DataPublisher for Word · May 2026
Three hands-on exercises. Each takes about 5 minutes. Do them in order — each one builds on the last.
Goal: Get your first data file into the app and place two field placeholders in a Word document.
Step 1 — Go to Data → Files
Click the Data tab in the taskpane, then make sure Files is the active sub-tab (it's the default).
Step 2 — Upload a data file
Click Import Data File. Select any CSV from your computer. If you don't have one handy, create a quick test file in Notepad:
FirstName,LastName,City
Alice,Johnson,Pittsburgh
Bob,Smith,Cleveland
Carol,Davis,Philadelphia
Save it as test.csv and upload it.
Step 3 — Insert field placeholders
The file appears in the list. Click the clipboard icon (Insert Fields). A panel opens showing all columns: FirstName, LastName, City.
Check FirstName and LastName, then click Insert. The placeholders <<FirstName>> and <<LastName>> drop into your Word document at the cursor.
Step 4 — Look at what was inserted
In Word, you'll see <<FirstName>> <<LastName>>. This is the syntax DataPublisher uses to find and replace placeholders during a merge.
You just learned: how data files work and how placeholders get into your template.
Goal: Run a merge using the CSV you just uploaded.
Prerequisites: Exercise 1 complete. Your Word doc has <<FirstName>> <<LastName>> in it.
Step 1 — Go to Actions → Merge
Click the Actions tab, then Merge (it's the default sub-tab).
Step 2 — Select your data file
Click the Data File dropdown and select the CSV you uploaded. It shows your file name.
Step 3 — Choose Data Flow
Click Data Flow and select One per page.
Step 4 — Run it
Click Run Action. Watch the progress bar. For a 3-record test file it will finish almost instantly.
Step 5 — See the result
Your Word document now has 3 pages. Each page has the personalized name from one row: "Alice Johnson", "Bob Smith", "Carol Davis".
You just learned: the basic merge workflow. Data file + template with placeholders + data flow = generated document.
Goal: Use the visual Builder to create a placeholder with a post-processing function — no syntax to memorize.
Prerequisites: A data file uploaded (from Exercise 1 or any file).
Step 1 — Go to Data → Builder
Click the Data tab, then the Builder sub-tab (bottom row, full width).
Step 2 — Open the Post-Processing tab
Inside the Builder panel, click Post-Processing.
Step 3 — Select a file and field
In Select Data File, choose your uploaded CSV.
In Select Field, choose a field — for example, FirstName.
Step 4 — Add a function
In Select category, pick Text Formatting.
The function list shows ToUpperCase, ToLowerCase, ToTitleCase, TruncateText.
Click ToUpperCase to add it.
Step 5 — Preview
The Preview box now shows: <<FirstName>>{{ToUpperCase}}
Step 6 — Insert it
Click Insert into Document. The string <<FirstName>>{{ToUpperCase}} appears in your Word document. During a merge, this will output the first name in ALL CAPS.
You just learned: how the Builder works and how post-processing functions attach to placeholders. You can chain as many functions as you need.
[[field]]{{InsertImage}} in your template