IAP Editor

The IAP editor is where you author, review, and release your templates and documents. This section describes the key features available within the editor.

Components

Available for both templates and documents.

Components are the building blocks of your content in the IAP editor. Each component represents a meaningful section or chapter of your template or document. Components can be independently authored, reviewed, and released — each has its own status and version, enabling parallel work across different parts of the content.

How components work

Context Behaviour
Templates Authors structure the template by adding components. Each component defines a section that will be inherited by documents created from the template. Components can also be reused from other templates.
Documents Documents inherit the component structure from their source template. Authors can also add additional components specific to the document. During document creation, authors can choose — per component — whether to start from the template's original content or reuse content from an existing document of the same type (see Check reuse options).

Component anatomy

Each component block in the editor displays the following elements:

Element Description
COMPONENT label Identifies the block as a component in the top-left corner.
Lock indicator Shows whether the component is currently locked for editing (e.g., 🔒 Locked by you). When you are editing a component, it is locked to prevent concurrent edits by other authors.
Language tag Displays the content language (e.g., en-US).
Version/status badge Shows the current version and status (e.g., V1 Draft ∨, V2 Draft ∨, V1 Released ∨). Click the dropdown arrow to transition the component to a different status.
Component title The numbered heading of the component (e.g., 1. Test 1). Placeholder text reads "type the component's title here" for new components.
Component body The content area below the title. Placeholder text reads "type your component text here" for new components.

Component structure panel

The left sidebar displays a hierarchical tree view of all components in your template or document:

  • The top-level item represents the Document Outline (the overall structure).
  • Below it, individual components are listed as nested items, showing their numbering and title.
  • Click any component in the tree to navigate directly to it in the editor.

Filter components by status

You can filter the component tree to show only components in a specific status:

  1. Click the filter icon (🔽) at the top of the left sidebar.
  2. A Status filter panel appears with the following options:
  3. Errored
  4. Draft
  5. In review
  6. Released
  7. Archived
  8. Check one or more statuses and click Apply to filter the tree view.

You can also use the Search bar at the top of the panel to find a specific component by name.

Add components

Insert a new component

  1. In the editor toolbar, click the Component dropdown button.
  2. Select Insert new component.
  3. A new empty component block is added to the editor with placeholder text for the title and body.
  4. Enter the component title and begin authoring your content.

Insert an existing component (reuse)

See the dedicated Component reuse section below for full details.

Create an untitled component

  1. In the editor toolbar, click the Component dropdown button.
  2. Select Create untitled component.
  3. A new component block is added without a numbered title — only the body placeholder is shown. This is useful for supplementary content that does not require a numbered heading.

Manage components

You can manage the structure and position of your components using the context menu in the component structure panel. Right-click (or click the dropdown arrow ▾) on any component in the left sidebar tree to open the context menu.

The following actions are available:

Action Description
Insert new component Inserts a new empty component adjacent to the selected one.
Insert existing component Opens the reuse dialog to insert a component from another template or document (see Component reuse.
Move up Moves the component one position up in the structure.
Move down Moves the component one position down in the structure.
Move right Nests the component one level deeper (makes it a sub-component of the preceding item).
Move left Un-nests the component one level (promotes it to a higher level in the hierarchy).
Move to top Moves the component to the first position in the structure.
Move to bottom Moves the component to the last position in the structure.
Repeat component Creates a duplicate of the selected component within the same structure.
Remove Deletes the component from the structure.

Note: Some actions may be greyed out depending on the component's current position. For example, Move down is disabled if the component is already at the bottom, and Move left is disabled if the component is already at the top level.

Component reuse

Available for both templates and documents.

Component reuse is a core capability of the IAP platform. Instead of duplicating content, IAP allows you to link a component from one template or document into another. Reused components maintain a live connection to their origin — meaning changes made to the original component automatically propagate to all templates and documents that reuse it.

This enables powerful content management patterns, especially in environments where the same sections appear across multiple document types (e.g., a global template component reused in study-specific and country-specific templates).

How reuse works across templates and documents

Components can be reused at both the template and document level, creating a chain of linked content:

Level How reuse works
Template → Template A component authored in one template (e.g., a Global Template) can be reused in another template (e.g., a Study Specific Template or Country Specific Template). This allows you to define content once and share it across multiple template types.
Template → Document When a document is created from a template, it inherits the template's component structure — including any components that the template itself reused from other templates. The reuse chain is preserved.
Document → Document During document creation or while authoring in the editor, you can reuse components from existing documents. This is useful when a previous document already contains up-to-date content for a section.

Example: A Global Template contains Component GE1. A Study Specific Template reuses Component GE1 from the Global Template. When a Study Specific Document is created from that template, it inherits the reused Component GE1. If the original component in the Global Template is updated, the change flows through to the Study Specific Template and its documents.

Identifying reused components

When a component is reused in other templates or documents, the editor displays several visual indicators:

Indicator Description
Reuse banner A dark banner appears above the component header: "This component is reused in other documents". This alerts you that changes to this component will affect other content.
Reuse icon and count Next to the COMPONENT label, a reuse icon (🔗) with a number (e.g., 2) indicates how many other templates or documents are sharing this component.
Reuse tooltip Clicking on the reuse indicator reveals a tooltip with the message: "This component is reused in other documents, changes made here will affect other components." Along with two action buttons: Branch and Show reuse summary.

Show reuse summary

To see exactly where a component is being reused:

  1. Click on the reuse indicator or tooltip to reveal the action buttons.
  2. Click Show reuse summary.
  3. The Show reuse summary dialog opens, displaying a table under the heading Shared with. The table shows all templates or documents that share this component:
Column Description
Document name The name and version of the template or document sharing the component
Status The current status of the document (e.g., Draft).
Date created The date the document was created and by whom.
Last modified The date the document was last modified and by whom.
Authors The authors assigned to the document.
Reviewers The reviewers assigned to the document.
Release note The release note, if any (displays No value if none was provided).
Project name The project or workspace the document belongs to.
Project status The status of the project (e.g., Open).

You can use the Search bar in the top-right corner to filter the list. Click Cancel to close the dialog.

Branch a component

When a component is shared across multiple templates or documents, changes to it affect all linked instances. If you need to make changes to a specific instance without affecting the others, you can branch the component. Branching breaks the live link and creates an independent copy.

  1. Click on the reuse indicator or tooltip to reveal the action buttons.
  2. Click Branch.
  3. A confirmation dialog appears:

⚠ Branch component

"Are you sure you want to branch this component? Branching will allow you to make changes to this component without affecting its origin component."

  1. Click Yes, branch to confirm, or Cancel to keep the live link.

After branching: - The component becomes an independent copy — it is no longer linked to the original. - Changes made to the branched component do not propagate to the origin or to other instances that still share the original. - Changes made to the original component no longer propagate to the branched instance. - The reuse banner and reuse count are removed from the branched component.

Important: Branching is a one-way action. Once a component is branched, the live link cannot be re-established. Use branching only when you are certain that this instance needs to diverge from the shared content.

Insert an existing component

  1. Open the Insert existing component dialog using one of the following methods:
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Component dropdown and select Insert existing component.
  3. In the component structure panel, click the dropdown arrow ▾ on a component and select Insert existing component.
  4. The dialog opens and displays a list of available documents with a Search bar to filter results.
  5. Double-click on a document to browse through its existing components.
  6. The dialog expands into a two-panel view:
Panel Description
Left panel Shows the component tree of the selected document. Each component has a checkbox next to it. Components can be nested (e.g., sub-components within a parent section). Click on a component to expand it or to preview its content.
Right panel Displays a live preview of the selected component's content, including its title, text, tables, images, and guidance notes. This helps you verify the content before inserting.
  1. Check the components you want to reuse by clicking their checkboxes. You can select multiple components at once.
  2. Click Insert to add the selected components to your current template or document, or Cancel to close the dialog without inserting.

Note: When you insert an existing component, it is added as a linked reuse — not a copy. Changes to the original/or reused will propagate to your instance. If you later need independence, you can branch the component.

Sections

Available for both templates and documents.

Sections allow you to subdivide a component into smaller, named content blocks. While components represent the major chapters of your content, sections provide an additional level of structure within a component — useful for organising detailed content such as sub-topics, sub-chapters, or distinct content areas that belong together under the same component.

How sections relate to components

Element Role
Component A top-level building block representing a major chapter or section of the template/document. Has its own status, version, and can be independently reviewed and released.
Section A structural subdivision within a component. Sections help organise content inside a component but do not have their own independent status or version — they follow the lifecycle of their parent component.

A single component can contain multiple sections. Sections are displayed as labelled blocks inside the component, each with its own title and content area.

Section anatomy

Each section block in the editor displays the following elements:

Element Description
SECTION label Identifies the block as a section in the top-left corner.
Section title The name of the section (e.g., Section1, Section3, Section4). This serves as the heading for the sub-topic within the component.
Section content The content area below the title where you can author text, insert tables, images, and other elements.

Add a section

  1. Place your cursor inside the component where you want to add the section.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Section button.
  3. A new section block is inserted inside the component with a placeholder for the title and content.
  4. Enter the section title and begin authoring your content.

Note: Sections are always created inside a component. You cannot create a standalone section outside of a component.

Manage sections

You can manage sections using the More actions menu. Hover over a section block and click the ⋯ (three-dot) button that appears in the top-right corner of the section. The following actions are available:

Action Description
Create untitled component Creates a new untitled component directly below the current section's parent component. This is a shortcut to add a new component without leaving the current context.
Remove title Removes the section's title while keeping the content. Useful when you want to convert a titled section into plain content within the component.
Remove section Deletes the entire section, including its title and content, from the component.
Unwrap section Removes the section wrapper while preserving the content inline within the component. The content remains but is no longer enclosed in a section block. This option may be greyed out depending on the section's context.
Move section up Moves the section one position up within the component.
Move section down Moves the section one position down within the component.

Note: Some actions may be greyed out depending on the section's position or context. For example, Move section up is disabled if the section is already the first one in the component, and Unwrap section may be disabled based on the section's nesting.

Sections in the structure panel

Sections do not appear as separate items in the left sidebar component tree. The structure panel shows only components and their hierarchy. To navigate to a specific section, click the parent component in the tree — the editor will scroll to the component, and you can then navigate to the desired section within it.

When to use sections vs. components

Use case Recommended element
Major chapter that needs its own review and release cycle Component
Sub-topic within a chapter that does not require independent review Section
Content that may be reused across templates or documents Component (sections cannot be reused independently)
Organising related content blocks under a single reviewable unit Section within a component

Text editing

Available for both templates and documents.

While authoring content in the IAP editor, you have access to a set of text editing features via the START toolbar. These tools allow you to format your content during the writing process. Note that additional styling (fonts, spacing, page layout, etc.) is applied during the output generation step based on the selected template style.

Toolbar overview

The START toolbar is displayed at the top of the editor and contains the following groups of actions:

Clipboard actions

Button Action Description
✂ Cut Cut the selected content to the clipboard.
📋 Copy Copy the selected content to the clipboard.
📋 Paste Paste content from the clipboard into the editor.

Text formatting

Button Action Shortcut Description
B Bold Ctrl + B Apply bold formatting to the selected text.
I Italic Ctrl + I Apply italic formatting to the selected text.
U Underline Ctrl + U Apply underline formatting to the selected text.
~~S~~ Strikethrough Apply strikethrough formatting to the selected text.

Subscript and superscript

Button Action Description
X₁ Subscript Format the selected text as subscript (e.g., H₂O).
X¹ Superscript Format the selected text as superscript (e.g., E=mc²).

Lists

Button Action Description
≡ Bullet list Insert or convert the selected content into a bulleted (unordered) list.
1≡ Numbered list Insert or convert the selected content into a numbered (ordered) list.
⇥ Increase indent Increase the indentation level of the selected list item or paragraph.
⇤ Decrease indent Decrease the indentation level of the selected list item or paragraph.

Special characters and formatting marks

Button Action Description
Ω ∨ Special characters Open a menu to insert special characters and symbols (e.g., Greek letters, mathematical symbols, currency signs).
Show formatting marks Toggle the visibility of whitespace and formatting characters (e.g., paragraph marks, spaces, line breaks). This helps you see the underlying structure of your content while editing.

Tip: While the START toolbar covers the core text formatting needs, the final appearance of your content (fonts, margins, headers, footers, etc.) is determined by the template style selected during the Preview & Output step. Focus on structuring and writing your content in the editor — the styling will be applied automatically when you generate the output.

Images

Available for both templates and documents.

The IAP editor provides several ways to insert visual content into your templates and documents. You can upload and insert images directly, place inline images within the flow of text, define image placeholders for content that will be added later, or use the Graph generator to pull images directly from connected data sources.

Image types

The Image dropdown in the editor toolbar offers the following options:

Option Description
Image A standalone image inserted as its own block within the content. The image occupies its own line and is not part of the surrounding text flow.
Inline image An image that is inserted as part of the flow of the text. Use this when an image needs to appear within a paragraph or alongside other inline content.
Image placeholder A visual placeholder block that reserves space for an image to be added later. This is particularly useful in templates where the actual image will be provided by the document author at a later stage.
From Graph generator Retrieves and inserts an image directly from a connected data source (e.g., Snowflake) based on metadata filters. See Graph generator below for details.

Insert an image

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want to insert the image.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Image dropdown.
  3. Select Image (or Inline image for an image within the text flow).
  4. The Select an image dialog opens. It displays:
Element Description
Image gallery (left panel) Displays thumbnails of all images that have been uploaded for this template or document. Click on an image to select it.
Image preview (right panel) Shows a larger preview of the selected image along with its file name.
Upload Click ⬆ Upload in the top-right corner to upload a new image file from your local machine.
View toggle Switch between list view (≡) and grid view (⊞) for the image gallery.
  1. Select the image you want to insert and click Insert, or click Cancel to close the dialog without inserting.

Insert an image placeholder

Image placeholders are useful in templates to define where an image should appear without providing the actual image. Document authors can then replace the placeholder with a real image when authoring the document.

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want the placeholder.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Image dropdown.
  3. Select Image placeholder.
  4. A placeholder block is inserted in the editor, displaying:
  5. An image icon (🖼)
  6. The label IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
  7. An Insert button — click this button to replace the placeholder with an actual image at any time

Graph generator

The Graph generator retrieves and inserts images directly from a connected external data source (e.g., Snowflake). Images can be filtered based on metadata, allowing the system to pull the correct image for a specific product, study, or context.

Current limitation: The Graph generator currently works only with data sources that contain image data. Due to this limitation, adoption is currently limited.

When to use each image option

Scenario Recommended option
You have the final image ready and want to insert it as a standalone block Image
You need an image within the flow of a paragraph Inline image
You are building a template and the actual image will be provided by the document author later Image placeholder
The image exists in a connected data source and should be retrieved automatically based on metadata From Graph generator

Equations

Available for both templates and documents.

The IAP editor allows you to insert mathematical equations into your content. Equations can be added as standalone blocks or inline within the flow of text. The editor provides two input methods: a handwriting recognition canvas and a structured formula editor with a full symbol toolbar.

Equation types

The Equation dropdown in the editor toolbar offers the following options:

Option Description
Equation A standalone equation inserted as its own block within the content. The equation occupies its own line, is automatically numbered (e.g., Eq. 1), and has a title field.
Inline equation An equation inserted within the flow of the text. Use this when a formula needs to appear as part of a sentence or paragraph.

Insert an equation

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want to insert the equation.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Equation dropdown.
  3. Select Equation (or Inline equation for an equation within the text flow).
  4. The Insert math equation dialog opens. It provides two input modes that you can switch between using the buttons on the right side of the dialog:

Handwriting mode

Draw your equation directly on the canvas using your mouse or stylus. The system recognises your handwriting and converts it into a formatted mathematical expression.

The handwriting canvas provides the following tools:

Tool Description
↩ Undo Undo the last stroke.
↪ Redo Redo the last undone stroke.
🗑 Clear Clear the entire canvas.
? Help Open help information about handwriting recognition.
⌨ Keyboard Switch to the keyboard/formula editor mode.

A live preview of the recognised equation is displayed in the bottom-right corner of the canvas (e.g., x²), so you can verify the system's interpretation as you write.

Formula editor mode

Build your equation using a structured toolbar with mathematical symbols, operators, and templates. This mode provides precise control over the equation structure.

The formula editor toolbar is organised into categorised tabs:

Category Examples of available symbols and structures
Fractions and radicals Fractions, square roots, nth roots
Operators +, −, ×, ÷, ±, π
Comparisons and sets ≥, ≤, ∈, ⊂, ∅, ∪, ∩, ∞
Greek and special characters α, Ω, and other Greek letters
Arrows Directional arrows and mappings
Matrices and brackets Matrix structures, parentheses, brackets
Summation and integrals Σ, ∫, limits
Formatting Bold, font selection, size adjustment
Handwriting Switch back to the handwriting canvas mode

Below the toolbar is a text input area where the equation is composed. You can type directly, click symbols from the toolbar to insert them, or combine both methods.

Finalise the equation

Once your equation is ready in either mode:

  1. Review the equation in the dialog to ensure it is correct.
  2. Click Insert to add the equation to your content.
  3. Click Cancel to close the dialog without inserting.

For standalone equations, the editor inserts an EQUATION block with: - An automatic equation number (e.g., Eq. 1) - A title field — enter a descriptive title (placeholder reads "type the title") - The rendered equation

When to use each equation option

Scenario Recommended option
A formula that should be displayed on its own line with a number and title Equation
A formula or symbol that needs to appear within a sentence or paragraph Inline equation
You prefer to draw the equation freehand Use handwriting mode in the equation dialog
You need precise control over complex mathematical structures Use formula editor mode in the equation dialog

GenAI Assistant

Available in the editor for templates (insert placeholders and create prompts) and documents (generate and accept content).

The GenAI Assistant enables AI-powered content generation within the IAP editor. Template authors define where AI content should appear by inserting placeholders and configuring prompts. Document authors then generate content at those locations and accept the results.

AI Content Placeholders — insert in templates

Template authors only.

AI Content Placeholders define the locations in a template where document authors will be able to generate AI content. Each placeholder is linked to a prompt that instructs the AI on what to generate.

Insert an AI Content Placeholder

  1. Open the template in the editor (Gen AI support must be enabled on the template).
  2. Place your cursor inside the component where AI-generated content should appear.
  3. In the editor toolbar, click Smart placeholder.
  4. The Select smart placeholder to insert dialog opens. Select AI Assistant from the left navigation.
  5. In the AI Assistant panel, select an existing published prompt or create a new one (see below).
  6. The AI Content Placeholder is inserted into the template.

AI Content Placeholder appearance in templates

Element Description
✨ AI icon A sparkle/pen icon identifying the block as AI-powered.
AI CONTENT PLACEHOLDER label Teal/cyan text labelling the block.
Prompt reference The linked prompt name (e.g., Prompt: Test prompt).
Teal/cyan border and background Visually distinguishes AI placeholders from regular content.

These placeholders are inherited by all documents created from the template.

Prompt Library — create and manage prompts

Template authors only.

The Prompt Library is a centralized repository of reusable AI prompts that instruct the GenAI Assistant on what content to generate.

Access the Prompt Library

  1. In the template editor, click Smart placeholder in the toolbar.
  2. Select AI Assistant from the left navigation.
  3. The Prompt Library is displayed in the main panel.

Browse prompts

Element Description
Search bar Search prompts by title, description, or content.
Filter by creator Filter by who created or last saved the prompt.
Filter by status Filter by Draft, Published, or Archived.
+ Create new prompt Create a new prompt.
Prompt cards Each card shows the prompt title, status badge (e.g., Published), creator, and a view icon (👁) to preview.

Create a new prompt

  1. Click + Create new prompt.
  2. Fill in the fields:
Field Description
Prompt title A descriptive name for the prompt (placeholder: "Some prompt title here").
Prompt description Internal notes or guidance for other template creators (placeholder: "Some prompt description").
Prompt content (rich-text editor) The actual AI instruction. Formatting toolbar supports: Bold, Italic, Underline, ~~Strikethrough~~, bullet list, numbered list, indent, outdent. Placeholder: "Write your prompt...".
  1. Click Publish to make the prompt available for use, or ← Back to return without saving.

Note: Only prompts in Published status can be inserted as AI Content Placeholders. Draft prompts are not available for use.

Prompt statuses

Status Description
Draft Saved but not published. Cannot be used in documents.
Published Active and available for AI content generation.
Archived Previous version superseded by a newer published version.

Edit and version a prompt

  1. Open an existing prompt and start editing — this creates a new Draft version.
  2. Save as draft, or click Publish to make the new version active.
  3. The previous version is automatically moved to Archived.

Prompts are versioned and auditable. Every change is tracked with user ID and timestamp.

Error handling

If the AI Assistant encounters an issue when loading prompts:

⚠ "The AI Assistant wasn't able to provide a smart AI prompt."

Click ↻ Retry to try again, or Cancel to close.

Generate content — in documents

Document authors only.

When a document is created from a template with Gen AI support enabled, AI Content Placeholders appear in the editor as gold/yellow blocks. These indicate locations where you can generate AI content.

AI Content Placeholder appearance in documents

Element Description
✨ AI icon Sparkle/pen icon identifying the AI block.
AI CONTENT PLACEHOLDER label Labels the block in the centre.
Prompt reference The linked prompt name (e.g., Prompt: Test prompt).
Generate content button A blue button that triggers AI content generation.
Gold/yellow background Bold colour signalling that action is needed.

Trigger content generation

  1. Locate the AI Content Placeholder in the component.
  2. Click Generate content.
  3. The Generate content modal opens:
Element Description
Conversation area (top) Chat-style view showing your prompt on the right (labelled You) and the AI response on the left.
AI status indicator A blue sparkle icon with status text while the AI is processing.
Refinement input (bottom) A rich-text area where you can enter follow-up instructions. Placeholder: "Ask AI for help building your prompt". Formatting toolbar available (Bold, Italic, Underline, ~~Strikethrough~~, bullet list, numbered list, indent, outdent).

Refine the AI output

If the initial result doesn't meet your needs:

  1. Review the generated content in the conversation area.
  2. In the refinement input, type a natural language instruction (e.g., "Make it shorter", "Convert to bullet points", "Focus on stability data").
  3. Submit — the AI generates a new draft based on the original prompt, previous output, and your instruction.
  4. Repeat as many times as needed.

Accept or close

Action Description
Approve and insert Inserts the finalized AI text into the document. The placeholder is replaced with the generated content.
Close Closes the modal without inserting. The placeholder remains in the document — you can return later.

After accepting

  • The AI Content Placeholder is removed from the document.
  • The generated text is inserted as regular editable content.
  • A note indicates the content is AI-generated, providing traceability.
  • You can edit the text manually like any other content in the document.

Smart content

Smart fields

Available for both templates and documents.

Smart fields are dynamic placeholders that automatically display values from the metadata entered at the workspace or document level. Instead of manually typing information like product names, batch numbers, or country lists into your content, you insert a smart field — and the system populates it with the correct value based on the document's metadata.

This ensures that key information is always consistent, accurate, and automatically updated if the metadata changes.

How smart fields work

Aspect How it works
Data source Smart fields pull their values from metadata defined at the workspace level or the document level.
Template inheritance When a smart field is inserted in a template, it is automatically inherited by all documents created from that template. The field populates based on the specific document's metadata values.

Insert a smart field

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want the smart field to appear.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click Smart field (tooltip reads: "Insert a field placeholder linked to an external data source").
  3. The Select smart placeholder to insert dialog opens. It displays a scrollable list of all available smart fields under the Smart fields heading.
  4. Each smart field card shows:
Element Description
T icon Indicates the field is a text-based smart field.
Field name (bold) The name of the smart field (e.g., Associated Countries, Batch Number, Calibrator Material Number).
Description A brief description of the field's data source or purpose (e.g., "Associated Countries").
  1. Use the Search bar in the top-right corner to filter the list by name.
  2. Click on the smart field you want to insert to select it.
  3. Click Insert to add it to your content, or Cancel to close the dialog without inserting.

Smart field appearance in the editor

Once inserted, a smart field appears in the editor as a highlighted tag:

  • The field is displayed with a yellow/gold background and a T prefix, followed by the field name in uppercase (e.g., T ASSOCIATED COUNTRIES).
  • This visual styling distinguishes smart fields from regular text, making them easy to identify.
  • In a template, the smart field shows only its name (as a placeholder) because no specific document metadata exists yet.
  • In a document, the smart field displays the actual value pulled from the workspace or document metadata.

Smart fields in templates vs. documents

Context Behaviour
In a template The smart field acts as a placeholder — it defines where the dynamic value should appear. It displays the field name (e.g., T ASSOCIATED COUNTRIES) but no value, since no document-level metadata exists yet.
In a document The smart field is inherited from the template and automatically populated with the actual metadata value from the workspace or document. If the metadata has not been entered, the field appears empty until the value is provided.

When to use smart fields

Scenario Use smart fields?
Product names, batch numbers, or other metadata that should be consistent throughout the document ✅ Yes
Information that is defined at the workspace level and shared across all documents in that workspace ✅ Yes
Free-text content that is unique to a specific section and not tied to metadata ❌ No — type directly

Tip: Using smart fields in templates is a best practice. It ensures that every document created from the template automatically displays the correct metadata values without requiring authors to manually enter repetitive information.

Conditions

Available for both templates and documents.

Conditions allow you to control which content is shown or hidden based on metadata values. By applying conditions to specific elements in your template or document, you can create a single content structure that adapts to different contexts — showing only the relevant content for a specific product, study, country, or any other metadata-driven criteria.

This eliminates the need to maintain multiple versions of the same template or document for different scenarios. Instead, you define the content once and let conditions determine what is included in the output.

How conditions work

Aspect Description
Purpose Control content visibility — show or hide specific elements based on metadata values.
Data source Conditions are driven by metadata values defined at the document or workspace level.
Template inheritance Conditions set at the template level are inherited by documents created from that template. When a document's metadata matches a condition value, the corresponding content is included.
Output filtering During Preview & Output, you can filter the output by condition values — generating a version of the document that includes only the content relevant to a specific context.

Supported elements

Conditions can be applied to the following content elements:

Element Description
Component Show or hide an entire component based on a condition.
Section Show or hide a section within a component.
Paragraph Show or hide a specific paragraph of text.
Table Show or hide an entire table.
Image Show or hide an image.

The Conditions panel

The CONDITIONS panel is located in the right sidebar of the editor (click the ⚙ CONDITIONS tab). It provides the interface for applying and managing conditions on content elements.

The panel displays:

Element Description
Apply conditions The panel heading.
Select an element A dropdown that shows which element type is currently selected (e.g., Table, Paragraph, Component, Section). This changes automatically based on where your cursor is placed in the editor.
Condition status Shows whether conditions are currently applied to the selected element (e.g., "Table included for 1 condition value" or "No conditions applied").
Condition list A scrollable list of all available conditions. Each condition can be expanded (▶) to reveal its individual values.

Apply a condition

  1. In the editor, click on (or select) the element you want to condition — this can be a component, section, paragraph, table, image, or a text selection.
  2. Open the CONDITIONS panel in the right sidebar.
  3. The Select an element dropdown automatically reflects the type of element you selected (e.g., Table, Paragraph). You can also change the element type using this dropdown if needed.
  4. In the condition list below, expand the relevant condition by clicking the ▶ arrow next to its name.
  5. The condition expands to show its available values as checkboxes.
  6. Check one or more values to apply the condition. The element will now be included in the output only when the document's metadata matches the selected condition values.

Once a condition is applied: - The panel updates to show the condition status (e.g., "Table included for 1 condition value"). - A Clear link appears next to the condition, allowing you to remove it. - The conditioned element is visually highlighted in the editor (e.g., with a coloured border) to indicate that it is conditional.

Conditions in templates vs. documents

Context Behaviour
In a template Authors define conditions on content elements to specify under which circumstances the content should be included. These conditions are inherited by all documents created from the template.
In a document The document's metadata values determine which conditioned content is shown. Authors can also add or modify conditions at the document level if needed.

When to use conditions

Scenario Use conditions?
A table that should appear only for a specific product category (e.g., Calibrator) ✅ Yes
A section that applies only to certain countries ✅ Yes
Content that should always appear regardless of context ❌ No — leave unconditional
Content that differs between regulatory submission types ✅ Yes

Tip: Conditions are most powerful when used in templates. By defining conditions at the template level, you create a flexible, reusable structure that automatically adapts to each document's specific context — without requiring manual edits to include or exclude content.

Smart tables

Available for both templates and documents.

Smart tables are dynamic tables that pull data directly from an external data source (e.g., Snowflake) and display it in a structured table format within the editor. Unlike regular tables where authors manually enter data, smart tables are configured through a query builder — you define which data fields to include, apply filters, and the system retrieves and displays the matching data automatically.

How smart tables work

Aspect Description
Data source Smart tables retrieve data from a connected external system (e.g., Snowflake). The data source is displayed in the table header (e.g., SNOWFLAKE_DIA_APQR_E2E_GRANTED).
Template inheritance Smart tables configured in a template are inherited by documents created from that template. The table populates with data specific to each document's metadata.
Live connection The table maintains a connection to the data source. You can re-open the Table generator to modify the query or refresh the data.

Insert a smart table

  1. In the editor toolbar, click the Table dropdown.
  2. Under Smart tables, select From Table generator.
  3. The Select smart content to insert dialog opens, showing the Table generator interface.
  4. You have two options:
  5. + Create new — Create a brand-new smart table query.
  6. Choose a smart table to copy and edit — Browse existing smart tables from the component tree (left panel) and click Copy and edit to create a modified version.

If you select + Create new, the Create new smart table dialog opens with the Content Generator / Creating a New Query interface.

Configure a smart table query

The Content Generator interface has two main steps:

Step 1 — Select a table

The left panel displays a Table selection list showing all available data tables from the connected source. Use the Search bar to filter the list. Click on a table to select it.

Step 2 — Select fields and apply filters

Once a table is selected, the interface provides two tabs:

Fields tab

Select which data columns to include in your smart table:

  • A scrollable list of available fields is displayed under the DATA heading.
  • Use the Search fields bar to find specific fields.
  • Check the checkbox next to each field you want to include.
  • Check the DATA checkbox at the top to select all fields at once.
Advanced filtering tab

Define additional filter criteria to narrow the data retrieved:

  • Click the + button to add a filter rule.
  • Select a field from the Select a field dropdown.
  • Combine multiple filters using AND / OR logic operators.
  • Click × to remove a filter rule.
Run the query
  1. After selecting fields and configuring filters, click RUN QUERY in the top-right corner.
  2. The right panel displays a data preview table showing the retrieved results with the selected columns and their data rows.
  3. Use the Search bar and column filter icons (🔽) in the preview to further explore the data.
  4. If satisfied, click Insert to add the smart table to your content, or ← Back to modify the query.

Smart table appearance in the editor

Once inserted, a smart table appears in the editor with the following elements:

Element Description
⊕ SMART TABLE label Identifies the table as a smart table (with a link icon), distinguishing it from regular tables.
Data rows The table displays the data retrieved from the source, filtered by the document's metadata.
Source tooltip Clicking on the smart table label reveals a tooltip showing the Source URL (e.g., the Content Generator data-sets endpoint) along with action buttons.

Manage an existing smart table

When you click on a smart table in the editor, a tooltip appears with two actions:

Action Description
Make editable Converts the smart table into a regular editable table. This breaks the connection to the data source — the data becomes static and can be manually edited.
Open Table generator Re-opens the Content Generator interface, allowing you to modify the query, change fields, or update filters.
Make editable

If you need to manually edit the data in a smart table:

  1. Click on the smart table to reveal the tooltip.
  2. Click Make editable.
  3. A confirmation dialog appears:

⚠ Make editable

"Are you sure you want to make this content editable? You will be able to edit the field and its formatting but the value will be overwritten."

  1. Click Yes, make editable to confirm, or Cancel to keep the live connection.

Important: Making a smart table editable is a one-way action. Once converted, the table loses its connection to the data source and becomes a regular table. The data will no longer update automatically from the external source.

When to use smart tables

Scenario Recommended approach
Data that exists in an external system (e.g., Snowflake) and should be pulled automatically ✅ Smart table
Data that needs to stay in sync with the source ✅ Smart table
A table with fixed, manually authored content that doesn't come from an external source ❌ Use a regular table
You need to make one-time edits to data pulled from a source Insert smart table, then Make editable
You want to reuse an existing smart table configuration with minor modifications Use Copy and edit from an existing smart table

Tables

Available for both templates and documents.

The IAP editor provides multiple table types to suit different needs — from manually authored tables with full formatting control, to smart tables that pull data automatically from external systems. This section covers regular tables and informal tables. For tables that retrieve data from external sources, see Smart tables.

Table types

The Table dropdown in the editor toolbar offers the following options:

Option Description
Table A numbered, titled table that appears in the Table of Contents when generated. Use this for formal tables that need to be referenced and tracked.
Informal table An unnumbered, title-free table that will not appear in the Table of Contents. Use this for supplementary tabular content that doesn't require formal tracking.
Smart tables — From Table generator A dynamic table that pulls data from an external data source. See Smart tables for full details.

Insert a table

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want the table.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Table dropdown.
  3. Hover over Table or Informal table to reveal the size selector grid.
  4. The grid allows you to select the number of columns and rows by hovering and clicking. A counter below the grid shows the selected dimensions (e.g., 5 columns x 7 rows or 1 column x 4 rows).
  5. Click to insert a table of the selected size.

For a Table (formal), the editor inserts: - A TABLE label in the top-left corner - An automatic table number (e.g., Table 1, Table 2) - A title field — enter a descriptive title (placeholder reads "type the title") - The table grid with the selected dimensions - An orientation indicator in the top-right corner (e.g., PORTRAIT)

For an Informal table, the editor inserts: - The table grid without a number, title, or TABLE label - The table will not be tracked in the Table of Contents

Edit table structure

Right-click on any cell in the table (or use the context menu) to access table management actions. The available actions are grouped into Cell operations and Table operations:

Cell actions

Action Description
+ Add row above Insert a new row above the current cell.
+ Add row below Insert a new row below the current cell.
+ Add column left Insert a new column to the left of the current cell.
+ Add column right Insert a new column to the right of the current cell.
Remove row(s) / Remove row Delete the current row (or selected rows).
Remove column(s) / Remove column Delete the current column (or selected columns).
Merge cells Merge the selected cells into a single cell. Available when multiple cells are selected.
Split cell Split a previously merged cell back into individual cells. A sub-menu (▶) provides split options.

Table actions

Action Description
Compress table Reduce the table width to fit its content more compactly.
Expand table Expand the table to use the full available width.
Remove table Delete the entire table from the content.

Table orientation

Each formal table displays an orientation indicator in the top-right corner (e.g., PORTRAIT). This controls how the table is rendered in the output. You can toggle the orientation to switch between portrait and landscape layout for the generated output.

Regular tables vs. smart tables

Aspect Regular table Smart table
Data entry Manual — authors type content directly into cells Automatic — data is pulled from an external source
Data source None — content is authored in the editor Connected external system (e.g., Snowflake)
Updates Manual — authors must update cells individually Automatic — refreshes based on query
Flexibility Full — complete control over structure, formatting, and content Constrained — structure is defined by the query; content is read-only unless made editable
Use case Manually authored content, free-form data, custom layouts Structured data from external systems that should stay in sync

Tip: If you need data from an external source but also want to make manual edits, you can insert a smart table and then use the Make editable action to convert it into a regular table. Note that this breaks the connection to the data source — the table becomes static after conversion.

Notes

Available for both templates and documents.

Notes allow you to insert highlighted content blocks that draw attention to specific information within your content.

Note types

The Note dropdown in the editor toolbar offers the following options:

Option Description
Generic note A standard note for general information or remarks that should stand out from the surrounding content.
Caution note A note that alerts the reader to exercise caution — used for information that requires careful attention.
Important note A note that highlights critical information the reader should not overlook. Displayed with an IMPORTANT label.
Warning note A note that warns the reader about potential risks or serious consequences.

Insert a note

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want the note to appear.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Note dropdown.
  3. Select the note type: Generic note, Caution note, Important note, or Warning note.
  4. A highlighted note block is inserted in the editor with a dashed border and a coloured background (e.g., light yellow for Important notes).
  5. Type your note content inside the block.

Manage notes

Click the ⋯ (More actions) button on a note block to access the following actions:

Action Description
Create untitled component Creates a new untitled component below the current note's parent component.
Change to standard note Converts the note to a generic/standard note type.
Change to caution note Converts the note to a caution note type.
Change to warning note Converts the note to a warning note type.
Unwrap note Removes the note wrapper while preserving the content inline within the component. The text remains but is no longer enclosed in a note block.

Note: The context menu heading shows the current note type (e.g., Important), making it easy to identify what type of note you are working with. The conversion options exclude the current type — for example, an Important note shows options to change to standard, caution, or warning, but not to Important (since it already is).

Available for both templates and documents.

The IAP editor allows you to insert two types of links into your content: hyperlinks to external web addresses and cross links to other sections within the same template or document. Links help readers navigate to related content — whether outside the platform or within the document structure itself.

The Link dropdown in the editor toolbar offers the following options:

Option Shortcut Description
Hyperlink Ctrl + K A link to an external web address (URL). Use this to reference external websites, resources, or systems.
Cross link Ctrl + Shift + K A link to another section, component, or figure within the same template or document. Use this to create internal cross-references that help readers navigate the content.
  1. Select the text you want to turn into a link (or place your cursor where the link should be inserted).
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Link dropdown and select Hyperlink, or press Ctrl + K.
  3. The Insert hyperlink dialog opens with the following fields:
Element Description
Web address (URL) Enter the full URL of the external page you want to link to.
↗ Visit Click this link to open the entered URL in a new browser tab to verify it before inserting.
  1. Click Insert to add the hyperlink, or Cancel to close the dialog without inserting.

Cross links create internal references to other parts of the same template or document. In the output, these render as navigable cross-references (e.g., "Subsection 1. Site component").

  1. Select the text you want to turn into a cross link (or place your cursor where the link should be inserted).
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Link dropdown and select Cross link, or press Ctrl + Shift + K.
  3. The Add cross link dialog opens. It provides two tabs for finding the target element:

Outline tab

Element Description
Component tree (left panel) Displays the hierarchical structure of the template or document, showing all components and sub-components. Click on a component to select it as the link target.
Preview (right panel) Shows a preview of the selected component's content. If no item is selected, the panel displays: "No item selected — Select an item in the list to the left."
Search outline A search bar in the top-right corner to filter the component tree by name.
Collapse / Expand Buttons at the top of the tree to collapse or expand all items.

Figures list tab

Element Description
Figures list Displays a list of all figures in the template or document. Select a figure to create a cross link to it.
  1. Select the target component or figure from the left panel.
  2. Click Insert to add the cross link, or Cancel to close the dialog without inserting.

Once inserted, a cross link appears in the editor as highlighted inline text:

Element Description
Highlighted text The cross link is displayed with a distinct background colour (e.g., gold/brown), making it visually distinguishable from regular text.
Reference text The link text automatically shows the target's reference label, indicating which section or figure it points to.
---
Scenario Recommended option
Referencing an external website, tool, or system Hyperlink
Referencing another section or component within the same document Cross link
Referencing a figure or table within the same document Cross link (Figures list tab)

Citations

Available for both templates and documents.

Citations allow you to insert reference markers into your content. They are used to provide source references, bibliographic entries, or annotations that support the content.

Insert a citation

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want the citation to appear.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click Citation.
  3. A citation placeholder is inserted inline with the text, displayed as (type the citation) in grey/placeholder styling.
  4. Click inside the citation placeholder and type your reference text.

When to use citations

Scenario Use citations?
Referencing a source document, guideline, or regulation ✅ Yes
Providing a bibliographic reference for data or claims ✅ Yes
Adding an annotation or footnote-style remark inline ✅ Yes
Linking to another section within the same document ❌ No — use a Cross link instead
Linking to an external website ❌ No — use a Hyperlink instead

Footnotes

Available for both templates and documents.

Footnotes allow you to add supplementary notes or references to your content. They appear as superscript markers (e.g., [a]) at the point of reference, with the corresponding footnote text displayed at the bottom of the component. Footnotes are useful for providing clarifications, explanations, or annotations to specific content without cluttering the main text.

Footnote types

The Footnote dropdown in the editor toolbar offers the following options:

Option Description
Footnote Creates a new footnote — inserts a superscript marker at the cursor position and adds a footnote entry at the bottom of the component.
Link to an existing footnote Links to a footnote that already exists. Use this when multiple locations need to reference the same footnote.

Insert a new footnote

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want the footnote marker to appear (this can be within regular text, a table cell, or any other content element).
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Footnote dropdown.
  3. Select Footnote.
  4. A superscript marker (e.g., [a]) is inserted at the cursor position.
  5. A footnote entry is added at the bottom of the component with the corresponding letter (e.g., a) and placeholder text: "type the footnote".
  6. Click on the footnote text area and enter your footnote content.
  7. An ↑ arrow next to the footnote allows the reader to navigate back to the marker in the content.

If a footnote already exists and you want to reference it from another location:

  1. Place your cursor at the position where you want to add the reference.
  2. In the editor toolbar, click the Footnote dropdown.
  3. Select Link to an existing table footnote.
  4. The Select a footnote dialog opens, displaying:
Element Description
Search field Filter available footnotes by text.
Footnote list Shows all existing footnotes. Each entry displays the footnote content or (Empty element) if no text has been entered, along with the label "Table footnote". A count indicates the total number of available footnotes (e.g., 1 elements).
  1. Select the footnote you want to link to.
  2. Click Insert to add the reference marker, or Cancel to close the dialog.

When to use footnotes

Scenario Recommended option
Adding a clarification or annotation to a specific word, phrase, or data point Footnote
Multiple locations need to reference the same note or explanation Link to an existing footnote
Providing a general highlighted remark that applies to a block of content ❌ No — use a Note instead
Referencing a source or bibliography entry inline ❌ No — use a Citation instead

Tasks

Available for both templates and documents.

Tasks allow you to create actionable items within the editor and assign them to team members. They are useful for tracking work that needs to be completed — such as content that needs to be written, reviewed, or updated — directly alongside the content itself. Tasks help coordinate collaboration between authors and reviewers without leaving the editor.

Create a new task

  1. In the editor toolbar, click Task.
  2. The New task form appears with the following fields:
Field Description
Task title (required) Enter a short title for the task (max 50 characters).
Task description Enter a detailed description of what needs to be done. The description field supports rich text formatting: font style (T ∨), Bold, Italic, Underline, ~~Strikethrough~~, bullet lists, and numbered lists.
Assignee Assign the task to a team member or group. Click the Assign this task dropdown to select from available options: Unassigned, Authors, or Reviewers.
Due date Set a deadline for the task using the date picker (YYYY / MM / DD).
Make private Check this box to make the task visible only to you (works as a draft).
  1. Click Add task to create the task, or Cancel to discard.

Task appearance in the editor

Once created, a task appears as a card in the tasks panel alongside the content:

Element Description
Assignee badge A coloured badge showing the assigned group (e.g., R Reviewers with a green indicator).
Members icon A people icon (👥) indicating team assignment.
Status indicator Shows the current task status (e.g., Todo, Doing). Click to change the status.
Task title The title of the task.
Due date The deadline displayed as a tag (e.g., May 1, 2026).
Task description The description text entered when creating the task.
Created by Shows who created the task and when (e.g., Created by: You — April 29, 2026 11:29 AM).
Reply field A Type your reply field at the bottom allows team members to add comments and discuss the task.

Task statuses

Tasks follow a simple workflow with three statuses:

Status Description
Todo The task has been created but work has not started. This is the default status when a task is first created.
Doing The task is currently in progress.
Done The task has been completed.

To change a task's status:

  1. Click the status dropdown on the task card (e.g., Doing).
  2. Select the new status: Todo, Doing, or Done.
  3. The status updates immediately.

Task assignment

Tasks can be assigned to different groups:

Assignee option Description
Unassigned The task is not assigned to anyone — any team member can pick it up.
Authors The task is assigned to all users with the Author role on the template or document.
Reviewers The task is assigned to all users with the Reviewer role on the template or document.

Tasks and the workflow

Unfinished tasks trigger a warning when you attempt to move a component to the next workflow stage (e.g., from Draft to In review). The ⚠ Unfinished tasks dialog informs you that incomplete tasks exist and gives you the option to proceed, cancel, or check the tasks before continuing.

This is a warning only — it does not fully block the workflow. You can still choose to move the component forward despite unfinished tasks.

When to use tasks

Scenario Use tasks?
Requesting a reviewer to check a specific section ✅ Yes
Reminding yourself or a colleague to complete a piece of content ✅ Yes
Tracking outstanding work items with deadlines ✅ Yes
Providing feedback on content during review ❌ No — use Comments instead
Flagging important information for readers ❌ No — use a Note instead

Comments

Available for both templates and documents.

Comments are the primary mechanism for collaboration and feedback within the IAP editor. They allow authors and reviewers to leave feedback, ask questions, suggest changes, and discuss content directly alongside the relevant text. Comments can be used at any time regardless of component status.

Comment types

When creating a comment, the editor offers three options:

Option Description
Comment A comment anchored to specific selected content.
Proposal A suggested change to the selected content.
Global comment A comment that applies to the template or document as a whole, not tied to specific content.

Create a comment

  1. Select the content you want to comment on in the editor (or place your cursor for a global comment).
  2. Click the comment icon (💬) in the sidebar toolbar (top-right corner of the editor).
  3. Select the comment type: Comment, Proposal, or Global comment.
  4. A comment form appears. Fill in the required fields:
Field Description
Comment text (required) Enter your feedback in the text area.
Type (required) Select the comment category: General comment, Editorial comment, or Technical comment.
Make private Check this box if you want the comment to be visible only to you.
  1. Click Save to post the comment, or Cancel to discard.

View and filter comments

Once comments exist, the comments panel in the sidebar provides several tools to manage them:

Feature Description
Filter comments Use the filter icon to narrow comments by status (e.g., Filtered by: Unresolved).
Show comment balloons Check the Show comment balloons checkbox to display visual markers in the editor next to commented content.
Share Click the Share button to share the comment list with other team members.
Navigate between comments Use the up (⬆) and down (⬇) arrows to move between comments in the content.

Reply to a comment

Each comment has a Type your reply field at the bottom. Type your response and submit it to create a threaded conversation. This allows authors and reviewers to have a structured dialogue directly on the relevant content.

Resolve a comment

When a comment has been addressed, it can be resolved:

  1. Click the ✓ Resolve button on the comment.
  2. A resolution form appears with the following options:
Field Description
Resolve and (required) Select Accept (the feedback was incorporated) or Reject (the feedback was not applicable).
Resolution note (optional) Describe how or why you resolved the comment.
  1. Click Resolve to finalize, or Cancel to return.

Important: All comments must be resolved before you can release the template or document.

Comment appearance in the editor

Element Description
Comment balloon A visual marker appears next to the commented content in the editor (when comment balloons are enabled).
Comment card In the comments panel, each comment displays: the author's name, date, comment type (e.g., General comment), the comment text, and a reply field.
Resolve button A green ✓ Resolve button appears on each unresolved comment.
Three-dot menu (⋯) Provides additional options for managing the comment.

When to use comments

Scenario Use comments?
Providing feedback on content during review ✅ Yes
Asking a clarifying question about a specific section ✅ Yes
Suggesting a change to specific text ✅ Yes — use Proposal type
Providing general feedback not tied to a specific section ✅ Yes — use Global comment
Assigning actionable work to a team member with a deadline ❌ No — use a Task instead
Highlighting important information for readers in the output ❌ No — use a Note instead

Author guidance

Created by template authors. Visible (read-only) to document authors and reviewers.

Author guidance provides instructional notes and directions within the content structure to help document authors and reviewers understand what is expected in a specific section, component, or text selection. Guidance is created by template authors and is visible in the editor as a reference — but it cannot be modified at the document level and does not appear in the generated output.

This makes author guidance ideal for template creators who want to provide writing instructions, content requirements, or contextual tips that document authors and reviewers will see when working with documents based on the template.

Guidance scope

The Author guidance dropdown in the editor toolbar offers the following options (available only when editing a template):

Option Description
On text selection Attach guidance to a specific piece of selected text.
On section Attach guidance to an entire section within a component.
On component Attach guidance to an entire component.

Add author guidance (template authors only)

  1. Open the template in the editor.
  2. Select the text, or place your cursor inside the section or component where you want to add guidance.
  3. In the editor toolbar, click the Author guidance dropdown.
  4. Select the appropriate scope: On text selection, On section, or On component.
  5. The New author guidance form appears, showing:
  6. The scope label at the top (e.g., Section)

  7. Navigation arrows (⬆ ⬇) to move between guidance items

  8. Fill in the following fields:

Field Description
Author guidance title (optional) A short title for the guidance (max 50 characters). A counter shows the current character count (e.g., 8/50).
Author guidance description (required) The main guidance text. A rich-text toolbar is available with formatting options: text style (T ∨), Bold, Italic, Underline, ~~Strikethrough~~, bullet list, numbered list, indent, outdent, and more (⋯).
  1. Click Add guidance to save, or Cancel to discard.

View author guidance (document authors and reviewers)

When working on a document created from a template that contains author guidance:

  • The 💡 Author Guidance label appears above or next to the guided element (section or component), indicating that guidance is available.
  • The GUIDANCE tab in the right sidebar provides access to all guidance notes for the current context.
  • Document authors and reviewers can read the guidance to understand what is expected in that area.
  • Document authors and reviewers cannot edit, add, or remove author guidance — it is inherited from the template and remains read-only at the document level.

Author guidance appearance in the editor

Element Description
💡 Author Guidance label A light bulb icon with the text "Author Guidance" appears above or next to the guided element, indicating that guidance is available for that area.
GUIDANCE tab (right sidebar) A dedicated tab in the right sidebar where document authors and reviewers can browse all guidance notes associated with the current content.
Editor-only visibility Author guidance is visible only while editing in the IAP editor. It is not included in the generated output (DOCX, PDF, XML).
Read-only in documents In documents, the guidance is visible but cannot be modified by authors or reviewers.

When to use author guidance

Scenario Use author guidance?
Providing writing instructions for document authors in a template ✅ Yes
Explaining what content is expected in a specific section ✅ Yes
Adding tips or requirements for a particular text area ✅ Yes — use On text selection
Giving context for how a component should be filled in ✅ Yes — use On component
Helping reviewers understand the intent of a section during review ✅ Yes — reviewers can view guidance via the GUIDANCE tab
Adding a visible note for readers in the final output ❌ No — use a Note instead
Providing feedback during review ❌ No — use a Comment instead
Adding guidance at the document level ❌ Not possible — guidance can only be created in templates