---
title: "Customise a report"
url: "https://docs.4hse.com/reports/customise-a-report"
description: "How to change an existing report or create a new one with the report editor, and how to make it available for printing."
---

# Customise a report

With the **Report editor** you can change a [report](/reports/) or create a new one. A report is written in HTML with Handlebars placeholders, and with a JavaScript script that fetches the data: changing it requires technical knowledge of these languages.

## Modify a report while printing

[Section titled “Modify a report while printing”](#modify-a-report-while-printing)

1.  Click the **Print** icon on the item to print. Printing goes through three steps (**Report**, **Preview**, **Save as**) and opens on the first one, **Report**, where the report is chosen: see [Choose a report](/reports/choose-a-report).
2.  With the report selected, click **Modify**. The **Report editor** opens.
3.  Make your changes: see [The report editor](#the-report-editor).
4.  Click the **Save** icon (a floppy disk), choose **Save as**, then a folder of the project. The original report stays as it was.
5.  To print with your version, choose it with **Search…** and the **This project** button: see [Choose a report](/reports/choose-a-report).

If the report already belongs to the project, **Save** overwrites the file and printing uses the changed version straight away.

## Modify a report from the file system

[Section titled “Modify a report from the file system”](#modify-a-report-from-the-file-system)

The file system holds the reports saved with **Save as** while printing and those created with **New report** (see [Create a report](#create-a-report)).

In the **file system**, select the report’s `.ht` file and click the **Modify** icon (a pencil), or right-click the file and choose **Modify**. The report opens in the editor and is saved as above.

![A report in the file system](/_astro/template-custom-3.ClMTz9d8_1obggA.webp)

## Create a report

[Section titled “Create a report”](#create-a-report)

1.  In the **file system** of the office or project, click the **New** icon (a blank sheet) and choose **New report**. The **Report editor** opens.
2.  Click the **Configuration** icon (a gear) and enter the report’s information:
    -   **Name**, required: the name the report is listed under when printing;
    -   **Description**, optional;
    -   **Launch points**: the items the report can be printed from;
    -   **Country** and **Language**: used by the filters of the report search. If they are left on _All countries_ and _All languages_, the report appears whatever the filter;
    -   **Tag**, optional: used to filter the list of reports;
    -   **Output type**: **HTML**, **CSV** or **Plain text**, the format of the exported document.
3.  Write the report in the editor’s tabs: see [The report editor](#the-report-editor).
4.  Save with the **Save** icon (a floppy disk) and **Save as**.

## The report editor

[Section titled “The report editor”](#the-report-editor)

Tab

What it contains

**Template**

the document, in HTML (or in the format chosen in **Output type**), with Handlebars placeholders for the data

**Script**

the JavaScript code that fetches and prepares the data for the template

**Helpers**

the support functions used by the template

**Partials**

pieces of other files reused in the template, each with its own **Alias**

To test the report without leaving the editor:

-   the **Select debug entity** icon chooses the item to test it with, for example an office;
-   the **Run** icon generates the document with that item’s data and shows it in the editor; if the script, the helpers or the template contain an error, the **Debugger** panel lists it with the time and the place where it occurred.

Reports built with the previous version of the editor still open in the old editor. The report language is described in detail in the developer documentation.

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