Content Controls in Documents – Behavior and Best Practices

Content controls (sometimes called “tags” or placeholders) are fields in Word templates that eScribe uses to inject dynamic data (such as meeting dates, agenda item titles, motion text, sponsor names, etc.). In the Microsoft 365 online editing environment, content controls continue to function as they did before – you can fill in information or see information populated from eScribe just fine. However, there are certain behaviors and limitations to be aware of when using content controls in the browser. Following best practices will help avoid formatting issues or conflicts related to these fields.

Key considerations for content controls:

They work for end-users: Regular usage like typing into a text field content control, selecting from a dropdown, or seeing an auto-populated meeting date works the same as in the past. You do not need the Word “Developer” tab for everyday use of existing content controls (that’s only needed if you’re designing templates). Most clients can continue to use these fields normally in the new MS365 editor.
Avoid content controls in headers or footers: Do not place dynamic content controls in the header or footer areas of your documents. Content controls in headers can behave unpredictably with formatting (for example, they might not display the intended value or could shift formatting). Solution: If you need something like a meeting name or date in the header, insert it as plain text (or use a simple field code) when possible, or design the template so that information is pulled into the body rather than the header. Keep headers/footers for static text like logos or page numbers to ensure stability.
Be cautious with content controls inside tables: Placing content controls within table cells can sometimes cause layout issues or make editing harder. For instance, a very long content control inside a table might not wrap text correctly in the browser. The general best practice is to avoid putting content controls in table structures if you can. Instead, structure your document so that dynamic fields aren’t confined in complex table formatting. If a table is necessary, test the document thoroughly to ensure everything displays properly.
Limit direct formatting changes inside content controls: Avoid manually changing the font type, size, or other styling within a content control while in the online editor. Such changes sometimes don’t “stick” or could lead to inconsistent appearance, because the online editor may treat the content control as a single unit with predefined style. Best practice: Define the desired font and style for that field in the Word template before uploading to eScribe. For example, if all agenda titles (a content control) should be 12pt bold, set that in the original template file. Then when editing in eScribe, just fill in the text; it will already be formatted correctly. This way, you maintain consistent styling without having to modify it in the browser editor.
Date pickers are not supported: The interactive Date Picker content control from Word (which lets you pick a date from a calendar dropdown) is not supported in the MS365 browser environment. Attempting to use one may not work and can conflict with eScribe’s own date handling. Notably, eScribe automatically fills in meeting dates in documents using its integration – so you don’t need an extra date picker in your template for the meeting date. In fact, if you had a date picker in an old template, using it alongside eScribe’s auto-fill could cause contradictory data. Solution: Remove any date picker controls from your templates. For any additional dates you need to include in a report (other than the meeting date), simply use plain text or a regular text content control where the user can type the date manually. This avoids conflicts and complexity.
External editing tip for templates: If you are designing or editing a template outside of eScribe (for instance, updating a Word template before uploading it), consider using Word Online (Office 365 web) for that editing if possible. Word Online has very similar behavior to the eScribe integrated editor. This way, you’ll see immediately how content controls and formatting behave in the web environment, which can help you catch issues early. (Of course, you can also use Word Desktop – just be mindful that some things like the developer tab features or date pickers won’t carry over to the web.)

Below is a summary of content control issues and best practices:

Content Control Issue / Scenario	Symptoms or Impact	Recommendation / Solution
Content control in header or footer	May not display correctly; could cause formatting shifts or missing data in the header.	Don’t use dynamic fields in headers/footers. Instead, use static text or redesign the template so that information appears in the body of the document.
Content control inside a table	Could lead to layout issues (text not wrapping or table stretching) or make the field harder to work with. In some cases, empty fields in tables have shown up as blank lines in outputs.	Avoid placing content controls in tables unless necessary. If used, test thoroughly. Consider alternative layouts (e.g., use a list or section breaks instead of a table for that information).
Changing font or style inside a content control	The text formatting inside the field might revert or become inconsistent. For example, changing a word to italics within a placeholder might not reflect properly later.	Pre-format in the template. Set up styles (like the font, size, color) for the content control’s text in the original Word template. Then simply fill in the field without applying additional styling in the browser.
Using a Date Picker control	The date picker field doesn’t function in the browser editor. Could insert a static date that conflicts with eScribe’s automated date insertion.	Do not use date pickers. Rely on eScribe to insert the meeting date automatically. For other dates, use plain text or a simple text field where the date can be typed.
General template design for content controls	N/A (general advice)	When updating templates for MS365 editing, design with the above points in mind: keep dynamic fields out of headers, avoid complex nesting, and prep styles in advance. This will ensure a smoother editing experience for end users.

Following these guidelines will help maintain the integrity of your templates and documents. Content controls remain a powerful feature for automating your reports and agenda items; with a few adjustments in usage, they will continue to serve well in the new MS365 collaboration environment.