In our document template editor, a variable is a container used to label and store specific information within your workspace. They can be set up so that the contents of the variable autofill's each time you generate the document.
When you generate a document with a variable in it, it will retrieve the appropriate content connected and insert it where the variable is placed.
Where can I access Variables?
To access the variables, we need to edit our document templates in configuration.
- Go to settings Configuration > Document Templates
- Select the document template of your choice
- Drag a new textbox to the editor or select an existing text box in your document
- Select the edit button
- Select variable on the far right of the menu
- Search for the variable you are looking for
- Add
How does searching for Variables work?
Example: Consider the scenario in which an invoice needs to be created with the project's number included.
In this situation, a text box module has been positioned in the invoice template, awaiting a variable. Click where you desire the variable, then select "variable". A prompt will display offering three options: Company details, Invoice, and Logged in user.
For each of these three options, you will notice a >> symbol. Selecting the >> symbol will allow you to see and select additional variables related to the initial one. For our scenario, we are looking for the invoice's project so select the variable of Invoice first.
In this Invoice variable, you now have access to any variable related to the invoice. From here we want to find the project variable so we can access the project's number. Find or search for the project variable and select Number.
By check boxing and adding the Number variable, you have successfully included the invoice's project's number onto your document.
Tip: Keep track of your search history by looking at the search path above the search bar.
Important note: when using the search bar for variables, Rentman only searches a maximum of two levels deep from your current variable. That means if a variable is past two levels deep from your current search level, it will not be shown as a search result.
So in the example above, if you were to use the search bar from the Start variable and try typing in "project number", no search results will appear. But if you use the search bar while in Invoice, you will see the project number appear.
Where else can I use Variables?
Variables are mainly used in the textbox module, but they can also be used in other parts of the editor to enhance document customization.
By assigning a variable here, it will ensure that each template generated is automatically modified according to your request.
- Subject: The subject line of the email.
- Filename: File name of the document.
- Header text: Text that appears at the very top of the document.
- Footer text: Text that appears at the very bottom of the document.
Variables can also be used in addition with our extra input field feature. This is a great way to get your data from an extra input field onto the document of your choice. Here's how you can do that:
- Create an extra input field by selecting settings Configuration > Extra Input Fields
- Now go to Document template editor located in settings Configuration
- Select the document template of your choice
- Drag a new textbox to the editor or select an existing text box in your document
- Select the edit button
- Select variables on the far right of the menu
- Either search for the extra input field's name or scroll down and manually select the input
- Add
The extra input field you set can also be pulled as a variable and added in as a column in your document editor.
- Go to Document template editor located in settingsConfiguration > Document template
- Select the document of your choice
- Select a module on your editor that has the columns in it
- Select the table_chart column on the right menu under Module
- Add Column
- Search or manually find the extra input field
- Add
FAQ
When looking for variables in the editor, consider the document type you are currently editing (packing slip, contract, invoice etc.). Not all documents will share the same variables, some are exclusive to their document type.
No, we do not provide lists of variables to customers. Please use the search bar to find the variable you are looking for.
- P: Project
- F: Financial
- SP: Subproject