Add a BIRT-4 document template

Owned by Oksana Vishchuk
Last updated: Jul 27, 2023
4 min read

Overview

On the  XTRF Platform, you can find a number of document templates available by default. Some of those templates are prepared within the BIRT-4 version and give you an opportunity to generate documents, such as invoices or purchase orders, in PDF format. You can download the document templates to create the final version of the documents for your partners with the desired layout and upload them back to the XTRF Platform. You can also localize the document templates by selecting an appropriate language while uploading them. The final documents can be then generated in the required language.

Generation of documents in the DOCX format is deprecated. 

BIRT-4 stands for Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT) Luna software project, Release 4.4.0. For more information on BIRT, visit the official Eclipse website

I. Download a document template

To make changes to the document template, you first need to download it to your local machine. To do so, perform the following steps:

  1. Go to the Configuration Menu > Templates >  Document Templates 

  2. In the Document Templates view, use the filters on top of the list to locate the BIRT-4 templates.

    1. Set the Built-in Template filter to Yes.

    2. Set the Rendering Engine filter to BIRT 4.

       

  3. Click the icon to download the desired template and store it on your local machine. The downloaded file is in RPTDESIGN format.

  4. Customize the template using the Eclipse Environment.

II. Upload a document template

The following steps instruct you on how to upload document templates prepared within the BIRT-4 version. You need to have ready-to-use document template files stored on your local machine before starting the following steps.

To upload a document template back to the XTRF Platform in order to generate documents in PDF formats in the Home Portal, perform the following steps:

  1. Sign in to the XTRF Home Portal.

  2. Go to the  Configuration Menu > Templates >  Document Templates 

  3. Click the Add File-based Template button in the right-hand top corner. You will be directed to the Add Document Templates page.

     

  4. Provide the name of the template you are going to upload. 
    Note: If you plan to use a certain type of template for more than one language, it might be helpful to add information about the used language to a document template name. For example, Client Invoice FR  or Project Confirmation French.  Bear in mind that you need to add a new Document Template entity for each required language to have the template localized.

  5. From the Template Type drop-down list, select the correct type or the Autodetect option.
    Note: We recommend setting the template type to Autodetect. The XTRF Platform will then automatically recognize the files that will be attached to a given document template. If you select another option, please mind that you might experience issues while managing document template files. For example, the preview of the document might be unavailable.

  6. Select the language of the document template.

  7. Decide whether the new template should be a Default one.
    Note: There can be only one default document template for each template type. Therefore, if you select the Default checkbox for a document template in a certain language, it will be used by default regardless of other language settings. 

    To make sure that the default language of the e-mails and documents sent to clients and vendors are the same, go to the Configuration menu > Clients and Vendors and check the Default Communication Language setting for clients and vendors.

  8. Decide whether the new template should be Active and thus selectable.

  9. Click the Add files… button and select the correct .rtpdesign file on your local machine.

  10. Click the Save button. You will be directed to this template’s page.

     

  11. From the Output Format drop-down list, select PDF.

  12. (Optional) Preview the document.

    1. Select a corresponding item in the search-as-you-type field. The preview will appear below.
      Note: The item depends on the selected Template Type, e.g., for a Client Project Confirmation, you can select a project; for Vendor Purchase Order - a job, etc.

  13. (Optional) Check if the template is working correctly.

    1. Select a corresponding item in the search-as-you-type field above the file preview.

    2. In the Test cases section, click the Add Test Case button.

    3. Name the test in the Add new Test Case pop-up window and click the Save button.

       

    4. Click the icon to run the test.

  14. Click the Save or Save and Exit button.