What is a custom Word template?
A custom Word template is a dynamic reporting option that allows you to export your captured form data and push it to a Word template of your own design.
Can I download a starting template?
Yes, you can! To download a starting template (which will contain all of the fieldkeys from your form):
Select the Reporting button in the Form Builder.
Select the Custom tab.
Select Generate and Download to generate a Word report which you can then edit, stylize, and re-upload.
Add fields
Adding fields to your custom Word template is simple. All you need to do is get your field's fieldkey and put it in your custom Word template surrounded by $ signs. In the example below, we have Inspector Name, Inspector Phone Number and Client Name in the custom Word template. When the form is submitted, data from the form will replace the fieldkeys.
After saving the Word document, upload it to the Custom tab in the Reporting menu, and then save and publish the form. Here is what the Word report looks like after submitting:
Stylizing
Fonts, colors, font sizes, etc. will be mimicked in your reports. If you put your $fieldkey$ as Helvetica with a blue color, it will mimic those on the report. However, it cannot use custom fonts. It is limited to generic Word fonts.
Repeating sections
To create Repeating Sections:
Add a table. You will only need to create the first row.
Right-click on the table and select Table Properties.
In the Alt Text tab, put the fieldkey of the section that is repeating as the Title and Save.
Then for each cell, put the fieldkey in the field that you want to add, surrounded by $ signs.
If you would like to create a header row that does not repeat, please see the Header Rows section in this article.
Repeating sections do not require a prefix.
Subforms
For subforms, you will need to use a table. It is set up the exact same as a repeating section, except that your fieldkeys in the cell will need a prefix. Once you have added the table:
Right-click on your table and select Table Properties.
In the Alt Text tab, enter the fieldkey of your subform field under Title and Save.
Enter your subform fieldkey as the prefix.
For example, if your subform fieldkey is subform_1 and your field fieldkey is date_2, you would put this in the cell $subform_1_date_2$
Notice the subform fieldkey is the prefix and it is separating the fieldkey by an underscore.
If you would like to create a header row that does not repeat, please see the Header Rows section in this article.
Subform columns
If you want to use a column format for your subforms, you can do that by setting it up as shown in the following image. We recommend using the first row as a blank space so there is some separation between the instances.
This is what it looks like on the report with 2 subform instances:
Header rows
If you want to have a header row in the same table as your data, you can do this by specifying header_row in the description of the table properties.
After uploading and saving this to your form, you will now be able to submit a form with a header row that does not repeat in the table. This will give you a fixed row with headers for each column in your table.
Photos and signatures
For photos and signatures, use a one-celled table. All photos will be put inside that cell. If you want multiple photos per row, make sure you specify the amount in the advanced report settings for that multi-photo field.
Warning
We recommend avoiding submissions with over 500 photos, as this is the limit officially supported by our team. Clients can choose to exceed this limit, but doing so carries risks, such as potential challenges with internet stability, especially in areas with poor connections. Additionally, large submissions may lead to failed workflows, reports, and downloads. While there's no strict cap on photo numbers, going beyond the supported limit raises the chances of encountering these issues. For a smoother uploading experience, it's best to keep the app open until all images are uploaded and minimize the number of photos for better processing.
Advanced Report Setting. In the example below, we set it to 4 photos per row:
Custom Word Template. In the example below, we have a single-celled table with the fieldkey surrounded by $ signs:
Word report output: (Screenshot below)
Dynamic checkboxes
When creating a custom Word report, you have the capability to include dynamic checkboxes that correspond with items checked off from a user's submitted form. For example, if a user checks off items from a list on a form from the App, your report can also show that same list with checkboxes marked accordingly. To learn how to use dynamic checkboxes in your reports, please see our in-depth dynamic checkboxes guide, which will walk you through each step. If you have any questions or issues, please feel free to reach out to FastField Support.