Generate report from scratch

Linarc lets you create a new report from scratch if you do not have an appropriate template to generate the report. You can start with a blank layout and add the necessary sections, data fields, and formatting elements as needed. This gives you complete flexibility to tailor the report to your project's specific requirements. Once created, the custom report can be saved as a template and reused for future reporting needs.

Prerequisite:
Reports pull data directly from the list views of managed aspects such as schedule items, budget line items, RFIs, submittals, and others within their respective modules. To ensure that reports display data relevant to their purpose, it is recommended to create custom views in the module’s list view screens. These custom views can utilize nested filters to refine the selection of items, such as filtering for items with a status of "In Progress" or "Pending" within a specific date range. Once defined, the custom view can be seamlessly imported into the report, ensuring accurate and focused data representation.
See the following for help in creating custom views:
Customize Columns in List Views
Filter Options in List Views
Group and Organize Items in a List View
Manage Custom List Views

To generate on-demand reports

• Ensure that you are in the Reports screen of the Report builder
  • Click the app launcherand select 'Project' from the drop-down.
  • Click 'Project' on the top and select 'Report Builder' and 'Reports' on the left
• Click the '+Add Report' button at the bottom

• Title - Enter a label for the report. This label will serve as the title of the report (Max100 characters).
• Description - Enter a short description of the report.
• Click OK to save the report draft.

A blank report sheet opens:

The 'Settings' button with a cog wheel at the top lets you switch between Page Layout and Report Elements modes:

• Step 1 - Page Layout– Configure page headers and footers, add a cover page, and customize the overall document structure.
  • Add Header and Footer Elements
  • Add a cover page
• Step 2 - Report Elements– Build the report by creating sections, adding titles, placing report blocks from the desired modules, inserting pictures, and more.
  • Add Headings and Text blocks
  • Add Image and File Attachments
  • Add Report Tables
  • Add Element Groups
  • Add Page Breaks

After adding the necessary elements, you can generate the report from the template immediately

• Click theat the top-right

• The system generates a PDF version of the report, incorporating the most up-to-date data for all included items. The process typically takes around 30 seconds. You can Download the Report directly to your local drive or linarc's cloud-based project file repository.

• Click  button to save the elements as a template for future use.

Step 1 - Set up Page Layout

• Click the button to open the page settings screen to customize headers and footers and add a cover page.

Add Header and Footer Elements

The header and footer are divided into left, middle, and right segments, represented as boxes.

• Drag the required element from the left pane and drop it into the desired box:
  • Text – Insert a single line of text, such as the report title, labels, or notes.
  • Image – Add images, such as your organization's logo. Images can be uploaded from your device, project image feeds, or the project’s file repository. See the section below for further guidance.
  • Page Number – Automatically displays the current page number.
  • Date – Displays the date the report was generated.

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Add a cover page

Note on Cover Page:
The system supports adding a custom splash page to the Report PDF file generated from the template. You can create a personalized cover page as a PDF file and name it as 'cover_page.pdf.' As a prerequisite, ensure you already have a cover page image with the name 'cover_page.pdf.'

• Click 'Add Cover Page' at the center of the page layout settings screen.
• Select whether you are inserting the cover page PDF file from your device or from the project's file storage. See the explanation given below for more guidance. The illustration below shows adding a file from the project drive:

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Step 2 - Report Elements

• Click the  button to open the Report Elements settings screen:
• Add elements to the template by dragging and dropping them from the left to the main screen to complete your preferred layout, as explained below.

Use the links below to jump to the section you need help with:

• Add Headings and Text blocks
• Add Image and File Attachments
• Add Report Tables
• Add Element Groups
• Add Page Breaks

Add Headings and Text blocks

• Click and drag the 'Text box' element into the report area.
• Enter your heading or text 

• Use the format options at the top to apply a text style, font color, background, etc. You can also insert tables and hyperlinks.

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Add Image and File Attachments

• Click and drag the 'Attachment' element into the report area.
• Select whether you are inserting an image or PDF file from your device or from the project's file storage, or inserting a photo from the project image feeds. or from the project's cloud storage.

Note: The image file is embedded at the designated location within the report, as per your insertion. The PDF files are appended at the end of the report for easy reference.

To upload a local file 

• Select 'Upload' on the left
• Click Browse and navigate to the file
• Alternatively, drag and drop the file into the box

To upload a file from the project's file storage

• Select the drive type, whether the company drive, project drive or the system drive from which you want to upload the file
• Navigate to the folder in the folder tree shown on the right
• Select the file 
• Use the 'Ctrl' or 'Shift' keys on your keyboard to select multiple files at once
• Click 'OK' 

To upload an image feed

• Click 'Feeds'
• Select the feed images you want to attach, then click 'OK'
• Repeat the process to attach more images and PDF files wherever required in the report

An element group block gets added with the following elements:

1. The heading "Attachment"
2. The attached image or the file

The illustration below shows an image uploaded from the device's local storage:

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Add Report Tables

Reminder: Before proceeding, ensure that a custom view with the appropriate filters applied to the module's list view is already available. This helps focus on the specific data to be reflected from the module in the report. You can select from the custom views you have created or those shared with you.

• Open the category of the module from which you want to include the report table, from the 'Report Elements.'
• Click and drag the module into the report area.
• Select the list type, then the custom view of the list to include in the report

An element group block is inserted at the designated location, containing two key elements:

1. Section Title: Displays the module name from which the data is sourced.
2. Report Table: Provides a list view presented as a table, displaying the current data from the module.

You can rearrange or remove elements within the block as needed to suit your layout preferences. 

• Repeat the process to more report blocks as required.

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Add Element Groups

The template offers the flexibility to insert custom element group blocks as needed. These blocks can contain elements of any type, arranged in any order, and positioned anywhere within the report. The block keeps all its elements intact, enabling efficient batch actions. For instance, you can move the entire block to a new location without the hassle of relocating each element individually.

To insert an element group block

• Drag the 'Group' option and drop it at the desired location in the template.

A blank group block will be added, visually indicated by a dotted-line border.

• Insert individual elements into the group one by one, following the instructions provided earlier.
• To rearrange elements within the block, hover your mouse over the element and drag the ellipses at the top-left corner of each element to the desired position.

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Add Page Breaks

You can insert page breaks where needed, to maintain an organized and well-structured report. This ensures that tables remain clear and easy to read.

• Drag and drop the 'Page Break' element to the desired location within the report area.

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Download On-Demand Report

• Click theat the top-right if you haven't already. The system generates a PDF version of the report, incorporating the most up-to-date data for all included items.
• Click  to download after around 30 secs to open the 'Downloads' pane.

The newly created PDF will appear at the top of the list, ensuring easy access even if multiple reports have been generated previously.

• Click  to open the file in a new browser tab.
• Click  to download it.

The 'Download Options' pop-up allows you to:

• Download and save a copy of the report on your device
• Save the report in the project's file repository for sharing with other team members

Download the report on your device 

• Click the 'Direct Download' button to save the file directly to your device.

Save on the project's file storage

You can also save the file on Linarc's cloud-based project file repository. This allows you to share it with other team members. The folder's access permissions determine which team members can view or edit the file.

• Company Drive - Share with the project team members from your organization:
  • Select the folder that corresponds to your company name
  • Navigate to the desired folder and click 'Save.'
• Project Drive - Share with the construction team members from any stakeholder organization: 
  • Select 'Project Drive'.
  • Navigate to the appropriate folder and click 'Save.'

The report is auto-shared with the team members who have access to the folder.