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I have set up several Zaps using similar spreadsheets and template forms.  This particular time I am getting an error message that I do not see the obvious reason as to why.  The Zap will be a sheet - doc - sheet, but I am having the issue with the connection to the template.  I am not even to the point to be able to map out the connections.  Any help with this would be much appreciated. 

 

Hi @jvc 

Good question.

With the other field values being grayed out, it may mean you need to reselect the Template Document.

You can try using a ‘Custom’ option to add the Template ID instead of selecting to see if that helps to resolve the issue.

 

EXAMPLE

 


They were grey because I was just taking a screen shot from the “view” of the step and not in the step itself.  In the step, they are active; but I appreciate that catch.  It did make me go back and take another look.

 


@jvc 

Did you try this?

You can try using a ‘Custom’ option to add the Template ID instead of selecting to see if that helps to resolve the issue.

 

Until you can get the Template fields to show (assuming the template is configured correctly), you will likely encounter an error when trying to test the Zap step.


The custom option gives me the fields in the google sheet instead of and google doc that the template is on. Is that what I am missing?  I didn’t think I was supposed to map this far ahead. 

 


@jvc 

You can manually input data in this field, where a selected variable gets put.

So if you know the Template ID (found in the browser URL), then you can put in the static value here.

 


That worked!  I was able to map the fields…..and then this happened.  Have any idea why it didn’t grab all of the fields even though all of them were mapped?  The fields that are not mapped are not even showing up as needing to be mapped.

 


@jvc

We’d need to see detailed screenshots with how your Zap step is configured in order to have enough context, thanks.

 

Just because a field is mapped with a variable, does not mean the variable has data (blank/empty/null), which is usually indicated by “No data”.


Here you can see that school1 and all of the details mapped correctly, as the final doc shows.  This also shows that grades2 is not even shown as a field to map.

 


@jvc

It can take some adjusting of the {{placeholders}} to get them to appear in the Zap for mapping a variable.

General recommendation is to completely remove the {{placeholder}}, and add it back, then refresh the fields in the Zap to see if it becomes available.

 

Help article: https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8495982583053#check-your-template-field-formatting-0-4

 

Remove any HTML formatting

If you copy and pasted fields in your template, they may contain HTML formatting. The HTML formatting won't be visible in your Google Doc, but you will need to remove it before using your Doc in Zapier.

There are two ways to delete the HTML in your Google Docs template:

Manually enter the template field

  1. Delete the template field and the text around the template field
  2. Manually type in the template field and the text around it.

Remove formatting

  1. Highlight the template fields.
  2. In the top menu, click Format.
  3. Select Clear formatting.

If you already selected the template in your Zap, click Refresh fields at the bottom of your Google Docs step. This will reload your template and display your template fields.

Check your template field formatting

To correctly format your template fields in Google Docs:

  • Template fields must be wrapped in double curly braces.
  • Remove any spaces.
  • Remove any special characters like punctuation marks.
actionEdit icon Example

Here’s an example of a properly formatted template field: {{MyTemplateField}}.

Learn more about how to create and autopopulate a Google Docs template.

 


That worked!  I needed to remove and replace the placeholders.  Thank you so much for your patience and help today!