders into a template. Follow these step-by-step instructions to use the tool to design a template.
Start by setting up the report in the Table format.
Run the report once to establish the available fields.
Now change the report to use a template. Select the Template radio button as the Report Layout
Report Template section enter the following:
File: enter the full path to the file that will hold the template. Double-click on the This File in the Variables Panel to set the current file.
Worksheet: click on the button and choose the worksheet that will contain the template.
Place your field placeholders on the template. Only fields with placeholders will be in the report. Placeholders can be entered manually or through the Template Field Placer.
Click the Edit button, which will open the template and display the Template Field Placer. It contains a list of fields available in the report. The first field in the list will be the pound sign (#). It will be replaced with the record number when the report is generated.
Click on the cell where you want to place a field placeholder.
Single-clicking a field in the Template Field Placer will enter the placeholder for that single field in the active cell.
Clicking either the Add All Fields - Row or the Add All Fields - Column button will enter all the fields in the report in table format with the field names as the column headers
Repeat the two previous steps until all the desired fields are placed on the report.
Click one of the two buttons when finished:
Close will close the Template Field Placer dialog leaving the template worksheet available for editing.
Show Report will close the Template Field Placer dialog, but return to the report.
Close will close the Template Field Placer dialog leaving the template worksheet available for editing.
Show Report will close the Template Field Placer dialog, but return to the report.
Use this feature to quickly add column headings and placeholders for all available fields in a report.
Place your cursor in the cell to specify the starting point and then click the button to add the fields in either row or column format.
