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Guide

NDT report templates in Word: how to build them so they can be automated

A good Word report template separates job data that changes every time (client, PO, serial numbers, dates) from technical content the technician writes and from controlled text that never changes (procedure clause, acceptance criteria, revision block). That separation is what lets AMPS fill, improve, sign and file the report automatically.

Published

1. Sort every element of the report into three groups

  • Job data: client, site, PO number, work order, asset or equipment identifiers and serial numbers, dates, technician name and certificate reference. This comes from the job and should be filled automatically.

  • Technical content: what was tested, how, what was found, results tables, sketches and photos, conclusion. The technician writes this on the job.

  • Controlled text: procedure number and revision, acceptance criteria clause, standard disclaimers, signature blocks, template revision. This changes only through document control.

2. Keep one report type per template

A UT weld report, an MPI report and a thickness survey have different tables. Separate templates stay readable and fill correctly; one giant template with hidden sections does not.

3. Use consistent names for job data

The same label for the same thing on every template (Purchase order, Client, Serial number, Location) so the mapping from job to document is obvious and repeatable.

4. Design the results table for the field

Rows that can be added on a phone or tablet, units in the header, and a results column with the accept/reject decision next to the indication, referencing the acceptance criteria clause in the controlled text.

5. Put the revision block on the template, not in the file name

Template identifier, revision and approval date belong on the document so the assessor can match the report to the controlled template.

What AMPS does with it

In AMPS, reports are produced from your own Microsoft Word templates through the template engine: job data such as the client, purchase order number, equipment serial numbers, location and dates is filled in automatically, an AI assistant can tidy the wording, the report can be signed in AMPS, and the finished Word file is saved in the job’s report folder in your OneDrive, SharePoint or Google Drive. For repeat clients, copy from a previous report and AMPS refills only the fields that change with the new job.

Frequently asked questions

Do our existing Word reports work as templates?
Yes. AMPS is designed to transform the Word documents you already use into templates without recreating them. Cleaning up the structure as described in this guide makes the automatic filling more reliable, but it is not a redesign.
What should never be a fillable field?
Controlled text: the procedure reference and revision, the acceptance criteria clause, the standard statements your Level 3 approved, and the template revision block. Those change through document control, not per job.
How does the AI assistant fit?
It rewrites the technician's text using the job details as context. In the AMPS reporting case study, "MPI on 2 welds, they comply" became "Magnetic Particle Inspection conducted on two circumferential welds confirms compliance with ASME B31.3 standards". The technician reviews and signs.

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