Create and send out Custom Report Cards

The first step is to set up a template in the Custom Report Writer from School > Custom Report Writer. You can see more information on how to set up a report here: Creating a report

Go to Students > Report Cards and click +Add. Select New Custom Report Card.

Give the report card a name, and select the date of the report card. Top Tip: This date doesn't change the report card, it's for your school's reference to help plan when to send these out - this date shows on the main report cards list.

Select the custom report you've just made, and select the orientation.

Tick the Remove blank rows box to automatically remove any rows in tables that are blank. This means you can have one template for all students and Arbor will automatically remove blank rows of data (such as for assessments they don't take).

You'll then be taken to your report card overview. Click the Edit report card layout button to build your report card.

You can edit the details or delete your report card from the General tab.

Click Edit report card layout on the Report Card tab.

Here you can create your report card template.

• Redo or undo changes with the arrows
• Bold, italicise or underline text
• Add bullet or numbered points
• Choose your text alignment, font, size and colour
• Add hyperlinks
• Add tables
• Your merge fields will be used to pull in data from your custom report
• Add page breaks
• Please note that we do not support images

Once complete, click Save report card.

You need to select which students to create report cards for. Go to the Share Reports tab and click +Add in the Student Groups section.

You can individual students, whole cohorts or a specific demographic/custom group.

Top Tip: The date field for student groups is so your report card only pulls through the students in that group who are enrolled on that date.

You'll then see a list of report cards. Top Tip: You can click the button at the top of the page to regenerate them if you've made changes.

Once your table shows the status as Generated (you may need to refresh your page), you're ready to share them.

You can remove the linked report by clicking the X next to the Custom Report Writer report, then clicking Save Changes.

Please note that this will cause the  merge fields in your report template to no longer work.

In the drop-down, change the linked custom report then click Save Changes.

You will then need to edit your report card layout to replace the merge fields.

Click the X next to the Custom Report Writer report to remove it, then click Save Changes.

Your merge fields in your report template will temporarily no longer work.

Once you've finished editing your Custom Report Writer report, add it back in from the General tab. The merge fields will be working again.

If you don't unlink it first, you won't be able to edit your Custom Report Writer report.

Go to School > Communications > Templates.

Click on the Report Card Template to see or edit what is contained in the email template.

After making any changes to the text or merge fields, select Save Email Template Changes or Reset Email Template to default to revert this template to the original version we set up.

Click either Email to primary guardians or Email to students.

Use the From drop-down box to select who to send the report card as (providing you are a Permitted Sender).

Choose how to combine the emails (if sending to guardians) then click Send email at the bottom of the slide over. 

The signature at the bottom of the email is determined by the sender's name and job title. To see how to change this if it's incorrect, take a look at this article.

Tick the boxes next to the students to select, then click the Bulk action button to select the email option.

Use the From drop-down box to select who to send the report card as (providing you are a Permitted Sender).

Choose how to combine the emails, then click Send email at the bottom of the slide over.

The signature at the bottom of the email is determined by the sender's name and job title. To see how to change this if it's incorrect, take a look at this article.