Documentation

Getting Started with DataPublisher for Word

Four steps from zero to your first automated document run. No programming required — if you can use Word, you can use DataPublisher.

① Install
② Sign in
③ Run a merge
④ Send DataRequest

Step 1 — Install the add-in

DataPublisher for Word is a Microsoft Office add-in. Follow the install guide for your Word version — it takes a few minutes.

Install steps

  1. Open the install guide and choose your platform (Windows, Mac, or Word Online)
  2. Follow the steps to add DataPublisher for Word to Microsoft Word
  3. Reopen Word — you'll see a DataPublisher button in the DataPublisher group on the Home tab of the ribbon

Requirements

Windows

Word 2016 or later, or Microsoft 365 · Internet connection

Mac

Word 2016 or later, or Microsoft 365 · Internet connection

Word Online

Any modern browser · Microsoft 365 account · Internet connection

Step 2 — Sign in and tour the task pane

Click DataPublisher on the Home tab of the Word ribbon to open the task pane on the right side of your document.

First-time sign in

  1. Click Sign In in the task pane, or create an account — it's free and needs no credit card
  2. Your 14-day free trial starts automatically; subscribe when you're ready to continue

The task pane has four tabs. Data and Actions unlock after you sign in:

Home

Sign in, account status, and a quick-start overview.

Data

Files, Sources, Import, Media, Builder, Template Sets, and Tables — everything that feeds your documents.

Actions

Merge, E-Signatures, DataRequest, Email Campaigns, Email Analytics, and Email Config — where documents are generated and sent.

Samples

Ready-made templates and data you can run in minutes.

Check it loaded: the task pane should show no red error banners and your email address after sign-in, with all four tabs visible. Next stop: the Samples library — Step 3 walks through it.

Step 3 — Run your first merge with a sample

The fastest way to learn DataPublisher is the built-in Samples library. Each sample loads its own data, templates, and images with one click — no CSV uploads or template building. We'll start with Business Directory: 100 business listings, one template, about five minutes.

Generate 100 listings

  1. Open the Samples tab, find Business Directory, and click Use This Sample. A confirmation message describes the data and template it added to your account
  2. Go to Actions → Merge
  3. Choose the business-directory-100.csv data file (100 rows) and the Business Directory Template Word template, then click Load to open the template in Word
  4. In Word, open the Layout tab and choose Columns → Two
  5. Back in the task pane, set Data Flow to Flow Columns
  6. Click Run Action. A progress indicator shows estimated time to completion, and you can cancel from its top-right icon

What you should see: 100 listings generated in a single run, each with business name, address, phone, classification, and service details filled in from its data row — and no leftover <<tokens>> anywhere.

How Data Flow changes the output

  • One per page — one document page per data row: letters, quotes, contracts
  • Flow Columns — records flow through columns in one continuous document: directories and catalogs
  • Single Document (ForEach loops) — one document that loops over related records, used for master-detail reports

Token syntax

Now look at the template you just loaded. A DataPublisher template is a regular Word document with merge tokens where your data goes — no special file format, just a .docx. Tokens work in body text, table cells, and headers:

Dear <<FirstName>> <<LastName>>,
Your property at <<Address>> has been listed at <<ListPrice>>.
[[property_photo.jpg]]
Listed: {{FormatDate:ListDate}}
<<FieldName>>

Text token — replaced with the matching column value. Case-sensitive; must match your column header exactly.

[[filename.jpg]]

Image token — pulls the named image from your media library and places it at the position and size you defined.

{{Function:Field}}

Logic token — applies formatting or transformation at merge time: dates, numbers, conditional text, calculated values. The Builder sub-tab on the Data tab helps you insert them.

Use your own data

  1. Go to the Data tab. Upload a CSV under Files, or open Sources and click a connector tile: Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, or SQL Server. Use the View button on a file to inspect its rows
  2. Put tokens in your Word template and load it from Actions → Merge, or start from a sample template
  3. Choose your data file, template, and Data Flow, then click Run Action
  4. If the output has page numbers or other Word fields, click Refresh Fields before printing or sending

Tip: Column headers become your token names — <<FirstName>> maps to a column called FirstName. Prepare your data in Excel, save as CSV, and upload.

Step 4 — Send your first DataRequest

A DataRequest sends a secure link to a recipient, who fills in a form — no install and no login. When you approve their response, the answers can be written straight back into the matching row of your CSV. This walkthrough uses the Real Estate Showcase sample (open Samples → Real Estate Showcase → Use This Sample first), which includes a real-estate-buyers.csv file.

Send it

  1. Go to Actions → DataRequest. On the Compose view, click + New DataRequest
  2. Step 1 — Form Type: choose the Data File card, pick real-estate-buyers.csv, keep the default fields checked, and click Next
  3. Step 2 — Recipient: enter an email address you control (for testing) and leave Expires after at 7 days
  4. Expand Advanced. Confirm Write submitted answers back to a CSV file on approval is checked, select real-estate-buyers.csv under CSV file to update, and look for the green banner Will match on Email — that means the write-back can find the recipient's row. Click Next
  5. Step 3 — Preview & Send: review the summary, optionally preview the form your recipient will see, and click Send Invitation

Review and approve

  1. Open the emailed link as the recipient, fill in the form, and submit
  2. In the task pane, open the Responses view, click refresh, and find the request with status Needs Review
  3. Click View to check the submitted values, then click Approve — the status becomes Approved and the answers are written to the CSV. Click Return instead to send it back to the recipient with an optional note
  4. Confirm the result under Data → Files: open real-estate-buyers.csv with the green View button and find the recipient's row

About DataRequest links: Each link is unique to its recipient. Links can't be forwarded or shared — the response is tied to the original record. No recipient account required. Learn more: DataRequests overview.

More to try

Every sample loads its own data and templates. Each one is a five-to-ten-minute tour of a feature:

SampleWhat it shows
Product CatalogImage merge — a different product photo in each generated entry
Conditional Sections ShowcaseShow or hide whole sections of a quote from TRUE/FALSE columns in the data
Real Estate ShowcaseShared image libraries under Data → Media, plus a personalized email campaign to a buyers list
Post-Processing Functions ShowcaseA Before & After table of 29 functions: text, number and date formats, styling, conditional formatting, empty-field handling, and images
Student Progress ReportsMaster-detail: link a students file to a course-assignments file, then loop each student's rows with {{ForEach:Assignments}} … {{EndForEach}}
Service Agreement with E-SignatureAn E-Signature email campaign: {{ESignature}} tokens are preserved in each agreement and the recipient signs from an emailed link

Email campaigns

Under Actions → Email Campaigns, the campaign wizard walks you through: campaign name and mode (Personalized or E-Signature), data file and recipient email column, subject line with tokens (for example New listings for <<BuyerName>>), loading a Word template, generating email bodies, and a preview. Attachments are optional — skip them or attach each recipient's document as a PDF. Then run a test send to your own address before sending for real. Emails go out through your own Microsoft 365 account via Microsoft Graph, and opens, clicks, and replies show up under Sent Campaign Analytics.

Excel 365 as a live source

Under Data → Sources, connect Microsoft Excel to read a workbook from your OneDrive live through Microsoft Graph — approve the consent prompt when asked. Merges read the current workbook, not a cached copy.

Troubleshooting

Add-in doesn't appear after install

Close and reopen Word, then look for the DataPublisher button on the Home tab. If it's still missing: Insert → Add-ins → My Add-ins — DataPublisher should appear there. For Word Online, clear your browser cache and reload. The install guide covers each platform.

I only see the Home and Samples tabs

The Data and Actions tabs appear after you sign in. Use Sign In on the Home tab.

Token not replaced at merge time

Token names are case-sensitive. Check that <<FirstName>> in the template exactly matches the column header FirstName in your CSV — including capitalization. No spaces inside the angle brackets.

A sample won't load

Close and reopen the task pane from the ribbon and try again. If it persists, sign out and back in. Sample images load from the DataPublisher servers, so check your internet connection if pictures are missing.

Approving a DataRequest doesn't update the CSV

Check Advanced → CSV file to update in the wizard — it doesn't inherit the file you chose in Step 1. Also confirm the green Will match on Email banner appeared before sending; if it showed a warning, no matching email column was found. If the invitation email doesn't arrive, check spam and use Resend from the Responses view.

Email or Excel 365 says "Not authorized"

Email campaigns and Excel connections use your own Microsoft 365 account. Approve the Microsoft Graph consent prompt when it appears, then try again.

Still stuck?

Contact support: support@datapublisher.io

Or visit the Support Center for step-by-step guides and video walkthroughs.

Where to go next

Go deeper