Print template overview

How report templates produce paper-shaped documents from layer data, and when to pick a template over the Print widget.

basic

A print template (technically a report template item; see Report template under Items) produces a paper-shaped document populated from layer data when someone runs it. The output is a PDF (default) or DOCX, downloaded directly or archived on the item.

This page is the conceptual orientation. The Items section's Report template page is the item-type reference; this section is the workflow / authoring view.

Both produce printable output. They answer different questions.

  • Print widget prints "this map view." Whatever's on screen, plus a legend / scale / north arrow, becomes a paper map. One click, no template authoring.
  • Print template prints "this thing, with that data filled in." A pre-authored document with placeholders that resolve against parameters the user supplies at run time.

Pick the widget when the audience wants a paper map. Pick the template when the audience wants a structured document (inspection report, regulatory submission, monthly summary) populated from specific features.

The lifecycle

  1. Author the document. Either in the in-portal rich-text editor or by uploading a DOCX with placeholder tokens.
  2. Define parameters. What the runner provides: a feature id, a date range, a filter expression, a free text string. Each has a name, a type, an optional default.
  3. Bind placeholders. Each placeholder in the body resolves to a value computed from parameters and the layer data.
  4. Test run. Generate once with sample parameters; verify the output renders correctly.
  5. Share. Set sharing tier; the template's detail page becomes the run surface.

See also

  • Parameters. The parameter form and the supported types.
  • Template tokens. The placeholder syntax in the document body.
  • Report template (under Items). The item-type reference.