Using templates in reports.

alien251
alien251 Member Posts: 80
edited 2009-07-10 in NAV/Navision Classic Client
My company manufactures sophisticated machinery, the specs are very detailed. Our users would like to generate a sales quotes for this machinery and based on the item on the sales quote insert machine specifc details in the quote as well as some standard legal language. Does anyone have any ideas on how best to provide that type of functionality in a report? I don't want to create and manage a seperate report for each piece of machinery.

Thanks,

Dan

Comments

  • kapil4dynamics
    kapil4dynamics Member Posts: 591
    1. U can use comments if it is diff every time on document to fill in this data.

    2. If the details are line by line. If it is line by line and same every time per item then instead of comments use extended texts.

    Or if not

    3. If these are same every time but may vary item by item then u can use standard text.

    Any of these can be fetched easily onto your report.
    Kapil Khanna
  • alien251
    alien251 Member Posts: 80
    Thank you for your reply...! We're using comments right now, it's very limited in what you can do, there's the issue of line breaks and formatting is a big issue. Do you know if you can use formatting mark up with extended text? Is there a rich text format capability with the extended text...? Where can I get more information on this...?

    Thank you very much!!

    Dan
  • kapil4dynamics
    kapil4dynamics Member Posts: 591
    I don't think that there is any document for this, if it is there i dunno that. Better will be "discovery by self" by trial.
    If anybody else in forum does know about it, can clear this.
    Kapil Khanna
  • davmac1
    davmac1 Member Posts: 1,283
    Have you thought about using Word integration (merge fields) or syyle sheets?
    David Machanick
    http://mibuso.com/blogs/davidmachanick/
  • alien251
    alien251 Member Posts: 80
    I've thought about using Word VBA to pull the Navision specific information directly from the database/api, but I was looking for a pure Navision solution first. If I can't find an elegant way to do this in Navision I will probably end up doing something outside the box. Do you have any information on how I might do that..? Would I use C/FRONT to access the data? I'm on Nav 5.0..
  • davmac1
    davmac1 Member Posts: 1,283
    Since you are on release 5, you could look at style sheets.
    I take it you are not using SQL Server. For Navision databases, you could use the Navision ODBC driver if you want to use Word VBA.
    David Machanick
    http://mibuso.com/blogs/davidmachanick/
  • alien251
    alien251 Member Posts: 80
    I'm using SQL Server. Are merge fields only available in 2009...?

    What kind of style sheets are you talking about? I'm thinking CSS or XSLT, is that what you're thinking? Where can I find documentation...?

    Thank you SO much!!!!
    :D

    Dan
  • davmac1
    davmac1 Member Posts: 1,283
    Style sheets were introduced in version 5.
    Navision has supported Word merge fields in interactions for many years.
    If you are doing this for a specific company, then use the ODBC connection to SQL Server.

    Sounds like you could use some help. Are you at a end-user or partner?
    If you are at an end-user, then consult your Navision partner.

    I know you can download the style sheet tool from partnersource - don't know if it is available from customersource as well.
    David Machanick
    http://mibuso.com/blogs/davidmachanick/
  • alien251
    alien251 Member Posts: 80
    Thank you! I'm not a partner or an end user... I did find some information on customer source that was helpful in terms of style sheets, it actually is xslt at play.. Thanks for the lead, I think it may bear fruit...

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