Thread: how to create invoice templates in java

Hello,

I've been googling around for a while yet I didn't get a proper answer. Presently I am working on a project for a store. I need to accept the purchased items from the user and an automatic cash memo would be generated.

Now I have an experience with building desktop applications before and have managed to build up the UI. Presently I am stuck in creating a template for the invoice/memo (whatever you may call it). I have the following requirements:

1) How do I create a good template for invoice/memo with the company logo ??? Do I have to rely on any third party software? Any detailed tutorial would be helpful.

2) How do I convert that invoice/memo to a pdf file???

3) How can I export some data to excel???

Any help would be appreciated!!!

Thank you,

Please elaborate on what you mean by "template". Also, briefly describe the end-to-end workflow - from the point a purchased item is presented, to what happens in the end (a printed invoice/memo is given to the purchaser?)

Well, suppose that I am running a shop. A customer comes and places his/her order. And then I have to provide him/her with a cash memo along with the ordered items. Now the cash memo should have a definite format which should remain the same for all the customers. Only the items within it will be changed.

So, now the question is how to create that template? Should I use java's inbuilt classes like - jTable, jTextArea, jLabel etc., to create a template or should I use some third party software??? Also if I have to use some third party tools how do I populate it using java.

You mean something like Simple Invoices | An Open Source, Web-Based Invoicing System?

Since you originally wrote,

Presently I am working on a project for a store

I would've thought it'll be quicker and possibly cheaper to use something off-the-shelf (open source, free or otherwise).

Also,

Now I have an experience with building desktop applications before and have managed to build up the UI.

if you really have to build, I interpret the above as you can already get the data (via the UI), and so any of the techniques/libraries mentioned at Create PDF with Java - Stack Overflow should be able to help you do what you need.

Exporting data to Excel can be as simple a generating a CSV file (that Excel can read and display), or by using a library (just search the Internet for "java excel") to create a "proper" xls file.