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Template Fields

Learn how to calculate a text field based on inputs in other cells

Micaela Abreu Caesar avatar
Written by Micaela Abreu Caesar
Updated over 5 months ago

Template Fields (sometimes referred to as Text Calculations) are auto-generated text fields based on customized combinations of other fields within the same row. Most often they are used for Naming Conventions.

💡Any Text Field can be changed into a custom Template Field.


Why Use Template Fields?

Template Fields have many benefits:

Create a Template Field

To create a custom Template Field:

  1. Access Settings: Enter Settings in the left-hand menu of your parent account and then select Media Types & Fields.

  2. Select a Media Type: From the drop-down list, select the media type to which you want to add a new template field.

  3. Add a New Media Field: Click on '+Add field' blue text located above the library of fields on the right side of your screen.

  4. Fill In Field Settings: The type of the field must be selected as 'Text'. Then in the field settings, you must check the box next to 'Template field'.

  5. Add Components: Once the box is checked, an extra input window will appear. At the top of it, there are preselected fields, but you can add any of the existing fields by pulling them from the library of fields and dropping them in the 'template' space.

  6. Additional Settings: You can also decide whether you want your template field to be all lower/upper case or original, and if you want to utilize it or replace whitespaces.

  7. Save the Field: Once you are done with setting up the field, hit the button "create field" in the left bottom corner.

How to add other fields to a template field

Change a Text Field into a Template Field

To change an already existing text field into a template field:

  1. Access Settings: Enter Settings in the left-hand menu of your parent account and then select Media Types & Fields.

  2. Select a Media Type: From the drop-down list, select the media type that owns a text field you want to edit.

  3. Select a Media Field: In the library of fields on the right part of your screen select a text field that you want to edit.

  4. Edit a Media Field: In the field settings for a selected text field you must check the box next to 'Template field'.

  5. Add Components: Once the box is checked, an extra input window will appear. At the top of it, there are preselected fields, but you can add any of the existing fields by pulling them from the library of fields and dropping them in the 'template' space.

  6. Additional Settings: You can also decide whether you want your template field to be all lower/upper case or original, and if you want to utilize it or replace whitespaces.

  7. Save the Field: Once you are done with setting up the field, hit the button "create field" in the left bottom corner.

⚠️ Note that the changes you make to this field will apply to the field everywhere it is used, regardless of the media type.

Determine Abbreviations and Formatting

You can further customize your template field by using abbreviations or custom date formats (if a date field) for the template components.

  • Abbreviations are available for Tags, Media Types, and Media Vehicles. Abbreviations are set and controlled on each respective settings page.

  • By default, dates will display as YYYY-MM-DD. However, they can be formatted in a variety of ways. To see all of the options available, please visit this link.

I've Just Created a Template Field But It Doesn't Work

  • Always make sure to refresh your page, as certain settings changes won't go into effect until a hard refresh has been completed.

  • If you refresh the page and it doesn't help, try to change the lines themselves

    • Add some new data

    • Wait until the 'All data saved' label appears

    • Remove the recently added data (if necessary)


Get Support

Have questions or need help? You can reach us directly via the messenger on Mediatool.com or the contact support button located in the top right corner of the Mediatool App.

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