Auto-templates

Auto-templates let you create a template eaDocX word document, then use that to create variations of the document with different content but the same formatting. This lets you design the document once, then have other people use the template to create their own documents, quickly and consistently.

(We call these ‘auto-templates’ so they don’t get confused with the Microsoft Word ‘template’ idea)

How it Works

Auto-templates create one document based on another document.

This means you can create your ‘auto-template’ document – which just a normal eaDocX document – and use that as the basis for other document. eaDocX will map the content

Example steps.

1. Find Using Auto Templates in the example repository
2. create an eaDocX document, using any of your Word templates. Gets your local, detailed formatting, like colors, faints, heading style etc
3. Add some sections into it:
   1. One with the ‘Overview’ package
   2. Two others with the ‘Requirements’ and ‘Test Cases’ package. Could do with one section for all 3, but this is to show how ATs work.
4. Now refine the formatting of these sections: this is the eaDocX formatting which other projects will be able to use. For example, change some of the table headings from the defaults which eaDocX creates.
5. In this example, the Requirements are connected to some Feature elements, outside the project, so create a cross-reference table to show those features – but just the ones which are referenced in this document. That way, when the template is re-use by other project, they will get their own table of the features which their document mentions.
6. So add a cross-reference report section, to really show the power of auto-templates to make readable, consistent documents.
   Remember, when you add new sections, it’s a good idea to make the eaDocX tags visible (eaDocX menu, View/ Show Tags). See Adding Cross Reference reports  for more details
7. Try generating the document, and refine the Profiles until you are happy that this will make a good auto-templateNow you are ready to use this document as a template for another project.