January 1, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Hi,
Happy New Year to all.
We are using SSRS 2005. The users have come up with a requirement "We need the PDF's to be editable. So that once the report is viewed by us, we are able to enter some data in the PDF report and take the print out".
Is it possible to generate a editable PDF?
The report is called from a .net web application. Even that way, if someone can throw an idea....... 🙂
Thanks!!!!
Sameer
January 2, 2009 at 4:22 am
As of my knowledge, we can not edit a pdf file unless we have a pdf editor.
Regards,
Ramu
Ramu
No Dream Is Too Big....!
January 2, 2009 at 6:37 am
Why don't you redo the report with a new set of parameters? These parameters would be the items that your users want to change in the pdf. So if they want to alter a date range, that date range would be represented in a couple of date params. The users, instead of editing, would just re-run the report after setting the params.
January 2, 2009 at 7:52 am
Thank You Jay and Ramu for your replies.
Jay: The report is send to bank branches from a centralized unit. As of now they usually print it and then write their comments and other stuff into it and then send the hard copy to branches. They want to see the report and then type in, rather than type in and then see the report. The PDF report is displayed in a browser and this is where they want to be edit.
Sameer
January 2, 2009 at 8:51 am
You Could set up a Ad Hoc report using the report builder and put in some input boxes.
Do you have other options outside of reporting services available to you? ASP.NET is a great option for this as you can build in a webform and have the output be what the user requires.
Michael
January 2, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Understood. Then I think a pdf editor is, indeed, the only way to go. (Too bad you can't realign the business practices, though, and give them access to the report manager interface to run their own reports.)
January 2, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Thanks for the replies
Michael: Here the user is expecting some entry after the report is generated in PDF. ASP.Net web forms will come handy before the generation of PDF. But to your question, one line answer is "We are open to ASP.Net forms, if it fulfills the requirement"
Jay Taylor: PDF editor sounds to be the way to go. Have you got any previous experience / know some articles to start with.
Sameer
January 2, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Here's a plug for going the way of the Report Manager instead of the Report Builder. If you can figure out ahead of time what fields the users want to change, you can make those fields parameters and give the users access to the Report Manager. No fuss, no muss. I've done this a lot, and the users love it. The more parameters, the better: 20 reports in 1.
Using the Report Builder would sort of take you in the same direction, but you'd then be asking the user to build a complete report, with joins, formatting, grouping and all that. It is a very messy route for users who are not technical, and you may regret it because they will have lots of questions and comments. Report Builder is for super users only.
I used a pdf editor a while back, and it seemed competent. http://www.verypdf.com/
January 2, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Thanks!!!
I will work on these this week and let know whether i am successful or not.
Sameer
January 4, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Hi all,
Found a work around for the PDF issue. Had to do with .net programming. SSRS didn't give me an option to meet my requirement.
In a nutshell
1. Created a editable form using Acrobat 9 Pro.
2. Filled up the form through .Net Code by using the 'itextsharp.dll'.
3. All the filled up text fields were made read only.
4. PDF stream response then was send to the browser and PDF with editable text boxes were available.
Thanks to all who replied
Sameer
January 5, 2009 at 6:29 am
Nice.
Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply