Print Reports to PDF - Format Options
It would be great to have a few customizable options before a report prints to PDF. Among those: 1) TITLE: currently prints with the root data set (ie COMMITMENTS): can it at least print with the REPORT NAME as the title, or, even better, with a customizable header? 2) LANDSCAPE v PORTRAIT 3) Color Scheme: Even a set of 8 different color schemes could be really helpful to not have to re-format before, for instance, a board meeting. The grey is ok, but being able to pick the foundation colors / more presentable gradients would be great. 4) Margins / Column Width - I feel like I'm missing something; can you adjust these so that it doesn't print weirdly?
posted September 6, 2012 by Jen Bokoff, Laurie M Tisch Illumination Fund
Ideas
shared this idea
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Anonymous
commented
I would love to be able to print landscape. Of course, other customizations would be welcome, but even if we could do this ONE thing right now, it would make a big difference.
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Erin Baird
commented
I would love to be able to have these features...at least change orientation to landscape would be great.
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Chris Dahl
commented
Hi Andy,
At this point, we are looking at improvements to reporting, but they mainly are around being able to get more data out of the system (i.e. form questions, not just report fields) and to make it easier to customize the data and filters. I certainly agree that some of the things you mention make total sense, but one of the challenges of using 3rd party software is that we have to depend on them for some of the requested functionality.
-chris
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andy
commented
Any improvement plans for 2014? The ability to print landscape will make the reporting more usable for us as well.
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Chris Dahl
commented
Hi Jen,
Thanks for the suggestions - they certainly make sense. Due to the highly customized nature of our users' data, our main focus for reporting has been to allow users access to their data in a relatively straightforward and efficent manner. And due to the complexity of writing a reporting engine, it's one of the few pieces of our solution that we didn't write ourselves.
Earlier this year, Daren and I met the vendor whose product we use. After explaining the part of the reporting solution we're using to meet our end-user needs, and after noting some of the issues we've had with it, they said that the feature we're using was really designed more for online data analysis rather than output. They did say they've been surprised by how many of their customers have expressed some frustration with the output, and they did say it's something they have on their product roadmap to improve.
That said, it's not something that will be dramatically better anytime soon. In the meantime, as we balance priorities for 2013, reporting will continue to receive focus. In the near-term, that focus will be on improving the efficiency of reporting. However, as we continue to do more custom reporting engagements, we are investigating and learning more about how to make some limited improvements to the output. And as we learn more, we'll be trying to roll those into the more generic reporting solution where it's feasible.
Thanks again for the suggestions - and have a safe and happy new years. All my best for a great 2013,
-chris
posted December 27, 2012 by Chris Dahl, Foundant Technologies
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Ideas
commented
ooo and repeating headers at the top of each report page too; that should be standard.
posted November 7, 2012 by Jen Bokoff, Laurie M Tisch Illumination Fund
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Ideas
commented
Is there any update on this? never heard anything back, and landscape especially would be very helpful. Please let me know if anything is in the near-future pipeline with these items.
posted November 7, 2012 by Jen Bokoff, Laurie M Tisch Illumination Fund