Prepare and test a template
After you create the process, the Editor will appear so you can start designing your template online or in a desktop app. Alternatively, you can choose to upload a pre-made template.
Templating syntax
To create your own templates easily, get acquainted with how the templating syntax works for supported formats:
Hint
To avoid syntax errors in your DOCX templates, make sure your template syntax matches with your selected engine. Note that by default, Modern Engine is enabled.
Online Editor
The online editor allows you to create document templates and modify them online right within your Plumsail process.
For Office document templates, the editor will show the template preview. To start working on the document template here, click on the Edit online button:
If you’re working on a HTML template, you’re able to make changes right away, as there is no preview mode.
Note
No online editor is available for fillable PDF form templates. You’ll have only its preview on this step. You can consult our detailed description of how to create fillable PDFs.
The online editor provides a full-screen mode for a more comfortable experience while working in the template. Switch to a fullscreen and back by simply clicking on the button.
Editing in Microsoft Office
Online editor for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint templates is based on Google Docs. That’s why you may encounter incompatibilities for certain Microsoft Office features. For example, Google Docs doesn’t support watermarks.
We recommend working on complex document templates outside the process in a desktop application. You can switch between online editing and the desktop app using the dropdown in the top menu of the editor.
While you edit the template, the process watches for changes and applies them immediately once they are saved in the desktop app.
Test the template, check the tokens, and reopen it in the desktop app if needed.
Additionally, you can use the Upload and Download buttons as soon as you open the editor to download your template, modify it in the desktop app, and then upload it back to the process.
Test document template
You can instantly check how all your modifications to the template will affect the resulting file. Both the preview and the editor include the Test template button:
After you’ve clicked on the button, a side panel will appear with two options for testing the template: you can fill the auto-generated testing form or submit a JSON representing your data for the document template.
Read more about testing templates and troubleshooting errors.
Test DOCX templates
While working with DOCX templates, you may see a mismatch alert in the toolbox.
This alert triggers if your template syntax doesn’t match the template engine.
Since all new processes default to the Modern Engine, if you are still using Classic syntax, you must either update your template or adjust the engine type in the Template settings.
To learn more about the specific syntax rules and differences, see our guide on Modern and Classic DOCX engine.
Save template
You can switch between preview and edit modes by clicking Edit Online/Edit in Desktop and Exit Editor/Stop Editing in Desktop.
However, none of the changes will be applied to the process until you press Save. To confirm you’re satisfied with the template result and ready to go to the next step, click on this button:
Once you finish working on the template and save it, you can further configure the process and template settings.