Creating report templates

Permission

To be able to create report templates you need to be either the organization owner or have the received the permission Manage projects by the organization owner.

Report templates can exclusively be created and edited in the docu tools web app.

Where to find the report templates

You'll find the report templates by clicking on the gear icon in the black top bar, choosing report templates from the menu.

Report formats

Reports and their templates can be created in Word (.docx) or Excel (.xlsx) formats only. When creating or customizing a report template, use your standard Word or Excel editing skills. Any text you enter in the template itself will be static and remain the same for each report created with this template. Feel free to customize the styles and sizes of both the static text and the placeholder text. These settings will be taken into account when generating the report.

Placeholders

To fill your future report with your docu tools data you'll insert placeholders. These placeholders act as markers within your template, indicating where the data from docu tools should be inserted. For example, you can create a placeholder like {{project-name}} in the template, which will be dynamically filled with the actual project name in docu tools when generating the report. There are different sets of placeholders for Excel and for Word, as some are available only in one or the other.

Example: The placeholder {{Pin-category}} represents the pin category: - {{Pin-category}} –> Small defect

You can also define the formatting of the placeholder, which will be displayed in the completed report.

Example: {{Pin-category}} –> Small Defect

There are different categories of placeholders available:

1. Project-based placeholders: - {{project-name}} - {{project-logo}}
2. Report-based placeholders: - {{author}} - {{pagebreak}}
3. Pin-based placeholders: - {{Pin-number}} - {{Pin-title}}
4. Task-based placeholders: - {{task-title}} - {{task-status}}

Tip: There is a peculiarity when using Task and Pin placeholders. Since Pins and Tasks often occur repeatedly in a report, the specific section where these placeholders appear must be defined. This restricted area will be filled with data from a Pin or a Task and replicated as many times as the Pins and Tasks occur in the report.*

The section always begins with {{Pins}} or {{tasks}} and is closed with {{/Pins}} or {{/tasks}}. Any elements between these two placeholders will be repeatedly displayed based on the number of Pins or Tasks.*

By utilizing these placeholders effectively, you can create dynamic and flexible templates that accurately represent the data from your projects, reports, and tasks.

Step 1: Download and Customize Report Templates

To simplify the process, we recommend to download one of our pre-existing report templates. These templates are available in both Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) formats. Once downloaded, you can customize them to align with your requirements. Feel free to modify the layout, add your branding elements, and adapt the content to suit your requirements.

If you prefer to start from scratch we still recommend downloading one of our templates and using them as guidelines and for reference for the creation of your own template.

WORD: Customizing templates

You can edit the title page with elements like logos, images, and graphics. Use placeholders for any information you'd like to draw directly from docu tools. Following the title page, you can include static text such as project description or contact details that will remain the same unless changes to the template are made. Those can be separated by page breaks if necessary.

To ensure a clear and organized presentation, in our templates the Pin data and Task data are arranged in a table format. The section always begins with {{Pins}} or {{tasks}} and is closed with {{/Pins}} or {{/tasks}}. Any elements between these two placeholders will be repeatedly displayed based on the number of Pins or Tasks. This not only provides a better overview but also facilitates the insertion of page breaks as needed.

Tip: General page breaks can be inserted as static directly in the Word template. If you wish to insert a page break after each Pin, simply include the placeholder {{page break}}.

The static text of a report template is displayed as specified, while the placeholder content is dynamically populated with content from the app. Customize both static and placeholder texts in style and size to suit your needs. These settings are automatically applied when a report is created based on this template.

For more information about placeholders, please read the article Placeholder.

How do I properly format the header and footer in a Word report template?

In your report, the header and footer serve as a consistent display area for essential information. This can include the project name, logo, report date, page numbers, or any other relevant details. These header and footer sections are visible on all pages of the report, except the cover page.

Our pre-designed report templates come with headers and footers already in place, starting from page 2. The header includes placeholders such as {{project-name}} and {{today}}, along with our logo. For pagination, we've configured the footer using Word's built-in option. Additionally, our "Quick Print" report template includes company information in the footer, such as the company name, address, and website.

To customize these details according to your preferences, simply double-click on the header or footer. You can also utilize the Insert menu in Word to add or modify header and footer styles.

We've incorporated a placeholder specifically for project logos: {{project-logo}}. This placeholder can be used in place of your company logo and will display the image you've inserted as the logo in your project settings.

However, please note that the picture may appear distorted or oversized in the final report. To ensure a visually appealing header, we recommend importing your logo directly into the header and adjusting its size and position as desired. This guarantees a consistently excellent header in every report.

EXCEL: Customizing report templates

Customizing an Excel template does not differ much from customizing a Word template. However, some placeholders that are available in Word are not available in Excel (and vice versa).

In the Excel template you can use Formulas and Diagrams, which in the final report will be filled in with docu tools data.

Step 2: Uploading Customized Templates

Once you have personalized the report templates to your satisfaction, it's time to upload them to docu tools for future use.

Remember, only .docx and .xlsx formats are accepted for template uploads.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Click on the gear icon in the top menu.
2. Select Report templates.
3. The list of all available report templates is displayed. Click on Create template.
4. Provide a descriptive title for the template.
5. Choose the language of the report template.
6. Either drop the selected file in the Drag'n'Drop window or click on Select file to choose your file, ensuring it is in Word or Excel format.
7. Once all the details are entered, click on Create.

Step 3: Manage report templates

Assign report templates to either specific or all projects

You might have different templates for different projects. To make sure that only the corresponding template can be used for a specific project it should be assigned to only that project. General templates can be made available for all projects.

Assign To All Projects: - In the column labeled Assign To All Projects, check the checkbox corresponding to the report template you wish to use in all projects.

Assign to one or more specific projects: - Make sure the checkbox Assign To All Projects is unchecked. If it is checked, uncheck it. - Navigate to the ... menu of the report. - Select the option Assing to projects. - Select the projects for which you wish to use the template. - Click the Assign button.

Alternativeley,

• Click the Assign templates button.
• Add specific reports to each project in the next view.

Report templates can also be added or removed for specific projects through the project settings view. For more information on project settings, please refer to the article Project settings.

Edit and Replace a report template

1. In your report template view navigate to the ... menu of the report.
2. Select the option Edit.
3. Drag and drop the new file to the respective section or Select it from the file library.
4. In this view you can also edit the report title.
5. Click Save.

Delete and Download report templates

Choose either the Download or Remove option, depending on your desired action.

For a comprehensive understanding of this feature, you can also explore the part of our live seminar dedicated to reports and reports templates. The seminar delves into practical demonstrations and explanations, offering a visual guide to leveraging this tool effectively. Access the seminar at this link and enhance your proficiency in creating custom report templates.