In Business Central, every document you print or send uses a specific report with a specific layout. The layout selection process lets you control both of those choices. This guide walks through the two pages you need: Report Selection – Sales and Report Layout Selection.
How Report Layout Selection Works in Business Central
When you click Print/Send on a sales document in Business Central, the system runs two lookups at once. First, it checks which report number is set for that document type. Then, it checks which layout is set for that report number. Consequently, both the report and the layout play a role in what the final document looks like.
The good news is that both of these choices are easy to find and change. You do not need developer access or any code changes. Furthermore, changes take effect straight away. So you can test the result immediately by opening a preview of the document after saving.
Step One: Report Selection Sales
It helps to think of this as a two-step process. In step one, you pick the report. In step two, you pick the layout for that report. Both steps are done in different pages in Business Central. However, both are easy to find. You just need to know where to look.
Search for Report Selection – Sales in Business Central. This page shows which report number Business Central uses for each sales document type – quotes, orders, invoices, credit memos, and more. Each row maps a document type to a report number.
For example, the standard sales quote uses report number 1304. This is the built-in Business Central report for that document. Specifically, it is the report that collects the sales quote data when you click to print or preview. If your business has a custom report with different fields, you can change the report number in this list. However, in most setups the standard reports are the right choice and this page is mainly useful for reference.
Notably, the same report selection page covers all sales document types. So if you ever wonder why a purchase order or a reminder looks different from what you expected, the report selection for that document type is a logical first place to check.
Step Two: Report Layout Selection
Once you know the report number, the layout selection step controls the format. Search for Report Layout Selection in Business Central. Find the report number you want to update – for example, 1304 for the sales quote.
On this row, you can see the current layout and change it. You have two options: use a built-in standard layout, or choose a custom one. Any custom layouts built for that report appear in the list when you click to change. Indeed, a Business Central setup can have many custom layouts for a single report, each designed for a different purpose.
Additionally, the layout selection page lets you choose which company the setting applies to. If you run multiple companies inside Business Central, each one can have a different layout for the same report. Therefore, company A can send quotes in one format while company B uses a different design. This is most useful for businesses that trade under more than one brand.
Standard Layouts vs Custom Layouts
The built-in layouts that ship with Business Central cover the most common document formats. They work out of the box and require no setup. For many businesses, they are enough. However, if you want to add your company logo, change the font, rearrange the column order, or match your brand colours, you need a custom layout.
Custom layouts are separate files – either Word documents or RDLC files – that you upload into Business Central and then assign via the layout selection page. Once the custom layout is uploaded and assigned, the next document you print uses it on its own. Consequently, the whole team gets the updated format without any action on their part.
Testing the Layout Change
After you save a new layout selection, go back to the relevant document and click Print/Send. Open the preview. The data on the page will be exactly the same as before, because the report logic has not changed. However, the format will look different. The structure, fonts, and design now reflect the layout you chose.
One thing worth checking is the company field on the Report Layout Selection page. If you run multiple companies in Business Central, make sure the right company is set before you save. A layout change saved to the wrong company will not affect the one you are testing in. It is a small thing, but easy to miss. Specifically, check this first if a change does not seem to take effect.
Similarly, if the change does not look right, you can go back to the Report Layout Selection page and switch to a different layout. There is no limit to how many times you can change it. Furthermore, you can always revert to the standard layout if a custom one causes problems. Overall, the process is safe to experiment with because nothing is permanent until you decide to keep it.
Wrapping Up: Layout Selection in Business Central
The layout selection system in Business Central separates the data logic from the format. These are two different settings, controlled in two different places. Moreover, both settings are easy to change without any code work. Consequently, you have real control over how every document your business sends looks to the customer.
It is also worth noting that you can have more than one layout ready to go for the same report. For instance, you might keep a standard layout for internal use and a branded layout for customers. Switching between them takes only a few clicks. So you do not need to create a new layout every time you want a different look.
Next, try opening Report Selection – Sales and Report Layout Selection in your Business Central environment. Check which report and layout are set for the sales quote. That is a good starting point. You may find that the setup is already correct. Or you may spot a layout that no longer fits your current brand and needs an update.
Watch the full demo in the video above to see the layout change in action – from the selection page to the updated sales quote preview. It is a short walkthrough that shows the exact steps covered in this guide, done live inside Business Central.
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