The Exact Forms Plus Configurator is where you choose what goes into an Exact Forms Plus document template without typing settings by hand. Exact Forms Plus is a Quickbase Extension that fills a Word template with data from a Quickbase record and saves the result as a Word document or a PDF. The configurator does two jobs:
Choose the master table fields. It picks the table the template is for (the master table) and the fields from that table the template uses, and saves them on the template record.
Build embedded reports. An embedded report (also called a subtable) is a table of records from another table, such as the line items of an order. The configurator walks you through the table, filter, columns, sorting, grouping, totals, and formatting, and saves the result as a Document Subtables record that you place in the template with a short reference such as
~strid=12~.
The configurator opens from buttons on your app's Document Templates and Document Subtables tables. The installation wizard adds those tables and buttons when you set up Exact Forms Plus.
Get started
Set up Exact Forms Plus in your app with the installation wizard. See Quickbase Extensions installation wizard overview and Set up Exact Forms Plus with the installation wizard.
Add your Word template to a Document Templates record. See Document templates.
Choose the master table and its fields. See Choose the master table fields.
Create an embedded report and place it in the template. See Create or change an embedded report.
Choose the report's columns, then its sorting, grouping, totals, and formatting. See Choose and format columns, Sorting, grouping, and totals, and Table formatting options.
If something doesn't work, see Exact Forms Plus Configurator messages and troubleshooting.
Before you start
Exact Forms Plus is set up in the app. The configurator only works in an app that's authorized for Exact Forms Plus. If it isn't, the configurator shows a message that the app isn't authorized. Run the installation wizard for the app first.
The template record exists. Create a Document Templates record with a name and your Word template file before you open the configurator. See Add the template record.
Pop-ups are allowed. The configurator opens in a new window. If nothing happens when you select a button, allow pop-ups for your Quickbase realm in your browser.
The tables you need are in the same app. The configurator lists the tables in the template's app. The master table and the embedded report's table must both be in that app.
Open the configurator
Three buttons open the configurator. Each opens it in a new window over Quickbase.
Button | Where it is | What it opens |
|---|---|---|
EFP Configurator | A Document Templates record | The template's main screen, with the Master tab (master table fields) and the Configurations tab (the template's embedded reports). |
Add New Exact Forms Plus Subtable | A Document Templates record | A new, empty embedded report for the template. |
Edit Subtable Configuration | A Document Subtables record, or a row in the list of embedded reports on the template record | That embedded report, ready to change. |
When you close the configurator window, the Quickbase page you opened it from refreshes, so you see the saved changes on the record.
Note
In older apps, the new-report button may be named Add New Document Subtable. It works the same way.
The main screen
The EFP Configurator button opens a screen with two tabs:
Master: choose the master table and the fields the template uses, then select Apply Changes. See Choose the master table fields.
Configurations: the list Current SubTable Configurations shows the template's embedded reports, with each report's Configuration Name, Template Reference, and Settings. Select Add New Subtable Configuration to create a report, or Edit next to a report to change it. If the template has none yet, the list says No subtable configurations to display.
Both tabs have a Close button that closes the window.
The embedded report screens
An embedded report is set up in five steps, shown as numbered tabs across the top of the window. The top of the window also shows Master Table : followed by the template's master table.
Step | What you set | Article |
|---|---|---|
1. Subtable settings | The report's name and the table its records come from. | |
2. Filter Criteria | The kind of report (detail or summary) and which records it includes. | |
3. Subtable Fields | The columns, their order, type, width, label, fonts, alignment, and totals, plus an optional item counter. | |
4. Sorting and Grouping | The sort order, grouping, and the labels and colors of subtotal and grand total rows. | |
5. Subtable formatting options | Table alignment, borders, header colors, row shading, cell margins, page breaks, and repeating columns. |
Move between steps with Next and Previous, or by selecting a step's tab. Save is on every step and saves the whole report. Close closes the window.
Note
Save before you close the window or leave a step with unsaved changes. The configurator doesn't save as you go. If you try to leave a step with unsaved changes, it asks you to save first.
What the configurator saves
You do this | The configurator saves |
|---|---|
Select Apply Changes on the Master tab | The template record's Master table dbid (the master table) and clist (the master table fields, as field IDs separated by periods, such as |
Select Save on an embedded report | A Document Subtables record with the report's Configuration Name, its Settings (the full description of the report, as text), and the template it belongs to (Related Document Template). The record's Template Reference field then shows the reference to put in the template, such as |
The configurator doesn't copy or delete embedded reports. To copy one, copy its Document Subtables record in Quickbase. To delete one, delete the record in Quickbase, and remove its reference from the template.
The configurator doesn't preview the document. To check your work, create a document from a record with one of your Exact Forms Plus buttons.
Learn more
Choose the master table fields: the Master tab.
Create or change an embedded report: the table and filter, saving, and placing the report in the template, with a worked example.
Choose and format columns: the Subtable Fields step.
Sorting, grouping, and totals: the Sorting and Grouping step.
Table formatting options: the Subtable formatting options step.
Insert embedded reports and Advanced subtable features: how embedded reports work in a document, and the Settings text in detail.
Exact Forms Plus terms and concepts: master record, related data, and the tables the wizard adds.
Need help? Submit a technical support case.