Viewing Reports
The report viewer displays generated reports with all elements rendered exactly as they appeared when the report was created. This guide covers how to navigate, read, and interpret generated reports.
Opening a Report
Section titled “Opening a Report”Access the report viewer in two ways:
From the Generated Reports page:
- Navigate to Reports
- Click View Reports on any blueprint
- Click a report row in the table
Direct link:
Report URLs follow the pattern: /reports/report?reportId=<id>
Report Layout
Section titled “Report Layout”The viewer displays reports in an A4-style container optimized for reading and printing.
Header Section
Section titled “Header Section”At the top of each report:
- Back button: Returns to the Generated Reports list
- Report name: The title from the blueprint
- Description: Optional context about the report
- Generation date: When this snapshot was created
- Created by: The user who generated the report (if available)
Content Area
Section titled “Content Area”Elements render in their configured grid positions:
- 6-column grid: Elements align to the same positions defined in the blueprint
- Fixed row heights: Each row renders at 80 pixels with 12-pixel margins
- Page boundaries: Content may span multiple pages when printing
Element Rendering
Section titled “Element Rendering”Each element type displays differently in the viewer:
Text Elements
Section titled “Text Elements”Text blocks render with their configured styling:
- Font size, weight, and colors apply exactly as set
- Horizontal and vertical alignment positions text within the element bounds
- Padding creates space between the text and element edges
- Variables display their default values (they do not dynamically update)
Example: A text element with “Q4 Performance Report” in 24px bold font displays exactly that text in the specified style.
Widget Elements
Section titled “Widget Elements”Widgets display their frozen snapshot data:
- Charts render using the data captured at generation time
- All styling (colors, legends, axes) matches the original widget configuration
- Interactive features like tooltips and zooming are disabled
- The widget renders as a static image of the visualization
Data freshness: The snapshot represents the widget’s state when the report was generated. It does not refresh or update automatically.
Image Elements
Section titled “Image Elements”Images load from their configured URLs:
- The image displays using the configured object-fit setting
- Padding creates space around the image
- If the external URL is unavailable, the image area may appear blank or broken
Note: The report stores the image URL, not the image file. If the external source removes or changes the image, the report reflects this.
Navigation
Section titled “Navigation”Scrolling
Section titled “Scrolling”Long reports scroll vertically. The header remains visible while scrolling for context.
Page Breaks
Section titled “Page Breaks”When printing, elements may split across pages. The viewer attempts to keep elements together, but large widgets or images may span page boundaries.
Reading Widget Data
Section titled “Reading Widget Data”Charts and Graphs
Section titled “Charts and Graphs”Bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts display with:
- Legends identifying data series
- Axis labels and scales
- Data values visible on hover (if supported by the chart type)
- Colors matching the original widget configuration
Tables and Lists
Section titled “Tables and Lists”Table widgets show:
- Column headers
- Row data as of generation time
- Any applied formatting (number formats, date formats)
- Sorting and filtering from the original widget (but no interactive sorting in the report)
Metrics and KPIs
Section titled “Metrics and KPIs”Single-value widgets display:
- The numeric value at generation time
- Labels and units
- Trend indicators (up/down arrows) based on the snapshot data
Comparing Reports
Section titled “Comparing Reports”To compare data across time periods:
- Generate reports from the same blueprint at different times
- Open each report in separate browser tabs
- Switch between tabs to compare values
Future releases may support side-by-side report comparison.
Troubleshooting Display Issues
Section titled “Troubleshooting Display Issues”Widget appears empty:
The widget snapshot may have failed to capture data, or the widget had no data at generation time. Check the Generated Reports page and regenerate if needed.
Images not displaying:
Verify the external image URL is still valid. The viewer loads images from their source URLs each time; if the source is unavailable, the image will not appear.
Layout looks different from blueprint:
The viewer uses the same grid system as the editor, but rendering may vary slightly due to:
- Browser font rendering differences
- Image loading timing
- Print stylesheet adjustments
Text styling appears incorrect:
Custom fonts or colors may not render identically across all browsers. Use standard web-safe fonts for most consistent results.
Best Practices
Section titled “Best Practices”Preview before generating: Use the blueprint editor’s Preview mode to verify layout and element sizing before creating a report.
Test print layouts: Print a test report early to catch formatting issues before generating multiple reports.
Check image URLs: Verify external images load reliably before including them in blueprints that will be generated frequently.
Use descriptive names: Generated reports are easier to identify when blueprints have clear, specific names.