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Saving and E-Mailing Reports

(Revised January 22, 2008)

This document answers the following questions . . .

• How can I save a report as a file and view it later?
• How can I e-mail reports to others?

It is very easy to create a digital replica of any report generated by Training Manager, Skills Manager, or any other software application. The digital report can be named and saved locally as a computer file (PDF) and then viewed or printed at a later time or date. This report file can also sent to others as an email attachment. Any recipient can view or print the report using Adobe Reader.

What is a PDF file?

Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) has emerged as the leading format for viewing and exchanging documents around the world. Adobe created this format and quickly turned into a standard when Adobe made it's Portable Document Viewer named Adobe Reader available to everyone for free. It is also available for a variety of computer operating systems - Microsoft Windows, Mac O/S, Unix, etc.

Creating a PDF file

You must have Adobe Acrobat or similar software product installed on your computer to create PDF files. Adobe Acrobat retails for $250-300 and you will need to purchase one copy for every computer that you will create PDF reports with. There are other free or very inexpensive products also capable of creating PDF files. (See the section below titled Compatible PDF Products for more details.)

All of these products install a virtual PDF printer on your computer. When you want to create a PDF file you simply select this virtual PDF printer in place of your regular hardcopy printer (HP, Canon, Epson, etc.) prior to printing your report or document. Then when you select the Print button in your software application the print stream is captured and redirected to a PDF file rather than to your printer. The virtual PDF printer will prompt you to name the file and to designate the folder where it will be saved.

Viewing a PDF file

You must have Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Reader, or compatible product installed to view a PDF file. Adobe Reader is often pre-installed by computer manufacturers. If you find it is not installed on your computer you can easily download a free copy in just minutes from the company's Web site. (Get Adobe Reader now by clicking on the adjacent graphic).

When the PDF file is created, all of the report's original font characteristics (bold, italics, underscores, point size) and graphics (photos, shaded boxes, lines) set by the original application are preserved.

Adobe Reader provides read only access to PDF documents. If you would like to edit the contents of a PDF file you will need to purchase the full Adobe Acrobat product.

Compatible PDF Products

Virtual PDF print drivers are available from several third party manufacturers for a fraction of the price of Adobe Acrobat. These products sell for less because they typically do not include the full document editing capabilities found in Adobe Acrobat. They all, however, are capable of producing PDF files in lieu of printed output.

Most vendors allow you to download a trial copy if you would like to experiment without purchasing. Crown Pointe Technologies makes no endorsement for any product. We have however used several of them and they have worked well for us.

by Steve Wesner

Crown Pointe Technologies, Inc.