Hello ,
In the current client we have the need to create a document (specifications for tenders). The functionality is that in the bpm there is a form with several sections that the user must fill with information. This information must be formatted (tables, bold, list of items). We need to be able to add this formatted text in specific points of the document that is used as a template.
We have tried with the smart service dynamic template but it does not preserve the text formatting.
What would be the right solution for this?
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Hi Stefan,
What you mentioned about static templates is indeed interesting. However, what I require is a template to which I can append the formatted text that the user generates at a specific location within the document. For instance, consider a form with several sections where the user writes formatted text in each of them, including lists, bullets, and tables. This text should be added to the template document at the designated location for that text. For example:
The one hint I can give you is that if you're using the basic Word Docx from Template node, the insertion points can actually be fed WordML in plaintext and with a bit (ok, a LOT) of work, you can generate word documents with an almost endless variety of formatting (INCLUDING tables that you have built essentially by hand). Only go this route though if you are REALLY dedicated to it, because it takes a lot of troubleshooting and there's very little official documentation out there.
The method I describe is in no way static. You can put any valid HTML content in it. And if you let your users enter free-style text, it is stored as HTML and should work as well.
Hello, another option that comes to mind is to capture each section of the form in HTML and generate a Word document for each section. Then, perform a merge in the desired order to create the final document. What do you think about this solution compared to the one you mentioned, Stefan?
I ran into issues whenever I tried to use Word documents in Appian, sooner or later. My default recommendation is HTML to PDF.
OK, Stefan, we'll try it and I'll tell you if something works.