Customizing Available Merge Fields

Since Microsoft Word is limited to a maximum of 255 merge fields, ILLiad does not make all columns from exported tables available as merge fields in print templates by default. Using a non-default column as a merge field will cause Word to display an error when attempting to print the document. To change which columns are available to be used as merge fields, you can download and edit a "PrintableColumns" text file for that table by following the steps in this article.

Adding the PrintableColumns Text Files

The list of merge fields available for a table is controlled by a PrintableColumns text file for that table located in ILLiad's installation directory. These text files are not available by default and must first be downloaded and added to the directory manually. To add these files to your directory, follow the steps below:

1. Download the PrintableColumns.zip file attached to this article.
2. When the download is complete, unzip the contents of the file to your computer. You should now have a folder named "PrintableColumns" that contains the following text files:
   
3. Navigate to your ILLiad installation directory. This is the folder that contains ILLiadClient.exe (default path: C:\Program Files (x86)\ILLiad).
4. Move the PrintableColumns text files from inside the downloaded PrintableColumns folder into the installation directory folder to which you have just navigated. You can now make edits to these files directly within the ILLiad installation directory.
5. Delete the empty PrintableColumns folder and PrintableColumns.zip file from your computer.

Editing the PrintableColumns Text Files

After the PrintableColumns text files have been successfully downloaded and added to your installation directory, you can now make edits to these files to change the columns that are available as merge fields for each table. The table affected by each file is indicated in the text file's filename, e.g. PrintableColumnsTransactions.txt contains the list of columns available to be merged from ILLiad's Transactions table. The list of tables available for editing and their matching PrintableColumns text file(s) are as follows:

Adding a New Table Column as a Merge Field

Each PrintableColumns text file contains a simple list of the columns that are available as merge fields from that table. To add a new column from a table as a merge field, follow these steps:

1. Determine which table contains the column for the field you want to add (see ILLiad Database Tables for the complete list of columns for each table).
   This must be a column from one of the tables listed above that has a matching PrintableColumns text file.
2. When you have determined which table to use, open the PrintableColumns text file for that table with your preferred text editing application such as Notepad++. 
3. Scan through the list of existing columns in the file and select one that is not in use.
4. Delete the name of the unused column and replace it with the name of the new column you wish to add. For example, to add the CreationDate column from the Transactions table as a new merge field, type "CreationDate". 
5. Save the text file and exit the text editing application.
6. The newly added column will now be available as a merge field on your print templates.