Add a Template

Create a Template in Reporter using Template Builder or by uploading a prepared .tpl file.

Use this page to create the Template that Reporter will use to generate a Report. A Template is the reusable structure of the output file: it defines the layout, fields, conditions, loops, calculations, and final format.

Objective

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Add a Template that operators can select when generating Reports.

For example, a monthly tax Template can define a CSV header, one row per transaction, and a total amount at the end of the file. A regulatory XML Template can define the required XML tags and fill them with values from a Data Source.

When to use

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Use this task when:

• you are setting up the first Template for a report whose Data Source already exists;
• a new report obligation requires a new output structure;
• your team already has a reviewed .tpl file and needs to make it available in the Console;
• an operator needs to build the Template visually instead of editing .tpl code.

Do not use this task to fix a Template that already exists. Use Update a Template instead.

Before you start

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Confirm:

• the Data Source that will feed the Template is available when the Template needs database fields. It may be an internal source already configured for the environment or an external source added from Data Sources;
• the expected output format is known: CSV, XML, HTML, TXT, or PDF;
• the Template will be created in Template Builder or uploaded as a .tpl file;
• the report owner has confirmed the fields that must appear in the output.

A Template is not a generated Report. It is the reusable definition that Reporter applies later during report generation.

Option 1: Build in Template Builder

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Use Template Builder when an operator needs to assemble the Template visually from blocks.

1. Open Template Builder

   Go to the Templates page and click Template Builder.

2. Name the Template

   Use a name operators can recognize later, such as Monthly tax CSV or Daily transaction PDF.

3. Choose the output format

   Select the format that the generated Report must produce: XML, HTML, CSV, TXT, or PDF.

4. Add the Template blocks

   Add blocks such as Text, Variable, Loop, Conditional, or Aggregation. In practice, blocks represent the pieces of the final file: fixed text, database values, repeated rows, conditional sections, or totals.

5. Connect fields to data

   Use the Data Sources sidebar to select fields from the configured database connection. For example, use a Variable block to place transactions.amount in the output.

6. Save the Template

   Click Save to validate the blocks and save the generated .tpl file.

Option 2: Upload a .tpl file

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Use upload when a technical team already maintains the Template outside the Console.

1. Open the upload wizard

   Go to the Templates page and click New Template.

2. Upload the file

   In the File step, drag the .tpl file to Drag file here, or click to select to browse your computer.

3. Configure the Template

   In the Config step, fill in Template Name and Output Format.

4. Review the summary

   In the Review step, confirm the file, name, and output format. Use the edit buttons if any field is wrong.

5. Save the Template

   Click Save Template.

API equivalent: Upload template endpoint

Field guide

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Upload wizard fields

Field	What to enter	Example
Template File (.tpl)	Required .tpl file used as the Template source. It must be larger than 0 bytes and no larger than 5 MB. API field: template.	monthly-tax.tpl
Template Name	Required operator-facing name. It maps to name in the Console and to description in the Reporter API.	Monthly tax CSV
Output Format	Required output type. Use one of csv, xml, html, txt, or pdf.	csv

Template Builder fields

Field	What to enter	Example
Template name	Required name in the builder header. It becomes the saved Template name and generated .tpl filename prefix.	Daily transaction PDF
Block toolbar	Add at least one block before saving. Blocks become the generated .tpl code.	Text header + Loop over transactions + Aggregation total
Data Sources sidebar	Use configured Data Sources to insert fields into Variable blocks. Technical fields include dataSource, table, and field.	production-postgres.transactions.amount

Expected result

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After saving, the Template appears on the Templates page and can be selected in the Generate Report wizard.

Common errors and care points

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Uploading a file that is not `.tpl`

Upload only accepts .tpl files. If the Template is still being designed, use Template Builder first or prepare the .tpl file outside the Console.

Choosing the wrong output format

The output format controls what kind of file operators will download after generating a Report. Confirm the required format before saving.

Creating a Template before the Data Source is ready

Templates can reference fields from Data Sources. If the required source is missing or untested, operators may not know which fields are safe to use.

Next steps

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• Use Generate a Report to create a Report from the Template.
• Use Update a Template if the structure, file, name, or output format needs correction.
• Use Template Builder when operators need to maintain the Template visually.