Custom Fields in Templates

Overview

Custom fields can be created and added to templates, allowing for custom data to automatically populate when your templates are generated. This article details the steps to create a profile custom field and add it to a fund statement template. 

Adding a Custom Field to a Template

First, you will need to create the field you would like to add to the template.

Once the field has been added, it can be used in a template. When you work with templates, many fields are defined in the system. For instance, in the fund statement, {{funit_id}} refers to the numeric fund ID in the system. These are available because they are standard fields. Custom fields work differently. In any template in the system, the field name consists of two parts. For everything except profiles, they are as follows. Note that objects not listed like GL Account are not currently available in templates.

Profiles are a little different because it is possible to have multiple profiles in the same template, so they are set based on the usage.

Once you know the proper template beginning, the second part of the name is the value you put into the import code on the field. 

• The example above uses “pf_fslabel” as the import code. Using the table above, you see that the fund advisor profile begins with “cf_fund_advisor”. To add the field to your fund statement template, you combine the two utilizing a period. Using a period, “pf_fslabel” and “cf_fund_advisor” combine to become "pf_fslabel.cf_fund_advisor" as the new field. This can be added and utilized as any normal field would be. 
  • {{cf_fund_advisor.pf_fslabel}} would show the value on the statement and using {{MERGEFIELD cf_fund_advisor.pf_fslabel}} could be used for conditions. Add {{cf_fund_advisor.pf_fslabel}} where you want it to print in the fund statement template.
• Importantly, you CANNOT use special characters within your import code titles for this method, otherwise it will not function as a code on a template.
  
  • Spaces are utilized for object use; for example this field, "{{MERGEFIELD cf_fund_advisor.pf_fslabel}}" has a space between the object and the code. If a space is added to an import code, it will automatically be converted into an underscore to ensure that the field will not be processed as an object when the template is generated. 
  • Periods define where the normal field code ends and the custom field code begins. For the above example, cf_fund_advisor.pf_fslabel, the period separates the template field code from the custom field code. If you were to use a period in a custom field import code, the template would break 
  • Other special characters (e.g. #, %, $...) are undefined by CSuite when processing a template with custom field codes, so the field will break and will not populate with data. 
• This method works when your foreach code matches the same object that the custom field is attached to. 

Grant and Scholarship Exceptions

For basic and advanced grant and scholarship templates, the value is created inside the foreach table instead of just referencing the field directly. You would still use the same template beginning values you saw above for the Custom Fields. However, displaying the value happens with this format {{#foreach cf_XXXX}}{{import code}}{{/foreach cf_XXXX}} where XXXX is the appropriate value from the tables above. 

• As an example, suppose you want to display the SDG created in Example 2 on the grant letter. The import code for the field was gt_sdg. You would add text to the template such as: “Your grant supports the UN Sustainable Development Goal(s) of {{#foreach cf_grant}}{{gt_sdg}}{{/foreach cf_grant}}.
• This method of adding a custom field is added without using a period.