Tips and Tricks for Getting More Consistent Exports Using Response Templates

Overview

We offer multiple options for exporting documents from Responsive, and the option you select influence the final export.

Select the applicable tab for your edition of Responsive.

Export Options

First, select the Answer Style you want to set for the export:
- Use Application Font Family and Size: Select this option when you want the formatting in the application to be applied to your export.
- Use Template Font Family and Size: Select this option when you want a specific Word style to be applied to your answers instead of the in-application formatting.
Then, you have further control over the formatting of your export based on whether or not you chose to use Word styles within your answers. Review the options below to see which one is right for you.

Option 1: Use Application Font Family and Size and No Styles

Select this option when you want the application formatting to control the look and feel of your content in the exported document, and do not want your response template to play any part in the text formatting of your answers.

The following project response is an example of direct, in-application formatting used to control the font, color and size of the text.

This is the exported Word document. Note that the output retains the in-application formatting in the answer block.

Option 2: Use Application Font Family and Size and With Styles

Select this option when you want the application formatting to control the look and feel of your content in the exported document, with the added benefit of in-paragraph style control leveraging the styles in the response template.

The following project response shows the heading formatted with a style called Custom Answer Heading.

This is the exported Word document with no matching style present in the template (it retains the look and feel from the application).

This is the exported Word document using a matching style present in the template (if the template style attributes are different, it overrides the formatting; if they are the same, it remains the same).

Option 3: Use Template Font Family and Size and No Styles

Select this option when you want the application to fix any project text formatting inconsistencies.
Note: This is a one size fits all approach; only one answer style can be applied.

This project response shows direct, in-application formatting to control the font, color and size of the text.

This is the exported Word document. Note that the formatting is overridden by the selected answer style (except bold/italic).

Option 4: Use Template Font Family and Size and With Styles

Select this option when you want the application to fix any project text formatting inconsistencies, with the added benefit of leveraging in-paragraph style control with the response template (if there is a matching style name).

This project response shows the heading formatted with a style called Custom Answer Heading.

This is the exported Word document with no matching style present in the template (the look and feel from the application is overridden by the chosen answer style).

This is the exported Word document with a matching style present in the template.
Note: If the template style attributes are different, it overrides the formatting; if they are the same, it remains the same.

Other Tips and Tricks

The following information explains additional styles and how they work.

Answer List Styles

Microsoft Word offers three types of lists: bulleted lists, numbered lists, and multilevel lists. These are all actually list styles. List styles should be created using a unique list style in conjunction with a new multilevel list. You can have up to nine paragraph styles in the list hierarchy.
1. Start by building the paragraph styles you wish to use in your multilevel list.
2. Go to the multilevel list menu, click Define New List Style, and select a name for your new list style.
3. Go to Format > Numbering and start assigning your paragraph styles to the levels of the multilevel list and specifying formatting.
4. If you want to use these list styles within your Answer field or Section Description field, do one of the following:
  - Map them with your template under Answer List Style.
  - Load them directly into the Responsive app under Company > Company Features > Content Formats > Manage Styles and Fonts.
Table Styles

Use Table styles only when exporting an entire project section to a pre-formatted table; do not use them for tables within an Answer field.
Note: The best practice for creating a table in an Answer field is to create your table in Microsoft Word, apply borders and shading, format text using paragraph styles, then paste the table into the Answer field.

Character Styles

Use Character styles to format (font color or highlighting for example) words in a paragraph, not a whole paragraph.

Excel

Excel exports inherit any formatting applied in the application, so pay attention to any existing formatting in your project.
Essentials features are subscription-based and may not be available for all users. Contact your account manager, or accountmanagers@responsive.io, for more details.

Export Options

First, select the Answer Style you want to set for the export:
- Use Application Font Family and Size: Select this option when you want the formatting in the application to be applied to your export.
- Use Template Font Family and Size: Select this option when you want a specific Word style to be applied to your answers instead of the in-application formatting.
Then, you have further control over the formatting of your export based on whether or not you chose to use Word styles within your answers. Review the options below to see which one is right for you.

Option 1: Use Application Font Family and Size and No Styles

Select this option when you want the application formatting to control the look and feel of your content in the exported document, and do not want your response template to play any part in the text formatting of your answers.

The following project response is an example of direct, in-application formatting used to control the font, color and size of the text.

This is the exported Word document. Note that the output retains the in-application formatting in the answer block.

Option 2: Use Application Font Family and Size and With Styles

Select this option when you want the application formatting to control the look and feel of your content in the exported document, with the added benefit of in-paragraph style control leveraging the styles in the response template.

The following project response shows the heading formatted with a style called Custom Answer Heading.

This is the exported Word document with no matching style present in the template (it retains the look and feel from the application).

This is the exported Word document using a matching style present in the template (if the template style attributes are different, it overrides the formatting; if they are the same, it remains the same).

Option 3: Use Template Font Family and Size and No Styles

Select this option when you want the application to fix any project text formatting inconsistencies.
Note: This is a one size fits all approach; only one answer style can be applied.

This project response shows direct, in-application formatting to control the font, color and size of the text.

This is the exported Word document. Note that the formatting is overridden by the selected answer style (except bold/italic).

Option 4: Use Template Font Family and Size and With Styles

Select this option when you want the application to fix any project text formatting inconsistencies, with the added benefit of leveraging in-paragraph style control with the response template (if there is a matching style name).

This project response shows the heading formatted with a style called Custom Answer Heading.

This is the exported Word document with no matching style present in the template (the look and feel from the application is overridden by the chosen answer style).

This is the exported Word document with a matching style present in the template.
Note: If the template style attributes are different, it overrides the formatting; if they are the same, it remains the same.

Other Tips and Tricks

The following information explains additional styles and how they work.

Answer List Styles

Microsoft Word offers three types of lists: bulleted lists, numbered lists, and multilevel lists. These are all actually list styles. List styles should be created using a unique list style in conjunction with a new multilevel list. You can have up to nine paragraph styles in the list hierarchy.
1. Start by building the paragraph styles you wish to use in your multilevel list.
2. Go to the multilevel list menu, click Define New List Style, and select a name for your new list style.
3. Go to Format > Numbering and start assigning your paragraph styles to the levels of the multilevel list and specifying formatting.
4. If you want to use these list styles within your Answer field or Section Description field, do one of the following:
  - Map them with your template under Answer List Style.
  - Load them directly into the Responsive app under Company > Company Features > Content Formats > Manage Styles and Fonts.
Table Styles

Use Table styles only when exporting an entire project section to a pre-formatted table; do not use them for tables within an Answer field.
Note: The best practice for creating a table in an Answer field is to create your table in Microsoft Word, apply borders and shading, format text using paragraph styles, then paste the table into the Answer field.

Character Styles

Use Character styles to format (font color or highlighting for example) words in a paragraph, not a whole paragraph.

Excel

Excel exports inherit any formatting applied in the application, so pay attention to any existing formatting in your project.