Embedded tables, such as Related Tables, Link to Selected Fields from Other Table, or Embedded Search Results can be included in document templates. You can allow the template to automatically format the embedded table, or you can enforce custom formatting explicitly in the document template. Both methods are described below.

This article also explains how to include an embedded table with a specific saved search, and how to embed fields from other tables.

Automatic Table Formatting

If you place the related table like any other field, the template automatically generates a table for you. Insert the formula and embedded table on a separate line from the body of the text.

$formula($related1231231231)

When you use this method, the system formats the table with the columns from the embedded table's view, and it automatically calculates appropriate cell widths. With automatic formatting, you don't need to draw a table or define columns in the document template at all. However, if you aren't happy with the automatic formatting in the final product, you need to use custom formatting.

Custom Table Formatting 

You can define your own table format, labels, and columns, and set properties like cell width in the document template file.

Look Up Variable Names

Before you begin, you can save time by looking up the variable names of the fields you want to use.

• For related tables or embedded search results, look in the target table for the logical field name used to insert the table. Then, look at the source table to find the logical field names used to define the columns.
• For links to selected fields, look in the target table for the logical field name used to insert the table. Stay in the source table, edit the linked field, and go to the Fields tab to find the logical names you can use to define the columns.

Add the Custom Table

To add a table with custom formatting:

1. Insert the field variable for the embedded table, such as $related123123123 or $link_to_selected_fields. Note that for a link to selected fields, you need to use the link column name found on the Fields tab of the field wizard.

2. Directly below the variable, create a table in Word. The system will use this table to format the information in your embedded table.

   If you want to include a header row, go to the table in  Agiloft and go to Print Records > Manage in the action bar. Edit the Main Template, select "Include column headings in table," and click Finish. If you don't want to use a header row, select "Include only table data without headings" instead. This controls the default setting for table headings in all document templates in the Contracts table.
   

3. Add and format one, two, three, or more rows as needed:

   • One row: The entire embedded table is formatted to match this row. You must manually add the related table variable, $related1231231231, but you can use the Agiloft app for Word to insert the variables inside each cell.
     
   • Two rows: If you select Include column headings in table, the first row is used as a header row in the embedded table and the rest of the table is formatted to match the second row. You must manually add the related table variable, $related1231231231, but you can use the ACA for Word to insert the variables inside each cell.
     
     If you select Include only table data without headings, odd rows are formatted to match the first row and even rows are formatted to match the second row.
     
     You can also create a static header, where the table headings from  Agiloft are ignored. Consider this example of a link to selected fields with MVE:
     
   • Three rows: The first row is used as a header row in the embedded table, odd rows are formatted like the second row, and even rows are formatted like the third row. Below is an example of the template with a static header, where the second and third rows define the format for odd and even rows. You must manually add the related table variable, $related1231231231, but you can use the ACA for Word to insert the variables inside each cell.
     
   • Additional rows: Any extraneous rows are included in the final document, but not used to format the embedded table. For example, you might include a row with the total cost. You can also include field variables in extra rows, but only for fields in the same table.
4. Position the fields by inserting the appropriate field variable in each column heading.
5. Test your template to make sure the table size, design, color, and column width look appropriate with data. If you include File with Versioning fields in the table, make sure the image sizes are appropriate to the table size.

Nesting Embedded Tables

You can nest embedded tables if necessary, using the same syntax.

Saved Searches

You can add a saved search to the related table in the document template using the following format:

$related123456789(search:LABEL_NAME)

To find the logical label of a saved search, edit the search, go to the Options tab, and locate the Label field:

An example of this would be:

$related123456789(search:All Active Attachments - Ignore Superseded)

Insert Fields From Other Tables

Use the following syntax to insert variables from records in other tables. This syntax differs from standard field variable chains because the inserted variable does not have to be connected by a linked record. For example, this makes it possible to insert text or other data from a specific record into a document template or formula in any other record, such as adding a contract clause to contract templates using variables from a Clause Library table. You can even insert File with Versioning fields to add Microsoft Word .docx files that contain clause text.

When you add a clause using a Word file, you can optionally add a parameter at the end. Available parameters include:

• customaltchunk=true to use AltChunk and preserve the clause's text formatting instead of using the document template's formatting; this is also useful if the clause uses HTML-formatted bullets or numbering, which are not recognized by Word
• use_clause_word_file_num_style=true to preserve the clause's numbering style and order instead of matching the document template's numbering
• inherit_num_levels=[n n+1 n+2 ... n+m ] in conjunction with use_clause_word_file_num_style=true to continue a numbered list in the document template using numbered content in the clause; make sure the numbers listed are positive values, and note that the numbers listed confer the level of the numbering, not the numerical value shown in the template
• nodelemptypara, not set to true or false, to preserve empty paragraphs, if any are created by your formulas and must be preserved for readability or other formatting reasons; this is rarely used
• skipformulatagging=true to preserve formatting like bold text that is placed on only part of a formula; this is rarely used

Syntax

$field_from_other_table($table,$id,$field_name,param)

Word File Examples

Consider the following table setup:

• Primary table: Table running the document template  
  • Table name: contract
  • Fields: contract_term_in_months,  contract_start_date, contract_end_date.  

• Secondary table: Table referenced by main table 
  • Table name: clause
  • Fields: clause_ms_word_file, clause_title
  • Record IDs: 44, 46, 48

Note: In the above example, the clause_text and clause_title fields are not directly or indirectly linked to the contract.

$field_from_other_table(clause,44,clause_ms_word_file)

$startif($contract_term_in_months >12)$field_from_other_table(clause,48,clause_ms_word_file, customaltchunk=true)$endif

$field_from_other_table(clause,$linked_field_clause_id,clause_ms_word_file)

HTML Text Examples

Consider the following table setup:

• Primary table: Table running the document template  
  • Table name: contract
  • Fields: contract_term_in_months,  contract_start_date, contract_end_date.  

• Secondary table: Table referenced by main table 
  • Table name: clause
  • Fields: clause_text, clause_title
  • Record IDs: 44, 46, 48

Note: In the above example, the clause_text and clause_title fields are not directly or indirectly linked to the contract.

$field_from_other_table(clause,44,clause_text)

$startif($contract_term_in_months >12)$field_from_other_table(clause,48,clause_text)$endif

$field_from_other_table(clause,$linked_field_clause_id,clause_text)

Notes

The $field_from_other_table(clause,44,clause_text) string cannot be used for statements that use the $if condition. For example:

$if($contract_term_in_months < 12)? $field_from_other_table(clause,44,clause_text): $field_from_other_table(clause,48,clause_text) 

However, you can use two pairs of $startif and $endif statements instead. For example:

$startif($contract_term_in_months < 12)$field_from_other_table(clause,44,clause_text)$endif $startif($contract_term_in_months >=12)$field_from_other_table(clause,48,clause_text) $endif

• HTML fields inserted into document template, use the Normal Web style and will eliminate any numbering or bullet styles applied in the document template document.
  
  • To insert text with numbers or bullets, use a table in MS Word with a column for the numbering or bullets and a column for the clause text.
  • To create consistent styles in your document template, choose the appropriate font and make it your Normal Web style.

• When you use field variables from a non-linked table, such as the clause_text field in this example, that field variable may contain variables that reference the main table, such as $contract_start_date or $contract_manager.cell_phone.
  
  • When a document template on the Contract table uses a statement that references a field in a different table, such as $field_from_other_table(clause,44,clause_text), the system first evaluates the clause_text field from Clause table's record 44, and then resolves the included reference to $contract_start_date from the contract record where the document template runs.

• While resolving variables from a secondary table record, the view permissions of the field are checked. If the user running a document template does not have view permissions for the field being referenced, then that field value is not resolved in the resulting document.

• If a formula is not resolved, the line is left blank. For example, if you use the $startif condition and the condition is not met, the line will be left empty in the resulting template.