# Using Existing PDF as Report Template **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [March 10, 2021, 6:29pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325 "2021-03-10T18:29:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robertwest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robertwest](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/robertwest)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 6:29pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/1 "2021-03-10T18:29:19Z")
I’m running Igntion 8.1.2 Perspective. I need help figuring out how to use an existing PDF as the basis of a new report in the Designer. I have already exposed the existing PDF through WebDev and tested this by successfully viewing the existing PDF in the PDF viewer. How do I use this same PDF to make a report “template”? I’m guessing I need to use a data source script, but I’m unsure of the particular script to do this. Drag and drop is not working either. I have searched for hours through IA University and Docs without finding the info I need. ---
**Author:** ![dkhayes117](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/dkhayes117/32/68344_2.png) [@dkhayes117](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dkhayes117)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/2 "2021-03-10T19:11:20Z")
(Assuming the current report is only a pdf and not already an Ignition Report) You will have to recreate the report structure from scratch in the report designer. Then add a data source to populate the structure you created via Query, scripting, parameters, etc. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2021, 11:29pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/3 "2021-03-10T23:29:01Z")
To elaborate on @dkhayes117’s response: Ignition’s Reporting module only _writes_ PDFs, it doesn’t _read_ them at all. Internally, it constructs a PDF entirely programmatically, via the “ReportMill” technology IA licenses. ---
**Author:** ![robertwest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robertwest](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/robertwest)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 1:00am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/4 "2021-03-11T01:00:24Z")
The demo and overview seem misleading then. The overview and example here: [https://demo.ia.io/data/perspective/client/OnlineDemo/feature/reporting/examples](https://demo.ia.io/data/perspective/client/OnlineDemo/feature/reporting/examples) specifically says, " You can even use an existing PDF as the background of your report, with data placed on top of it, as shown in the Compliance Report." Looks like what is really happening in this example is that the background of the report is an image generated from a PDF and then text is added on top of the image where data needs to be entered and then the report is generated into a PDF. Data for text is populated as @dkhayes117 suggested. I will give this a try. I’m thinking I will loose quite a bit of resolution in the final PDF since the background PDF is an image. We’ll see…Thanks for the responses @dkhayes117 and @pturmel! ---
**Author:** ![dkhayes117](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/dkhayes117/32/68344_2.png) [@dkhayes117](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/dkhayes117)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2021, 12:57pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/5 "2021-03-11T12:57:29Z")
Huh, I didn’t know about the compliance report example, I have no idea how that works under the hood. This capability seems like it would be limited in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![jd1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jd1/32/18928_2.png) [@jd1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/jd1)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2022, 10:59pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/6 "2022-06-20T22:59:41Z")
I’m trying to do something similar, did you ever figure out how to accomplish this? ---
**Author:** ![milbar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@milbar](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/milbar)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/7 "2023-03-20T18:20:38Z")
Just came across this. I insert the the "wireframe" for the background by converting a blank PDF of the form with a transparent background. Like This: ![Untitled 5.08.41 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/f/1/f1426d7259262a64d7e8d315003ad83fb50ffb2e.png) ---
**Author:** ![milbar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@milbar](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/milbar)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 6:25pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/8 "2023-03-20T18:25:42Z")
The layer the report details on top ![Screenshot 2023-03-20 at 1.20.17 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/6/8/687b221f548db352b2bb09b590d23f9909148adc.png) ---
**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/using-existing-pdf-as-report-template/44325/9 "2023-03-20T18:51:49Z")
For posterity, to clear up some confusion in this thread: Ignition's reporting module doesn't have any ability to fill text fields on an existing PDF. However, you _can_ drag and drop an existing PDF _directly_ into the report designer; no need to render it out as an image. It does _not_ always work super well, but it is truly embedded - you can even (dynamically) choose a page from the PDF to display. So, saves at least _one_ step in the "compliance report" process.