12.2 Creating a Template
To save a report as a template, click File -> Save as Template
Report Authority will open the file browse dialog in the template folder.
When creating a template, Report Authority will ask if the values of all numeric data objects should be set to zero.
Template files are saved with a *.rapt extension.
Segments and templates
By default, segment content cannot be manually edited in a report based on a template. Through the use of calculations, content suppression and links to external data sources, most differences between reports based on the same template can be automated without needing any manual user edits (see Automating Report Content for more information).
There may however be report elements that are expected to differ between reports than cannot be reasonably automated. Examples include commentary on financial balances and names and dates of directors approving the accounts, etc. In these cases, the segment can be marked as being editable in the reports.
When designing a template, it is often recommended to split a segment if it contains for example a financial table that can be automated from some commentary text that may appear beneath the table.
In the example above, intuitively the Inventories might be placed in a single segment. However, splitting it as indicated above, will allow you to lock the schedule for editing in the reports but allow for the commentary to be manually edited.
Marking a segment editable in the report
When viewing segment properties in a template, two template properties will become available.
Allow segment content to be editable in reports
The default value is false and segment content will not be editable in reports. To allow the segment
content to be edited in the report, set this property to true.
Cascade segment changes from template to reports
This property determines if changes to the segment's content in the template will be cascaded to the
reports based on the template during the refresh links process.
If the Allow segment content to be edited in the report setting is false, then this property will be true
and cannot be changed. This is because all segments which cannot be edited in the individual reports
can only have their content updated by amending the segment content in the template itself.
If the Allow segment content to be edited in the report setting is true, then this setting will be defaulted
to false, but can be amended to true if appropriate.
This default behaviour is to protect any edits that may have been made in the individual reports from
being overwritten with the template's content if, for example, instructions placed in the segment's text
is updated in the template.
If however, it is the intention that the content of the template's segment will override the content in
each report, this setting can be changed to true.
Distributing a template
Ideally, templates should be stored on a shared network drive and accessible to all users of Report
Authority.
When a template file is opened, Report Authority will check if the template file exists in the template
folder as defined in the options box. If not, Report Authority will ask if the template should be copied
into the template folder automatically.