Printable A4 sheet
How to generate the panel's A4 sheets with 0-10 boxes and blind codes, and which print mode to use in each case.
What it is
The A4 sheet is the page each panelist fills in during an in-person tasting: it includes the attributes to rate with 0-10 boxes, the list of defects with checkboxes, and the sample's blind code. 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.
Pro plan and above.
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 with regular 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".
Generate 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 Generate 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.
How to print or save as PDF
Even though the buttons are named "Generate PDF…", printing happens through the browser dialog on the A4 preview:
- Click Generate full PDF, Print filtered PDF, or Print sheet depending on the mode.
- In the print dialog, choose your printer or Save as PDF if you want the digital version.
Contextual notices
The screen warns you based on the tasting's state:
- 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.
The sheet's hedonic section only appears if the tasting is of the hedonic type. The panelist's name appears only as small metadata in the footer (for distribution), never highlighted, so it doesn't bias their evaluation.
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.