Question

Modifying word document table, formatting a string

Workflow

Updated June 5, 2019

asked on June 3, 2019

Hi,

I'm using the 'Update Word Document' construct in a workflow to add data to a merged table. The data source is a repository search made earlier in the workflow and one of the metadata fields imported by the search is the Workflow ID.

As it is the 'Workflow ID' is too long for my merge table cell, I really only need the last 12 characters and not the full 35. When I import the ID into the table using the 'Update Word Document' I have to import the workflow id straight from the data source and seem unable to apply format to reduce it to 12 characters.

There is a facility in the 'Update Word Construct', Edit Modification>Options>Render field>Custom Properties. When I look at the documentation for 'Custom Properties' I can only find ways to format dates or numerical data nothing on formatting strings.

Is there a way to do this or a simpler way to approach this formatting.

Thanks

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Replies

replied on June 3, 2019

Hi Mark,
Before assigning the value to the word document, assign it to a Token and apply formatting, this should resolve your issue.

Thanks.

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replied on June 4, 2019

Hi Mahesh,

Thanks for your reply. If I am using a single mergefield I can do as you suggested but if I am using a mergetable I can only use tokens directly from a source (eg. search repository). I cannot format the source tokens prior to using them in a merge table. From what I can see I cannot use tokens only a source when merging a table.

Mark

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replied on June 4, 2019

I'm not seeing any options for string formatting in Word (Google search finds various threads from people asking similar questions where the answer is "well, if it's a number, you can do it, otherwise....").

I think your only option is to add a field where you have the truncated value and use that in your search instead.

Out of curiousity, why is the workflow instance ID relevant to the user?

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replied on June 4, 2019

Hi Miruna,

Thanks for the reply.

I think I have found a way around the issue all be it a longer one. I'm copying the results from a repository search making the format changes using tokens and then copying them into a temporary SQL table. I then use the temporary table as the source for the word documents merge table, it seems to work ok.

The workflow ID isn't relevant to the users in general just to us monitoring the documents. I'm using the workflow id as a unique reference code on the documents. The documents are copied from our office out to multiple yachts on a frequent basis. If the customer has a query I can just get them to read the last few digits to check that they are up to date with what I have on my system before proceeding with the query.

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replied on June 4, 2019

Oh, that's a clever solution to keeping track of entries sync-ed across repositories. Thank you for sharing.

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replied on June 5, 2019

No problem, thanks Miruna.

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Modifying word document table, formatting a string

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