Document Reporting Overview

Document Reporting is a Business Central module that provides a template-based framework for managing document reports. The module allows organizations to create and customize business documents like invoices, orders and quotes through configurable templates and layouts. Through features like template management, document organization, data handling and system configuration, businesses can generate professional documents while maintaining full control over formatting and content.

Core Features and Components

• Template Management

  • Define reusable document templates that work across different tables
  • Configure templates for supported entities like Order types and Bill of lading types
  • Apply and manage multiple layouts for each template

• Document Organization

  • Categorize documents into logical groups for easy management
  • Link generated documents to Business Central records
  • Track document printing history with timestamps
  • Apply professional letterheads with background and footer support

• Data Handling and Formatting

  • Configure which data is included through Report Data Items
  • Organize data hierarchically with flexible grouping options
  • Generate documents in various formats (PDF, Word, Excel, HTML)
  • Define standardized formatting for dates, numbers, and other data types
  • Format event/milestone information consistently
  • Customize report behavior and data selection without development work

• System Configuration

  • Set up document report templates for specific tables
  • Control how reports process and present data through Report Definitions
  • Define reusable field formats for consistent data display
  • Create event milestone format templates for time-based information

Common Use Cases

• Generating standardized business documents (invoices, orders, quotes)
• Creating customized report layouts for specific customers or vendors
• Attaching generated documents to Business Central records
• Creating structured reports with data organized in logical groups
• Customizing report behavior without modifying report objects
• Creating multiple views of the same report with different data selections
• Applying consistent data formatting across reports

The following sections provide detailed instructions for each of these steps.

Section	Description
Configuring Document Reports	How to set up document templates and reports
Managing Report Layouts	How to create and manage custom report layouts
Using Document Reports	How to use document reports in daily operations
Document Report Data Grouping	How to organize and structure data in your reports
Report Definitions and Data Items	How to customize report behavior and data selection
Field Formats	How to define standardized formatting for data in reports
Event and Milestone Formatting	How to format event and milestone data in reports

Additional Resources

• Work with Word Layouts - Detailed guide on working with Word report layouts
• Managing Report Layouts - General information about managing report layouts in Business Central