How to Add Dynamic Project Properties to a Page Header

You can customize DESTINI Cloud: Estimator standard reports to display properties from the Project View page in the Page Header of your reports. For example, you can add properties like Lead Estimator, Construction Duration, Location, Project Total and others so they print in the Page Header each time you run the report. Multiple Help Center articles already describe how to do this using a static method that specifies the exact property to print in the Page Header. 

This article describes how to add dynamic placeholder parameters so you can easily change which project properties display in the Page Header when you print the report. This process is useful, for example, if reports for internal leaders need to include different properties in the Page Header versus reports for external customers or clients. 

Add a New Parameter

When you create a dynamic parameter, you specify a parameter type. The type of parameter you choose is determined by the type of project property you want to include in the Page Header. Estimator supports the following dynamic parameter types: 

• Text: Use the text parameter type for properties like Lead Estimator or Location, properties that require a text value or a name.
• Number: Use the number parameter type for properties like Construction Duration or Total Site Area, properties that require a number. 
• Date: Use the date parameter type for properties like Bid Due Date or Project Start Date, properties that require a date.

You can create multiple dynamic parameters in your Page Header using the following procedure. Before you begin, we recommend you determine which project properties you want to include in the Page Header. This information will help you determine how many of each dynamic parameter type to create.

1. Open an estimate in DESTINI Cloud: Estimator.
2. Navigate to Home > New Report. Report Designer opens.
3. Click File > Open.
4. Navigate to the folder with the report template file (.repx) you want to modify.
5. Click the .repx file to open it.
6. On the right side of your screen, click the Field List tab at the bottom of Report Explorer.
7. Scroll to the bottom of the Field List tab. 
8. Right-click Parameters and select Edit Parameters.
9. On the left side of the Parameters window, click Executive Summary.
10. Click the Add Parameter button on the top left side of the window.
    
11. With the new parameter selected, enter the following information and click OK. For any setting not specified here, leave the default configuration:
    1. Name: Specify a name that identifies the parameter type. See Table 1 below.
    2. Description: Project Property Number 1
    3. Type: String
    4. Default Value: Specify the name of a project property that corresponds with the parameter type. See Table 1 below.
    5. Allow null value: Checked
    6. Value Source: Dynamic List
    7. Data Source: ProjectProperties
    8. Value Member: PropertyName
    9. Display Member: PropertyName
    10. Filter String: Specify the required filter string for your parameter type. See Table 1 below.
    11. Sort Member: PropertyName
    12. Sort Order: Ascending
        
        

Table 1: Dynamic Parameter Values

Example Name	Example Project Property (Default Value)	Required Filter String
ProjectProperty_Number1_Parameter	Construction Duration	[NumericValue] Is Not Null
ProjectProperty_Text1_Parameter	Lead Estimator	Not IsNullOrEmpty([StringValue])
ProjectProperty_Date1_Parameter	Bid Due Date	[DateTimeValue] Is Not Null

Add a Calculated Field

Use the following procedure to create a calculated field that prints a specific value type.

1. On the right side of your screen, verify that the Field List tab is selected.
2. Scroll up to _DESTINICloudReportsDataSource at the top of the hierarchy.
3. Right-click any node underneath _DESTINICloudReportsDataSource and select Edit Calculated Fields. The Calculated Field Collection Editor opens.
4. Click the Add button.
5. With the new calculated field selected, enter the following information and click OK. For any setting not specified here, leave the default configuration:
   1. Data Member: ProjectProperties
   2. Expression: Enter an expression that corresponds to the parameter type. See Table 2 below.
   3. Field Type: Enter a field type that corresponds to the parameter type. See Table 2 below.
   4. (Name): Enter one of the following names. The name must correspond to the parameter type:
      
       ProjectProperty_Number1
       ProjectProperty_Text1
       ProjectProperty_Date1
      
      

Table 2: Calculated Field Values

Example Project Property	Expression	Field Type
Construction Duration	[][[PropertyName] == ?ProjectProperty_Number1_Parameter].Single([NumericValue])	Decimal
Lead Estimator	[][[PropertyName] == ?ProjectProperty_Text1_Parameter].Single([StringValue])	String
Bid Due Date	[][[PropertyName] == ?ProjectProperty_Date1_Parameter].Single([DateTimeValue])	Date and Time

Designer Changes

Use the following procedure to change the design of your PageHeader band so it accommodates the new parameter.

1. In the Design section in the middle of your screen, locate and select the PageHeader band. Drag the bottom edge downwards to create more vertical space.
   
2. In the Toolbox panel on the left side of your screen, drag and drop a Table control into your PageHeader band. The new table includes three cells.
   
3. Right-click the last cell on the right and select Delete > Cell.
4. Select the left cell and click the Function button to the right. Expression Editor opens.
   
5. Paste one of the following expressions that corresponds to your parameter type and click OK:
   

   Example Output	Expression
   Construction Duration:	?ProjectProperty_Number1_Parameter + ':'
   Lead Estimator:	?ProjectProperty_Text1_Parameter + ':'
   Bid Due Date:	?ProjectProperty_Date1_Parameter + ':'

   
6. In the Design section in the middle of your screen, select the right cell and click the Gear button to the right. The Table Cell Tasks dialog box opens.
   
7. If you created a dynamic parameter for a text Project Property value (for example, a text value for Lead Estimator), skip to Step 10 of this procedure. If you created a dynamic parameter for a number or a date, click the ellipsis button (...) inside the Format String field. The Format String Editor opens.
8. For a number dynamic parameter, click the Number category and choose an option. For a date dynamic parameter, click the DateTime category and choose an option. 
   
   
   For more information about working in the Format String Editor, see How to Change Numerical Formatting in DESTINI Cloud Reports.
9. Click Ok.
10. Inside the Expression field, click the ellipsis button (...). Expression Editor opens.
11. Paste one of the following expressions that corresponds to your parameter type and click OK:
    

    Example Project Property	Expression for Project Property’s Value
    Construction Duration	[ProjectProperties].[ProjectProperty_Number1]
    Lead Estimator	[ProjectProperties].[ProjectProperty_Text1]
    Bid Due Date	[ProjectProperties].[ProjectProperty_Date1]

    
    
12. Save and run your report.

To add additional dynamic parameters that display project properties in the Page Header, repeat the following sections:

• Add a New Parameter

• Add a Calculated Field

• Designer Changes (skip steps 1-3)

When you're ready to add more dynamic project properties to the Page Header in the Designer, add additional rows to the table you created in the last procedure by right clicking the table and selecting Insert > Row Below.

(Optional) Adjust the Formatting of the Printed Information

Depending on the project properties you added to the Page Header, text can wrap when you run the report because the table cells might be too narrow. Use the following procedure to expand the cell width and decrease the cell height to match the default formatting in the Page Header.

1. Use the Ctrl key to multi-select the right cells of the table. Drag the left and right borders to adjust the table width.
   
2. On the right side of your screen, click the Report Explorer tab at the bottom of the Field List panel.
3. In the Designer in the middle of your screen, click the left cell of the first row. Report Explorer automatically selects that table cell in the tree.
   
   
4. Click the tableRow above it.
   
5. In the Properties panel below Report Explorer on the right side of your screen, scroll down and select the Height field.
6. Set Height = 16.
7. Repeat Steps 3, 4, and 5 for each new row you added.
8. In the Designer in the middle of your screen, select the Page Header band and drag the bottom edge upwards to remove any vertical empty space.
   
9. Save and run your report.
10. To dynamically change which project properties display in the report, expand Executive Summary in the Parameters pane on the left side of Report Viewer.
11. Use the drop-down lists to choose new project properties.
    
12. Click Submit at the bottom of the Parameters pane.

Related Articles

• Add Estimate or Client Information to Page Header in Cloud Reports

• Add WBS Grouping Info to Page Header in DESTINI Cloud Reports

• How to Customize a Report to Display Project Property Values