Overview of Finishes in Report Designer
The "finishes" section within the report designer is structured as follows:
Band: A dedicated band is added to display the finishes.
Context and Data Source: The band's context and data source are set to
proposal data, which is the default data source for a proposal.Data Member: The specific data member used is the
finishesobject.The
finishesobject can be located underproposal data.It is identified by a waffle icon, indicating it is an array of objects.
Each object within this array possesses various properties (e.g., code, finish type, name, manufacturer, number, notes).
Iteration: The band is designed to iterate through each
finishesobject, outputting every finish assigned to the opportunity.Information Display:
Labels are used to describe the information, such as
code,finish type,name,manufacturer, andnumber.A rich text field is specifically used for displaying notes.
Critical Warning: Handling Notes
Notes will not come in as plain text; they will come in as HTML.
Therefore, it is imperative to use the rich text field for notes.
To populate the rich text field, do not use the typical expression editor. Instead, use the gear icon to access HTML expressions and provide the object intended for use, which is
finishes.notes(or[finishes.notes]).
Creating Finishes from Scratch in an Opportunity
This section details the process for estimators to create new finishes within an opportunity.
Navigate to an Opportunity: Select the desired opportunity.
Access Finishes: Go to the "finishes" section within the opportunity.
Create a New Finish: Click to create a new finish.
Populate Finish Details:
Name (Code): Assign a code (e.g.,
BL1,WD1) that correlates to an architectural finish schedule.Type: Specify the finish type (e.g.,
laminate,wood).Manufacturer: Enter the manufacturer (e.g.,
Wilson Art,in-house,per manufacturer,per mill worker).Number: Provide the manufacturer's number or a relevant identifier (e.g.,
Y0528).Name (Description): Give a descriptive name (e.g.,
Yellow Glacier Boomerang).Notes: Add detailed notes. This field supports:
Hyperlinks: Entire links can be added and will maintain their hyperlink functionality.
Screenshots: Visual samples can be embedded.
Ingredients (Optional): An "ingredients" area exists for documenting formulas (e.g., for creating a stain).
Relevance: This feature is generally not relevant for PLM or estimating processes, as finished samples are typically not created at this stage.
Integrating Finishes into a Bid Proposal Report
This process outlines how to add the newly created finishes section to an existing bid proposal report in the Report Designer.
Access Report Management: Go to Reports and then Manage some reports.
Open Bid Proposals Report: Open the relevant bid proposals report.
Save As (Critical Step):
Warning: You cannot modify the energy default report directly.
Always click Save As and provide a new name for your report (e.g.,
finishes). This creates a modifiable copy.
Add a New Band:
The default report will require a new band to house the finishes section.
This will be a detail report type.
Position the Band:
Detail reports typically appear at the bottom by default.
To move it to a desired position (e.g., the top), adjust its level property (e.g., from level five to a higher level).
Add a Header:
Add a label to serve as a header for the section.
Set its static value to
finishes.Format it (e.g., bold) to match the style of other report headers.
Populate the Detail Area: This is where the actual finish information is displayed.
Initial Attempt (Ineffective): Dragging the entire
finishes objectfrom the data sources directly into the detail area will create a table with many cells, which is generally not suitable for the desired layout.Recommended Layout:
Drag out individual labels for headers such as
code,name,manufacturer, andnumber.Select these labels and make them bold.
For the actual data values, drag and drop the corresponding fields (e.g.,
code,name,manufacturer,number,finish type) from the data sources area (represented by a cylinder icon) onto new labels. This populates the labels with the data without needing the expression editor.Add a rich text field for the notes.
Adjust Size: Ensure the rich text field fits appropriately within the report.
Populate Notes (Special Method): For the rich text field, do not use drag-and-drop. Instead, click the gear icon, select HTML expressions, and input the expression
finishes.notes.
Previewing the Report:
To experiment and preview the report's appearance, you will need a proposal SKU.
Steps to obtain a Proposal SKU:
Go to an opportunity.
Create a new proposal.
Copy the generated proposal number.
Use this number in the Report Designer to preview your report.
Critical Warnings for Report Design
Overlapping Elements: If elements (labels, fields) overlap or run off the side of the margin, they will appear red in the designer. This can lead to the report generating dozens of empty pages. Always ensure all labels and fields are kept inside the margins.
Backend IDs: The
ID numberfor a finish is a backend code and unique identifier; it should not be shown to the client.