iDocuments Smart Reporting - V6

First published on: 07/18/2025/10:49 am

User Guide

Overview

Introduction

iDocuments Smart Reporting is an easy to use web-based report writer for designing reports with rich data visualisation.

It offers drag-and-drop simplicity for filtering and data selection, allowing users to define bespoke iDocuments reports and share them internally and externally.

Video: Overview of Smart Reporting

Examples

Report Creation

Reports

The smart reports which are already created are available from the main menu in the Catalogue dropdowns.

The Smart report designer page, which can be accessed from the Reporting menu or the search function, shows all currently created smart reports available to the user.

Double-clicking a report will allow you to view its details, or you can use Add new report from the option at the top.

Editing Reports

If creating a new report, then the data type can be selected from the dropdown and a meaningful name can be added that will appear on the menu. Note: the name is mandatory but can be altered later if needed. By default, the report is inactive, so even if shared, it would only be available to the creator at this point.

Notes:

This report details page will allow you to set permissions etc. for your report, which, by default, are just the current user.

On the right will show all layout versions saved for the report - only 1 layout within a report can be active at any one time.

The Design Canvas is where the report will be designed, and the version can be selected from the Canvas button on the right.

Editing Reports

In Canvas, the column choices for that report type can be selected on the left, report filters in the middle pane and then the report layout on the right. The default report layout is a table, but this can be altered or added to with one of the other component options.

The Page Title can be altered, and a layout option can be selected.

The table title can then also be altered.

The default report layout is a table, but you can change it or combine it with one of the other component options.

Next, select the required columns by dragging and dropping them on the report layout where the message shows ‘Drop new table columns here’.

At each stage you will be asked for a column width, which will default if not altered, plus you have the choice to freeze this column when scrolling or just select OK to use the defaults.

If a date is chosen, then you have a choice to display different formats, or the full date. If you need to alter later, the yellow cogs icon can be used to edit again.

Once the columns have been chosen, any report filters can be added, so when the report is run it can be easily filtered by different ranges to reduce the data where needed. Similarly, they would be dragged and dropped from the columns to the ‘Drop filter columns here’ area.

The filter type will depend on the database field type, e.g., if a date field is chosen, then from and to date selections will be on the filter.

To evaluate the report options, the report can be saved, and the following prompt will be given to give you the choice to overwrite or create an updated version of the document.

Confirmation will then be given to show that the save occurred successfully.

Once any changes have been made or the report is created, it will appear on the menu for selection, or you can trigger the report using the Run option.

If any filters were configured, then the report will require them to be selected.

Pressing Find after entering the filter information will then display the report. Filters can then be accessed from the top right in case any changes are required.

Viewing

The report viewer has various button controls which depend on the component chosen.

For a table type there will be a page selection, size, and refresh option at the bottom, but could also be some of these options shown.

Zoom In – This option will expand the page for that report output and show more entries
Download (csv) – Download this report to a CSV file
Export (excel) – Download this report to a XLSX file
Print (pdf) – Download this report to a PDF file
Add to homepage with current filters

This can then be removed by selecting the same option again, which will be red when enabled

Access

By default, you will have access to the run and change the design of the report, and it is possible to transfer that ownership to any other user, and therefore lose access, or you can copy the report and then transfer just the copy.

Other options are to share with:

Everyone in the company
Everyone in with access to specific groups within the company
Specific people within the company

The data shown on the reports shared in this way will take the users access levels into account.

History

At each save, a history item is recorded. You can see them in the history tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

The speed of the report is too slow and gives a yellow timeout error.

Initial load – The first time you run any type of report (e.g., the first PI header or PI line report), iDocuments creates a temporary copy of the data, which is then topped up each time it runs.
- For the first time, if there's a lot of data, the initial load could be more than the 30 seconds allowed by iDocuments.
  - Leave it to complete for a few minutes.
  - Try to load the report again.
    - This would normally be covered in any training sessions, but when it hasn't occurred, local admins should run one report for each type before users start creating reports.
Bad selections for filters – Text fields (e.g., a description or payment reference) that are different on every document shouldn't be used as filter options because they're data points you can then search/filter on the results page.
- System text fields such as status or document type are OK to use because there are a limited number of these codes.

Last modified: 12/16/2025/2:51 pm