The template editor
Design a layout: text, tables, fields, conditional sections, letterhead, page setup and brand colour.
9 min read
The editor works like a word processor, with one important addition: fields. A field is a placeholder that is replaced by real data when a document is made. The template is saved automatically as you type.
Around the editor
| Where | What it does |
|---|---|
| Template name | Click the name at the top to rename the template. |
| Save status | Shows Saved, Unsaved changes, or Saving. Save now forces a save. If saving fails it retries by itself. |
| View: Edit, Side by side, Preview | Edit shows only the editor. Preview shows the finished document. Side by side shows both. |
| Sample product | Chooses which of your products fills the preview and the sample download. Switch products to check the template works for each. |
| Download PDF / Word | Makes a real document from the sample product so you can check the output. |
| More actions (three dots) | Page setup and brand kit, Letterhead, Image library, Version history, Duplicate and Delete. |
Formatting
The toolbar has text style (paragraph and three heading levels), bold, italic, underline, alignment, links, bulleted and numbered lists, tables, dividers, undo and redo. Type / in the text to open a quick menu of blocks and styles.
Fields
Choose Insert field (or type / and search) and pick a value. Fields come from three places: the product (name, model number, description, any specification parameter and more), your company profile (name, address, website, certifications) and the system (such as today's date). In the editor a field shows as a small chip. In a finished document it shows the real value.
- If a product has no value for a field, SpecIQ asks for it under To finish this document when you make a document. Click the field in the editor to open its options and add fallback text (for example "On request") so it never blocks the document.
- Clicking a block, such as a specifications table or a conditional section, opens its options too, for example whether to show rows with no value.
- Next to the field list you can see which fields your sample product has values for.
- If you type a name that is close to an existing field, the editor suggests it so you do not create duplicates.
Blocks
Insert (the plus menu) adds blocks that are more than text:
| Block | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Specifications table | The product's technical parameters as a table with name, value and unit columns. It grows and shrinks with the product. |
| Field group | A set of related fields, shown as a table or a list. |
| Product image | The product's main image. |
| Image from library | A logo, certification mark, signature or diagram you uploaded to your image library. |
| Company logo | Your logo from the company profile. |
| Conditional section | Content that shows only when a field has a value, is empty, or equals a value you choose. |
| Repeat for each list item | Repeats a line for every item in a list such as the key features. |
| Page break | Starts a new page. |
Tables
Click inside a table to get the Table menu: insert rows above or below, insert columns left or right, delete rows or columns, merge cells and delete the table. Drag a column edge to resize it.
Page setup and brand kit
- Page setup sets paper size (A4 or US Letter), orientation and the four margins (8 to 50 mm) for this template.
- Brand kit (in the same dialog) sets your brand colour and your usual paper size. They apply to every template and export of your company. Brand colour is applied on plans that include the full brand kit.
Letterhead
Letterhead controls the header and footer of every page. Use the standard one (logo or company name on the left and the date on the right, website and page number in the footer), or design your own: up to a few lines, each with text, fields and your logo, aligned left, centre or right, with an optional thin line under the header and above the footer.
Image library
Upload images you reuse across templates, then insert them with Image from library. This is the place for stamps, signatures and certification marks. Product photos are different: they belong to the product.
Version history
SpecIQ keeps earlier versions of a template, including automatic snapshots. Open Version history from the three dots menu to see them, compare, or restore. Restoring brings a version back as a new top version, so nothing is overwritten. How far back history goes depends on your plan.
If something goes wrong
- This template was changed somewhere else. You edited in two places. Choose Reload latest or Keep mine and overwrite.
- Repair and edit. If a template cannot be opened as it is, the editor offers to repair it, or to open Version history so you can go back.
- Undo last change. If a change cannot be saved, you can undo it and carry on.
Changing a template does not change documents you already saved. Make a new document, or use Regenerate with latest data, to see the new layout.
Did not find what you need? Look in Troubleshooting or the FAQ.