How to print your record data

Information for Application Administrators

Users print record data by selecting one or more records with the data they want printed, and then selecting an output format to layout and style the data. Output formats use Microsoft Word templates (with a .docx extension), Excel templates (with a .xlsx extension)1 or XSLT style sheets by default to specify what fields (data) are included in the printed output, as well as to lay out and style the data.

From Collections 1.10 and Axiell Designer 7.7.1.690 onwards it is also possible to implement adapl-only output formats to generate output as a plain text file (which can also be a .csv file) or as a PDF file. Details here.

A number of output formats are available in Collections out-of-the-box, each designed for a specific printing / reporting purpose; these can be modified and additional Word or XSLT templates can be built. Users select Print in the top Toolbar to display the Output formats box, from which they select an output format.

Configuring output formats

General details about Output jobs / formats can be found here.
Details about configuring output jobs can be found here.
Details about adapl-only output formats to generate output as a plain text file or as a PDF file can be found here.

Creating output formats for Collections

Details about designing output formats based on Word templates can be found here.
Details about creating XSLT style sheets for Collections can be found in the Programming XSLT style sheets for Adlib and Axiell guide (chapters 1.2.6 and 2.2.2). XSLT programming is experience required.

Storing uploaded templates

Users are able to select a predefined output format from the Output formats box or they can click the ellipsis beside Find document template2 to select a custom Word or Excel template accessible to their device. By default, a custom template must be loaded every time a user wants to use it.

It is possible to configure Collections to save custom templates uploaded through the Output formats box and to make them available from the Output formats box. Details here.

Direct printing from within Collections (local Collections installations only)

From Collections 1.18 onwards it is possible to configure Collections to print directly to a local printer rather than opening a third-party application (Word, Excel, a browser for instance) first. Details here.

It is possible to print data from the current record The record currently displayed in Record details View or highlighted (with a solid grey background) in Result set View or Gallery View for instance., marked Marking a record means selecting it by adding a tick to the record's checkbox in Result set View or Gallery View, and in Record Details View from Collections 1.15 onwards. One or more records can be marked and then actioned in some way (e.g. printed). records (mark them before selecting Print) or all records currently displaying.

To print your data:

Select Print

in the top Toolbar

-OR-

Use the keyboard shortcut, CTRL+P.

The Output formats box will display:

Output format icons

To assist with identifying the type of output, each option in the Output formats box includes an icon with the following meaning3:

Icon	Details
	A Word document will be created and saved to your Downloads folder.
	An Excel spreadsheet will be created and saved to your Downloads folder.
	An XML or HTML page will be generated by an XSLT stylesheet and saved to your Downloads folder.
	A CSV, text or PDF document will open in your browser.
	Any other output format type not included in the above categories.

The Output formats box lists one or more output formats, each designed (by Axiell or your Application Administrator) for a specific printing / reporting purpose. Output formats use Microsoft Word templates, Excel templates4 or XSLT style sheets to specify what fields (data) are included in the printed output, as well as to lay out and style the data.

Note: If the predefined output formats do not meet your needs, you can configure your own. Details here.

About Output formats

While not all data sources The management of a collection can involve a vast amount of information about objects / items / books, people and organizations, events, administration and more. This information is stored as records in data sources. Each data source stores a specific type of information: details about collection items, people, events, loans, and so on. have output formats, most have one or more, and each is designed for a specific printing / reporting purpose. Output formats are built using either Microsoft Word templates (with a .docx extension), Excel templates (with a .xlsx extension)5 or XSLT style sheets:

Icon	Details
	A Word document will be created and saved to your Downloads folder. Word templates can be designed according to house-styles, including logos, colours and fonts. They can be used in parts of the application that generate letters and documents, for example in Loans. Word templates can be designed to print labels and barcodes; and of course, PDF files can be created from Word documents that are generated in Axiell Collections. When you select an output format based on a Word template, your record data will be output as a Word document, which can be edited if required and printed. Note: Microsoft Word 2007 or higher must be available on your computer.
	An Excel spreadsheet will be created and saved to your Downloads folder. (Optionally) add text as column headers, with field references (either field tag or system name) added to cells in a single row: When you select an output format based on an Excel template, your record data will be output as an Excel spreadsheet, which can be edited if required and printed:
	An XSLT style sheet can generate HTML output styled for your organization. When you select an output format based on an XSLT style sheet, your record data will be output as an XML or HTML page and saved to your Downloads folder.
	A CSV, text or PDF document will be created by an adapl and opened in your browser.
	Any other output format type not included in the above categories.

Application Administrators are able to modify output formats and to design additional Word, Excel or XSLT templates for selection from the Output formats box.

Select a predefined output format

-OR-

Click the ellipsis beside Find document template6 to select a custom .docx Word template or .xlsx Excel template accessible to your device.

Note: By default, a custom template must be loaded every time you want to use it.

Custom templates can be saved to the server

Application Administrators can configure Collections to save custom templates when they are uploaded through the Output formats box so that they can be selected from the box following their first use. By default an uploaded template will be listed in the Output formats box using its file name.

Depending on your setup, templates uploaded in this way will have a record in an Uploaded templates data source The management of a collection can involve a vast amount of information about objects / items / books, people and organizations, events, administration and more. This information is stored as records in data sources. Each data source stores a specific type of information: details about collection items, people, events, loans, and so on., and if so it may be possible to modify the name under which it is listed in the Output formats box, to assign access rights to the output format or even hide an output format:

Note: It is only possible to edit records in the Uploaded templates data source, not to create them.

An uploaded template record contains seven fields, of which three can be edited:

Fields	Details
Stored template ID	The uploaded template will be saved with a unique ID in the storage location specified by your Application Administrator.
Original file name	The original file name of the uploaded template.
Visible template name	The title under which the template is listed in the Output formats box. The original file name will be stored in this field when the template is uploaded, but it can be modified as required. Note: Can only be entered in a single language.
Data source ID	A template is only available in the data source The management of a collection can involve a vast amount of information about objects / items / books, people and organizations, events, administration and more. This information is stored as records in data sources. Each data source stores a specific type of information: details about collection items, people, events, loans, and so on. in which it was uploaded. The name of that data source will be converted to a unique ID and saved in this field.
User role	The user / role who uploaded the template will automatically get Full access rights: This user / role will have Full access rights to this record (do not change it to Write, Read or None). The template will be visible to this user in the Output formats box of the relevant data source. If the Default access rights in Collections have been set to None, other users will not have access to this record in the Uploaded templates data source and will not see the associated output format in the Output formats box. Extra occurrences of this field group can be added to specify access rights for other users / roles: Read, Write or Full will display the template in the Output formats box. Read will not allow other users to edit this record.
Access rights
Category	This field currently has no function but may be used in future.

Notes

If a record is deleted from the Uploaded templates data source, its associated template will no longer be listed in the Output formats box, but the template file itself will remain in the storage location specified by your Application Administrator.
Each time you upload a template with the same file name as an earlier uploaded template (which will probably happen as you design and perfect your template), a new record will be created in the Uploaded templates data source and the template file will be stored under a unique name in the designated storage location. It will not overwrite the previously uploaded template with the same original file name.

The Marked radio button will be selected if you marked Marking a record means selecting it by adding a tick to the record's checkbox in Result set View or Gallery View, and in Record Details View from Collections 1.15 onwards. One or more records can be marked and then actioned in some way (e.g. printed). records before selecting Print, otherwise the Current radio button will be selected. If you want to print data from all currently listed records, select the All radio button.
(Optional) If the Print button is available in the Output formats box7, you can select it to print your data without first opening the template in a third-party application (step 5).

Direct printing

Select Print to display a Select printer dialogue from which a printer is chosen:

Select a printer and click OK to print your data using the selected output format (ignore step 5 below).

Note: This option is currently only available for local implementations of Collections and not the hosted implementation of Collections. It is anticipated that this functionality will be available for hosted customers sometime in 2024.
Click OK.
What happens next depends on whether the output format you selected is based on an XSLT style sheet, Word or Excel template:
- XSLT style sheet: your record data will be output as an HTML page in a new tab in your browser.
  Note: To print the output, use your browser's print function.
- Word template: your record data will be output as a Word document.
  Open the Word doc, edit and save if required and print using Word's print function (CTRL+P).
  Note: Microsoft Word 2007 or higher must be installed on your computer in order to export data to a Word document (and possibly print that document) using Word templates.
- Excel template: your record data will be output as an Excel spreadsheet.
  Open the Excel spreadsheet, edit and save if required and print using Excel's print function (CTRL+P).