Create Automated Templates in Word

You have the option to define placeholders using the button Fields, which will be filled with the corresponding user inputs when using the automated template.

In the text, placeholders are marked by square brackets, in which the name of the question is written (Figure 228, “Placeholder in Document”).

To insert a field, follow the following steps:

If you want to insert placeholders for the answers to a Multiple Choice question, keep in mind that you need to insert multiple placeholders.

Depending on how many answer options you want to insert, you have to insert a separate placeholder for each answer option.

To do so, change the index in the field overview. The number in the index indicates which answer option is displayed (Figure 231, “Enter Index”).

Index 1 corresponds to the answer that is first selected during the insertion of the template.

If you insert too many placeholders for a Multiple Choice question, they will not be filled in when a user fills in the template and will still appear as placeholders in the finished document.

If you insert less placeholders than needed, additional response options selected by the user will not be displayed.

Therefore, either provide the exact number of possible answer options in the question, or instruct users to manually remove unnecessary placeholders in the document.

Fields can also be inserted into other objects such as shapes. To do so, follow the following steps:

In the template, it is not visible that elements have been provided with a field.

To see all assigned fields, click on the button Automation Designer and then click on the arrow symbol next to the option Fields (Figure 232, “Open Options for Fields”).

Here, choose the option Manage Fields (Figure 233, “Option Manage fields”).

A dialog box opens.

In this dialog box, you are provided with an overview of all fields in your document.

To insert the field again at your current cursor position, select the entry and click on the button Insert (Figure 234, “Buttons Insert and Create for Fields” (1)).

To add a new field at your current cursor position, click on the button Create (Figure 234, “Buttons Insert and Create for Fields” (2)).

In the dialog box, choose one of the available fields from the list and click on the button OK (Figure 235, “Dialog for Field Creation”).

You can now insert the new field via the button Insert.

To edit an existing entry, select it and click on the button Edit (Figure 236, “Button Edit for Field”).

In the dialog box, you can change the field you have used.

The same field can also be inserted multiple times in one document.

To see where the field has been inserted, expand the entry (Figure 237, “Expanded Field Entry”).

To delete one occurrence of a field, select it from the entry and click on the button Delete (Figure 238, “Delete Single Field Occurrence”).

To delete the entry completely and therefore remove all occurrences of the field, select the entry itself and click on the button Delete (Figure 239, “Delete Entire Field Entry”).

A dialog box opens (Figure 240, “Deletion Confirmation for Fields”).

To confirm the deletion process, click on the button Yes.

You can use conditions to decide when to display an element or a content block and when not to.

For every question or instruction type except for the Picture question/instruction, rules can be created that include conditions.

For one rule, multiple conditions can be created, either all of which must be met or at least one of which must be met for the rule to take effect.

The conditions can be linked with either AND or OR.

If you add two conditions that are linked by AND within a rule, both conditions must be met for the rule to apply.

If you add two conditions within a rule that are linked by OR, only one of the conditions must be met for the rule to apply.

To insert a condition, follow the following steps:

Conditions are not visible in the document.

To see all conditions and their usage in the document, click on the button Automation Designer and then click on the arrow symbol next to the option Conditions (Figure 243, “Open Options for Conditions”).

Then, choose the option Manage conditions (Figure 244, “Option Manage conditions”).

A dialog box opens.

In this dialog box, you are provided with an overview of all available conditions.

The conditions are listed on the left-hand side and their rules are displayed on the right-hand side.

To apply the condition on the currently selected shape or text, first select the element in your document and then the condition in the dialog box and click on the button Insert (Figure 245, “Insert Condition”).

To add a new condition, click on the button Create (Figure 246, “Create Condition” (1)).

On the right-hand side, enter a name for the rule into the input field (Figure 246, “Create Condition” (2)).

Then, either click on the button Add AND or Add OR, depending on the condition you want to create (Figure 246, “Create Condition” (3)).

For further information regarding the rule structure for the single question types, see Rule Structure.

To edit an existing entry, select it from the list. It is then displayed on the right-hand side.

To change the rule name, enter a new name into the input field.

To add new rules to the condition, use the buttons Add AND and Add OR.

To delete rules from the condition, select the rule and click on the button Delete on the right-hand side of the dialog box (Figure 247, “Delete Rule”).

The same condition can also be applied multiple times in one document.

To see where the condition has been applied, expand the entry on the left-hand side of the dialog box (Figure 248, “Expanded Condition Entry”).

To delete one occurrence of a condition, select it from the entry and click on the button Delete on the left-hand side of the dialog box (Figure 249, “Delete Single Condition Occurrence”).

To delete the entry completely and therefore remove all occurrences of the condition, select the entry itself and click on the button Delete (Figure 250, “Delete Entire Condition Entry”).

A dialog box opens (Figure 251, “Deletion Confirmation for Condition”).

To confirm the deletion process, click on the button Yes.

You can use empower^® Document Automation to link content blocks to the automated template.

When the template is run, the content block is inserted instead of the link.

To link a content block, follow the following steps:

To view an overview of all linked content blocks, click on the button Automation Designer and then click on the arrow symbol next to the option Linked content blocks (Figure 255, “Open Options for Linked Content Blocks”).

Then, choose the option Manage linked content blocks (Figure 256, “Option Manage linked content blocks”).

A dialog box opens.

In this dialog box, you are provided with an overview of all linked content blocks.

To insert the linked content block again, select the entry and click on the button Insert (Figure 257, “Buttons Insert and Create for Linked Content Blocks” (1)).

To add a new linked content block, click on the button Create (Figure 257, “Buttons Insert and Create for Linked Content Blocks” (2)).

In the dialog box, enter a name for the linked content block and then paste the link into the second input field (Figure 258, “Link New Content Block”).

To edit an existing entry, select it and click on the button Edit (Figure 259, “Button Edit for Linked Content Block”).

In the dialog box, you can change the entry name and the link you have used.

The same content block can also be linked multiple times in one document.

To see where the content block has been linked, expand the entry (Figure 260, “Expanded Linked Content Block Entry”).

To delete one occurrence of a linked content block, select it from the entry and click on the button Delete (Figure 261, “Delete Single Linked Content Block Occurrence”).

To delete the entry completely and therefore remove all occurrences, select the entry itself and click on the button Delete (Figure 250, “Delete Entire Condition Entry”).

A dialog box opens (Figure 263, “Deletion Confirmation for Linked Content Block”).

To confirm the deletion process, click on the button Yes.

If you have finished the creation of your automated template, you need to save it to the empower^® Library.

It will then be available for all users who have permissions to the folder it is saved in.

To do so, follow the following steps:

If you save an automated template as a normal Document Template, all automation features are lost.

A dialog box opens (Figure 268, “Dialog Box – File Format”).

If you save a filled-in automated template as an automated template again, the automation features would not work as expected.

A dialog box opens (Figure 269, “Dialog Box – Filled-in Template”).