Create a data source document
Create a data source document to use with the variable data document workflow in FreeForm Create.
Keep in mind that FreeForm Create only supports data source documents in .xlsx, .xls, or .csv formats. To create a data source document for the variable data document workflow, use a spreadsheet application that can save the document in a supported format.
In the variable data document workflow, a data source document provides the variable information used in the combined document.
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From your
spreadsheet application, enter variable names in the first
row. Use one variable name per cell.
- The first row of the spreadsheet functions as column headers and names the variable fields.
- Columns specify the variable field.
- A data source document with 10 columns will have 10 variable fields.
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Denote image type and barcode type variables in the first row
with file accelerators.
Variable type File accelerator Example column header Variable entry in data source Variable file location Image [] []images C:/users/John/pictures/pic001.png C:/users/John/pictures/pic001.png Image [] [C:/users/John/pictures]images pic002.png C:/users/John/pictures/pic002.png Image [~] [~/images]images ./pic003.png C:/users/John/project/images/pic003.png When the data source file is located at C:/users/John/project
PDF {} {}pdfs C:/users/John/pdfs/pdf001.pdf C:/users/John/pdfs/pdf001.pdf PDF {} {C:/users/John/pdfs}pdfs pdf002.pdf C:/users/John/pdfs/pdf002.pdf PDF {~} {~}pdfs ./pdf003.pdf C:/users/John/project/pdfs/pdf003.pdf When the data source file is located at C:/users/John/project
Barcode (Example: URL in a QR code) | |barcodes http://examplesite.com/barcodes/A001 http://examplesite.com/barcodes/A001 Quantity # #quantity 200 -
Enter the records.
- Each row specifies the variables for a single record.
- A data source document with 10 rows will have 10 records.
- Save the file.
Note: FreeForm Create requires the data source document be in .xlsx, .xls, or .csv formats.