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Designing Report Layouts from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment

After you have created a dataset for a report, you design the report layout. The report layout determines how the report looks when it is viewed, printed, and saved from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client. The report layout specifies which fields of the dataset are included in the report and how they are arranged, the format of text that appears on the report (such as font type and color), margins, background images, and more.

You generally display most data in the body of a report, and you use the header to display information before any dataset fields are displayed. For example, you can display a report title, company, and user information in the header of a report.

Report Layout Types

There are two types of report layouts: Word and Client Report Language Definition (RDLC). Word report layouts are based on a Word document (.docx file type) and are created and modified by using Word 2013. RDLC report layouts are .rdlc or .rdl file types that are created and modified by using Visual Studio 2013 or SQL Server Report Builder 3.0.

Built-in and Custom Report Layouts

In the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Development Environment, you can create both an RDLC report layout and Word report layout on a report. These layouts are referred to as built-in layouts because they are part of the report object in the database. This means, for example, if you export the report object as a .fob or .txt file, the RDLC report layout and Word report layout are included. A report can only have one built-in RDLC report layout and one built-in Word report layout. By default, the built-in RDLC report layout is used when the report is run in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client unless there is only a built-in Word report layout, in which case, the built-in Word report layout is used.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV users can specify whether to use the built-in RDLC or Word report layout on a report from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Windows client and Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web client. From the client, users can also create custom report layouts that are based on the built-in report layouts. This enables users to have several different layouts for the same report which they can switch among. Custom report layouts are managed from page 9650 Report Layouts in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client. Unlike built-in report layouts, which are part of the report object, custom report layouts are stored in table 9650 Report Layouts of the database.

Report Layouts in a Multitenant Deployment

In a multitenant Microsoft Dynamics NAV deployment, the built-in report layouts are stored in the application database because they are part of the report objects. Therefore, built-in report layouts are available to all tenants. Custom report layouts are stored in the business data database; therefore they are specific to the tenant. This enables you to create separate report layouts for each tenant.

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Add Fields from a Report Dataset to a Word Report Layout

A report dataset can consist of fields that display labels, data, and images. This topic describes procedure for adding fields of a report dataset to an existing Word layout of a report. You add fields by using the Word custom XML part for the report and adding content controls that map to the fields of the report dataset.

To display the Custom XML part for the Report in Word

  1. Open the Word report layout document in Word for editing.
  2. Show the Developer tab in the ribbon of Word.

By default, the Developer tab is not shown in the ribbon.

  1. On the Developer tab, choose XML Mapping Pane.
  2. In the XML Mapping pane, in the Custom XML Part list, choose the XML part for Microsoft Dynamics NAV report. The name of the XML part has the following format:

urn:microsoft-dynamics-nav/reports/report_name/ID

report_name is the name that is assigned to the report as specified by the report’s Name Property.

ID is the identification number of the report.
XMLDataSet
After you select the XML part, the XML Mapping pane displays the labels and field controls that are available for the report.

To add a label or data field

  1. Place your pointer in the document where you want to add the control.
  2. In the XML Mapping pane, right-click the control that you want to add, choose Insert Content Control, and then choose Plain Text.

AddDataField

Note

You cannot add a field by manually typing the dataset field name in the content control. You must use the XML Mapping pane to map the fields.

To add repeating rows of data fields to create a list

  1. If not already existing, add a table row that includes a column for each field that you want repeated.

This row will act as a placeholder for the repeating fields.

  1. Select the whole row.
  2. In the XML Mapping pane, right-click the control that corresponds to the report data item that contains the fields that you want repeated, choose Insert Content Control, and then choose Repeating.

AddRepeatingField

  1. Add the repeating fields to the row as follows:
    1. Place your pointer in a column.
    2. In the XML Mapping pane, right-click the control that you want to add, choose Insert Content Control, and then choose Plain Text.

InsertContentField

  1. For each field, repeat steps a and b.