Overview

You can configure the content formatting, styles, and fonts in Responsive, establishing default format options in the Rich Text response editor in projects and the Content Library.

If you need to follow your company's style guide and the style you want to use is not currently in Responsive, you can import them into the application and then apply the styles to the response fields.

See Formatting Content in the Content Library for more information.

Permissions

You must have access to the Company Settings in Organization Settings in order to define styles.

Understanding format and style priorities

To ensure your content looks exactly as you intend, it's important to understand how the various formatting options interact and which take priority. Here's a breakdown of the priorities for the formats and styles.

• Default Content Format: This is the lowest level and serves as the baseline formatting for all content unless overridden by the other options.

• Custom Content Style: This comes next. If you apply a custom style, it will override the default format but be overridden by direct styling.

• Direct Content Styling: This takes the highest priority. Any formatting you apply manually in the rich text editor will override all other styles.

Defining default content formats

You can define the default format that will be applied in the Project’s and Answer Library’s rich text editor.

1. Go to Organization Settings > Company Features > Overview settings.

2. Scroll down to Default Content Formats and click Configure, then turn on the Enable Default Content Formatting toggle.
   

3. Select the font, the font size, line spacing,  paragraph spacing, and the font and background colors.

   Note: You can select more colors by clicking the Eye Dropper icon.

4. Click Save once the selections are done. By default, the configured settings apply to the Project Answer Library rich text editor that was created before and after the configuration.

Managing Styles and Fonts

You can import, create and manage styles and font to maintain consistent formatting across content. Importing styles helps standardize formatting across teams while giving administrators control over fonts and styles.

Key capabilities

• Upload a Word document to import styles into the editor.

• Replace existing styles automatically during re-import.

• Install new fonts included in the document.

• View and manage imported fonts within the system.

• Bulk delete outdated styles using Bulk Update.

• Apply imported styles directly within the editor.

Creating styles for Response fields

You can create styles in the application that can be applied to the Project and Library rich text editor.

1. Go to Organization Settings > Company Features > Overview settings, then click Configure next to Default Content Formatting.

2. Click the Manage Styles & Fonts tab.
   

3. Click Add New Style, then enter a name for the style.

4. Select the font size and family, the foreground and background color, and the line spacing for paragraph.

5. Select the indentation and other styles, then click Save. The style will be added to the style list and can be applied in the Project and Library rich text editor.

Importing styles from Microsoft Word

You can import defined Microsoft Word styles if you have a Word file with the required styles defined.

• Imported styles can only be applied to the Response field and for text only; bullets are not supported by this styles toolbar. See Working With Response Templates to learn how to apply styles to the sections, headers, and footers.

• The Highlighter function in the Responsive app is not the same as the Highlighter function in Word (we apply a background color instead). As a best practice, we recommend removing the highlighting in Word and then building a style with the shading in  so it can be easily applied/removed.

• Using a naming convention for your styles is important. It allows your users to select the right style and apply it to the response appropriately. If the name of the styles selected here already exists in the application, an alert message displays. You can either import with the same names or can change the name in the imported files in Word, save, and import again with the new saved name.

The styles can be applied in the Project and Library rich text editor in the Formatting Toolbar Styles drop-down menu.

1. Go to Organization Settings > Company > Company Features, then click Edit next to Content Formats.

2. Click the Manage Styles & Fonts tab, then click Import.
   

3. Click Select Files, then browse and select your file.

4. Check the box associated with the required styles and fonts in styles to be imported.
   

   Note: Click Change File to change the imported file.

5. Click Import. A success message is displayed, and the selected styles and fonts will now be available in the rich text editor.

Style Hierarchy and Inheritance

Styles created in external tools (such as Word) may include parent-child relationships. However, when imported:

• Style inheritance is not retained

• Each style is treated as independent

• Changes to one style do not affect others

Formatting content in the Content Library

1. In the Content Library, check the box for the Q&A pairs you want to change the format for, then click ...More and select Format Content.
   

2. Select one of the following from the Format Content Options menu and complete the required information:
   

   • Apply Font: You can select the predefined styles that you created/imported.

   • Find and Replace Format: Find current format and replacing it with a new format.

   • Clear Formatting: Removes all text formatting and returns it to the default.

3. Click Apply.

Exporting imported styles

Once imported styles are applied to responses, they retain their formatting when exported in the following ways:

• Export to Source using Application Font

• Export to Template using Application Font Family and Size

• Export to Template using Template Font Family and Size (if the imported style is available in the template)

The option you select influence the final export. See the information below, and Tips and Tricks for Getting More Consistent Exports Using Response Templates, for more information.

Export to source using application font

When responses are exported using this option, they use the styles and fonts that have been applied in Responsive.

Only the style formats need to match, style name need not be the same. If the imported style is available in the source file, it will be displayed in the Styles Gallery and will be highlighted to indicate it in the applied style.

If the imported style is not in the source file, text that have the formatting applied will be displayed as using Normal style.

When exported to source file using source font or selected font, the imported styles applied in the response will not be retained. It will be overridden with the source font/ selected font.

Export to template using application font and family

When responses are exported using this option, the imported styles and fonts applied for responses will be displayed in the exported file as such.

Only the style formats need to match, style name need not be the same. If the imported styles are available in the template file, it will be highlighted with the style name in the exported template file.

If the imported style is not present in the template file, it will be highlighted as Normal style.

Export to template using template font and family

When this option is selected, styles specified in the Word template are applied to your answers.

Updating or Deleting Styles

When styles are modified in Org Settings:

• Existing content retains previously applied formatting

• Updated or deleted styles do not affect past content

• Removed styles are no longer available for new content

You can delete styles individually or in bulk.

• To delete an individual style, select it from the Styles drop-down and click Delete, then confirm the deletion on the pop-up.
  

• To bulk delete styles, click Bulk Update, select the styles, click Delete, then confirm the deletion on the pop-up.
  

Style updates only impact future usage, not existing content. The changes apply across:

• Projects

• Content Library

• Section Templates

Working with Lists

The editor supports both bulleted and numbered lists, while advanced customization is limited to uploaded styles.

Bulleted lists

• Support up to two levels of nesting.

• Same bullet style is used across levels.

Numbered lists

• Offer multiple numbering formats (e.g., 1, A, a, i).

• Nested levels do not inherit numbering style.

Custom bullet styles

• Can be uploaded through Org Settings.

• Cannot be created or edited within the editor.

• Render correctly in exports but remain non-editable.

Tables and Rich Text Formatting

The editor provides flexible options for formatting tables at multiple levels but are intended for standard use rather than advanced or dynamic layouts.

Table capabilities

• Manage formatting at cell, row, column, and table levels

• Add, delete, and duplicate rows and columns

• Access both general and advanced formatting options

Cell-level options

• Merge and split cells

• Set width and alignment

• Define cell type (header or standard)

• Customize borders and background color

Row-level options

• Define row type (header, body, footer)

• Adjust alignment and height

• Apply border and background styles

Enabling role-based access control for style editing

You can define which roles can edit or delete styles in the rich text editor, improving governance over content styling and ensuring that only designated roles can make changes to styles used across your organization. 

To enable role-based style editing:

1. Go to Organization Settings > Company Features > Overview Settings > Default Content Formatting and click Manage Styles & Fonts.

2. Select the roles you want to allow to edit or delete styles.
   Note: The Roles drop-down is empty by default, meaning all roles continue to have access to style editing.
   

Editing Content Using Source Code

In addition to the visual editor, TinyMCE includes a source code view that allows you to directly edit HTML.

Use the source code view option when you need to:

• Make precise HTML adjustments

• Fix formatting inconsistencies

• Add elements not available in the toolbar

Examples

• Embed videos using <iframe>

• Apply custom styling using <span>

• Structure content using <section> or <article>

Paragraph vs. Div Styles

Understanding the difference between Paragraph and Div elements helps you structure content effectively:

• Use Paragraph for regular text to ensure clear spacing and readability

• Use Div for layout purposes or when applying custom or advanced formatting

Common Formatting Issues

Formatting differences may occur due to styles, templates, or export limitations. Review applied styles and consider output format limitations to avoid inconsistencies.

1. Always verify styles before exporting to ensure consistency.

2. Templates may override existing formatting in the editor.

3. Excel may not fully support:

   • Spacing and layout

   • Image rendering