Keeping Word Templates in synch with Report Writer

If you are working with a specific report in report writer, and you are also using a word template to print the report, one thing that you have to keep in mind is that the report writer fields have to be in synch with the content controls on the word template.  If they are not in synch what happens is that nothing will print in the content control on the word template, not even XX's.  So you need to go through a process to get the report writer report synched up with the word template.  Here is that process. 

1. Run the report writer report to XML data.  You do this by just printing the report, in the report destination, choose standard report, then choose file.  Select XML for the output type. 
2. Go to Reports>Template Maintenance and select your report.  Highlight the template you are using and click Modify. 
3. In Word, click the developer tab.  Click the Field List.  Select the XML resource.  Click Remove Source. 
4. Click Add source and select the new xml report in step 1. 
5. Then remove content control and delete the field on the word template.
6. Drag the field out onto the report from the proper section. 
7. Save the template. 
8. Back in Reports>Template Maintenance, highlight the template and click the Green plus to import the template saved in step 7.

You always want to follow these steps to make sure your report writer report is synched up with the word template if you are seeing any weirdness with fields not printing. 

Dave

Comments

• Anonymous
  May 09, 2011
  Posting from Mark Polino at DynamicAccounting.net msdynamicsgp.blogspot.com/.../keeping-word-templates-in-synch-with.html

• Anonymous
  June 06, 2011
  You lost me on step 3.  I figured out how to add the Developer tab, but cannot find the Field List. How do I do that? Thanks for your help.

• Anonymous
  June 07, 2011
  Once you click on the developer tab, you will see a small group of GP buttons in the upper right hand corner.  They are field list, add source and remove source.  If you don't see them, then you either don't have the Microsoft Dynamics Add in for Microsoft Word loaded, or it's loaded but not active.  

• Anonymous
  July 20, 2011
  Hi Dave, it sounds like you have alot of knowledge on these blasted word template reports.  I have not successfully managed to-date to get them printing correctly with all the details I need.  At present I have a client where I have modified the PO Blank Form in RW and added the item number and item description fields to the report (the unmodified report has the vendor item/description which I don't need).  However, when I create a word template based on the Modified RW report, I don't have any fields appearing in the GP fields dropdown in the template and not sure how/why they're not there .... any ideas please?

• Anonymous
  August 03, 2011
  Janine,  If you don't see any fields after selecting the Field list button, then that could be a bug that we had prior to GP 2010 SP1.  I would suggest loading GP 2010 R2 if possible as there were numerous fixes in that release.  Then the field list should show up.  Make sure that you load the Microsoft Dynamics GP Add in for Word as it does not install automatically.  

• Anonymous
  October 12, 2011
  Ok - how do you have the Microsoft Dynamics Add In active.  It is loaded, but I don't know how to make it active.  

• Anonymous
  March 14, 2012
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  March 14, 2012
  The only time the report should print with an htm extension is if it can't find the word template.  In the report destination, if you select template and GP can't find it, it will send the report to html with a .htm extenstion.  So then you need to look at what security is set to and what template is set to default, that type of thing.  If you can't see the problem, then go back to the original non modified and see if that works.

• Anonymous
  August 28, 2013
  Hello!  Is there a way to create templates for Project Accounting invoices? Thanks Marisol

• Anonymous
  August 28, 2013
  Marisol, Yes, you would export the xml as Dave describes above and then use the dag.exe tool to generate a template from that.  At that point, it shouldn't be any different than any existing template.

• Anonymous
  April 03, 2014
  Hello Dave Is there any possibility of adding 'Calculated field' in word template.   Thanks Haroon

• Anonymous
  April 03, 2014
  Hi Haroon Calculated Fields from a Report Writer report will be included.  You just need to sync the template with the report. Either use the method in this post. Or create a new template based on your current one, which will now have the new fields included. David

• Anonymous
  April 03, 2014
  Thanks David

• Anonymous
  April 04, 2014
  I had to add a calculated field so I added one field to default report and exported it's XML and imported the same in Word Template and also added my required field to word template. Now, when I am adding this word template to Microsoft Dynamics GP, I am getting this error "The template you selected cannot be added to this report.". Any idea about this error.

• Anonymous
  April 06, 2014
  Hi Haroon The most common reason is that the document is still open in Word. Make sure all instances of Word are closed. If you still have trouble, please log a support case. The blog's comments is not the appropriate platform for support. Thanks David

• Anonymous
  November 24, 2014
  I am trying to send by email in PDF format a Blank  Sale Invoice trom Template created from the xml RW file with no success. I went through the assign process for company and Customer as describe in the documentation. Every time i try to send with email i receive the "A Word Template must be assigned before sending this document.... Any idea? Regards

• Anonymous
  November 24, 2014
  Good info and thank you for doing this post

• Anonymous
  March 18, 2015
  My documents are in sync, but I cannot get the "global" company name and company address1, 2,3 to actially show up on the template. They do print on he standard form