Understanding and Formatting Content Controls in Word Templates

Instructions

What Are Content Controls?

• They are the green boxes you see when inserting a field from the Add-In. Each one is connected to a specific field in your form.
• They carry the field’s ID, which lets Smarter Drafter know what data to insert

Enable Design Mode in Word

1. In Word, go to Developer > Design Mode.
2. Turning this on allows you to:
   
   • View and edit content control properties.
   • See placeholder text clearly.
   • Avoid accidentally deleting control tags.
     
     

Enable Paragraph Marks

1. Go to Home > ¶ (Show/Hide).
2. This reveals formatting marks like spaces, tabs, and paragraph breaks.
3. It helps you manage spacing around fields and avoid broken formatting.
   
   

Edit Placeholder Text

1. Click into the content control (green box).
2. Replace the default [ * ] with something descriptive like [Client First Name].
3. Do not delete the control itself—just update the text inside.
   
   
   
   

Use Correct Punctuation and Spacing

• Add any necessary punctuation outside the content control, not inside it.
• For example:
  ✅ [Client Name].
  ❌ [Client Name.]
  
  

Avoid Deleting or Nesting Controls

• Don’t manually move or copy content controls using copy-paste.
• Never nest one content control inside another—this will break the logic.

Tips for Use

• Use Design Mode and paragraph marks at all times when editing automated templates.
• Add consistent placeholder naming to keep your templates readable and easy to maintain.
• Insert fields through the Add-In only—never try to manually type or copy green boxes.

Common Issues & Solutions

• Issue: A field doesn’t populate in the final document.
• Solution: The content control might have been deleted or edited incorrectly. Reinsert it from the Add-In.
• Issue: Text formatting breaks around the field.
• Solution: Use paragraph marks to inspect spacing or extra line breaks. Reposition content as needed outside the field control.