How do I create and use Placeholder Variables in the knowledge library? Placeholder Variables (sometimes referred to as merge fields, keywords, or replacement text) are values in your entries that may differ on a per-proposal basis.
Examples of such values are: client names, proposal points of contact, phone numbers, services offered, cheese, departments, locations and addresses, etc.
Follow the steps below or watch this 6 minute video for more details:
There are four ways to add a Placeholder Variable in the knowledge library:
1. Adding Placeholders within your original Excel/Word KL Import.
Before you import your 1-1 Question/Response pairings in the Knowledge Library, replace all values you’d like to designate as placeholders with double close braces {{ }}. For instance, the specific client name could be replaced with {{Client}}.
If you are manually adding KL records or editing a specific record, you can type the Placeholder Token using double close braces {{ }} around the chosen value(s) in the Response editor.
3. Using the Placeholder Variable function in the Response editor
Highlight the value(s) you'd like to designate as a Placeholder Variable
-Click on the Placeholder Variables icon
-Enter the Placeholder Token (Ex: "POINT OF CONTACT")
-Click Insert
NOTE: You do not need to enter the close braces {{ }} when using the Placeholder Variables function in the Response editor
4. Utilizing Find and Replace
If you have a specific value that already exists in your knowledge library, you can use the Find and Replace option to quickly replace values with the double closed bracket.
Using Placeholder Variables in Proposal Responses:
In order for the Placeholder Variables to work when responding in a proposal, you will need to map the Placeholder Token to a Value on the Proposal Details screen.
Within your proposal, navigate to the Dashboard tab, select Project Details. Add any placeholders you would like to distinguish for the specific proposal.
NOTE: In order to work correctly, the Placeholder Token entered on this screen must match what you have used in your knowledge library entries exactly.
Now that the Placeholder Token has been mapped to the desired value in the proposal, you can use an entry that contains the Placeholder. The Token will pull in the unique Value you have specified in the Proposal Details.
IMPORTANT: Adding placeholder details to a proposal will update responses from that point forward. Updates will not occur retroactively.