In legacy file processing, the printed layout template used to format reports generated from tape or disk files is commonly called a:

Introduction / Context:
Before GUI report designers were widespread, analysts specified report layouts for line printers using fixed-width templates. The standard artifact for defining columns, headings, and spacing was the printer spacing form, which ensured that the program output matched organizational standards on continuous stationery or fanfold paper.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Reports are produced from files stored on tape or disk.
• Output devices are fixed-pitch line printers or their emulations.
• A formal template is needed to align fields, headings, and totals.

Concept / Approach:
A printer spacing form is a preprinted grid showing character positions across each line and lines per page. Designers place fields within the grid, define titles, and mark control-break totals. Programmers then map data fields to exact character positions, ensuring consistent, readable reports.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Proof listings are trial printouts used to verify results, not the template itself. A soft copy ledger is a colloquial phrase and not the formal design document. Thus the recognized template is the printer spacing form.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Failing to allow for overflow or variable-length fields, and not aligning totals on the spacing grid, causes messy printouts.

Final Answer:
Printer spacing form.