Creating Report Blueprints

Report blueprints are reusable templates that define the structure and content of your reports. This guide covers how to create and configure blueprints using the visual editor. You can generate a report from a blueprint, any updates you make to a report blueprint will only apply to future reports, it will not retroactively change past reports.

Accessing the Blueprint Editor

From the Reports page:

1. Click Create Blueprint to start a new template
2. Or click an existing blueprint name to edit it

The editor opens with a blank 6-column grid canvas ready for elements.

Blueprint Configuration

Global Settings

Click Settings in the header to configure the blueprint:

• Name (required): A descriptive title that appears in the blueprint list
• Description (optional): Context about when or how to use this blueprint

These values will appear on any generated reports. Modifying them will only affect future reports.

Managing Unsaved Changes

The editor tracks changes and warns you when navigating away with unsaved work. Save frequently using the Save button in the header, or discard changes with Discard.

Adding Elements

The editor supports three element types. Click the corresponding toolbar button to add each:

Text Elements

Text blocks support static content or dynamic variables.

Configuration options:

Setting	Options	Description
Text content	Free text	The displayed text, supports variables
Font size	8-72 pixels	Text size in pixels
Font weight	Normal, Bold	Text thickness
Horizontal align	Left, Center, Right	Text alignment within the element
Vertical align	Top, Middle, Bottom	Vertical positioning within the element
Padding	0-100 pixels	Space around the text
Text color	Hex color or empty	Custom text color (empty uses default)
Background color	Hex color or empty	Element background color (empty uses transparent)

Variables:

Variables let you insert dynamic values using {{variable_name}} syntax. Define variables with:

• Name: The variable key used in text (e.g., {{report_date}})
• Default value: Fallback text if the variable is not set
• Type: General, report creation date, or filter variable

Click a variable chip below the text area to insert it at the cursor position.

Paste behavior:

Pasting into a text element strips formatting and inserts plain text at the cursor.

Widget Elements

Widgets embed dashboard visualizations into your report.

Configuration:

• Widget selection: Search and select from your available widgets
• The widget picker shows both the widget name and its parent dashboard

When generating a report, the system captures the widget’s current data as a frozen snapshot.

Image Elements

Images load from external URLs.

Configuration options:

Setting	Options	Description
URL	Valid image URL	The source image location
Object fit	Contain, Cover, Fill, None, Scale-down	How the image fits within its container
Padding	Individual sides	Space around the image (top, right, bottom, left)

Object fit behaviors:

• Contain: Scales to fit entirely within the element, may leave empty space
• Cover: Fills the entire element, may crop parts of the image
• Fill: Stretches to fill exactly, may distort aspect ratio
• None: Displays at original size, may be clipped
• Scale-down: Acts like contain or none, whichever results in a smaller image

Positioning Elements

The editor uses a 6-column grid with draggable, resizable elements.

Grid Behavior

• Fixed columns: Always 6 columns wide
• Row height: Each row is 80 pixels tall
• Margins: 12-pixel gaps between elements
• Minimum size: Elements must be at least 1 column by 1 row
• Maximum size: Up to 6 columns wide, 50 rows tall

Interactions

Drag to move:

• Click and drag any element to reposition it
• Other elements push out of the way automatically
• The grid shows valid drop zones while dragging

Resize:

• Drag the resize handle at the bottom-right corner
• Resize handles appear on hover
• Minimum and maximum sizes enforce automatically

Select for configuration:

• Click any element to open its configuration panel
• Or press Enter or Space when an element is focused
• The selected element highlights on the grid
• Multiple elements cannot be selected simultaneously

Grid Display

Grid lines always show to help with alignment. The grid extends to 100 rows maximum.

Previewing Your Blueprint

Click Preview to see how the blueprint renders as a generated report:

• Opens in a dialog
• Shows the A4-style layout with proper spacing
• Widgets display live data (not frozen snapshots)
• Useful for checking element positioning and sizing

Preview mode does not save the blueprint. Close the panel and click Save when ready.

Saving and Managing Blueprints

Save: Click Save to persist changes. The editor returns to the blueprint list.

Duplicate: From the Reports list, click the duplicate icon next to any blueprint to create a copy with “(Copy)” appended to the name.

Delete: From the Reports list, click the delete icon to remove a blueprint. This action:

• Removes the blueprint template
• Does not delete previously generated reports from this blueprint
• Cannot be undone

Best Practices

Keep layouts simple: Start with fewer elements and add complexity gradually. Dense layouts become harder to read when printed.

Test with preview: Always preview before saving to catch alignment or sizing issues.

Use descriptive names: Blueprint names appear in the generated reports list, so use clear, specific titles.

Size widgets appropriately: Widgets may need more rows than text blocks to display data clearly. Test different sizes in preview mode.

Plan for variables: If using text variables, document what values you expect to populate them with when generating reports.