# What's New in ActiveReports.NET v20.1 Use ActiveReports for reporting in .NET Core. Visit this topic to get the major highlights of ActiveReports 18 since its last version. ## Content ## AI-Driven Reporting ### New AI Providers: Google Gemini and Local Ollama Servers The [AI Data Region Wizard](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/using-report-wizard/configuring-report-controls/using-ai-to-generate-report-layouts) is no longer limited to OpenAI. To better support diverse security and performance requirements, we’ve introduced: * **Google Gemini Support:** Direct integration with Gemini models for developers who prefer the Google Cloud ecosystem for their AI workflows. * **Local AI via Ollama:** You can now point ActiveReports to a local Ollama instance. This allows the Wizard to suggest data visualizations using models running on your own machine or private business server—no internet connection or external API keys required. Once [configured](/activereportsnet/docs/devops/customization/configure-ar#ai-providers), the Report Wizard uses your selected AI provider to assist in creating data regions, offering both the power of cloud-based intelligence and the security of local execution. ### Enhanced AI-Driven Report Wizard The AI-powered Report Wizard now produces cleaner, more consistent report layouts that match professional reporting standards—reducing the need for post-generation manual edits. The key updates: * **Consistent Date Formatting** – All date fields now default to the system Short Date (“d”) format in tables and charts. ![improved ai report wizard date format](https://cdn.mescius.io/document-site-files/images/19d442d0-3c6c-4bb1-b916-7197bf606006/aiwizard-short-date-20260422.039545.png) * **Duplicate Column Removal** – Automatically removes redundant columns for better readability. * **Classic Grouped Table Layout** – Uses the familiar Table Wizard structure with proper headers/footers, controlled page breaks, and collapsed groups. ![](https://cdn.mescius.io/document-site-files/images/19d442d0-3c6c-4bb1-b916-7197bf606006/classic-group-table-layout-20260422.4f748f.png) ## Interactive & Design Enhancements ### Apply Parameters and Target Bookmark Support The `Apply Parameters` action now includes an optional `TargetBookmark` property that allows parameter updates and navigation to occur in a single interaction. When a user clicks an interactive report element configured with `ApplyParametersAction` and `TargetBookmark`, the viewer applies the specified parameter changes, re-renders the report, and automatically navigates to the specified bookmark in the updated layout. ### Conditional Page Breaks for Table Groups [Table Groups](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/report-controls/report-controls-page-rdl-report/table#groups){:rel="#groups"} now support a `Disabled` setting for page breaks. You can set this property using an expression—for example, one that checks the value of a report parameter—to decide at runtime whether a page break should be inserted after the table group. When `Disabled` is `True`, the page break is suppressed; when `False`, the page break is applied. This enhancement provides greater flexibility in controlling report pagination based on user input or other conditions. ### Custom Close Handling in Web Designer The Web Designer now supports an `onBeforeClose` callback to control whether the confirmation dialog appears when closing or switching reports with unsaved changes. For API details, refer to the [WebDesigner API](/activereportsnet/docs/developers/create-applications/web-designer-application/web-designer-api#onbeforeclose()) and [Blazor WebDesigner API](/activereportsnet/docs/developers/create-applications/blazor-web-designer-application/web-designer-api-blazor#documentssettings) documentation. ## Section Report Improvements ### Improved Decimal Processing in Section Reports Section Reports now preserve decimal numbers as decimal type from start to finish — in expressions, custom code, and [aggregates](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/design-reports/design-section-reports/aggregates-calculations) such as SUM, AVG, MIN, and MAX. This eliminates automatic conversion to double and prevents rounding errors, delivering exact results for monetary and other high‑precision data. ### Improved PDF/UA Tagging for Section Reports In ActiveReports 20.1, we’ve streamlined how [Section Reports](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/reporttypes/section-report-type) are exported to [PDF/UA](/activereportsnet/docs/developers/export-reports/exporting-page-rdl-section-reports/pdf-export#pdf-export-usage-and-limitations). The exported files now follow your report's visual layout exactly, making them easier for screen readers to navigate. Even complex elements like [subreports](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/report-controls/report-controls-page-rdl-report/subreport) and [cross-section controls](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/report-controls/report-controls-section-report/crosssectionbox) are now automatically organized to ensure your documents remain fully accessible and compliant without any extra effort. ![pdf/ua tagging in section reports](https://cdn.mescius.io/document-site-files/images/19d442d0-3c6c-4bb1-b916-7197bf606006/accessibility-pdf-ua-20260417.7d2135.png) ## Viewer & Export Optimizations ### Improved Font Fidelity in JS Viewer SVG Mode The `embedFonts` setting in the [JS Viewer](/activereportsnet/docs/developers/create-applications/js-viewer-application) improves the report output quality in [SVG render mode](/activereportsnet/docs/developers/create-applications/js-viewer-application/change-view-modes#svg-format) by embedding report‑specified fonts directly into the output. When set to `true` and `renderMode` is `svg`, fonts get displayed exactly as designed in the browser, providing consistent WYSIWYG results. This enhancement is especially useful for [Section Reports](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/reporttypes/section-report-type), where SVG is used for higher precision. ### Improved Excel Export for Date/Time Values in Section Reports Excel ([XLS ](https://developer.mescius.com/activereportsnet/docs/report-readers/desktop-viewers/export-in-desktop-viewers#microsoft-excel-workbook-(xls,-xlsx)-(section-report))and[ XLSX](https://developer.mescius.com/activereportsnet/docs/report-readers/desktop-viewers/export-in-desktop-viewers#microsoft-excel-workbook-(xls,-xlsx)-(section-report))) export for Section Reports now maps date and time values to Excel’s built‑in categories more accurately. If a TextBox uses a matching **OutputFormat**, exported cells appear as **Date** or **Time** instead of **Custom**. > *Note: Some formats may still appear as Custom, depending on your regional settings.* ![Excel export section report output](https://cdn.mescius.io/document-site-files/images/19d442d0-3c6c-4bb1-b916-7197bf606006/image-20260402-110227-20260403.4a2940.png) ## Diagnostics & Debugging ### Expression Evaluation Error Display ActiveReports introduces a new `ShowEvaluationErrors` setting in the ActiveReports [configuration file](/activereportsnet/docs/devops/customization/configure-ar). When enabled, it replaces empty output with a localized `#Error` placeholder whenever a single‑value report item’s **Value** expression fails to evaluate. Supported items include [TextBox](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/report-controls/report-controls-page-rdl-report/textbox), [CheckBox](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/report-controls/report-controls-page-rdl-report/checkbox), [Barcode](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/report-controls/report-controls-page-rdl-report/barcode), [Image](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/report-controls/report-controls-page-rdl-report/image), and [Bullet](/activereportsnet/docs/report-authors/report-controls/report-controls-page-rdl-report/bullet), ensuring that expression issues are clearly visible during design, preview, and runtime. ![evaluation-error](https://cdn.mescius.io/document-site-files/images/19d442d0-3c6c-4bb1-b916-7197bf606006/evaluation-error-20260420.41a85d.png)