Print Layout Designer (PLD)

Of the Print Layout Designer English Print Layout Designer, short PLD) is SAP Business One's built-in tool for designing document prints and standard reports. It provides hundreds of pre-made layouts for quotations, orders, invoices, credit memos, payment documents, and financial reports, and allows for their customisation without external software.

Context

The PLD is accessed via the toolbar in the open document or via Extras → Print Layout Designer called. Prerequisite: The user has previously precisely marked the document or report they wish to edit. The interface works with fields, text elements, graphics, formulas, and sections (header, repeating area, footer). Multiple layout versions can be maintained in parallel per document and optionally set as the standard for all users, for the current user, or for dedicated users (e.g. Brad and Carlos). Archiving add-ons like CKS.DMS require a specific print information (e.g. a marking tag) to be manually inserted into the PLD layout in order to [enable] automatic [functionality] during document printing. archiving to trigger. Data access is limited to the data source of the respective document; additional fields from the Database can be integrated via database fields, formulas, and UDFs.

Demarcation

The PLD is not as powerful as Crystal Reports: complex groupings, subreports, cross-tabs, external data sources, or dynamic image control are only possible to a very limited extent. For demanding layouts, international variants, or pixel-perfect alignment with corporate design, users typically switch to Crystal Reports. Conversely, the PLD is often the quicker choice for simple internal documents, small businesses, and quick adjustments – it does not require separate installation, respects SAP B1 permissions, and is carried forward automatically during upgrades.

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