Adding attributes to document templates

Refer to basic document template setup before working through this topic.

ClosedGetting Started

Setup required before use

 Who can use it? Where is it?

Create or rename Attributes

Administrator

System Administrator

 Administration tools > Document Templates > Edit bookmarks

Tip: Copy an existing template to practice on without modifying a working template .

Why put attributes on your templates?

Using Attributes in Synergy is the best way to customise data stored on your projects, contacts and the like. We then provide you with the ability to customise reports and document templates to also display this data. Through Synergy, bookmarks are inserted into the MS Word® documents, as placeholders, so when the document is generated we know where to insert your data.  

ClosedExamples
ClosedProposal documents

Commencement date, discipline, services provided are all descriptors that can be captured on the project and then appear throughout your proposal document. - view example

ClosedInvoices

If your invoice needs to display any additional information such as project start date, market sector of the project the data would be capture within an attribute and then added to your invoice.

ClosedProject document

As the project document is designed to extract all information stored on your projects, the option is available to insert all attributes into this document type.- view example

Using a CSV attribute

You will notice each attribute is repeated, and every other includes a CSV at the end of the attribute name. The difference being the standard attribute will display the values of the attribute group down the page. The CSV attribute will display the values of the attribute group across the page, separated by a comma (,):  

Standard attribute bookmark - goes down the page

CSV attribute bookmark - goes across the page

Tip: CSV will appear across the page.

Edit bookmarks

Once the initial template is registered it can be modified, but first bookmarks will need to be added.  Bookmarks are fields added to the MS Word® template to act as identifiers, so when a document is generated from Synergy, we know where to put the data.

ClosedComplete the following steps
  1. Select a template.
  2. Select Edit bookmarks .
  3. The bookmark schedule will appear.
  4. Select an attribute group from the left.
  5. Select Add>>.  The bookmark group/s will appear on the right hand side under Bookmarks in schedule.
  6. Click Next. If there's a table in the schedule, click next through this too. 
  7. Finish.

Tip: An option is available at the end to open the MS Word® template on close.

Open MS Word® template

You will need to open the template in MS Word® to finalise the changes made to the template.

ClosedComplete the following steps
  1. Select a template.
  2. Select Open word template .
  3. The document will be opened in MS Word®.
  4. The new bookmarks will appear at the bottom of the document.
  5. Cut and paste the bookmarks into position.
  6. Make formatting changes to the document.  Bookmarks can be formatted also.
  7. Save.

Tip: Did you know bookmarks can be placed into a table in the MS Word® document and even placed in the header/footer.

Cut and paste - don't copy the bookmarks Closed As you'll notice "brackets" around the bookmark i.e. [Current_Date].  These are our identifiers and without these we don't know where to populate the data.  When you copy a bookmark the brackets are lost.  If you need a bookmark to appear within the document again, return to the Edit bookmarks and add the bookmark for a second time in the schedule.

Don't delete bookmarks in the MS Word® documentClosed if you change your mind as Synergy stores a schedule and recognises that it should be populating it.  If the bookmark can't be found, an error will occur when the template is generated. Go back to Edit bookmarks.  Remove the bookmark from the schedule. Finish, then delete the field within the template.

Renaming of bookmarks

As you add a selected attribute bookmark to the schedule, if the attribute name is more than 40 characters it will be truncated. In order for the bookmarks to function properly in MS Word® they must only be 40 characters in length. 

ClosedExample

The attribute bookmark on the list on the left hand side is longer than 40 characters and a message prompts that it will be shortened. In the example below you can see the original bookmark name and the substitute bookmark name. 

Bookmark name

Substitute bookmark name

Project_Attribute_Commencement_Date_Long_Date

Prj_Atr_Commencement_Date_Long_Date

Tip: It's the substitute bookmark name that will appear in the MS Word® document.

Full list of attribute renamings

Bookmark name

Substitute bookmark name

Project_

Prj_

Sub_Project_

Sb_Prj_

Contract_

Ctrt_

Primary_

Pri_

Contact_

Ctt_

Personnel_

Per_

Staff_

Stf_

Attribute_

Atr_

Project_Manager_Attribute

Prj_Mngr_Atr_

Contract_Manager_Attribute_

Ctrt_Mngr_Atr_

Amount_Due_to_Contractor_

Am_Du_T_Ctrtr_

Sender_Attribute_

Sndr_Atr_

Note_E_Bank_

Nt_E_Bk_

Original_Practical_

Orig_Prac_

Original_

Orig_

Total_

Tl_

Current_

Crt_

Then if the bookmark is still not less that 40 characters, characters in front of the underscores will be removed.

Example

Project_Manager_Attribute firstly will be renamed to Prj_Mngr_Atr.

Then if there is still more than 40 characters will be renamed to P_M_Atr, and so on.

Want to learn more?

Looking for more help? Try reviewing the following Administration Tools topics: Concept Link IconView Topics

Or try reviewing the following Document Templates topics: Concept Link IconView Topics

 

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