Report Template Editor

Introduction

With the Report Template Editor, you create or modify XML templates that can be used in FieldFX Mobile. These Document Templates can used to generate PDF reports, a type of FX Report. You can attach the reports to records as PDFs, which are easier to print and email.

The Report Template Editor is used in FieldFX Back Office as a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor. In the app, you can use repeating headers/footers, pagination, and many other advanced formatting options. You can drag design elements to the design canvas and build your report.

For recent updates, see the Report Editor Admin Tool Release Notes.

Prerequisites

To use the Report Template Editor,

Have these user licenses Have these permissions Before continuing
complete these tasks
  • FX E-Ticketing minimum permissions

  • To use the Report Template Editor and in the Miscellaneous block of the Admin Portal, enable the FX5.Admin Tool - Advanced Report Editor permission.

Grant Access to Admin Tools

As an admin, only give access to users using Permission Sets. The user must have a Salesforce Platform license.
  1. From Setup, enter Permission Sets in the Quick Find box, then select Permission Sets.

  2. Click the link for the Permission Set Label you need to modify.

    1. To access the Admin Tools dashboard, grant the AdminTool_Portal permission.

  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select System Permissions.

  4. Click Edit Properties.

  5. Mark the Enabled checkbox for Customer Application.

  6. Click Save.

  7. Repeat the steps for other permission sets as needed.

  8. For Admin Tools, the user needs these permissions just for the areas they will be working on:

    If the user needs
    to use this Admin Tool…​
    Grant this Permission…​

    Report Template Editor

    AdminTool_AdvancedReportEditor

    Conditional Pricing

    AdminTool_Conditional_Pricing

    DataGuide
    (must be installed to appear)

    AdminTool_DataGuide

    FX Logs

    AdminTool_FX_Logs

    Mobile Field Updates

    AdminTool_Mobile_Field_Updates

    Mobile Filters

    AdminTool_Mobile_Filters

    Mobile Help Builder

    AdminTool_Mobile_Help_Builder

    Mobile Rollups

    AdminTool_Mobile_Rollups

    Mobile Validations

    AdminTool_Mobile_Validations

    Price Book Rules

    AdminTool_Price_Book_Rules

    Record Access Check

    AdminTool_Record_Access_Check

    Report Templates

    AdminTool_Report_Templates

    Status Workflow

    AdminTool_Status_Workflow

    Sync Event Viewer

    AdminTool_Sync_Event_Viewer

    Sync Profile Wizard

    AdminTool_Sync_Profile_Wizard

    User Share View

    AdminTool_User_Share_View

    User Wizard

    AdminTool_User_Wizard

XML Templates

An XML template is a file containing XML markup that controls the design and content of a report template.

XML templates use:

You can create XML templates in a text editor.

PDF Metadata

  • Add PDF file metadata using a <info> tag in the Report Template.

  • Supported metadata attributes are:

    • title - You can also use this for the PDF filename.

    • author -

    • subject

    • keywords

  • Report designers can use Handlebars expressions to add dynamic content to the metadata fields.

  • If added manually (outside of the Report Template Editor using the XML Editor), the <info> tag must be a direct child of the <template> tag.

PDF Metadata Examples

Use the Job Safety Report as the Report Title Each Time a Report Generates

In the title field of the Report Template, enter Job Safety Report.

This adds the following to the XML for the report template:

<template>
  <info title="Job Safety Report" />
</template>

Dynamically Use the Customer and a Timestamp for the Report’s Title

If you create multiple PDF reports, you can add the customer and timestamp to the report title to set them apart. In the title field of the Report Template, enter the following Handlebars expression:

{{FX5__Customer_Account__r.Name}}-{{formatDate (formula "NOW()") format="MM/DD/YYYY HH:mm:ss"}}

The Report Template Editor adds the following to the XML for the report template:

<template>
  <info title="{{FX5__Customer_Account__r.Name}}-{{formatDate (formula "NOW()") format="MM/DD/YYYY HH:mm:ss"}}"/>
</template>

The resulting report might display as follows:

List of Report Titles in FX Mobile
Figure 1. In FX Mobile
List of Report Titles in FX Back Office
Figure 2. In FieldFX Back Office Notes List also shown in the Files related list (as the name of PDF)
Microsoft Windows File Properties
Figure 3. In a Microsoft Windows File Properties displayed by right clicking the file

How Report Templates Works

Use the Report Templates Editor tool to add new reports for Quotes, Jobs, Tickets, Invoices and any other object.

  • You can only generate reports for jobs, tickets, quotes, and eForms in FieldFX Mobile.

  • Before creating a new version of the same report, the admin must add the respective fields in the report title. The PDF filenames have the date and time in the filename.

Use the wizard to create or change an XML template for the report.

Start from a preloaded format or create a new report from a blank template.

After creating the report, advanced users can modify the XML directly.

Report Template Editor Interface

You can use the advanced report template editor in FieldFX Admin Tools and, if installed, as the FieldFX DataGuide Document Template Editor.

FieldFX created this for a non-technical person to build a document (report) template. No coding is required, just the ability to drag-and-drop elements onto a canvas and configure the necessary parameters for each element.

Main Screen

Main Advanced Report Template Editor Interface
Figure 4. Main Advanced Report Template Editor Interface

The main screen of the Editor has options to do the following:

Table 1. Main Interface Callouts
Callout Name Description

1

FX

Click this button to return to the main Admin Tools list.

2

Import

Click this button to bring in the XML code for another report template created outside of the Advanced Report Template Editor. See Import XML of a Template.

3

+ New Template

Click this button to create a new report template. You can link this template to any FieldFX object.

The editor opens up a new canvas and the Report Canvas appear.

4

More

Click this menu to see:

Menu

  • The current user name

  • The org name

  • The version number in use.

5

FieldFX Object Categories

The categories shown depend on the FieldFX object that used as a basis for the template. If this is a new org, no report templates exist and the list is blank.

6

Author Filter

Use this dropdown to filter the list of templates by the user who created them.

7

Filter

Use this dropdown to narrow the report templates that have an advanced filter. Filters can have multiple criteria which can take into account any of the fields available on the report template object.

8

Action icons

Each report template entry has icons to perform tasks on that template.

Action Icons

Click Edit Icon to open the template in the editor or in the XML editor to edit it.

You can only edit reports initially created in the WYSIWYG report editor.

Click Copy Icon to copy the template. At the copy window, click Copy to make a copy of the template. The copy appears in the list window with "(1)" after the name.

Click Download Icon to download the XML of the template. A message appears that the XML is generating and saved to your browser’s default download location.

Click Trash Icon to remove the template. At the confirmation window, click Delete.

9

Template List

The created templates appears in a table with these columns:

  • Template Name - Name of the template

  • Created - The template’s creation date

  • Created By - Name of the user who created the template

  • Modified - The template’s last modified date

  • Modified By - The user who last changed the template

Design Interface

Once you create a new template, a blank Report Canvas appears.

Template Design Canvas callouts

Template Design Canvas callouts

Table 2. Main Design Canvas Callouts
Callout Name Description

1

FX

Click the FX logo to return to the FieldFX Admin Portal.

2

Template Functions

Use this menu to complete common template tasks such as:

  • < Templates - Click to return to the list of templates

  • Save - Click to save the current template

  • Preview - Click to generate a preview of the report. See Preview a Template

  • Properties - Click to review or change the following properties of the template.

    This opens the report template editor record page so you can set the different values, such as Account, Office, Segment, etc.

  • Advanced Filtering - Click to create or edit an advanced filter to use in the template.

    You can build custom visibility criteria for the report template.

    Example 1. Displaying a Template for a Country value on the Ticket object

    You can display a template for Canada if the Country value set on the ticket object is "Canada".

    Defining an advanced filter overwrites the default filter. You can prevent this by adding a value on the Account, Office, Job Type and Segment values via the Properties tab.

3

More

4

Design Panels

The editor has collapsible options to add different elements to the template. You can collapse these panels by clicking the > icon.

Panel Name Description

Elements

You can add these menu elements to the report canvas such as Layout, Data Table, DataGuide Form, and Signature box.

Images

The image picker which shows the images you have uploaded or add an Image.

Layout Information

Set the page dimensions, page orientation, and page margins.

File Properties

You can set the report title, author, subject and add keywords to help classify and search for the report.

5

Report Canvas

To start designing a report, begin the Create New Template process and use the Report Canvas to drag and drop elements.

You can drag multiple elements, but not all, into the header, footer, and body.

6

Text Formatting Bar

This bar stays open at the top of the canvas. When using a text element, you can change the format and font size, plus apply Bold, Italic, Underline, Strikethrough, font color and alignment. See Text Formatting Bar for more information.

You can also use the </> Insert button to insert a data field value (dependent on the report object).

The field value context depends on:

  • The report template’s SObject

  • A child object when inserting a field with a Data Table element

You can also add a language to the report generation by using the dropdown and selecting + Add language.

Elements

Elements

To help build your report, you can type a text element, drag a layout table, data table, a signature, or a Image Placeholder onto the report canvas.

If you have the ServiceMax DataGuide package installed, there is an additional element available: DataGuide Form.

Text

You can click anywhere in the report canvas and start typing to:

  • In the header for the company address

  • In the body for a section title

  • In the footer for a confidentiality statement

You can add different text blocks or blank lines within a text block.

  • To add a different text block, press Shift + Enter.

  • To add a new line to the current text block, press Enter.

See Add Text.

Text Formatting Bar

You can add text to the Header, Body, and Footer.

Back to Elements

Layout Table

Use this element to insert a blank row table onto the canvas. By default, the table has 3 columns by 3 rows. You can add or remove rows and columns if needed and arrange different elements side by side. You can use layout tables to improve the readability of the template. By using this layout trick, the different elements are arranged side by side and won’t be displayed below each other down the page. Another benefit could be a reduced page count if you print the template.

Example 2. Use of Layout Tables
  • You can configure a report header with logo, report title, and account number in a 3 column, 1 row layout table

    In the Report Template Editor Preview of Report

    Report Header Example

    Report Preview Header Example

  • Or to have the tech name and signature name next to each other, use a 2 column, 1 row layout table

You can’t place a table in a cell of another table.

Use the table format toolbar (it appears above the table) to customize the table. Most of these icons are available to customize the Data Table, while others can’t be used.

Active Table format toolbar

Clicking outside the table to another area on the Report Canvas hides the toolbar.
Table 3. Table formatting toolbar
Icon Function

Margins

Click to adjust the cell margins. Enter the value for Left, Top, Right, or Bottom.
Table cell margins

Borders Icon

Click the sub icon to turn off the border for the selected cell.
Cell Borders

Fill icon

Use to change the background of the selected cells.
Cell Background Color

To change the cell color either:

  • Click a color square

  • Double-click on the string after # and enter a Hex Code

  • Enter the individual numbers for R, G, and B values

Add Row or Column Icon

In Layout Tables and depending on the location of the cursor, you can add a column before or after and also add a row before or after.

Add row or columns

In Data Tables and depending on the location of the cursor, you can insert a column before or after the cursor location.

You can only add a Summary row to a data table using the Summary Row function.

Delete Row or Column Icon

Click to remove the selected row, or column, depending on the cursor’s location.

Remove Row or Column Icon

Merge cell icon

Click to merge the selected cells into one cell

In a Data table, this is disabled.

Split cell icon

Click to split the selected cell into two cells.

In a Data table, this is disabled.

Delete table

Click to remove the table.

You can use the layout table in either the Header, Body, and Footer.

Back to Elements

Data Table

Use this element to add a Data Table to the report. A Data Table displays the child records in the current report’s root object.

You can use data tables to show:

Example 3. Data Table Uses

You can use Data Tables to show child record collections for:

  • Ticket Items for a Ticket Report

  • Tickets or Ticket Items on a Job Report

You can add multiple data tables can be added.

To configure the table, see Add and Configure a Data Table.

The formatting toolbar is similar to that for the Layout Table but has more functions.

Data Table formatting bar

Table 4. Data Table formatting toolbar
Icon Function

Margins

Click to adjust the cell margins. Enter the value for Left, Top, Right, or Bottom.
Table cell margins

Borders Icon

Click the sub icon to turn off the border for the selected cell.
Cell Borders

Fill icon

Use to change the background of the selected cells.
Cell Background Color

To change the cell color either:

  • Click a color square

  • Double-click on the string after # and enter a Hex Code

  • Enter the individual numbers for R, G, and B values

Add Row or Column Icon

Depending on the location of the cursor, you can insert a column before or after the cursor location.

Add columns

Delete Row or Column Icon

Click to remove the title or selected row, depending on what you have selected.

Remove Row or Column Icon

Merge cell icon

Click to merge the selected cells into one cell

Split cell icon

Click to split the selected cell into two cells.

Sort Table icon

Click to sort the data table by an SObject Field and select the order as Ascending or Descending.

Sort Data Table Options

Filter Table icon

Use this icon to add or edit an additional filter to limit shown records.

Filter Data Table Options

Data Table Summary Row Icon

Use this icon to insert a Summary Row in a Data Table.

A new row appears at the end of the Data Table with a Sum reference field pill. The Summary Row stays selected if there is a summary row in the data table.

When creating a summary, you must choose the field to summarize. The summary function doesn’t automatically assume that you are trying to summarize the field above.

Delete table icon

Confirmation to remove the table.

This Data Table menu only appears at the top of the Data Table when your cursor is in the Data Table. If you have another Data Table in the report, and move the cursor to it, the Data Table menu appears above it.

Back to Elements

DataGuide Form

Drag this element to the report canvas to insert a DataGuide Form into the report.

For more information, see ServiceMax Documentation: DataGuide Forms.

You must have the ServiceMax DataGuide package installed and at least one DataGuide Form created.

To use the DataGuide Form element, see Add a DataGuide Form.

Signature

Drag this element to the report canvas to insert a signature block in the report.

To edit the block, click the gear icon. You can:

  • Set a caption (required)

  • Enter watermark text which appears behind the signature line. The watermark can also be a date, formula, or a Salesforce field reference.

    Table 5. Signature Block options

    Caption

    Enter the caption that appears underneath the signature line.

    Watermark

    Choose the type of watermark you want:

    Text

    Enter the text that appears in the signature line.

    Date

    Displays the report’s creation date.

    Formula

    Enter the name of the SObject field you want to appear here. Usually you can use this to show the job number, ticket number, or invoice number.

    Salesforce Field

    Select the standard Salesforce SObject.

    Select Size: Width, Height

    Enter the width and height in inches of the signature block.

  • Change the size by entering a width and height in inches

  • Remove the signature block from the report canvas
    At the Remove Signature confirmation, click Yes to confirm the removal.

See base:adminportal:Report-Template-Editor-Use.adoc#AddConfigSignatureBlock[Add and Configure the Signature Block] to configure the signature block.

You can add more than one signature element to the report canvas.

You can also add a signature block to the Header, Body, or Footer.

Image Placeholder

Drag this element to add an image to the report canvas. You can reposition the image placeholder within the report canvas.

Use it for capturing an image and appending it to the report when the report is generated in Mobile or Back Office.

The Report Template Editor and the ServiceMax Document Template Editor can support the following image formats:

  • JPEG / JPG

  • PNG

Images

Images Panel

This panel shows the graphics already uploaded where you can use it. There is a search field where you can search for an image if you have multiple images.

A suggested use could be including Logo or watermark on the report template.

You can only use images that you’ve already added to the Editor. The Editor automatically scales the images to fit if they are larger than the page size. Images must be static, no animated GIFS.

The Report Template Editor and the ServiceMax Document Template Editor can support the following image formats:

  • JPEG / JPG

  • PNG

You can use the search field of available images to find images you can add to the report canvas. You can see a list of the recently added images for quick access.

If you double-click on the image, you can resize it by dragging the handles at the corners or use the window that appears and entering the width and height size in inches.

You can add images to the Header, Body, and Footer.

Layout Information

You can select the page dimensions by common paper size types. Choose between portrait or landscape orientation. You can also specify the page margins on the left, right, top, and bottom by using drop down menus.

You can collapse the Layout Properties panel by clicking the > icon.

Layout Information Panel

Element Name Description and Use

Default Page Font

The default font for all text that is on the page. Click the font name and select another font from the list.

Paper Size

You can either set the paper size to 8 1/2 in x 11 in (US Letter), 8 1/2 in x 14 in (US Legal), or A4 (International Letter)

Page Orientation

Portrait or Landscape

Watermark

Click Add watermark image to add an image that appears behind the text and graphics of the report.

Select the image listed, if any, or click + Upload Image to add a new image.

The watermark image doesn’t appear in the canvas and only appears when you use the Preview button.

Include
Header, Footer

Use the checkboxes to show or hide the header and footer

Margins

Use the drop down menu to set the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right margin.

File Properties

You can set the report title, author, subject and add keywords to help classify and search for the report.

File Properties Panel

Property Name Description and Use

Title

Enter the title for the report. FieldFX Dataguide uses this title to set it apart from other reports.

Author

The name of the report’s author.
When viewing the Template Metadata panel in the Report Template Editor, you see the Author field populated by the Profile.UserName reference field.

Subject/Description

Enter a brief subject of the report.

Keywords

Enter the keywords each on their own lines to help find the report later if you have a lot of reports.

Report Canvas

The canvas has three areas: header, body, and footer.

Section Options

Header

  • Show or hide the header

  • Set the height of the header, in inches

  • Set the space below the header, in inches

To edit the header, see Set the Header and Footer Properties.

The header can’t have formulas.

Body

The body section automatically fills space between the header and footer, taking in account the spacing set in the header and footer properties.

Footer

  • Show or hide the footer

  • Set the height of the footer, in inches

  • Set the space above the footer, in inches

To edit the footer, see Set the Header and Footer Properties.

The footer can’t have formulas.

Text Formatting Bar

Along the top of the report canvas is the common rich text editing toolbar. You can set the font, font size, and apply text formatting such as bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough. You can also set the alignment of the text element to left justified, center justified, or right justified.

Considerations

Existing reports continue to work as designed, but you can’t edit them with the wizard tool.

You can edit the code for existing HTML report templates and XML report templates with the built-in code editor.

You can create new reports as XML templates.

HTML reports have been deprecated and will not receive enhancements or new features.

Best Practices

Be aware of the objects used for the report. Consider creating a diagram or writing down the objects and their relationships.

If defining the XML manually, you can use margins for increased readability and accessibility of the report. Keep spaces at the edges of the report and between sections.

Margins are always set clockwise: Left, Top, Right, Bottom.
<table margin="36 40 36 40"> sets the left margin at 36, then the top margin at 40, then the right margin at 36, then the bottom margin at 40.

Consider the content of the report data and whether the width of a landscape orientation is better than the height of a portrait orientation.

If there is any chance of ever printing the report, always print an example.

Troubleshooting

To display forms in the browser, you must disable the Google Chrome setting whether the browser displays or downloads PDF files.

Google Chrome is a 3rd party application, and the instructions for how to disable this option may change at any time without warning.
  1. In Google Chrome, go to chrome://settings/content/pdfDocuments.

    (Enter that path directly in the browser’s address bar.)

  2. Verify the toggle for Download PDF files instead of automatically opening them in Chrome is disabled.

Or:

  1. Access Google Chrome’s settings.

    There are multiple ways to do this, but one is to select the vertical dot Customize and Control button in the top right corner of the browser, then select Settings.
  2. Select Privacy and security in the left navigation bar.

  3. Select Site Settings.

  4. Select PDF documents.

    You may need to expand the Additional content settings group of options first.
  5. Verify the toggle for Download PDF files instead of automatically opening them in Chrome is disabled.

Sample PDF Report

Use Report Template Editor

How to Access

You can access the From the FieldFX Admin Tools Dashboard portal dashboard or the From ServiceMAX DataGuide in FieldFX Back Office (if installed).

From the FieldFX Admin Tools Dashboard

Access the Admin Portal from https://admin.fieldfx.com.

Report Template Editor DataGuide Document Template Editor

Select Report Template Editor on the Dashboard.

You can only access the DataGuide Document Template Editor from within ServiceMax DataGuide in Back Office.

From ServiceMAX DataGuide in FieldFX Back Office

  1. Log into FieldFX Back Office.

  2. Switch to the Lightning Experience.

  3. Access ServiceMAX Dataguide package.

  4. Click ServiceMAX Document Template.

Import the XML of an External Template

With the Advanced Report Template Editor or DataGuide Document Template Editor, you can also import the XML code of a template. Use this if the template wasn’t created in the editor. If the template was created outside the editor, use the built-in XML editor.

Create a New Template

  1. At the main screen, click + New Template.

  2. At the Start a new document window, click Blank and then click Create Template.

  3. With a blank template, complete these in order:

Define the Template Name and Type

  1. At the window under Report Name, enter the name of the report.

    • If you have created other templates, their names appear in a tooltip.

  2. To select the Object type, use the dropdown.

    The object types shown depend on what permissions the currently logged in user has and what other FieldFX modules the user can use.
  3. Click Finish.

  4. A blank report template appears.
    With the blank report canvas, you can start dragging over elements to populate the Report Canvas.

Define the Layout Information

In the Layout Properties, you can:

  • Select the default Page Font

  • Set Paper Size

  • Set Page Orientation

  • Establish a watermark

  • Include a Header or Footer

  • Set the margins

To set the layout information,

  1. Expand the Layout Information panel.

  2. Use the Default Page Font dropdown to set the default page font.

  3. Use the Paper Size dropdown to set the page size for the report.

  4. Use the Page Orientation dropdown to choose either Portrait or Landscape.

  5. Under Watermark, click Add watermark image.
    This begins the process of setting a watermark image for the report.

    The watermark image only appears when you print or preview the report.
  6. Use the checkboxes under Include to add the Header or Footer.

    To further define the header or footer, see Change the Header or Footer.

  7. Set the Margins by using the dropdowns for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right.

  1. In the Report canvas, click the gear icon in either the header or footer.

  2. In the Header Properties or Footer Properties,

    Header Properties

    Footer Properties

    1. Toggle the Auto Calculate Height slider.

      This will auto calculate the height of the header or footer depending on the contents.

    2. For the header, set the Space Below by using the dropdown to set the measurement in inches.

      • You can select 0 inches, or 1/4 inch increments up to 1 inch

    3. For the footer, set the Space Above by using the dropdown to set the measurement in inches.

      • You can select 0 inches, or 1/4 inch increments up to 1 inch

  3. Click X to exit the window.

Define the File Properties

  1. Click the arrow to expand the File Properties window,

  2. Enter the title of the report in Title.

  3. The editor automatically fills in the Author field with the Current User > UserName Data Element. You can also add other text or Data Elements.

  4. Enter a subject or description for the report in Subject/Description.

  5. Enter keywords in Keywords.

    1. Enter each keyword and press Enter to advance to the next line.

      Use a separate line for each Keyword.

  6. Click Apply.

Use Advanced Filtering

You can set up advanced filters for the template. Clear the filter to show all the child records. For the filter to work, there should be more than one SObject in the data table.

Adding multiple conditions, multiple groups, and multiple conditions in a filter group within a filter could affect report template performance.
  1. Click the Advanced Filtering tab.

  2. Define the first field by clicking in the box marked 1.. You can use the search icon to search for a field.

    1. Select the object type and then the record type.

      The options in the dropdown menu may be different depending on the object chosen.
    2. Select the Operator for the filter.

      Operator Purpose

      is null

      Shows results that has

      is blank

      Shows results where the Field is blank.

      is not blank

      Shows results where the Field isn’t blank.

      is not null

      Shows results that only has numbers in the Field.

      contains

      The results only contain what is in the Value column.

      Select the object type and then select the sub object (which is based on the chosen object).

      doesn’t contain

      The results ignore what is in the Value column.

      Select the object type and then select the sub object (which is based on the chosen object).

      starts with

      Shows results from the Value column.

      Select the object type and then select the sub object (which is based on the chosen object).

    3. Enter the Value for the filter.
      NOTE: You can’t use this field with all operators.

      Depending on the value in Field, the Value could be a choice of an object and sub-object.

    4. Repeat these steps to add more conditions.

    5. In Filter Logic, define the order of the conditions.
      If there is only one filter condition, that number appears in Filter Logic.

  3. To finish, click Save.

Design the Template

When you design a template, you can:

Add an Image

You can use images in your report template.

The Report Template Editor and the ServiceMax Document Template Editor can support the following image formats:

  • JPEG / JPG

  • PNG

  1. Click and drag the desired image in Image panel onto the Report Canvas (either in the header, body, or footer areas).

    You can also drag the desired image to a Layout Table cell.. Position the image element anywhere.

    Use the Image move handle to reposition the image anywhere on the Report Canvas.

  2. If the image isn’t shown in the panel,

    1. Click Add new image icon to open the default location for your images.

    2. Navigate to the image location.

    3. Click Open.
      A thumbnail of the image appears in the Image panel.

    4. Click and drag that image to the Report Canvas.

  3. To change the image size, click on the pencil icon.

    • At the Edit Image window, use the up and down buttons for either Width(inches) or Height(inches).

      Changing one dimension automatically changes the other to keep the image proportional.
    • Click Save.

  4. To remove the image, click Trashcan icon icon in the corner of the image.

Add Text

You can add text to any section of the Report Canvas by clicking where you want the text to appear. While in a text element, you can format the text and change:

  • Font name

  • Font Size

  • Bold, Italic, Underline

  • Left, Center, Right Alignment

Text formatting bar

The functionality is like working in a document editor like Microsoft Word.

  1. Start typing in the canvas.

  2. To change the font, font size, apply formatting, or alignment, highlight the text first and then apply them.

Insert a Data Element

Use the </> Insert button to insert a data element into the template.

Depending on what you had selected as the base object for the template, the available fields for use will be different.

The Editor has organized each field into categories.

For more information on objects in FieldFX, see Field FX objects.

Set a Language for Automatic Report Translation

The Template Editor supports these languages:

  • English (default)

  • Bahasa (Indonesian)

  • Chinese

  • Dutch

  • French

  • German

  • Hungarian

  • Italian

  • Hindi

  • Japanese

  • Korean

  • Norwegian

  • Portuguese

  • Russian

  • Slovakian

  • Spanish

  • Thai

  • Vietnamese

The preview shows the template in selected language. You can add multiple languages to the template.

This is a shared component between FieldFX back office and FX mobile so they both use the same character library.

Set the Locale Settings for a Language

When you select another language, you can set the locale format for that language. The default Date, Long Date, and Time formats appear. You can change these to suit your preferences.

Set Locale Settings

You can also set the Number: Thousands Separator by Commas, Point, or Space.

Add and Configure a Data Table

After you have added a data table to the report canvas, you can configure the table to suit the data.

  1. Drag the Data Table element to the Report Canvas.
    A 1 column by 2 rows table appears.
    You can have more than one Data Table in a report. For example. you can have multiple ticket item data tables on a report, each filtered by a different record type (equipment, labor, among others.)

  2. At the Select Relationship panel that appears, click in the Relationship drop-down and select only objects having a look up or master-to-detail relationship to the report template’s object.

    Depending on the template you created and linked to a FieldFX object, the available for use.
  3. Enter in the Table Header Name (Optional) a name for the table.

  4. Use the steps in Filter a Data Table to set up a Data Table filter.
    A filter can be useful if you want to have different views of child records that show in a Data Table.

  5. In the Data Table, click Select Field to define the first field of the table.
    These are all the SObject fields available where the report template editor can pull data.

  6. At the Insert SObject Field popup, choose the SObject the same as you would in Insert References.
    Or you can select "No Field" and have nothing appear in the cell.

    Once you select the field, a suggested header appears based on the field you selected. You can change the header by clicking on it and entering new text. The column header changes to the name of the SObject field you chose.

  7. To add more columns, click Add column from the toolbar.

  8. You can drag the data table to other areas of the report.

    • You can add text or insert another field in the same cell as the first field.

    • You can only add another column and not another row.

  9. Repeat these steps to define more fields and rows.

  • Multiple Data Tables can exist in a report, but they must have different relationships.

  • You can drag the data table to other areas of the report.

  • You can add text or insert another field in the same cell as the first field.

  • With a Data Table, you can only add another column and not another row.

Filter a Data Table

You can filter a data table to show only certain child records for the root report template root object. Additionally, you can add conditions to the filter so records only appear if they meet certain defined conditions. In a filter, you can group conditions together so they execute before other conditions are completed.

Filters are useful if you only want a disappear certain child records. You can use this with other data tables in the report so even though the data tables reference the same child records, each data table only shows certain child records.

Example 4. Multiple Ticket Item Data Tables

You can use multiple ticket item data tables on a report, each filtered by a different record type such as equipment or labor.

  1. Click Filter Table icon.

    Filter Data Table Options

  2. At the Add or Edit Filter window,

    1. To define when the filter acts on the table, set the Take Action When dropdown and choose from these options:

      Table 6. Data Table Filter Options
      Option Description

      All Conditions Are Met

      Select this choice if you want the filter to return all results matching all the conditions. This choice uses the AND operator.

      Any Condition Is Met

      Select this choice if you want any of the conditions. This option uses the OR logic operator.

      Custom Logic Is Met

      Select this choice if you have multiple conditions in the filter. Each condition has a number. In the Custom Logic field, enter the logic.
      For example, if you had three conditions, but you wanted the filter to return results matching condition 1 and condition or just condition 3, you would enter 1 AND 2 OR 3

      Always
      (No Criteria)

      Use this choice to remove all the conditions in the filter to start over. You can’t enter any conditions here.

      Formula Evaluates to True

      Use this choice if the entered formula is true.

    2. Select the Resource from the dropdown.

    3. Select a logic Operator from the dropdown.

      You must choose a Resource before you can choose an operator.
    4. Enter a Value.

    5. To remove the condition, click Delete icon.

  3. To add another condition to the filter,

    A filter can have multiple conditions.

    1. Click + Add Condition.
      Another row appears below the first condition. You can only use the AND Boolean logic operator.

      Another Filter Condition

    2. Set the condition specifics the same way as for the first condition.

  4. To add a group to the filter,

    Use Groups if you want conditions to execute together.

    A filter can have multiple groups of different conditions.

    1. Click + Add Group
      A new block for the new group appears where you can set conditions.

      Another Filter Group

    2. Set the condition in the second group by repeating the above step.

    3. To add another condition in the second group, follow the steps in step 4.

  5. To save the filter, click Set Filter.
    The report template editor filters the data table.

Sort a Data Table

You can sort a data table by one of the SObject Fields in the data table. For the sort to work, there should be more than one SObject in the data table.

Sort Data Table options

  1. Click the Sort Field icon.

  2. At the Sort Field window,

    1. Click in the Sort Field and select the SObject field you want to sort by.

    2. Set the sort direction by Ascending or Descending.

  3. Click off the sort field to apply the sort.

Use a Summary Row in a Data Table

  1. Click into a row for a Data Table.

  2. Click the Summary Row icon in the data table formatting bar.
    Data Table Summary Row Icon
    A new row appears at the end of the Data Table with a SUM reference field pill.

  3. Click the icon again to remove the summary row.

  4. Click Delete to confirm the deletion.

Add and Configure a Layout Table

  1. Drag the Layout Table element to either the Header, Body, or Footer area of the Report Canvas. A blank 3 column by 3 row table appears on the Report Canvas.

  2. Use the Move icon to drag the Layout Table to the desired position on the canvas.

  3. Use the table layout toolbar to format the table.
    When you click off the table to another part in the Report Canvas, the table formatting bar disappears. Click into the table to enable it.

Add a DataGuide Form

For more information, see ServiceMax Documentation: DataGuide Forms.

You must have the ServiceMax DataGuide package installed and at least one DataGuide Form created.
  1. Drag the DataGuide Form element to the Report Canvas.

  2. Select a DataGuide form from the list that appears.

    The forms that appear will be based on the base object of the report template you are currently working on.

    If you have multiple forms, you can use Search to find the form. The list of forms automatically filters based on what you type.

  3. Select the form and click Save.

    A block for the form appears on the Report Canvas. You can click the Gear to switch forms.

Add and Configure the Signature Block

  1. Drag the Signature element to the Report Canvas.

    Signature Element

    Signature block on Template Editor canvas

    You can drag a signature block inside a Layout Table cell. The header or footer can’t contain a signature block, only in the body of the template.
  2. At the Edit Signature window, complete the items in the Signature Block Options and click Save:

    The configured signature block appears on the report canvas:

    Signature Block

  3. To further edit the signature, click Gear Icon.

  4. To remove the signature block, click Trash Icon.

Insert References

You can insert a Metadata field anywhere in the Report Canvas. When the focus is on the field, the text toolbar can’t be used except for the insert button.

The insert menu places a field indictor, or "pill," into the cursor location.

  1. To insert a field, click Insert.

  2. Use the dropdown menus and select the type of field.

    Insert SObject field selection

    You can choose from a menu and submenu of field types:

    Type

    Option

    Field

    Base Object
    (Fields shown are for the Ticket or Invoice object)

    A list of SObject fields depending on if you had specified an Invoice or Ticket type of template.

    Invoice SObjects

    Invoice SObjects

    Ticket SObjects

    Ticket SObjects

    Date

    • Date

    • Time

    • Date and Time

    Use these fields to insert the current system date, current system time, or both.

    Page Number

    • Current Page

    • Page N of NN

    Use this field to insert the current page of the report in either the header or footer.

    Or if there are multiple pages, the NN is the total number of pages.

    User Profile

    • First Name

    • Last Name

    • Department

    Use these fields to pull the first name, last name, or the department name.

  3. Use the move bar to drag the field to another location on the Report Canvas, within a text block or a cell in a layout table.

    Field Pill

  4. To see specifics on the pill, hover your mouse over the field pill.

    You’ll see the name of the field, its API Name, and the current precision value (ex. 0.00) if the field uses numerical values.

Finish the Template

  1. After you have added and configured the elements for your template, click Save.

  2. To return to the list of templates, click < Templates.

Preview a Report

After you completed the design of a Report Template, you can generate a preview of how it will look.

  1. At the Report Template Editor Interface, click Preview icon .

  2. At the Preview Report for template window, select a Salesforce record from the dropdown to use as a sample.

  3. To generate the preview, click Select. The preview window appears showing what the report will look like.

Callouts for Preview Interface
Figure 5. Template Editor Preview
Table 7. Template Editor Preview Callouts
Callout Name Description

1

Hide thumbnails

Shows or Hides the thumbnail view.

2

Preview name

Internally generated name for the preview.

3

Thumbnail

Page thumbnail

4

Navigation controls

Page Count

Current Page out of total number of pages. If the report has multiple pages, the second number shows the total number of pages in the preview.

Zoom controls

Buttons to increase or decrease the zoom of the preview. The default zoom is in 100%.

Fit to Page

Fits the entire preview so you can see the whole page.

Rotate

Rotates the page counterclockwise (right to left).

5

Type

Shows the object type that is used for the report.

6

Download / Print / More

Download

Click to download the preview as a PDF. Change the filename and choose the location then click Save.

Print

Click to send the report to a connected printer.

More

You can:

  • See a two-page view of the report

  • Toggle on or off annotations

  • Present the report full screen

  • View the document properties

7

Preview

Shows the preview of the report.

8

Version Number

Shows the version number for the report viewer.

9

Edit

Displays a mini preview of the signature block (if there is one.)

10

Cancel / Create

Cancel – cancels the preview and returns to the Report Template Editor.
Create – attaches a PDF to the Notes & Attachments section of the Job in FieldFX Back Office

Open an Existing Template

  1. Open the Advanced Report Template Editor.

  2. Find the template to edit by clicking Edit Icon.
    The template opens in the Report Editor Canvas.

  3. You can edit the template using the processes in Create a New Template and Design the Template.

  • Advanced users can take advantage of the Handlebars template library.