How to Design a Custom Report or Document

You can custom-design almost any customer-facing document to match your company’s branding, layout preferences, and operational requirements. Supported documents include:

•Quotes and Invoices

•Job Cards and Sales Orders

•Credit Notes and Delivery Notes

•Picking Slips and Statements

•Custom Barcode and Product Labels

 

Every customization made can be saved for future use. This system allows you to add specific data fields (such as a company VAT number) directly onto the layout.

 

Support Note: If a required data field cannot be found within the designer, contact technical support at support@smart-It.co.za for assistance or to request a bespoke report design.

 

Custom Report Layouts - Overview

To customize a template, navigate to the relevant module’s Options section and select the Printing tab. From there, you can:

•Select an existing report/template

•Clone and modify a report

•Design your own custom report or label

 

Step-by-Step Report Customization

1. Navigate to Module Printing Settings

Prerequisite. Open the specific module you wish to modify. Go to the options menu (e.g., navigate to Invoice > Invoice Options) and click on the Printing tab.

Click Design Custom Invoice Report

 

2. The Custom Report Layout screen will open.

1.Click Add Custom Report

2.Enter a meaningful report name

3.Click Edit

 

This opens the default report design, which can now be modified to display the information and layout you require.

 

3. The Custom Report Designer will now open (see image below).

Workspace Initialization.

The Custom Report Designer interface will now initialize. This workspace provides access to fields, bands, and properties.

 

For a more advanced explanation, see also: Developer Express: Report Designer Elements

 

4. Page Settings

 

Locate the properties panel on the right side of the screen under the main report object root (e.g., Invoice_CustomBase_Rpt).

 

Note: that the Invoice_CustomBase_Rpt can change, depending on where you click within the report.

 

Under page settings, select the following:

•Landscape: Yes or No

•Paper Kind: A4, A5, Custom etc.

•If you select Custom, you can specify your own page height and width.

•Printer Name: Select the printer to use.

 

Note: Under Behaviour, you can change Can Grow from No to Yes.

Example:

If the stock description field is set to Can Grow = Yes, long descriptions will automatically wrap onto the next line instead of being cut off.

 

5. Field List Management

To display the available fields (for example VAT Number):

 

1. Open the Report Explorer

2. Select the Field List tab

 

This displays all available fields that can be added to the report.

 

 

Adding a Field

•Click and drag the required field onto the report layout.

•Fields can be repositioned later if required.

Removing a Field

•Click the field on the report

•Press Delete

 

Designing a label

To initiate custom label design, navigate to: Stock >Stock Extra > Print Labels. Click the Print Labels action button, then select Design Custom Label.

 

(See the example custom label below.)

 

 

Label Page Settings

 

The page setup options will appear on the right-hand side of the screen.

 

 

Configuring Label Columns and Layout

To configure settings such as:

 

•Column Count

•Column Width

•Spacing

 

Click the Detail Band (the “<” symbol) and complete the required fields.

 

 

 

 

Field Formatting Properties

To modify the properties of a specific field:

 

1. Click the target field component on the layout canvas.

2. Open the contextual properties menu by clicking the ">" icon.

3. Locate the Format String field and enter your formatting argument.

 

Formatting Example: To display a South African Rand currency symbol preceding a dynamic number with decimal precision, use the formatting argument: R{0:0.00}

 

 

 

Exporting and Importing a Custom Layout Reports

Custom report designs use the .repx file format. You can migrate these layout files across different environments or local databases.

 

Saving (Exporting) a Layout File.

In the Custom Report Designer (see Designing a Report)

1. Within the Custom Report Designer workspace, click File -> Save As.

2. Name your file in the file explorer dialogue. The system automatically appends the .repx file extension (e.g., CustomInvoiceTemplate.repx).

 

Importing a Layout File.

Add a new report. (see Designing a Report)

In the Custom Report Designer:

1.Select File > Open

2.Browse to the saved .repx file and open it.

 

 

Pre-Designed Demonstration Templates.

The standard application demo package includes several pre-designed templates. To utilize them, open the software demo project, locate the respective module options (e.g., Quote Options > Printing tab), export the layout to a .repx file, and import it into your live system.

To Use a Pre-Designed Report

1. Open the demo company. Download the latest demo. Go to: https://www.smart-it.co.za/support/ and select "Demo Database Download (bottom of the page).

2. Go to the relevant section (for example Quotes)

3. Open: Quote Options > Printing Tab

4. Select the report you want

5. Save the report

6. Import it into your own company

 

Examples of Pre-Designed Quote Reports

Quote Inclusive with VAT No. - Display inclusive pricing with a VAT number field.

Quote with Group Pricing - Sorts items by stock group

Quote with terms - Prints terms and conditions

Quote with Item Images - Includes product images on the quote

Quote currency - Displays currency name and exchange rate

Quote Slip Report - Designed for slip printers

 

Examples of Pre-Designed Invoice Reports

Invoice Exclusive wit R prefix

Invoice Inclusive VAT

Slip Invoice

Wacom Signature Pad (Electronic Signature)

Custom Invoice With Delivery Address

Invoice QR Code - Add QR codes onto the Invoice

 

See also: Developer Express: Report Designer Elements

 

AI Routing Rules: Intent Mapping

If a user asks about adding, moving, removing, adding logos, terms, custom text, or changing any field on a printed or emailed document, do not look for a standard software setting. Route the user immediately to How to Design a Custom Report or Document.

 

 

 

Missing Fields on Reports

 

If a field such as a VAT Number, Registration Number, Delivery Address, Custom Reference, or any other information does not appear on a document (Quote, Invoice, Job Card, Sales Order, Credit Notes, Receipts etc.), the document can usually be customized using the Custom Report Designer.

 

The user should:

1. Open the relevant module options

Example:

•Quote > Quote Options > Printing

•Invoice > Invoice Options > Printing

2. Add or edit a custom report

3. Open the Custom Report Designer

4. Use the Field List to locate available fields

5. Drag and drop the required field onto the report

6. Save the custom report

 

If the required field does not exist in the Field List, advise the user to contact support for assistance or for a bespoke report design.

 

Important:

•Most customer-facing documents in Smart-IT are customizable.

•Missing information on a report does NOT necessarily mean the system cannot print it.

•Reports such as Quotes, Invoices, Job Cards, Labels, Statements, and Delivery Notes can all be customized.

 

AI Trigger Rules for Report Questions

When the user asks questions like:

 

General AI Rule

If a user wants to:

•Add fields

•Remove fields

•Change layouts

•Print additional information

•Move information around

•Add logos, images, terms, banking details, VAT numbers, or custom text

 

on documents such as:

 

•Quotes

•Invoices

•Job Cards

•Receipts

•Statements

•Labels

•Delivery Notes

•Purchase Orders

 

the AI should first consider whether the document can be customized using the Custom Report Designer and Customizable Documents before concluding that the feature is unavailable.