Custom prints - Overview

A custom print lets you control how a form or docket result looks when it is downloaded as a PDF or sent by email. Instead of Assignar’s default layout, results print using your own branded template with your logo, field order, and formatting.

What is a custom print?

When a worker submits a form or docket, Assignar stores the result and lets you download it as a PDF. By default, that PDF uses Assignar’s standard layout.

A custom print replaces that default with a Word or Excel document template you build yourself. You place placeholder codes (e.g. {$id1}) in the template where you want each answer to appear. When Assignar generates the PDF, it merges the submitted data into your template automatically.

The result is a PDF that looks like your own document - your logo, your table layout, your branding - rather than a generic Assignar output.

When do you need a custom print?

• You send form or docket results to clients and want them to look professional and on-brand
• You need to control the layout - for example, putting signatures, photos, and checklist answers in a specific order
• You want automated email delivery of docket results to a client contact

• The default PDF layout doesn’t display your data clearly - for example, you have a repeating table of crew members or multiple photos
• You need to show or hide sections of the output based on a worker’s answers (conditional printing)

You don’t need one if the default PDF download is sufficient for internal use or record-keeping.

How it works - the basics

Custom prints use Smarty template syntax - a simple coding language where variable codes pull in submitted data. You don’t need to be a developer to use it, but it does require some familiarity with Word tables and placeholder codes.

Word vs. Excel - which should I use?

Recommendation: Start with Word (.docx) for most custom prints. If you have photos or signatures, Word is significantly easier to configure than Excel.

Common placeholder codes

These are the most frequently used codes in Assignar custom prints. The codes assigned to your specific questions are found in the Custom Printing tab of your form or docket template.

Basic field values

Each question in your form is assigned a code like {$id1}, {$id2}, etc. Use these to pull in a worker’s answer:

Images and signatures

Use insert_image to display photos, sketches, or signatures. The numbers control the display size in pixels (width:height). Using 0 as height auto-scales without distortion:

Multiple images from one question

When a question allows multiple photos, use foreach or listrow to loop through them:

Repeating rows (e.g. crew list, multiple docket lines)

Use tablerow inside a Word table to repeat a row for each entry:

Conditional sections

Use if to show or hide content based on a worker’s answer. The value is case-sensitive and must match the answer exactly:

Time and date formatting

Format timestamps to show only the time, not the date:

Geolocation map image

Show a map image of the worker’s check-in location:

Things to know before you start

• Custom prints are set up per template - each form or docket template has its own custom print
• Placeholder codes are unique to each template - check the Custom Printing tab for the correct codes for your specific form
• For Excel templates with images, insert placeholder images in the exact order you want them indexed - Excel numbers them by insertion order, not position on the page
• The Word table used for repeating rows must have specific table design settings enabled - see the Tablerow article for details
• Custom print syntax is based on Smarty template language - advanced users can reference the Smarty documentation for additional functions

Next steps

• Set up a custom print for a form
• Add images and signatures to a custom print
• Use tablerow and foreach for repeating data
• Format data within a custom print
• Math functions within a custom print
• Total time calculation in a custom print