# Reports

## Reports

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Reports are currently in **beta**. Behavior and layout blocks may change based on feedback. If you want early access, reach out to [support@marpledata.com](mailto:support@marpledata.com?subject=Reports%20beta%20access)
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With Marple Insight Reports you can turn your analysis into polished, shareable PDF documents.

A report is built from a **template**: a reusable layout that you design once and can then generate as a PDF for any matching dataset. This makes it easy to produce consistent, clean reports across test runs, experiments, or measurement campaigns.

<figure><img src="/files/S5b7UbiIV6XB7oIpD9Ty" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Key concepts

#### Template

A template defines the structure and content of a report. It contains:

* A **layout** you build with drag-and-drop blocks (text, plots, dividers, etc.).
* A **dataset metadata filter** that scopes which datasets the template applies to.
* A **reference dataset** used to preview the report while editing.

Templates are versioned: every time you save a change, a new version is recorded, and any previously generated PDFs are flagged as outdated.

#### Generated report

A generated report is the **PDF output** of a template for a specific dataset. You can generate, view, download, and delete reports directly from the reports library.

### The Reports tab

The Reports tab is your starting point. It lists all templates in your workspace and gives you quick access to the reports generated from each one.

From here you can:

* **Search** templates by name.
* **Create** a new template.
* **Duplicate** or **delete** an existing template.
* Click a template to open it and manage its generated reports.

### Creating a template

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1. In the Reports tab, click **New report template**.
2. Give the template a **name** and optionally a description.
3. Set a **dataset metadata filter** to narrow down which datasets this template is meant for.
4. Choose a **reference dataset** to preview plots and generate a test PDF while you work on the layout.
5. Switch to the **Layout** tab to build the report.
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<figure><img src="/files/lDYaAWKo37Ev5DR2Fdvw" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
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### Setting up automations

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When a new dataset is imported that matches a template's dataset metadata filter, Insight will automatically generate a new report based on that template and dataset. \
To turn this off, you can disable automatic report generation in the general settings of the report template.

You can configure one or more destinations to deliver the report to as soon as it's created. Supported destinations include:

* **Slack**
* **Microsoft Teams**
* **Email**
* **Custom Webhook**

For setup instructions, refer to the installation guides in the Automations block.
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<figure><img src="/files/frgRYaTUx9pgWKzZESui" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
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### Designing the layout

<figure><img src="/files/yAnzO7aJG52U6sA5lfBY" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

The layout editor is a drag-and-drop canvas. Start by dragging a **Front Page** or **Page** block onto the canvas. The Page block accepts child blocks with the actual content of your report.

Available blocks:

<table><thead><tr><th width="194">Block</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Front Page</strong></td><td>Cover page with title, subtitle, author, and logo.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Page</strong></td><td>A content page. Acts as a container for the blocks below.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Header</strong></td><td>A section heading (h1–h4).</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Textbox</strong></td><td>Free text. Each line break becomes a new paragraph.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Divider</strong></td><td>A horizontal separator.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Plot</strong></td><td>A snapshot of a plot from one of your projects.</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### Embedding plots

The **Plot** block lets you pull a plot directly from an existing project. Select the project, filter by plot type if needed, and pick the specific plot you want. The block stores a snapshot of that plot. Changing or deleting a plot in the project does not affect your template yet. If the snapshot in your report does not match the plot's current state in the report, you'll see a warning. This warning also allows you to sync the snapshot again. This ensures that your template does not change unexpectedly.

### Generating a PDF

Once your template is ready:

1. Open the template in the Reports tab.
2. Select the dataset you want to generate a report for.
3. Click **Generate**.

Marple Insight renders the report server-side and stores the resulting PDF. You can then **view**, **download**, or **remove** it from the same page.

If the template has been updated since a report was generated, it is flagged with a **Refresh** indicator so you know a newer version is available.

<figure><img src="/files/nyLVVkYq1FIyPoycrOB0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Tips

* **Design for re-use.** The real power of templates is running the same layout against many datasets. Keep the layout general enough to work across test runs, not just one specific measurement.
* **Pick a representative reference dataset** so plots look realistic while you design the layout.
* **Check plot snapshots after edits.** If you update a project after building a report template, use the sync option on the Plot block to pull in the latest version.


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