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Subreport Component

The Subreport component embeds one blueprint inside another. This allows common sections — such as a standard cover page, a recurring summary panel, or a reusable compliance section — to be maintained in a single child blueprint and referenced from many parent blueprints. Changes to the child blueprint propagate to all parents that embed it.

When to use​

Use the Subreport component when:

  • A report section appears in many different blueprints (e.g., a standard executive summary page used across all report types).
  • You want to enforce a consistent layout for a section without duplicating it.
  • A section requires different data parameters in different parent contexts (parameter mapping).

Adding a subreport​

  1. Open the parent blueprint in the Output Designer.
  2. Select Insert → Subreport.
  3. In the Subreport picker, select the child blueprint to embed.
  4. Resize the subreport placeholder on the canvas to define the allocated area.
  5. Configure parameter mapping (see below).

Parameter mapping​

Subreports receive data from the parent via parameter mapping. This determines what data the child blueprint renders when embedded:

PropertyDescription
Child parameterA parameter defined in the child blueprint (e.g., {ProjectID}, {ReportPeriod}).
Parent sourceThe value from the parent that maps to the child parameter. Can be: a parent parameter value, a fixed static value, or a field value from a parent data section.

To configure mapping:

  1. In Subreport Properties → Parameter Mapping, the list shows all parameters defined in the child blueprint.
  2. For each parameter, select or enter the parent source.
  3. Preview the subreport with the mapped values using the Preview button.

Sizing behavior​

ModeDescription
Fixed sizeThe subreport renders within a fixed height and width. If the content overflows, it is clipped.
Dynamic heightThe subreport expands vertically to fit its content. The parent page height adjusts accordingly. Suitable for sections whose length depends on data.
Page fillThe subreport takes the full remaining height of the parent page below its insertion point.

Dynamic height is recommended when the embedded section contains tables or lists of variable length.

Interaction between parent and child​

BehaviourDescription
FiltersPage-level filters in the parent do not automatically apply to the child blueprint. Only parameter mapping controls the child's data scope.
StylesThe child blueprint renders with its own theme and formatting. To share a theme, apply the same report theme to both blueprints.
Page numberingPage numbers in the subreport are independent by default. Enable Inherit parent page numbers in Properties → Page settings to continue the parent's numbering sequence through the subreport.

Good practice​

  • Use subreports for sections that change infrequently and are used across many reports. Avoid subreports for simple content that only appears once — embed it directly instead.
  • Test parameter mapping with real data before finalising the parent blueprint.
  • Use Dynamic height for subreports containing tables so that page overflow is handled automatically.
  • Document which parent blueprints reference a child in the child blueprint's Description field to avoid accidental breaking changes.