Build Word templates that map cleanly from Excel.
Use familiar Word documents with a small set of tags. Keep the layout, branding, tables, headers, and footers in Word; doctagd fills the fields from each Excel row.
Placeholders
Use tags for one-off values such as client names, dates, totals, and signatories.
Repeating rows
Repeat a paragraph or a Word table row for line items, stakeholders, products, or tasks.
Conditions
Show or hide optional clauses from simple Excel values without writing formulas.
Placeholders
A placeholder is a value doctagd replaces. Use clear names that match your spreadsheet headers where possible.
{{client_name}}
[Client Name]
<<client_name>>
{client_name}Repeating Sections
Use repeat sections when multiple Excel rows belong in one document. On the mapping screen, choose the parent ID column. Rows with the same parent ID become one document.
Project: {project_name}
{#items}
{item_name} - {quantity} - {price}
{/items}Conditional Sections
Use condition names beginning with show, hide, or if. Configure the rule in doctagd: has any value, equals, or does not equal.
{#show_discount}
Discount: {discount_amount}
{/show_discount}
{^show_discount}
No discount applies.
{/show_discount}Value formatting
Keep your placeholders plain — no special syntax inside the tag. On the mapping screen, expand a placeholder and pick how to format its value: a date in a friendlier format, a currency, a number with set decimals and thousands separators, or change the letter case. You can also set a default for blank cells, or add a prefix/suffix. Rules are saved with the config and apply on every re-run, including via the API.
{agreement_date} date → 13 May 2026
{total_fee} currency → £4,800.00
{client_name} case → ACME LTDWord Setup Tips
Retype broken tags
If Word splits a placeholder while you style it, retype the whole tag in one go with no formatting change inside the tag.
Keep loops one level deep
Nested repeat sections are not supported. Flatten the Excel data into one parent ID plus one repeated child row per line item.
Use Word for layout
For complex tables, create the table in Word and place the loop tags around the row that should repeat.
Save working configs
After a template maps correctly, save it as a config so future Excel exports can reuse the template and mapping.