Why aren't my placeholders working?

If your placeholder is not accepted, it may be due to the formatting or the prefix.

Has the placeholder been inserted incorrectly in the invoice template?


In order for them to be inserted correctly, it is not enough to simply write them into a Word document. Rather, a field must be created that contains the name of the placeholder and has the format MergeField.

Note: We'll tell you how this works in Word in the video below or in the article Creating your own templates with Microsoft Word. On the other hand, here are the instructions if you want to use Open Office for your templates.

The placeholder already exists, but still doesn't work?


If you  want to improve or change a placeholder, it is just as inadequate as when you are inserting it, simply to rename it on the surface. Rather, you have to go back to the field options and change the name there. You can get there by right-clicking on the placeholder and selecting the Edit field option. Clicking OK then confirms your change.

Is the placeholder not in the intended block?


Some placeholders only work in the blocks provided for them. This applies above all to the placeholders for the positions.

Example: The placeholder [InvoiceItem.description] cannot be outside the block [InvoiceItem].

If you want to read again what blocks and bookmarks were, take a look at the relevant section in the article Upload a new template.

Is the prefix the right one for the document?


The prefix indicates which document type it belongs to. If it begins with the prefix Invoice, it can only appear in an invoice  and does not work in a reminder or in an offer.

Exceptions:

  • date
  • steer
  • own company
  • Customers and contacts
  • items
  • custom attributes