Learn how to use Layer’s Document View to generate automated PDFs. Create Single Element reports or Summary Schedules, customize layouts, and save templates.
Zach Soflin
Document View is Layer’s report generator to create automated PDFs of your categories’ data.
When creating your Document View, choose a Single Element report or a Summary Schedule of all the elements in your category with Summary Document View.
A Summary Document View rendering a tabular schedule of every element in a category.
A Summary Document View rendering a tabular schedule across all elements in a category.
A Document View Template gallery for reusing layouts across projects.
The Document View Template feature for saving and reusing layouts across projects.
To create the layout for a Document View, you’ll click the Edit Document button to access several blocks that can be dragged onto the page. Don’t forget to click Publish when you are finished.
The Edit Document layout interface with drag-and-drop content blocks.
The Edit Document interface with drag-and-drop blocks for assembling the report layout.
Don’t forget to click Publish when you are done!
To save your changes to recreate future document views, save your view as a Document View Template.
Generating a Report
When you generate a report from this view, Layer pre-fills a name like – . Edit the report name before generating if your team uses a specific convention — for example, Field Report 001 or Punch List – Building A. The report renders using the fields, filters, and sort order configured on the view at the moment you generate it.
👉 Generated reports are point-in-time snapshots. Each report is rendered from the data and layout that existed when it was created. If you later edit underlying records (renumber annotations, change field values, adjust the Document View layout, swap an attached PDF), the existing report file will not update — generate a new report to capture the changes. Past reports stay available in the Reports tab of your project's Files area, and you can re-export at any time.
Document View FAQs
Q: Can I increase the resolution of my pdf files on my document view reports?
A: When placing a pdf file on a document view, the pdf will render at a thumbnail resolution on the exported pdf. The image can then be clicked to open the full pdf. To see a higher resolution, use a .png or .jpg filetype instead. These filetypes have a setting to be printed at the full size.
