From time to time in various report areas it may be idea to have relatively brief but related bits of information collected in the same heading area print its subheading in columns on your final report to save space.

This option is available to add in Standard and Premier editions, and may be ideal for areas where client or basic job information information is collected, or where specifics from data plates are entered and there would be little or no added commentary and no images needed. Examples of this "Subheading Matrix" type formatting may be found in the Residential Checkstyle forms sections that handle the Building Characteristics, Water Heater, and Heading and Air Conditioning information.

Subheading Matrix setup is only available to set up when creating an override template for a specific non-rated subheading in a form. See also Report Writer help topics about templates and Template Designing Rules. When set up for an item, a Subheading Matrix prints that subheading when used and any immediately following non-rated type subheadings in a table across the page rather than downward. The template table stops when reaching a rated subheading or a new heading. See our demonstration video.



Note that when a Subheading Matrix override type template is used for a section, the color and formatting (bold, italics, underlining) of the subheading labels and the actual comments for those fields is completely overridden by the color and style selected during the matrix setup. Also note that images may not be inserted into fields formatted by a Subheading Matrix. You may set up a separate Heading to accommodate images related to such a section if needed. Or you may opt to remove Subheading Matrix setup from a section if it is preferred that the subheading work normally like other subheadings.

 

REMOVING MATRIX SUBHEADING TEMPLATES

If you have Matrix Subheading override templates in a particular section and do not want to use that formatting but would prefer they print and act like all other subheadings in the report, you may remove override templates that handle the column matrix formatting this way. Normally one only needs to include a Subheading Matrix for the first subheading in a heading for it to apply to all items. However in some cases, the template may have been included on all subheadings for the section to ensure they work even if some items are skipped or unused. Thus to ensure it is completely removed for a given section, for each subheading under that heading:

  • Click the subheading label directly in the main report writer.
  • In Modify Subheading, click the down arrow at the far right of the Override print layout field.
  • While select template is highlighted, press Delete to remove the entire filename from that field. Click Save. It will prompt that "If you do not provide a name your template will not be saved. Are you sure you wish to save and exit?" Choose OK.
  • Now the Override print layout field should be empty. To make the change permanent in your master forms for the future, also click "Modify in master forms".
  • Click OK when done. That removes the template from that field for the report and for future reports once compiled if you chose to modify in master forms.
  • Repeat for each following subheading in that heading area to make sure none have the override template repeated.
  • The subheadings will now print like regular subheadings without being arranged in the column matrix format.

You may do the same for any other headings where you want to remove the column matrix printing or any other custom formatting templates. When done, you will also need to compile your forms before starting a new report if you want any changes made to the master forms to affect new reports created afterward. Prior or existing reports are not affected, other than where you make the changes directly.