The DOCX format is permissive but quirky. A template that works on screen may still break at generation time if merge tags are fractured by Word’s internal formatting.
Tag naming rules
- Lowercase only:
{client_name}, not{Client_Name}. - Underscores for spaces:
{order_total}, not{order total}. - No special characters except underscore: avoid
-,.,/, and so on. - No spaces inside the braces:
{full_name}, not{ full_name }.
The “fractured tag” problem
Word sometimes splits text into multiple internal runs when you edit it. If you type {client_ in one session and come back later to add name}, Word may treat these as separate pieces in the underlying XML. The merge engine then fails to find the tag.
Fix: After writing a tag, select it, delete it, and retype it in one go. Or use “Find and Replace” to paste the complete tag all at once.
Formatting tags
Apply formatting to the entire tag, not part of it. To make {client_name} bold, select the whole {client_name} — including braces — and apply bold. Formatting only part of the tag can fracture it.
Reusing the same tag
You can use the same tag multiple times. If your document says “Dear {client_name}” in the greeting and “Best regards, agreement with {client_name}” in the footer, both occurrences are filled.
Tags that Lite does not support
These are Pro features:
- Conditional sections:
{if:field == value}...{/if} - Loops / repeating rows
- Inline image tags
- Dynamic signatures
Using these tags in Lite leaves them as plain text in the output. Upgrade to Pro or remove them from the template.
Template size
Keep templates under 10 MB. Larger files slow down generation and may hit server upload limits. Embedded images and complex layouts are the usual culprits.