How to Configure Page Setup in Canned Reporting with Helical Insight

In any reporting system, the way a report is laid out on the page can make or break its readability and usefulness. Page Setup in Canned Reporting ensures that reports look professional, print cleanly, and follow the layout expectations of users or stakeholders. In Helical Insight canned reporting module, configuring page setup is one of the first—and most important—steps in building reports that function well in both digital and print contexts. If not set properly, issues like truncated content, misaligned sections, or blank pages may arise.

In this article, we’ll go through how to configure page setup in Helical Insight’s canned reporting: from accessing page properties to fine-tuning columns, handling no-data pages, and following best practices.

 

Accessing Page Properties in Helical Insight Reports

Before you can configure the page, you must reach the property pane for the overall report. In Helical Insight:

Click somewhere on the empty area of the canvas (i.e. not on a specific component) to bring up the report-level properties.

The right-side property pane will now show options under Page Setup (along with margin, page properties, and other settings)

These settings are distinct from component-level properties (text, lines, charts, etc.), so always ensure no object is selected when configuring page setup.

Once you have this pane, you can explore all the page-related configuration sections: page size, orientation, margins, columns, and more.

 

Adjusting Page Size, Orientation, and Margins

The first and most basic settings in Page Setup in Canned Reporting are the page dimensions, orientation, and margins:

Page Size & Orientation: You can choose standard paper sizes such as A0 through A10, B0 through B5, Legal, Letter, etc. There’s also an option to define a custom page size if none of the defaults meet your needs.

Orientation can be set to Portrait or Landscape, depending on report layout and content.

Margins: You can specify Top, Bottom, Left, and Right margins (in pixels). These margins define the safe “buffer” in which report content should remain. Anything outside might be cut off or improperly rendered.

Correctly setting these parameters ensures that the report content fits within expected boundaries, avoiding layout issues when exporting or printing.

 

Configuring Columns, Print Order, and Layout Options

Many reports require multiple columns—especially when producing side-by-side copies (for example, one for management and one for the end user). Helical Insight offers detailed controls:

·         Column Count: Specifies how many columns the report should be divided into.

·         Column Spacing: Defines the gap between columns if more than one column is used.

·         Column Width: Allows you to set fixed widths for each column when using multi-column layouts.

·         Print Order (Horizontal / Vertical): Determines whether data is laid out row-wise (horizontal) or column-wise (vertical). For example, horizontal print order spreads across columns first, then moves to the next row, while vertical fills one column fully before proceeding to the next.

These settings give granular control over how data flows into the layout, ensuring the report renders in the most readable form.

 

Handling No-Data Pages and Report Display Settings

A common issue in reporting is dealing with datasets that return zero rows. Helical Insight provides options under When No Data to control what the user sees:

·         No Pages: If selected, no page is displayed when there is no data.

·         Blank Page: A blank page is shown even when data is absent.

·         All Section No Details: All sections or templates are shown, but with no actual detail rows.

·         No Data Section: A custom script or text box can be shown (e.g. “No records found”) in place of the dataset.

Additional display settings include:

·         Show/Hide Input Parameters in View Mode: You may choose whether filter or input parameters appear in the final viewable report, or if values are passed via URL instead.

·         Summary / Header / Footer Options: Control whether the summary appears on a separate page, whether column footers float, and whether headers repeat on multiple pages.

·         Ignore Pagination: This option forces all data to appear on a single page (useful for scrolling views, but should be used carefully in printable reports).

These settings help ensure that your report behaves gracefully in edge cases (like missing data) and flows well under different printing/viewing scenarios.

 

Best Practices for Optimizing Page Setup in Canned Reports

To get the most from Page Setup in Canned Reporting, follow these recommended best practices:

·         Start with Page Setup Before Adding Components: Always configure the page (size, margins) early, before dragging in components. This ensures your layout is stable and avoids rework later.

·         Use Consistent Styles & Templates: Define reusable page styles (fonts, colors, border styles) and apply across components. This ensures visual consistency and speeds up report creation.

·         Limit Complexity in Multi-column Layouts: While multi-column layouts are powerful, overcomplicating them can lead to hard-to-read reports. Use them judiciously for side-by-side content or dual versions of a report.

·         Test with Sample Data & Edge Cases: Test reports with large data sets, small sets (including zero rows), and varying record sizes to verify layout holds up. Use the When No Data settings to define behaviour ahead of failure.

·         Avoid Overstretching Margins: Don’t push margins too low — leave buffer space so content doesn’t get cut off in browsers or during export. Always preview before finalizing.

·         Document Settings for Team Use: When working in teams, document the chosen page setup parameters (e.g. standard page size, margins, column count) so new reports follow the same standard.

·         Preview Frequently: Use the preview mode to check how changes in setup affect the final output. Previewing helps catch layout issues early (e.g. components overlapping, text cut-off).

By following these best practices, your canned reports in Helical Insight will be clean, readable, and consistent across use cases.

 

Conclusion

Configuring Page Setup in Canned Reporting in Helical Insight is a foundational step that ensures your reports render correctly in both view and print modes. From selecting page size, margins, and orientation to defining multi-column layouts and handling no-data cases, Helical Insight provides rich settings to control the look and behaviour of your reports.

By accessing the property pane, carefully adjusting layout options, and following best practices, you can create robust canned reports that withstand varying data scenarios and look professional. Proper page setup is more than just aesthetics—it’s about delivering reliably formatted, readable reports every time.