[sims] Report (template).

[Koldov]

Unfortunately (or fortunately) I don't use SIMS, but as it's 'technology' (debatable) I'm still the first person they call if anyone has any issues with it, I mean I can install the whole SIMS server, but I've never logged on and used it in anger...

 

Anyway, one of our admin staff on reception has tried to run a report which outputs in Word and the report has a 'title' I think with a date on 'REPORT 2019'.

 

They have tried to change the title (name) of the report in SIMS and a few other things, but the report still comes out with the same title.

 

She told me over the phone what she was doing and I think it may be coming from a template (SIMS temp in 'My Documents'), but she rang back and said she couldn't find anything to change (or couldn't change it, or something that ended with 'I'm not very good with computers'.... but I'd given up listening as I've got a million other things on at the moment and it's low on my list - this new school year really is the gift that keeps on giving, right?!).

 

So does anyone know where this Word document is getting the template from (if I'm right) or if it's something in the setting of the report and how to change it to what she wants...?

[howartp]

The final page of the report designer ("Default output") has a title field at the top that most people probably ignore. It's possibly there?

[Koldov]

Unfortunately they have tried to change the title (name) of the report in SIMS and a few other things, but the report still comes out with the same title.

 

There is on the final page a of the report designer a section that apparently mentions a 'template', my (uneducated) guess is the actual Word document is getting its 'title' from there rather than whatever the 'report' is called in SIMS.... but I don't know where templates are stored.

[Miscbrah]

If I'm following right, worth a stab in basing a new report on the old report and then give the new report a new title?

[Koldov]

Yeah, from what I gathered she had tried that.

 

I did go to see her at the end of the day and in her section of reports she now has reports titled 'Staff 2020', 'Staff 2021', 'Staff 2022' and one just 'Staff'...

 

However when she runs the report, the Word document always has the title 'Staff 2019'....?

 

I don't think the name (title) of the report in SIMS has any bearing on the output title of the page in the Word document is, I think that is only internal to SIMS so you can see what report you are running.

 

I presume the report takes the details from SIMS and fills them in on a 'template' RTF document output to Word. I think it's this 'template' that has the heading (title) 'Staff 2019', but I don't know where that template is or how to change it.

[vikpaw]

Working off very old and probably defunct knowledge here.

The template for the report might be wrapped up in the report definition. Especially if it’s RTF type.

When you create a report it will use a default base template from local drive or shared SIMS folder and then save it into the report definition.

Or if it’s v.basic the options at the end can direct the output to a standard template.

Either way, something in the data must be pushing that value into the output.

From the last page of the report wizard is there an option to edit the template?

You can export the report and send to someone else to have a look by loading into their system. I’d offer but don’t have a SIMS setup anymore.

[Koldov]

Many thanks, I had looked at many previous posts from knowledgeable Edugeeks (including some from yourself), but most were concerned with getting data into Excel and using Macros etc. In any case it seems a way over complicated process for what it actually does...

 

I don't actually use SIMS so any explanation about the report creation process will probably go over my head, but I did look on the user's computer and found the document in question...

 

There are two actually:

 

ReportForm.rtf

 

and

 

ReportOutput.rtf

 

ReportForm.rtf seems to be the template and looks like this...

 

 

The ReportOutput.rtf is the same but obviously filled in with pupil details.

 

These were both in the user's 'Documents' folder on their PC (in the 'tempSimsRpt' folder).

 

Would it just be simple case of amending the date in the page title of the .rtf document and saving it?

[vikpaw]

sorry @Koldov - missed this reply, don't seem to be getting alerts lately.

Probably too late, but yes you could try editing that template rtf file and see if it makes a difference. 2019 definitely looks like it's hardcoded into the template.

In theory, while editing the report / template, that rtf should open, and be editable. You'd think it would be obvious that the date is incorrect.

You could also temporarily move the rtf files out of their document folder and see if it regenerates a new updated one with one of the new reports.