Combining the binding syntax with static text to achieve advanced Dynamics use-cases

About this article

In this article, we will explain how the binding syntax can be used together with static text within smart templates to achieve advanced use-cases with Dynamics. The combination of static text and the binding syntax is especially used when creating advanced smart fields.

• Using the binding syntax with static text in smart templates
• Use cases examples

 

Prerequisites

Library and at least one Dynamics modules enabled Templafy Desktop and Office VSTO add-in installed Tenant admin/owner access or Space owner access

 

Using the binding syntax with static text in smart templates

Sometimes, when building a smart template, it might be required to create complex text bindings in order to achieve specific use cases utilizing both dynamic and static input. These use cases may be applicable to smart fields or to template properties. Achieving this type of advanced use cases requires a good understanding of the binding syntax and might require a good knowledge of conditions, functions, and operators based in the desired result.

 

Combining static text and the binding syntax isn't supported with smart fields of type image, slide insertion, or text element insertion or with template settings of type proofing language, color theme, page setup, and image header.  Please note that PowerPoint dynamics can only support one text formatting per shape, if multiple text formatting are found within the shape, only one text formatting will be kept and applied to all text within the shape during the presentation/slide/slide element creation/insertion/update.

 

Combining static text and the binding syntax can also be used to create paragraphs and bullet lists as the lines breaks added in the binding field will results in different paragraphs during the document creation/update.

 

Use cases examples

Examples 1, 2, and 3 can be applied to all templates/assets supporting dynamics, example 4 can only be applied to the spreadsheets Library.

 

Example 1

Utilizing a custom text binding combining static text and the binding syntax to inject user profile information, response form answers, and static text to create a customized sentence for a prospect

Binding	{{UserProfile.Company.Name}} could easily help {{Form.CustomerCompany}} with its {{Form.CustomerMainPainPoint.Name}} by {{Form.CustomerMainPainPoint.Description}}
Input	UserProfile.Company.Name = MyCompany Form.CustomerCompany = ProspectA Form.CustomerMainPainPoint.Name = brand activation	UserProfile.Company.Name = MyCompany Form.CustomerCompany = ProspectB Form.CustomerMainPainPoint.Name = repetitive document creation
Output	MyCompany could easily help ProspectA with its brand activation by distributing template and assets to end-users right where they work	MyCompany could easily help ProspectB with its repetitive document creation by distributing automated contracts and proposals to end-users

 

Data source in the above example

 

 

Example 2

Utilizing a custom text binding combining static text, line breaks and the binding syntax to inject response form answers to create a bullet list containing the prospect company facts

Binding	{{Form.CustomerCompany}} founded in {{Form.CustomerCompanyYear}} {{Form.CustomerEmployeeCount}} employees working out of {{UserProfile.Company.Name}} countries
Input	Form.CustomerCompany = ProspectA Form.CustomerCompanyYear = 2014 Form.CustomerEmployeeCount = 500 Form.CustomerCountryCount = 21	Form.CustomerCompany = ProspectB Form.CustomerCompanyYear = 2019 Form.CustomerEmployeeCount = 140 Form.CustomerCountryCount = 3
Output	ProspectA founded in 2014  500 employees working out of 21 countries	ProspectB founded in 2019 140 employees working out of 3 countries

 

Example 3

Utilizing a custom text binding together with the Upper() function, static text, line breaks and the binding syntax to apply the desired casing to the user information: the first paragraph should contain the name of the user in uppercase, the second paragraph should mention the user's job title and the company name in the same casing as used in the user profile.

Binding	{{Upper(UserProfile.Name)}} {{UserProfile.JobTitle}} at {{UserProfile.CompanyName}}
Input	UserProfile.Name = John Doe UserProfile.JobTitle = Sales Manager UserProfile.CompanyName = CompanyA	UserProfile.Name = Jane Doe UserProfile.JobTitle = Product Owner UserProfile.CompanyName = CompanyB
Output	JOHN DOE  Sales Manager at CompanyA	JANE DOE Product Owner at CompanyB

 

 

Example 4 (applicable to the Spreadsheets Library only) 

Utilizing the header and footer property in Excel together with Microsoft headers/footers format code and the binding syntax to apply the desired formatting to the user information in the header: the name of the user and the job title should be separated by a line break, the name of the user should be bold and the job title italic. 

Binding	&B{{UserProfile.Name}}&B &I{{UserProfile.JobTitle}}&I
Input	UserProfile.Name = John Doe UserProfile.JobTitle = Sales Manager	UserProfile.Name = Jane Doe UserProfile.JobTitle = Product Owner
Output	John Doe Sales Manager	Jane Doe Product Owner

 

 

Related articles

What is the binding syntax used in smart templates? How to insert custom text bindings to accommodate complex use cases? How to set the header or footer of a spreadsheet? What are functions, conditions, and operators?