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Question

Formatter not replacing text

  • 9 August 2021
  • 5 replies
  • 361 views
B
Userlevel 1

Hi everybordy,

 

My zap is :

Trigger : when a new record is made in airtable

Action : create a new Google slide froma template

 

The zap is working very well, but I have many {{placeholders}}, and sometimes some of them are not completed (because there is no value corresponding to the {{placeholder}} in airtable. I would like those {{placeholders}} to be deleted so there are not seen in the final Google Slide. I’ve tried to create a formatter between the trigger and the action but it doesn’t work at all. I know trying to delete a {{placeholder}} could be difficult, so I am trying for the moment to just make the formatter work with a simple task. 

 

Here it is : I try to change de value “no” to “yes” with the formatter : Text then Replace : 

 

But it doesn’t work at all, the “no” is not replaced by a “yes” : 

 

By the way, I have also tried to change the date format, and it doesn’t work neither… 

 

Does somebody know what am I doing wrong ? 

 

Thank you for your help ! 

 

Franck 

This post has been closed for comments. Please create a new post if you need help or have a question about this topic.

5 replies

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Hi @Bezufranck 

Try this…

Use a Formatter step to detect if a value is empty BEFORE the GSlides step and set a default value for those {{placeholders}}.

Article: https://zapier.com/help/create/format/set-default-values-for-blank-fields-in-zaps

 

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
B
Userlevel 1

Thanks for your answer @Troy Tessalone 

 

Actually, I have already tried this solution, it doesn’t work neither… 

 

I don’t know what to do anymore, any others ideas ?

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@Bezufranck 

Make sure to replace the default value with at least a space using the Formatter step.

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
B
Userlevel 1

@Troy Tessalone 

 

I have tried it, it doesn’t work. I have tried replace the default value with a space, or even [:space:], but the {{placeholder}} doesn’t change. For example, let’s try to change when empty by a default value “test” so it is easier to see if it’s working. 

 

The {{placeholder}} we are trying to change for “test” is {{amoxflash}}. Let’s take a look at the template : 

 

Here is the zap : 

 

 

The formatter step is : 

We can see the trigger that I am using does not contain any value (no data), so it should be replaced by “Test”. We can see it works by testing this action : 

So now let’s take a look to the new Google Slide freshly created : 

We can see the formatter step hasn’t work, beacause {{Amoxflash}} has not been replaced by “Test”.

 

So do you know what am I doing wrong ?

 

Thank you for your precious help

 

Franck

Troy Tessalone
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

@Bezufranck 

Do you have the GSlides fields mapped correctly from Step 2 (Formatter)?

Perhaps post screenshots of how that Zap step is configured.

 

As a reference, in GDocs when using a template there is a field to specify how to handle “Unused Fields”.

 

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Premier Certified Zapier Expert | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
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