Deciding what appears on your pdf
In Robaws you can export pdf files from the various modules. These pdf files are used to send to a customer or supplier.
In most cases the pdf files have a fixed structure. However, you can also deviate from this structure and decide on the fields and the layout yourself.
In that case you can build the pdf entirely as you wish.
Options with the dynamic pdf:
- Specific settings that apply to this document only
- Give the document a custom title
- Give the document a custom heading by using replacement codes
- Decide yourself which columns appear on the document
- Provide the translation for each document
Creating a pdf
Via settings > module of your choice > PDF you can add a pdf document that you can set up yourself.
When you set up a dynamic pdf, you get 4 large blocks in which you can choose certain settings. These blocks return in every module, but their content differs per module:
- Template
- Header: adjust the heading of the pdf
- General: adjust the rest of the pdf
- Columns: decide which information you show about the item lines
Via settings > module of your choice > E-mail template you can add the document you have created to an e-mail template so that you can send it to a customer or supplier.
Template
You give your template a name. This name is used internally only and does not appear on the pdf.
You decide the orientation of your template. You can choose to export it in portrait or in landscape.
You can add a front page and back page here. This is a pdf file that is then always attached to the pdf when you export or send it.
Header
Here you can switch on settings relating to the pdf. Some settings are general, others are specific per module.
For example, you can choose a custom heading, a custom title or set a language. If you switch on a custom heading, make sure you adjust the heading for the various languages (if you want to send documents in different languages).
Custom heading
If you want a heading other than the one Robaws provides by default, you can tick this. A window then opens with a suggested heading that you can edit entirely as you wish. Always work with replacement codes. We recommend working with a table to achieve a neat layout.
If you use the standard Robaws heading, you can still make a few choices via the settings.
Setting | Explanation |
|---|---|
Language | Set to Dutch by default. If you also want to draw up documents in other languages, you first set the settings for Dutch, and then change this field to another language (for example French). Then change the settings for that language (for example the title of the pdf, the custom heading, and so on) |
Pin language | Tick this to always send the document in the language noted above, and not in the language stated on the customer file (switched off by default). |
(module) title | The title you want on the pdf when you call it up from this module Quotations (for example Quotation, Price estimate, Order confirmation, Change order, and so on) |
Show contact person | Untick if you do not want the contact person to be mentioned on the pdf. |
Show contactdetails on pdf | Untick this if you do not want the telephone number, mobile number and e-mail address of the contact person to appear on the pdf |
Show address | Untick this if you do not want the project address to appear on the pdf |
Specific settings for the order pdf
Under execution you can choose to build the pdf with the item lines that are on the execution tab. The item lines on the items tab do not appear on the pdf. If you tick this, you can make a choice that determines which lines appear on the pdf, and how they appear (grouped or not).
Setting | Explanation |
|---|---|
Strategy | Determine how the lines from the execution tab are shown on the pdf |
Invoicing | Determine which lines from the execution tab are shown on the pdf (to be invoiced, not to be invoiced, invoiced) |
Specific settings for the invoice pdf
For invoices you choose an existing pdf template that is used by default for an invoice and for a simple invoice.
General
Below are all the settings; they do not return in every module.
Setting | Explanation |
|---|---|
Show extended description | Untick this if you do not want to show the extended description of an item or calculated item on the pdf (this is switched on by default) |
Indent extended description | Untick this if you do not want the extended description of an item or calculated item to be indented on the pdf (this is switched on by default) |
Show total on PDF | Untick this if you do not want to show a total on the pdf. This removes the total excl. VAT, the VAT total, the total discount and the total incl. VAT (this is switched on by default) |
Styling | Untick if you do not want to show the styling you have set up on this pdf |
Use background | Untick if you do not want to show the background that has been set on the company. |
Preferred total table layout | The total at the bottom of the document can be shown horizontally or vertically |
Pdf only Vat excl. | Tick this if you only want to show the total excl. VAT on the pdf. This removes the VAT total and the total incl. VAT. The total discount is shown. (this is switched off by default) |
Show total discount on PDF | Tick this if you want to show the total discount that was given on the quotation. This covers both a discount given as a % on a line and a line with a negative amount (which is regarded as a discount) |
Show subtotals | Untick this if you do not want to show subtotals next to the titles or chapters (this is switched on by default) |
Show project information | Tick this if you want a bar with the project information to appear at the top of the order. This bar appears as soon as at least 1 order line has been entered. Via the general settings you can set exactly which information is shown here |
Show installations | Tick this if you want a bar with the installation information to appear at the top of the order. Via the general settings you can set exactly which information is shown here (this is switched on by default) |
Show maintenance | Tick if you want to see the maintenance information on the pdf |
Show maintenance photos | Tick if the photos from the work order may appear on the pdf |
Show maintenance forms | Tick if the maintenance form from the work order may appear on the pdf |
Show cover text | Tick this if you want the introduction of the quotation you are invoicing to be carried over to the invoice |
Structured statement | Tick if you want a structured statement to appear on this invoice |
Use introduction & footer text | Tick if you want to show an introduction and a closing text on the pdf |
Show line type on PDF | Choose for which line types you indicate on the pdf which type of line it is: variant, option (unit price) or option (total) |
Show line type on PDF
This setting only appears in your pdf settings once you switch on the Show line type on PDF toggle via settings > general > pdf. It is switched off by default. If you switch it on, reload your page — otherwise the field does not appear yet.
The line type is placed before the description, in brackets: (Variant) Aluminium exterior joinery. The Description column must therefore be part of your pdf, otherwise you will not see anything of it. That way your customer immediately knows that such a line is an option and is not included in the total. You can read more about those line types in using line types and chapters.
Columns
Decide yourself which information from your item lines appears on the pdf, and in which order.
If you want to add a column, click add and choose the column type. You can add both default columns (for example description, type, cost price, discount, VAT, and so on) and a column that takes information from the item file (for example weight, barcode, item number, and so on).
Determine the column width yourself (or let this happen automatically).
Updated on: 09/09/2026
Thank you!