How to set up BI Publisher output for a JD Edwards report
how to set up BI Publisher output for a JD Edwards report
Also searched as
- attach BI Publisher template to JDE UBE
- JDE report design aid BI Publisher layout
- EnterpriseOne BI Publisher PDF output setup
- convert JDE report to BI Publisher format
Short answer
BI Publisher for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne lets a UBE render through an RTF or PDF template designed in BI Publisher instead of EnterpriseOne's own print engine, giving far more control over layout for things like invoices, checks, and financial statements. Setting it up means confirming the connection to a BI Publisher server, building or importing a template against the report's XML data structure, and associating that template with the specific report version through Report Design Aid.
Applies to: JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.2 with BI Publisher for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne configured
Attach a BI Publisher layout to a UBE version
- 1Confirm EnterpriseOne is already configured with a working connection to the BI Publisher server - this is a one-time system setup done by CNC, not something set per report.
- 2Open the report in Report Design Aid and identify or create the version you want to output through BI Publisher rather than the standard print engine.
- 3Generate or confirm the report's XML data definition, which describes the fields and structure BI Publisher will use to build the template.
- 4Design the RTF template in Word using the BI Publisher desktop add-in, mapping fields from the XML data definition into the layout, or start from a template already delivered for that report if one exists.
- 5Upload the finished RTF template into the BI Publisher server under the correct report data definition.
- 6In the version's print options or Report Design Aid output settings, set the output type to BI Publisher and reference the correct template.
- 7Run the version in a test environment and confirm the output renders as expected in PDF (or the chosen output format) before moving the change to production.
Why use BI Publisher instead of standard JDE print
EnterpriseOne's native print engine is functional but limited for anything with complex formatting needs - multi-language output, precise check and form alignment, conditional formatting, or branded financial statements. BI Publisher templates are designed visually in Word (or Excel for spreadsheet-style output) against the report's actual data, giving report designers far more control without touching the underlying report's business logic.
This is why BI Publisher setup is most common for outward-facing documents like invoices, purchase orders, checks, and statutory reports, where exact layout matters, rather than for internal working reports where the default JDE output is fine.
The moving parts
Three things have to line up: the BI Publisher server itself has to be reachable from EnterpriseOne and correctly registered at the system level, the report needs an XML data definition that exposes its fields to BI Publisher, and a template built against that data definition needs to be associated with the specific version through Report Design Aid. Missing any one of these and the report either fails to render through BI Publisher or silently falls back to standard output.
The XML data definition is generated from the report's own data structure - if the underlying report's business view or event rules change, the data definition and any template built against it may need to be regenerated to stay in sync.
Template design workflow
Templates are typically built in Microsoft Word using the BI Publisher Desktop add-in, which lets a designer insert data fields, tables, and conditional regions directly against a sample of the report's XML output. This means report layout changes can often be made by someone comfortable with Word and BI Publisher, without needing a JDE developer to modify Report Design Aid event rules for a pure formatting change.
Once the RTF template is finalized, it is uploaded to the BI Publisher server under the matching report data definition, and multiple templates can exist for the same report - for example, different layouts per country or per output format - selected at the version or processing option level.
Common reasons the report still prints in the old format
The version's output type was not actually switched to BI Publisher in its print options. The template was uploaded under the wrong data definition or report ID, so BI Publisher cannot find a match. The BI Publisher server connection itself is misconfigured or unreachable, causing EnterpriseOne to fall back to standard print rather than failing outright. Or the XML data definition is stale relative to a recent change in the report's business view, so fields in the template no longer map to anything.
Common pitfalls
- !Assuming a report will use BI Publisher automatically once a template exists, without switching the version's output type.
- !Building a template against an outdated XML data definition after the underlying report's data changed.
- !Not testing in a non-production environment before pointing a high-volume report like invoicing at a new template.
- !Treating BI Publisher template design as a pure layout task and forgetting that some conditional logic still needs to be handled in the report's event rules, not the template.
- !Uploading a template under the wrong report data definition so BI Publisher silently cannot find it.
How an ERP-grounded AI assistant handles this
ERPray can answer questions like which reports already have a BI Publisher template configured, or pull the exact data definition fields available for a given report, saving a report designer from opening Report Design Aid just to check. Building or fixing the actual template layout is still a design task for a person working in BI Publisher Desktop - ERPray helps with the lookup and setup verification around it, not the visual design work itself.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a JDE developer to change a BI Publisher template layout?
For pure formatting changes - spacing, fonts, adding a logo, rearranging fields already in the data definition - no, anyone comfortable with Word and the BI Publisher Desktop add-in can update the template. A developer is only needed if the change requires new data that is not already exposed in the report's XML data definition.
Why does my report still show the old JDE print format after I uploaded a template?
The most common cause is the version's output type was never switched to BI Publisher in its print options, so EnterpriseOne is still using its own print engine. Confirm the output type setting on the version before assuming the template itself is the problem.
Can one report have different BI Publisher templates for different countries or languages?
Yes. Multiple templates can be associated with the same report data definition, commonly selected by language, country, or output format at the version or processing option level, which is one of the main reasons organizations move a report to BI Publisher in the first place.
What happens if the underlying report's business view changes after the template is built?
The XML data definition should be regenerated to reflect the new fields, and the template may need updating if fields it referenced were removed or renamed. Skipping this step is a common reason a previously working BI Publisher report starts producing blank or misaligned fields.
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