Hi,

I am not aware of how you can do it directly from IFS, but a workaround is to create a pdf and use some freeware to convert it into xls.

Here is an example of the output from the inventory values report using zamzar.com to convert it.

Regards,

Antony

Thanks Antony, we require to extract PDF data to excel and send it over mail….so ideally the point where the data is getting converted to PDF

Hi,

You can use a Report Plugin Layout (RPL Layouts) to achieve this. RPL layouts use the XML data generated in the Order Report and output it different formats. Excel is one of them. You can also output CSV, XSL, XML and barcode PDL scripts and write your own plugin to output any other format.

RPL layouts are available from APPS 8 onwards. There are two types of Excel plugins. Simple Excel Plugins and Excel Plugin. The Simple Excel Plugin will output a simple Excel Sheet with the data where as the Excel Plugin will output a much rich Excel Sheet as it uses a Excel template layout to format the data. Here you can have Chart, functions etc. However in APPS 8 only the Simple Excel Plugin is there. You can Order the report from Order Report and select the plugin layout. 

The plugin layout also have the option of emailing the generated output or save it to disk.

Have a look at the following links for more details.

Technical documentation:

Excel Plugin

https://docs.ifs.com/techdocs/Foundation1/050_development/025_operational_reporting/190_using_report_plugins/040_excel_plugin/default.htm

Excel Plugin

https://docs.ifs.com/techdocs/Foundation1/050_development/025_operational_reporting/190_using_report_plugins/140_simple_excel_plugin/default.htm

Plugin Layouts

https://docs.ifs.com/techdocs/Foundation1/050_development/025_operational_reporting/190_using_report_plugins/

Managing Plugin Layout

https://docs.ifs.com/techdocs/Foundation1/050_development/025_operational_reporting/190_using_report_plugins/005_manage_plugin/default.htm

Regards,

*Admin Update: Replaced wit links with doc links. (April 2020)

Hi Amarasekara,

Thanks for the insights, shall revert if any challenges encountered.

Appreciate it!

Regards,

Sunil Nair

Hi - this is very helpful. Is there any way that video can be uploaded or made available to non-IFS employee’s, via youtube or uploaded to this site? I’d like to seem some examples of customers using the Excel Report Layout Templates. 

https://wit.ifsworld.com/technology/recordings/content/Excel_Layouts.mp4

Hi David,

Sorry I can’t attach the video as it’s too big. Maybe you can get someone from IFS to send it to you or ask someone in IFS to contact me and I will send the video.

Yet, basically all the information in the video is there in the development guide link I have posted above.

Regards,

Chanaka

dear @ChanakaAmarasekara,

Can I get the plugin file for excel layout ? Your link is behind ifsworld login page and I don’t have the account. 

Here is the documentation. You will get the layout if you take the code snippet and save it as an RPL file. 

You will find the documentation in any IFS installation. This is the technical documentation / Development Guide. So you should be able to get to it if you check in one of your local installations.

i try the report in ifs9 in same way but preview option hidden after selection of report. can anybody assist me what are the things that i am missing.

thanks in advance

Regards

pardeep saini

Hi,

The preview from Print Dialog in IFS EE is disabled in APPS9. You need to save to disk or email it by printing to NO_PRINTOUT logical printer.

However, previewing is enabled in APPS 10.

Also remember that plugin-class tag value is different from APPS9 to APPS10. Check the F1 development guide for more details.

Regards,

Hi,

how i can save it to disk?

thanks in advance 

regards

Pardeep saini 

In the RPL layout have the output method as DISK

<output-method>E-MAIL</output-method> <!-- BINARY,FILE,E-MAIL this can be more that one value separated by ; --> 

then specify a shared location which has full read/write access in file directory

<file-directory></file-directory> <!-- overrides the system set output directory --> 

Check the F1 development guide for more details. I have attached the help in this thread as well

hi, this is working for me, i really appriciated your help.now i need one more help..

can you send me sum template like of supplier transactions report. means i want to sum the data based on period how i can do this.

thanks in advance

I am trying to get this to work. But..

When I used an empty excel template, it is working. I get a email with a spreadsheet:

<excel-template></excel-template>

But when I add a template, no email is send and no error:

Does anyone have an explanation?

Turns out that this is working:

[@REPORT_DATA{Options:DisplayNames=OFF,Hidden=ON,Header=ON}]

and this from the documentation is not working:
@REPORT_DATA{Options:DisplayNames=OFF, Hidden=ON,Header=OFF}]

Are these RPLs simply available in IFS? We are using IFS Apps10 UPD 4 and I cannot find any RPLs nor report layout templates. The tech document details the layout usage and plugin usage but it’s unclear if the excel plug in and RPLs are already available (if yes then where to find them) or if they need to be created (if so how to create them). 

Could you please provide some more info in this regard?

The expectation is that without having to do any development work that the standard reports must be available in Excel format as well and not just PDF. It should merely be a configuration that’s needed.

The tech document details the layout usage and plugin usage but it’s unclear if the excel plug in and RPLs are already available (if yes then where to find them) or if they need to be created (if so how to create them). 

You have 2 create two files yourself.

First add this in for a report:

The xlsx file can be very simple:

Add the file here:

Open the rpl fil. Fil in something like this. There is a template in the documentation:

import the fil here:

Order the report. 

All above is from Apps9. There might be changes in 10.

The tech document details the layout usage and plugin usage but it’s unclear if the excel plug in and RPLs are already available (if yes then where to find them) or if they need to be created (if so how to create them). 

 

You have 2 create two files yourself.

 

Thank you for the clear instructions and the descriptive explanations along with screenshots. It truly helped. Much appreciated!

I have a few concerns.

1. Seems if we want the output in the Excel to look good, we would have to do more than just the tag that pumps in the data isn’t it?
2. I’m still wondering why it’s the ‘Other Plug in’ you’ve used. There is the option to choose Excel Layout (in the Report Definition header) and layout type as Excel plug in (in the layout we enter in Report Definition). But then it does not enable the import layout option. To me it still feels like there must be an easier or rather in-built plug in that is available somewhere in the app that could be used and what we are actually doing is creating an ‘other plugin’. Am I wrong?

@TAPSUDJAY ,

When I work with this, I had the same questions as you have. I do not have answers. I could not get the “excel plugin” to work and just settled with the output from the “simple excel plugin”. The users are happy with that.

If you manage to output some fancy spreadsheets with charts and stuff, I would very much like to hear about it.

Good luck.

@Hans Andersen Thanks!

Unfortunately users here are not that happy :( Their expectation is that without having to do any development work that the standard reports must be available in Excel format as well and not just PDF. Their argument is it’s possible in software like Simpro and MYOB. I learnt from a previous IFS colleague of mine that in ERP systems like IFS, SAP, Oracle the financial reports are in PDF to restrict editing of them which is valid in a way.

So let’s see. If I manage to create fancy spreadsheets I will definitely share them.

Hi All,

May I know if any one can configure this successfully? We are in the process of development of this  excel plug-in and seeking for help on some areas.

Best regards,

Theja