Layout & Visual Design

As a Business Manager
I want to configure the document to use Arial at 8 pt throughout, so that the overall look is consistent and professional
So that all printed documents have a uniform typographic style that matches our brand guidelines

Setup:

1. Open Document Customizer Layouts and find or create the layout for the relevant report.
2. Set Font to Arial (the font must exist in the Report Fonts list; add it if needed).
3. Set Font Size to 8 and leave Font Size Unit as pt.
4. Save and run a test report.

As a Business Manager
I want to apply alternating light grey and white shading to the document lines so that long documents are easier to read
So that the recipient can track rows across the full page width without errors

Setup:

1. Open the Layout record for the relevant report.
2. Set Row Color 1 to WhiteSmoke (light grey).
3. Set Row Color 2 to Transparent (white/transparent background).
4. Save and run a test. Odd-numbered lines will use Row Color 1, even-numbered lines Row Color 2.

Note: Colour values are CSS colour names or hex codes. Transparent renders as white on white paper. WhiteSmoke is a very light grey (#F5F5F5). Both values must be entered exactly as they appear in the Report Colors list.

As a Business Manager
I want to use a different logo on documents for one of our brands without changing the Company Information logo used by other brands
So that documents for each brand carry the correct visual identity

Setup:

1. Create a Layout with a distinct Layout Code (e.g. BRAND-B) for the relevant report.
2. Enable Show Logo.
3. Click into the Logo field and upload the brand-specific logo image.
4. To route documents for this brand through this layout, set up Default Report Setup for the relevant customers or Responsibility Center, pointing to this Layout Code.
5. Documents not matched to this layout will continue to use the Company Information logo.

Note: If the Logo field on the layout is populated, it takes precedence over the logo in Company Information. If the Logo field is blank but Show Logo is enabled, the Company Information logo is used.

As a Business Manager
I want to print a watermark (e.g. the word "DRAFT" in large light grey text as a background image) on all pro forma invoices
So that recipients cannot mistake a pro forma for a finalised invoice

Setup:

1. Prepare a JPEG image file at A4 dimensions (21×29.7 cm) with the watermark content.
2. Open the Layout record for the Pro Forma Sales Invoice.
3. Upload the image to the Background Image field.
4. Save and run a test report to verify the watermark appears behind the document content.

Note: The background image is rendered at full A4 size on each page. For best results the image should be light (low opacity) so document content remains readable on top. The format must be JPEG.

As a IT Manager
I want to have distinct logo, font, and colour settings for Company A and Company B within the same Business Central environment
So that documents printed from each company carry that company's correct visual identity automatically

Setup:

1. For Company A: create a Layout record with Company Name = Company A, Report ID = the relevant report, Layout Code blank, and enable Default Report Layout. Upload Company A's logo and set the colour scheme.
2. For Company B: create a separate Layout record with Company Name = Company B, same Report ID, Layout Code blank, Default Report Layout enabled. Upload Company B's logo and colour settings.
3. When a user in Company A prints the report, the system finds the layout scoped to Company A. The same is true for Company B.

As a IT Manager
I want to print documents from the Stockholm Responsibility Center with a Swedish address header and a different logo than the default layout
So that documents issued by the Swedish office comply with local branding without affecting other offices

Setup:

1. Create a Layout record with Layout Code blank (or a specific code), Report ID = the relevant report, Company Name = current company, and Responsibility Center = STOCKHOLM.
2. Set the logo, font, and other visual properties specific to the Swedish office.
3. Documents issued with Responsibility Center STOCKHOLM will automatically use this layout.

As a Business Manager
I want to move the bill-to address block 40 mm from the top of the page and 20 mm from the left edge so that it aligns with our windowed envelope format
So that invoices can be mailed in standard windowed envelopes without any reprinting or repositioning

Setup:

1. Open the Layout card for the relevant report (navigate to Document Customizer Layouts and open the card).
2. Set Address Vertical Pos. to 40 and Address Vertical Pos. Unit to cm.
3. Set Address Horisontal Pos. to 20 and Address Horisontal Pos. Unit to cm.
4. Set Address Position TextAlign to Left.
5. Adjust Address Font Size if the address text needs to be smaller to fit the window.
6. Save and test with a printed envelope template to verify alignment.

Note: If an Address Template is assigned in Document Customizer Content, its position settings override these Layout-level defaults.

As a Business Manager
I want to suppress the page number on single-page documents to keep the layout clean, while still showing page numbers on multi-page documents
So that short invoices are not cluttered with "Page 1 of 1" footers

Setup:

1. Open the Layout record for the relevant report.
2. Ensure Show Page Number if only 1 is disabled (this is the default behaviour).
3. The page number will only appear when the document spans more than one page.
4. To always show the page number (including on single-page documents), enable Show Page Number if only 1.

As a IT Manager
I want to set the field separator character used in the barcode string on picking documents so that our handheld scanners can parse the fields correctly
So that scanners can split a combined barcode value into individual data fields (e.g. item number, lot number, quantity)

Setup:

1. Open the Layout card for the picking report.
2. Set Scanner Separation Char to the character your scanner firmware expects as a field delimiter (default is +).
3. Save. The report will embed this character between concatenated values when building the combined barcode string.

As a IT Manager
I want to render QR codes instead of 1D linear barcodes in the combined barcode column on the sales shipment document
So that mobile apps and smartphone cameras can scan the codes directly from the printed document

Setup:

1. Open the Layout card for the Sales Shipment.
2. Set Combined Barcode Type to Two Dimension.
3. Set Combined Barcode 2D Font to QR-Code (or another 2D symbology such as PDF417 or Data Matrix).
4. Set Combined Barcode Font Size to an appropriate point size (larger sizes produce larger, more scannable codes).
5. Save and run a test report to verify the QR code renders and scans correctly.

Note: The primary barcode (Barcode Type, Barcode Font) is used for the standalone barcode column configured in Column Setup. The combined barcode (Combined Barcode Type, Combined Barcode Font) is used for a barcode column in the main Columns template. Configure both independently if needed.

As a Business Manager
I want to create a temporary layout variant for the holiday period with a different background image, then switch back to the standard layout after the holidays
So that seasonal layouts can be prepared in advance and activated without disrupting the standard setup

Setup:

1. Open Document Customizer Layouts and select the standard layout for the relevant report.
2. Use the action Copy to new and enter a new Layout Code (e.g. HOLIDAY).
3. On the new layout, upload the holiday background image and adjust any other settings.
4. To activate the holiday layout, set Default Report Layout to enabled on the holiday record (the system will clear it from the standard record).
5. After the holidays, re-enable Default Report Layout on the standard layout.