In eformity, you can also use SmartParts in documents and emails. This article explains what a SmartPart is, how to create one, and how to use it.

What is a SmartPart?

A SmartPart is a standard piece of content that can be placed independently in a document. Just like with Smart Documents, SmartParts can also contain variables. The advantage of SmartParts is that you can reuse them in various documents. Additionally, you can choose to show or hide a SmartPart based on the value of a variable.

Creating a SmartPart

Creating SmartParts works mostly the same as creating Smart Documents. This section will guide you step-by-step through the process of creating a SmartPart.

Step 1: Open the sidebar in Microsoft Word

Just like when creating Documents & Smart Documents, you need to first open the eformity sidebar. When you start Microsoft Word, the sidebar should open automatically. If it does not, click on 'Open/Hide Sidebar'.

Step 2: Enable edit mode

To add a SmartPart, you first need to enable 'Edit mode'. Do this by clicking on the 'profile picture' in the sidebar.

Once the 'Account Menu' is open, you can enable edit mode by activating the slider in the section titled 'Edit mode'.

Step 3: Add a new SmartPart

With Edit mode enabled, navigate to the 'SmartParts' tab by clicking on the text or icon. This is circled in the image below.

Once you have the SmartParts overview open, you can add a new SmartPart by clicking the plus icon. This icon is circled in the image below.

A new element will now open in the sidebar. In this element, enter all the details for the new SmartPart. You need to provide a name (required), display name, and description. Then click the blue 'Create' button.

Step 4: Edit the SmartPart

After creating a new SmartPart, you can now add content to it. To add content, you need to edit the SmartPart by selecting it. Click on the SmartPart to select it.

In the image below, you can see how it looks when you have selected a SmartPart. You can now edit the selected SmartPart by clicking the pen icon or by selecting 'Edit' from the options menu.

Step 5: Add content to the SmartPart

The edit screen for the selected SmartPart will now open. You can add content such as text, images, shapes, charts, etc. to the SmartPart. You can also add variables within SmartParts. When you are satisfied, click the 'Save' icon.

Using SmartParts in a (Smart) Document

Having created a SmartPart, it is time to use it in documents. Here’s how to add the SmartPart in two steps. We assume you are still in 'Edit mode' (see step 2 above) and that you have the sidebar open in Microsoft Word (see step 1 above).

Step 1: Edit a Document/Template

To edit a document/template, first select the desired template in the sidebar by clicking on it. Then click the pen icon or choose 'Edit' from the options menu.

Step 2: Add the SmartPart

With the desired template open in edit mode, you can add a SmartPart. Navigate to the 'SmartParts' tab, which is active in the image below.

When you see the overview of all SmartParts, you can easily add one to the document by double-clicking (relatively quickly) on the desired SmartPart. You will see the following appear in the document:

[folderName:SmartPartName]