Using Document Reports

Once you have configured the Document Reporting module, you can use it to generate, print, and manage documents for various business processes. This section explains how to use document reports in your daily operations.

Accessing Document Reports

Document reports can be accessed from the records they are associated with. For example, if you've configured document reports for sales invoices, you can access them from a sales order record.

To access document reports from a record:

1. Navigate to the record from which you want to generate or view documents.
2. Choose the Documents action to open the Document Report Print page.

Note

Not all entities in Business central support the Document reporting action. Currently this feature is limited to most of the entities in the Forwarding module and the (Posted) Sales Invoices.

Viewing Available Documents

The Documents page shows all document reports that are available for the current record, organized by categories.

Understanding the Document Report page:

• Categories: Document reports are grouped by their associated categories.
• Document Types: Documents can be either Output (documents to be generated) or Input (documents to be uploaded).
• Description: A descriptive name for each document.
• Last Printed: Shows when the document was last printed or generated.
• No. Printed: Shows how many times the document has been printed or generated.

Previewing Documents

Before printing or saving a document, you can preview it to ensure it looks correct.

To preview a document:

1. On the Document Report Print page, select the document you want to preview.
2. Choose the Preview action.
3. The document will be generated and displayed in a preview window.
4. Review the document and close the preview when finished.

Printing Documents

You can print documents directly to a printer from the Document Report Print page.

To print a document:

1. On the Document Report Print page, select the document you want to print.
2. Choose the Print action.
3. In the print dialog that appears, select the printer and print options.
4. Choose Print to send the document to the printer.

The system will automatically update the print history, including the number of times printed and the last print date and time.

Saving Documents as Record Links

Instead of printing documents, you can save them as record links, which attaches them to the current record for future reference.

To save a document as a record link:

1. On the Document Report Print page, select the document you want to save.
2. Choose the Save Report as Record Link action.
3. The document will be generated and attached to the current record as a record link.

You can view saved record links in the Record Links factbox on the current record's page.

Uploading External Documents

For Input type document reports, you can upload external documents and attach them to records.

To upload an external document:

1. On the Document Report Print page, select the Input type document you want to use.
2. Choose the Upload File action.
3. In the file dialog that appears, browse to and select the file you want to upload.
4. Choose Open to upload the file.
5. The file will be attached to the record as a record link.

Using Advanced Mode

The Document Report Print page offers an Advanced Mode that provides additional options for configuring and managing documents.

To use Advanced Mode:

1. On the Document Report Print page, choose the Advanced Mode action.
2. The page will refresh to show additional fields and options:
   • Report ID: The ID of the Business Central report used to generate the document.
   • Report Layout: The specific layout used for the report.
   • Report Format: The format in which the document is generated.
   • Language Code: The language used for the document.
   • Background Letterhead Code: The letterhead used as background for the document.
   • Append Letterhead Code: The letterhead appended to the document.
   • File Name: The file name pattern used for the generated document.

Using Document Reports with Different Languages

The Document Reporting module supports generating documents in different languages.

To generate a document in a specific language:

1. On the Document Report Print page, select the document you want to generate.
2. If in Advanced Mode, set the Language Code field to the desired language.
3. If not in Advanced Mode, look for language options in the actions menu or contextual menu.
4. Generate the document using the Preview, Print, or Save Report as Record Link action.

The document will be generated using the language-specific translations defined in the system.

Using Document Reports with Different Formats

Documents can be generated in various formats depending on your needs.

To generate a document in a specific format:

1. On the Document Report Print page, select the document you want to generate.
2. In Advanced Mode, set the Report Format field to the desired format (PDF, Excel, Word, HTML).
3. Generate the document using the Preview, Print, or Save Report as Record Link action.

The document will be generated in the specified format.

Using Document Reports with Letterheads

Letterheads can be applied to documents to add professional branding elements.

To apply letterheads to a document:

1. On the Document Report Print page, select the document you want to generate.
2. In Advanced Mode, set the following fields:
   • Background Letterhead Code: Select a letterhead to use as background for the document.
   • Append Letterhead Code: Select a letterhead to append to the document.
3. Generate the document using the Preview, Print, or Save Report as Record Link action.

The document will be generated with the specified letterheads applied.

Best Practices for Using Document Reports

• Standardize document naming conventions to make it easier to identify and manage documents.
• Train users on how to use the Document Reporting module effectively.
• Regularly review and update document templates to ensure they reflect current business needs.