---
id: post/aardvarklabs-blog/2107
type: post
title: Step-by-Step Guide to Word Reports in Business Central
summary: Word reports in Business Central allow developers to create report objects while power users design the layout in Microsoft Word, enabling document-style reports like invoices or activity summaries. This approach separates data definition from presentation design using Word's XML mapping features.
tier: community
language: en
tags:
  - word reports
  - report layout
  - xml mapping
  - repeating controls
  - report designer
  - document-style reporting
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  at: "2026-10-08T01:59:59.823Z"
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    title: Step-by-Step Guide to Word Reports in Business Central
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post_id: "2107"
source_id: aardvarklabs-blog
source_name: Aardvark Labs
url: https://aardvarklabs.blog/2025/08/01/step-by-step-guide-to-word-reports-in-business-central/
published_at: "2025-08-01T12:00:00.000Z"
author: Marcel Chabot
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words: 975
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# Step-by-Step Guide to Word Reports in Business Central

[Read the post](https://aardvarklabs.blog/2025/08/01/step-by-step-guide-to-word-reports-in-business-central/) · Aardvark Labs (Marcel Chabot) · 2025-08-01 · 975 words · tier community · reviewed (checked by Opus)

> Word reports in Business Central allow developers to create report objects while power users design the layout in Microsoft Word, enabling document-style reports like invoices or activity summaries. This approach separates data definition from presentation design using Word's XML mapping features.

## Key points

- Word reports use DefaultLayout = Word and WordLayout property to reference a DOCX file for formatting
- Developers create the report object with dataset and columns; Word users export and edit the layout through Report Layouts page
- XML Mapping in Word's Developer pane connects report data elements to the document structure
- Repeating controls in Word tables display multiple rows from nested dataitems
- Custom layouts can be created, edited, and marked as default to override the report's built-in layout

## AL objects mentioned

As named in the post. A name that matches one object page by exact type and name links to it; the others stay as named.

- report "ARD_VendorActivity"

Not found in BC28-30: report "ARD_VendorActivity".

## Context

- Features: Word Report layouts, XML Mapping Pane, Report Layout export, Custom layout upload, Repeating controls, Default layout assignment

Source: Aardvark Labs, community blog. Summary, key points and quotes are derived (CONTENT-NOTICE.md); read the original for the full text.