Create Report and arrange fields to print on custom forms (1 Viewer)

[pdesnoye]

I would like to create a report and design it in a way to print on pre-printed forms.
example: design a report to populate and print an airwaybill.

I tried scanning an image of the blank form and placed as a report background image so that I positioned the fields to print, that did not work for me.
I hope someone has done that before and guide me

 

[arnelgp]

if it does not work as background, you put it as an Image Control.
make sure to Position it At the Back.

 

[theDBguy]

If you're printing the data on a preprinted form, you don't want an image background. You just need to do a lot of trial and error aligning the controls, I think.

Edit: Oops, too slow. I was already composing a reply then hit the submit button.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

I would like to create a report and design it in a way to print on pre-printed forms.
example: design a report to populate and print an airwaybill.

I tried scanning an image of the blank form and placed as a report background image so that I positioned the fields to print, that did not work for me.
I hope someone has done that before and guide me

Why did your idea not work (except for having a printed design printing over a pre-printed page.) Was it an issue with margins, or something like that?

 

[pdesnoye]

If you're printing the data on a preprinted form, you don't want an image background. You just need to do a lot of trial and error aligning the controls, I think.

Edit: Oops, too slow. I was already composing a reply then hit the submit button.

I used the image background to guide me as to where to place the fields and thought I would remove it after I would have succeeded. I was hoping of a quicker and more efficient method. I think I have seen it done in other programs.

 

[pdesnoye]

Why did your idea not work (except for having a printed design printing over a pre-printed page.) Was it an issue with margins, or something like that?

Yes, I would say that. I am hoping for guidance to a faster and more efficient way of doing it; this form has a lot of fields and specific positions.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Not sure how you think this can be done. There is no miracle solution here. Putting the image as the background as a guide to placing the fields is the right way to go about this. When you have all the fields positioned, remove the background so you can print on the pre-printed forms.

Pre-printed forms are very expensive. Perhaps you can offer a cost-saving suggestion to not use pre-printed forms and print the boxes, etc. as you print the text. That way, you could include the image in the background permanently AND be a hero.

 

[CJ_London]

I use the method as stated by others of an image background to the report, then remove the image

the important thing to get right is that the image needs to be the right size - some scanners will scan to jpg at 100% - don’t forget to set borders correctly

 

[pdesnoye]

Not sure how you think this can be done. There is no miracle solution here. Putting the image as the background as a guide to placing the fields is the right way to go about this. When you have all the fields positioned, remove the background so you can print on the pre-printed forms.

Pre-printed forms are very expensive. Perhaps you can offer a cost-saving suggestion to not use pre-printed forms and print the boxes, etc. as you print the text. That way, you could include the image in the background permanently AND be a hero.

Thank you. That’s what I tried. I may have not positioned or set the image right, when I printed a sample with data, they did not come out well. I didn’t give up, just hoping to get a better way if there is any.

 

[pdesnoye]

I use the method as stated by others of an image background to the report, then remove the image

the important thing to get right is that the image needs to be the right size - some scanners will scan to jpg at 100% - don’t forget to set borders correctly

Ha ha. It seems that you already nailed this issue. Could you share the details? Specially margins were an issue for me.

 

[Pat Hartman]

If the margins on the form are causing the problem, trim the form and scan it again. You want the report itself to control the margins.