Learn how to export reports in Ideagen Assurance, choose between Spreadsheet and PDF formats, adjust page layouts, and manage report copies and scheduled email subscriptions.

What’s new in report exports?

To help your reports download faster and ensure printable documents look clean, professional, and easy to read, we have updated how reports are exported:

• Faster One-Click Downloads: Selecting the main Export button now downloads your report as a Spreadsheet (CSV) file so you can view, sort, and analyse your data in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.
• Easy PDF Exports: You can still export to PDF at any time via the dropdown arrow next to the Export button.
• Clean, Readable PDF Layouts: To prevent squished columns and cut-off text, PDF exports support up to 12 fields on standard A4 pages and up to 16 fields on larger A3 pages.
• Reliable Report Subscriptions: New report subscriptions now default to Spreadsheet format for faster delivery, while your existing report subscriptions continue running without change.

Why we introduced these guidelines?

Our goal is to make reporting as fast and reliable as possible while ensuring every document you export looks clear and audit-ready.

When reviewing reporting across all customer accounts:

• Over 83% of reports already have 12 fields or fewer: The vast majority of everyday reports already fit comfortably within standard page sizes and are ready for PDF export without any changes.
• Better Document Readability: Fitting more than 12 columns onto a standard A4 page squeezes table text and makes reports hard to read. Restricting PDF widths keeps documents clear, professional, and easy to share with auditors and board members.
• Faster Downloads for Everyone: Generating complex PDF files takes considerably more time and computing power than creating spreadsheets. Shifting to CSV spreadsheets speeds up export times significantly, especially during busy month-end and Monday morning reporting periods.

Choosing the right export format

When viewing any report in Assurance, you will see the Export button in the top toolbar.

How the Export button works

• Direct selecting on Export: Downloads your report immediately as a Spreadsheet (CSV).
• Selecting the dropdown arrow opens a menu with two choices:
  • Spreadsheet
  • PDF

1. Spreadsheet (CSV)

• How to export: Select the main Export button.
• Best used for: Deep data analysis, sorting, filtering, creating pivot tables in Excel, or archiving raw records.
• Limits: No field limits. A spreadsheet can include as many fields as you need.

2. PDF document

• How to export: Select the dropdown arrow next to the Export button and select Export > PDF.
• Best used for: Executive summaries, board packs, printable checklists, and formal compliance reviews.
• Limits:
  • A4 PDF: Up to 12 fields.
  • A3 PDF: Up to 16 fields.

Note on Graphical Reports

Reports designed specifically for document presentation (such as the Risk Heat Map Report) will continue to download directly as a PDF with a single click.

What to do if your report has too many fields for PDF?

If you try to export a PDF for a report that has more fields than your page size allows (for example, 14 fields on an A4 page), a helpful message will guide you.

Here are the easiest ways to proceed:

Scheduled report subscriptions

You can set up subscriptions to send reports directly to you and your team via email on a regular schedule.

• New Subscriptions: When you create a new report subscription, the default format selected will be Spreadsheet.
• Choosing PDF for Subscriptions: If you switch a subscription format to PDF, please make sure the report format is set to 12 or fewer fields (A4) or 16 or fewer fields (A3).
• Existing Subscriptions: All existing scheduled emails will continue to deliver as normal in their current format.
• Saving Changes to Reports: If you edit a report that already has an active PDF subscription attached to it, the system will prevent adding more than 12 (A4) or 16 (A3) fields. This ensures your scheduled report subscriptions always send smoothly. A spreadsheet subscription can include as many fields as you need.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Exporting and formats

Why does the Export button download a spreadsheet instead of a PDF?

Spreadsheet files generate faster and allow you to quickly sort, search, and work with your data in Excel. If you need a PDF document, select the dropdown arrow next to the Export button and choose PDF.

Will this change affect many of my reports?

Very few. Over 83% of all reports across our platform already have 12 fields or fewer, so most of your reports can continue export to PDF without any changes needed.

Are spreadsheets limited by number of fields?

No. You can include as many fields as you like in a Spreadsheet (CSV) export.

Copying and duplicating reports

What happens if I copy an existing report?

When you copy a report:

• All your field selections, filters, and report settings are copied to the new report.
• If the original report had more than 12 fields, you can still export the report to Spreadsheet immediately. If you want to export the report as a PDF, simply reduce the number of fields or switch the page size to A3.

If I copy a report with 15 fields, can I schedule a report subscription?

Yes. You can schedule it right away using the default Spreadsheet format. If you want to receive it as a PDF, change the report page size to A3 (which supports up to 16 fields) before saving the PDF subscription.

Page sizes and layouts

Why are PDF limits set to 12 fields (A4) and 16 fields (A3)?

A standard sheet of A4 paper has limited width. Putting more than 12 fields on a page makes the text too small to read comfortably. A3 paper is larger and provides extra width for up to 16 fields.

Why was I blocked from saving changes to a report?

If your report has an active PDF subscription, the system prevents saving layouts with more than 12 fields (A4) or 16 fields (A3). This keeps your report subscriptions from failing. To save your changes:

• Reduce the number of selected fields; or
• Change the report subscription from PDF to Spreadsheet first.

How can I include detailed long-text fields on a PDF report without exceeding the field limit?

If you are using the Registers and Forms report template, you can Add Horizontal Fields to display extra information without adding more columns to your PDF report:

1. Open your registers and forms report and go to Report Settings.
2. Keep your main summary fields (such as Key, Title, Status, and Person Responsible) in the Columns list (up to 12 for A4 or 16 for A3).
3. Move long-text or detailed fields (such as Descriptions, Investigation Details, or Corrective Actions) into the Horizontal Fields section.

Tip

Horizontal fields appear as a neat block underneath each record row on the page. Because they do not count toward your fields limit, you can include all your important form details while keeping your PDF clean, readable, and audit-ready.

Report subscriptions

Will our current PDF report subscription stop sending?

No. All existing report subscription will continue to deliver as normal on their scheduled frequency.

Why is the PDF option unavailable when setting up a new subscription?

If the report currently has more than 12 fields (A4) or 16 fields (A3), a new subscription cannot be set to PDF. You can subscribe using the Spreadsheet format or reduce the report fields to fit within the PDF limit.