The August Schools Files Templates feature allows users to set up PDF exports of a combination of user-inputted and platform-stored data onto specific templates. For example, a nurse may need to create a hall pass for the students the nurse sees in order to return to class. Therefore, it would be helpful for the platform to generate these passes for a given student with as much of the necessary information pre-populated. The following steps outline the process for setting up a new file template using this hall pass example:
Navigate to the Files page.
Select the "New file template" button towards the top left of the page.
In the pop-up window, give the template an appropriate title in the 'Template title' field.
Upload your PDF template file to the 'Template file' field.
Select which of your roles the file template should be visible to.
Select 'Confirm.'
The page will refresh to display the Template builder.
The next step is to start designating on your uploaded file template where and what data should be populated. To do this, you will add PDF fields to your template.
Select the 'Add PDF field' button in the Preview section.
Give the field to be added an appropriate name in the pop-up window and choose the appropriate field type:
Text field type is appropriate for single words or small phrases (e.g., first name).
Textarea (multi-line) is appropriate for larger amounts of text that may require formatting (e.g., summary notes).
Select 'Confirm.'
Now the platform know that there will be a field on your field tempalte that will need to be populated.
You will then let the platform know where this field should go.
Select the 'Place field' button.
Drag and drop the field to desired location on the file template.
In this case, we dropped our Name field on the line for the student name on the file template. We now need to specify what data from the platform should populate this field.
For Textarea fields, you will need to resize the field over the area of the PDF that you want the inputted text to fill:
Select the 'Add prefill' button the on the PDF field
In the pop-up window, search for and select the field stored on the student record or user record that should populate the field on the template for a given student.
In this case, we want the Name field on the file template to display the First name on the student's record for a given student.
Select 'Confirm.'
The platform will now populate the PDF field with your specified value!
It is also possible to instead type in a value of the PDF field that will remain the same each time the file template is used. Otherwise, if a field is left without a prefill added or a value, you will enter the appropriate values when generating the PDF.
Just be sure to select 'Save default value' afterward.
Repeat steps 7 - 14 until you have added as many PDF fields as you need for your file template.
You may remove a field by selecting the 'Archive field' button:
Test your file template with a student record by selecting a student from the 'Select student' dropdown in the Preview section and reviewing the fields placed on the file.
