---
title: "Custom Word Reporting"
slug: "custom-word-reporting"
updated: 2026-09-28T06:23:24Z
published: 2026-09-28T06:23:24Z
canonical: "help.quickbase.com/custom-word-reporting"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.quickbase.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Custom Word Reporting

## What is a custom Word template?

A custom Word template is a dynamic reporting option that allows you to export your captured form data and push it to a Word template of your own design.

## Can I download a starting template?

Yes, you can! To download a starting template (which will contain all of the fieldkeys from your form):

1. Select the **Reporting** button in the Form Builder.
2. Select the **Custom** tab.
3. Select **Generate and Download** to generate a Word report which you can then edit, stylize, and re-upload.

![Reporting menu Custom tab with Generate and Download option in the Form Builder](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043597451?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

## Add fields

Adding fields to your custom Word template is simple. All you need to do is get your field's fieldkey and put it in your custom Word template surrounded by **$** signs. In the example below, we have Inspector Name, Inspector Phone Number and Client Name in the custom Word template. When the form is submitted, data from the form will replace the fieldkeys.

![Custom Word template with field keys for Inspector Name, Inspector Phone Number, and Client Name](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043597591?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

After saving the Word document, upload it to the **Custom** tab in the **Reporting** menu, and then **save** and **publish** the form. Here is what the Word report looks like after submitting:

![Word report output after form submission with field data populated](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043597671?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

## Stylizing

Fonts, colors, font sizes, etc. will be mimicked in your reports. If you put your $fieldkey$ as Helvetica with a blue color, it will mimic those on the report. *However*, it cannot use custom fonts. It is limited to generic Word fonts.

## Repeating sections

To create Repeating Sections:

1. Add a **table**. You will only need to create the first row.
2. Right-click on the table and select **Table Properties**.
3. In the **Alt Text** tab, put the fieldkey of the section that is repeating as the **Title** and **Save**.
4. Then for each cell, put the fieldkey in the field that you want to add, surrounded by **$** signs.
  - If you would like to create a header row that does not repeat, please see the *Header Rows* section in this article.
  - Repeating sections do not require a prefix.

![Table Properties dialog with the repeating section field key entered as the title](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043597851?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

![Repeating section table with field keys entered in each cell](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043552232?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

## Subforms

For subforms, you will need to use a table. It is set up the exact same as a repeating section, except that your fieldkeys in the cell will need a prefix. Once you have added the table:

1. Right-click on your table and select **Table Properties**.
2. In the **Alt Text** tab, enter the fieldkey of your subform field under **Title** and **Save**.
3. Enter your subform fieldkey as the prefix.
  - For example, if your subform fieldkey is *subform_1* and your field fieldkey is *date_2*, you would put this in the cell *$subform_1_date_2$*
  - Notice the subform fieldkey is the prefix and it is separating the fieldkey by an **underscore**.
  - If you would like to create a header row that does not repeat, please see the *Header Rows* section in this article.

![Table Properties dialog with the subform field key entered as the title](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043552332?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

![Subform table with prefixed field keys in each cell](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043598091?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

## Subform columns

If you want to use a column format for your subforms, you can do that by setting it up as shown in the following image. We recommend using the first row as a blank space so there is some separation between the instances.

![Subform table set up in column format with a blank first row](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043598171?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

This is what it looks like on the report with 2 subform instances:

![Word report showing two subform instances in column format](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043598331?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

## Header rows

If you want to have a header row in the same table as your data, you can do this by specifying **header_row** in the description of the table properties.

![Table properties dialog with header_row specified in the description](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360087551071?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

After uploading and saving this to your form, you will now be able to submit a form with a header row that does *not* repeat in the table. This will give you a fixed row with headers for each column in your table.

![Word report with a fixed header row that does not repeat](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043598571?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

## Photos and signatures

For photos and signatures, use a **one-celled table**. All photos will be put inside that cell. If you want *multiple* photos per row, make sure you specify the amount in the advanced report settings for that multi-photo field.

> [!WARNING]
> **Warning**
> 
> We recommend avoiding submissions with over 500 photos, as this is the limit officially supported by our team. Clients can choose to exceed this limit, but doing so carries risks, such as potential challenges with internet stability, especially in areas with poor connections. Additionally, large submissions may lead to failed workflows, reports, and downloads. While there's no strict cap on photo numbers, going beyond the supported limit raises the chances of encountering these issues. For a smoother uploading experience, it's best to keep the app open until all images are uploaded and minimize the number of photos for better processing.

**Advanced Report Setting.** In the example below, we set it to 4 photos per row:

![Advanced report setting configured for 4 photos per row](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043552852?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

**Custom Word Template.** In the example below, we have a single-celled table with the fieldkey surrounded by **$** signs:

![Custom Word template with a single-celled table for a multi-photo field](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043598611?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

Word report output: (Screenshot below)

![Word report output showing multiple photos in a single-celled table](https://cdn.document360.io/dd260e4e-10bb-4b66-8fb3-5504c272b904/Images/Documentation/360043552992?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-10-30T12%3A06%3A10Z&se=2026-10-30T13%3A06%3A10Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=p8ZnwoKzqwHnXXK7JB8v9SesCIkgNGTSR24xkkCubwg%3D)

## Dynamic checkboxes

When creating a custom Word report, you have the capability to include dynamic checkboxes that correspond with items checked off from a user's submitted form. For example, if a user checks off items from a list on a form from the App, your report can also show that same list with checkboxes marked accordingly. To learn how to use dynamic checkboxes in your reports, please see our in-depth [dynamic checkboxes guide](/fastfield/docs/custom-word-reporting-dynamic-checkboxes), which will walk you through each step. If you have any questions or issues, please feel free to reach out to [FastField Support](mailto:support@fastfieldforms.com).