Printable A4 sheet

What it is

The A4 sheet is the page each panelist fills in during an in-person tasting: it includes the sample's blind code, the attributes to rate with boxes that follow the protocol's scale (0 to 10 by default; see Protocol rating scale), and the defects with their own intensity boxes. At the bottom of each sheet there is a row with two boxes: Panelist signature and Free comments, where the panelist signs and writes down any remarks. Each sheet takes up one A4 page (one panelist × sample combination).

The sheets are generated from a dedicated screen, Panel printable sheets, not from the tasting header.

How to get there

• URL: https://app.areacacao.com/sensory-analysis/evaluations/<id>/printable-sheets
• How to reach it: open the tasting in Evaluations and, in the Operations section, click the Printable sheets tile.

Before you start

• Tasting created with samples and panel assigned.
• It's best to have the protocol assigned (it defines the pre-printed attributes). Without a protocol, the sheet prints with no attributes section and the panelist takes free-form notes.
• A printer loaded with standard A4 paper.

The four print modes

The screen has a side panel, Print mode, with four options. It's not a sequence: you pick the mode you need at any given moment. At the top you'll see a summary like "N panelists · N samples = N total combinations".

Full PDF

This is the default mode and the main button. It generates the cover page plus every panelist × sample combination, sorted by panelist, in a single document with a page break per sheet. The subtitle tells you how many sheets will come out ("Cover page + N sheets"). Use it to print the entire batch for the session at once with the Print / Save full PDF button.

The cover page lists the date, the protocol, the total number of sheets, and a Panelist × sample combinations table (with sheet number, panelist, blind code, and internal sample), plus an Instructions for the leader block that explains how to separate and hand out the sheets. This cover page is generated only in this mode: in PDF for one panelist and PDF for one sample, the document comes out without a cover page.

PDF for one panelist

Select a panelist and generate all of their samples in a single block. Useful for reprinting a specific person's set.

PDF for one sample

Select a sample and generate the sheet for all panelists of that sample. Useful when sheets are handed out by sample in the booth.

Individual sheet (reprint)

Pick a Sample and a Panelist in the pickers, click Preview, then Print sheet. This is the mode for reprinting a single sheet that got smudged or lost.

Customize the sheet

Below the modes, the Customize sheet block adds room for handwriting: Blank lines for spontaneous attributes (0 to 5; they print under the heading Other perceived attributes) and Lines in the “Observations” section (0 to 8). With 0 the standard section is printed. It applies to every mode.

How to print or save as PDF

The PDF is generated by your browser: printing happens through its dialog, on the A4 preview.

• Click Print / Save full PDF (Full PDF mode), Print / Save filtered PDF (PDF for one panelist and PDF for one sample modes), or Print sheet (individual sheet).
• In the print dialog, choose your printer or Save as PDF if you want the digital version.

Contextual notices

The screen warns you depending on the tasting's status:

• Blind mode active — "the sheets you print show only the 3-digit code in the header. The internal name appears only in the small gray footer as distribution metadata." The panelist never sees the real name.
• Tasting with no protocol — "This tasting has no protocol assigned. The sheet is generated without a predefined attributes section; the panelist can take free-form notes."
• No samples — "This tasting has no samples configured yet. Create a new evaluation with samples before printing sheets."
• No panelists — "This tasting has no panelists assigned. Assign panelists to the panel from the wizard (step 4) or from the tasting detail before printing sheets." with the Manage panelists → link.

Tips

• Print an extra copy: there's always someone who makes a mistake or smudges a sheet.
• Use matte paper, not glossy: it makes it easier to write with a pen without the ink smearing.

Next steps