Printing with SMS

Printing Maps

Sometimes all you need is what map is currently up in front of you. This can be accomplished by using the default layout and Print Current Layer. To do this, create a map then right-click on the map and choose Print. This will pull up the print screen.

Useful Tips

• However your map looks when starting the print process will be what the map looks like when printed out
  • If you wish to change the map type or legend, you will want to change that before starting to print
• If you want to print out multiple layers added together, you will want to use Print Current Map instead of Print Current Layer

Common Issues

• If one or more of the items in your print layout say “Invalid Layer or Print Property Setting” it indicates that the specific layer you are attempting to print does not contain data for that specific item.
  • For example, if you were printing a boundary and were using a print layout that had a histogram, since boundaries do not have ranges like a yield map, the histogram box would say its invalid
  • If you wish to use this layout but not see that box, simply right-click on the item and choose Delete Selected Object

Printing a Custom Layout

SMS allows you to make a completely custom layout, providing you the ability to set the look of your print layouts and use other layouts besides the included defaults.


Useful Tips

• Your map defaults will still dictate how the map will print but in a custom layout you can change the map type if needed
  • Legend changes will still need to made before starting to print
• Custom layouts can be saved and used for additional layers going forward, you will not need to make a new custom layout each time
  • Make sure to save the layout once it is built
  • They can be used in batch printing (Advanced only)

Common Issues

• If one or more of the items in your print layout say “Invalid Layer or Print Property Setting” it indicates that the specific layer you are exporting out does not contain data for that specific item.
  • For example, if you were printing a boundary and were using a print layout that had a histogram, since boundaries do not have ranges like a yield map, the histogram box would say its invalid
  • If you wish to use this layout but not see that box, simply click on the item and select the Delete Current Object button at the top of the layout screen.
• When printing, click the Print button and choose the desired printer
  • If using PDF printer and size is too large, use the Microsoft PDF printer instead 
  • Ag Leader suggests using the Microsoft PDF printer in SMS v22.5 and newer

Printing Reports and Summary Information

Sometimes it may make more sense to present your data in tabular form. Reports and summaries will allow you to view data collected from multiple fields versus just one or a few.

Useful Tips

• You will want to make sure that you have all available data imported and in the correct grower/farm/field before running reports
  • This will ensure that your totals will be correct and the summary results will show the correct management information
• If you have performed any type of simply analysis (scaling, filtering, shifting), you will want to make sure the Summary Type is set to Spatial Data Records
  • If not, you may not get the desired results in your report

Common Issues

• If you have any duplicate items (fields, products, etc.), these will show up in your reports if they are included in your filter
  • Try to clean these items up first before running your report in order to avoid confusion and incorrect results

Printing a Chart

Charts allow you to look at your field data in a different light and can be helpful when analyzing that data.

Useful Tips

• Similar to reports, make sure that your data to be charted is complete and correct
  • Otherwise, a poor or incorrect chart could be generated
• Charts can be viewed in a custom print layout
  • Use the Add Chart option when building the layout to add one

Booklet Printing

Booklet printing allows you to create booklets; combinations of various components created previously, and combine them into a single booklet. This helps to provide a single print out solution as well as helping to speed up the process of printing out data. Booklet printing is a SMS Advanced only feature and requires the purchase of the Booklet Module.

Useful Tips

• You can run a demo of Booklet by going to Help > Register then select Booklet Printing then Start Demo
• Booklet itself will not create the print out, it provides a structure for other, already created items, to be ordered and printed out
  • Items like print layouts, reports and analysis functions can all be included but will need to be made first
• Once the booklet is generated, in order to print the entire book, go to File > Print All

  • Based on your needs, you can choose Print All to print to a printer or Print All to PDF to save a PDF that can be printed later on

Common Issues

• You will want to make sure that your various components of the booklet are all working correctly
  • If not, those issues will appear in the booklet and force you to go back and make edit