This article contains the following:
Overview
Document templates allow you to create customised templates that you can then generate on any of your jobs. These can be useful for having dynamically populated quotes, job sheets and more.
Document templates can be accessed via the Settings menu on the desktop version of GeoOp. Templates cannot be edited on our mobile apps.
You can watch video tutorials here:
Default and Custom templates - here
Working with panels - here
Types of Document Templates
Default Templates
Down the left side of the screen are 3 prebuilt 'default templates that GeoOp provides as a start:
Quote: Create quotes for your customers using Charge items added to a GeoOp Job
Purchase Order: A list of Parts added to a Job, used for gaining quotes off suppliers or placing an order
Job Sheet: A general document of Job details, which could include notes and files added, or a record of Job Status changes made during a Job
Default templates can be modified however cannot be deleted.
Custom Templates
Underneath the defaults is a space for creating 'Custom Templates'. Custom templates can be created by clicking the 'Add New' button. This option is best if you wish to start fresh with a blank template to work on.
You can also duplicate any existing templates to help you get started on your custom ones. To do this, simply hover your mouse over the name of the document and two icons will appear in the top right of the box. The minus icon allows you to delete the custom template (not available for default templates), the copy icon allows you to create a duplicate of it.
When saved, Custom templates will be added to your list of Job documents that you can create for any Job.
Creating your own templates
Note: Ensure that your browser is not zoomed in or out when modifying documents. This will cause uneven alignment and may cause problems when you attempt to generate the document.
To the right of the screen you will find your template management tabs. These are detailed below.
Panels and Job Tables
Document Templates are made up of combinations of panels and Job tables:
Panels are section types that have been provided to allow specific functionality on your template, such as advanced text formatting, adding data merge fields, or inserting your company logo into the template
Tables contain pre-formatted sets of Job data, and are basically a different form of panel. They have been created to allow you add relevant data fields (eg for Job Charges or Parts) quickly and easily to a template, then format, change or remove the data fields within as you wish
Both panels and tables can be click-dragged onto a template, then placed above or below other panels or tables as you wish. This allows you to easily build the structure of your template, then reorganise and format things as required.
We have provided additional information on both below
Text Editor
This panel type allows advance text formatting, as you would be familiar with in a program like Microsoft Word
Text within the panel can be formatting as required, lists and bullet points can be added etc
This panel type cannot accept data merge fields
Important Note: When the Text Editor is selected, the formatting options for its contents are provided directly above the panel for easy access. However in the Format tab to the right you will also see further format options. As with other panel types, these options are strictly for the entire selected item, in this case the 'panel'.
Columned Data Panel
Columns can be added/removed by bringing up the panel's format settings
Columns can be re-sized by click-dragging on the dividing line between them
Cells within the panel can be moved to a new location by click-dragging on the left icon visible on rollover
Cells can be deleted by clicking the 'minus' icon visible on rollover
Cells can be inserted below the current one, by clicking the 'plus' icon visible on rollover
Cell height will be adjusted independently according to the text size within, and will not affect the row heights of other columns to the left/right
Table
Row heights will be kept consistent across all columns
Add and delete icons will affect rows and columns, inserting to the right or below
Click-dragging to move will move the entire row or column
Company Logo
If your own company logo has not been uploaded in Settings > Company Account, then a GeoOp one will display as an example only. It will not display on any documents generated
Logos can be left, right or centre-aligned on the page only, via the format settings for that panel
Logos can be re-sized as required, by click-dragging the left or right borders of the image
Formatting
The Format tab will display relevant formatting controls depending on what you have selected in the template. If you click into a panel type that uses cells, the controls here will display options for that cell.
If you click the Settings icon for a panel or table, the options here will apply to the whole. The controls available allow you to format text across the panel/cell, add borders, colours, padding etc. In some cases, as with the Columned Data Panel, you will also have further options display (such as adding/removing columns, in this case).
In addition to these options you also have a tickbox to hide the field if all data fields within have no value. This is especially helpful for quick rolling up of fields to display addresses correctly, and your default templates will be set to do this already.
Note: For more advanced control over hiding fields, see the section on Data Links below
Data Fields
The Data tab provides all available dynamic data fields for you to add to your selected panel or table type. These fields will dynamically populate based on the job you generate the template from.
To add a field, simply click into a panel or table cell, then click the field name to add it in place.
Fields that have been placed already can then be re-arranged, or moved to other cells. To delete a cell, either back space over it on your keyboard, or click drag it to the red bar to the side of the panel or table.
Important Note: The available list of data fields will change depending on the panel or table selected. This is because some fields are not compatible with the panel or table. For example, Time field are not available to add to a Parts Table. Charge Item fields can only be added to (non-header) rows in releavant tables, as they will need to flow to multiple tables rows (depending on how many charges your Job has).
Data: Links
Also located on the Data tab is a section called Links. Links allow you to select a particular template element and link it a to data merge field (or more than 1, if required). Then, when the document is created, if the values of the data field(s) are empty the element will be hidden.
On the surface this is a similar function to the tickbox option provided on the Format tab. However that option is a quick and easy way of linking a particular cell to the data fields it contains. If a cell solely contains text, clearly this is not an option.
Whereas field linking can take almost any template element:
panels that accept fields in any way
table rows
individual cells within columned blocks, regardless of content
...and allow it to be linked to a value of a field.
Fields can be linked to an element by:
Selecting the element – either an individual cell or by clicking into the settings of a panel or table;
Navigating to the Data options for it;
Finding the data field you wish to link to;
Clicking the link icon to the left of the field (which shows upon mouse rollover);
This field will then display in the Links section.
Note: If you apply a link to a single cell within a table, the link will automatically apply the link to the entire row.
Example – To hide an entire Parts table when there are no Parts added to a particular Job, simply roll your mouse pointer over the Parts table, then click the yellow settings icon in the top-right of the panel. If not already visible, click the 'Data' tab on the right panel options. Link the table to the main summary field for Parts data values, which would likely be 'part grandtotal'. Repeat the process for any header text panel. Now, if you create a document on a Job with no Parts at all, this whole table and header will be hidden.
Saving and Previewing your Templates
At the bottom of the screen are further options. The first of these is a quick Preview, to check your template is displaying as required. To help you with this, you have the option of choosing an existing Job to preview the template with. Jobs on this list are chosen to provide a range of possibilities (eg few Charges, lots of Charges, lots of Job attachments, and so on).
Simply select a Job and then click Preview. Your PDF will be generated for you to view (or even print or save, if required).
Clearing and Resetting Templates
After working on a template, the template's name will display yellow in the left-hand menu to show it has been edited. Ensure you save your changes after working on a template.
Moving your mouse over the template name will bring up a gear icon, which will open up the template settings on the right, if you click on it.
The Clear button will wipe all content from the template so should be used with caution. The Reset button will revert the template back to the GeoOp default (for Default Templates only).
Using your Templates
To access your full list of templates for a Job, simply select a Job from the Job List to edit it, then click the Create Document button available at the top-left of the screen.
