Variables

Variables are what turn a document into a template. A variable is a named placeholder, inserted in text, that receives a different value each time you generate a PDF.

Creating and inserting a variable

1. Click inside a text box and put the cursor where the value should appear. (The ⚡ Variables button is only enabled when the cursor is in a text box with nothing selected.)

2. Click ⚡ Variables. The panel lists the variables of the template.

3. Click Add Variable and fill in the form:

   • Name — letters, digits and underscores, not starting with a digit (customerName, invoice_number, Total2). It must be unique within the template.
   • Required — if on, a PDF can’t be generated without a value.
   • Default Value — used when no value is provided. Disabled when Required is on.

4. Click Create. The variable is inserted at your cursor, shown as a framed chip with a ⚡.

To insert an existing variable, open the panel and click it. Use the search field when the list gets long. You can insert the same variable as many times as you need, in any text box, on any page.

Formatting a variable

A variable is formatted like the text around it: font, size, color, bold, italic and underline are applied to the value in the PDF.

Naming conventions

Variable names are what your code and your AI agents send, so pick names that read well in JSON:

{
  "customerName": "Ada Lovelace",
  "invoiceNumber": "INV-2026-0042",
  "issueDate": "October 22, 2026",
  "total": "€1,250.00"
}

Tip

All values are strings and are inserted as-is: format dates, amounts and numbers in your code before sending them ("€1,250.00", not 1250).

Required vs. default

Variable setup	No value sent	Value sent
Required	❌ Export fails (400)	Value
Optional with default	Default	Value
Optional, no default	Empty	Value

Deleting a variable

Open the ⚡ Variables panel, hover the variable and click the trash icon. A variable that is still used in a text box can’t be deleted: remove it from the text first (select the chip and press Backspace).

Beyond text

Variables are not limited to text:

Type	What it does
string	Text inserted where the variable sits
boolean	Shows or hides a shape, a group or a whole page
image	A picture that changes from one document to the next
object-list	A repeating block — invoice lines, agenda items, a table

A shape (or a page) can be shown only when a boolean is true, and a group can repeat once per item of a list — the way tables and item lists are built.

See Variable types for what to send at export time.