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SmartDoc Field

Create entire documents that combine free-form rich text, multimedia and more

Peter Novosel avatar
Written by Peter Novosel
Updated over a week ago

Feature Overview Video

The SmartDoc field provides you with a robust tool for writing, supporting the features you've come to expect in any editor or word processor. The fantastic thing about SmartDoc is that offers much more, integrating directly with your SmartSuite content, supporting a robust collection of embedded objects, links, and formatting options... everything that you need to not only write but to really communicate and get things done.

SmartDocs are compatible with Grammarly, the leading AI-powered writing assistant. Install the plugin and Grammarly will start giving you spelling, style, and tone recommendations as you type.


Adding a SmartDoc Field

From Grid View

Click the + menu icon after the last column header or open the Column Menu by clicking on a column header's dropdown icon and then select "Add Field to the Right."

Select "SmartDoc," and a window will open to configure the field. You can quickly search for the SmartDoc field.

From Record View

The fastest way to add a field from an open Record View to is simply click the + sign next to a current field to add a new field below.

See a SmartDoc field being added in Edit Record View below:


Styling SmartDoc Content

Paragraphs of content

We refer to formatted text blocks, embedded images and tables, and a wide variety of other elements when describing the building blocks of a SmartDoc. It's sometimes helpful to think of these elements being grouped into paragraphs, as each time you start a brand new line you can either enter text, use a / command to open a menu, or use one of many text markdown shortcuts to format your next entry.

Styling your text

Highlighting text brings up the text toolbar and all of its options.

Text toolbar functions include:

  • Text Style. Select from normal, small or one of 6 Header styles. Headings allow you to collapse content, and smaller headings collapse within larger headings.

  • Format. Toggle bold, italic, underline and strike-through formatting.

  • Alignment. Choose whether your content is left aligned (the default), centered or right-aligned.

  • Text Color. Choose from 10 text color options.

  • Highlight Color. The same 10 color options are available as background colors for your text.

  • Code Block. Turn your current paragraph into a Code Block, which supports syntax highlighting for a large number of popular programming and markup languages.

  • Link. Hyperlink the selected text.

  • Quote Block. Turn the current paragraph into a Quote Block, which places a vertical line to the left of the content to give it a distinctive look.

Add headings (aka collapsible sections)

Setting a line of text to a Heading style makes that text function as a section header. You can select from Header size H1 all the way through H6 in the Style dropdown.


Slash command

How the / works

As you're working in a SmartDoc you can use the / character at the beginning of a line to give you instant access to tables, links, image or attachment inserts and much more. The same command works in body text if it's preceded by a space (we don't want to pop open the menu if you're just trying to type yes/no or something similar!)

Following the / you can do one of two things:

  1. Start typing, and options that match your input will be displayed

  2. Scroll through the menu that is displayed to choose the element, formatting or embed you would like to add.

Available options:

The Basics:

  • Insert Emoji - Use emoji to express emotions

  • Mention a Person/Team - Mention a person or team to send them a notification

  • Link to Record - Add a direct link to a Table's record

  • Insert Image - Add images to your page

  • Insert Attachment - Add attachments to your page

  • Insert Divider Line - Insert a divider line to break your document into sections

  • Insert Date - Insert a Date using a calendar picker

Advanced:

  • Insert Code Block - Display code with syntax highlighting

  • Insert Checklist - Manage a list of things that need to get done

  • Table of Contents - Shows the current headings in a clickable outline

  • Insert Table - Insert a table that supports advanced formatting

  • Insert Callout - Insert a callout to make something stand out


Link to Content

Link other content - from inside of SmartSuite or available from an external Website - directly to your SmartDoc.

Web addresses (URLs)

In addition to the text formatting bar's Link option, SmartDoc will recognize Url's typed or pasted into their contents and format them as a clickable link. They'll look like this:


Link to a SmartSuite record

This slash-command option inserts a clickable link to a specific SmartSuite record - just follow these steps:

  1. Type / at the beginning of a line or after a space

  2. Select Link to a Record

  3. Select the record you want to link to

TIP: You can open the Link to Record dialog anywhere within a SmartDoc by typing a hashtag # symbol. Pick a record and the link is inserted right there!


Organizing content

Order your content with lists

Three list formats are available, allowing you to create numbered and bullet lists, or create an on-the-fly checklist.

Creating Lists:

  • Bullet list: Type - or * followed by a space, OR select unordered list from the formatting menu

  • Numbered List: Type 1. followed by a space (or 2. space to start numbering at 2, etc.) OR select numbered list from the formatting menu

  • Checklist: Insert text for your first checklist item, then highlight it and select checklist from the formatting menu

Arrange content with tables

You can structure and arrange content into rows and columns with a table. You're able to add rows and columns, resize, add background color and more! To add one, follow these steps:

  1. Type a / character at the start of a new line or after a space

  2. Type all or part of the word table or scroll to the item with your mouse (it's in the Advanced section)

  3. Click Insert Table

Organize with a Table of Contents

Aid readers' navigation by adding a Table of Contents. Just follow these steps:

  1. Type a / character at the start of a new line or after a space

  2. Type all or part of the words table of contents or scroll to the item with your mouse (it's in the Advanced section)

  3. Click Table of Contents

Read more about this automatically-updated navigation feature in this article.

Draw attention with Callouts

Callouts format your content by adding a background color and an icon, indenting the content and adding a border. Just do the following:

  1. Type a / character at the start of a new line

  2. Type all or part of the word callout or scroll to the item with your mouse (it's in the Advanced section)

  3. Click Insert Callout

For a deeper dive into the Callout embed, please refer to this article.

Format with Code Blocks

There are two ways to add Code Blocks - either through the slash-command menu, or by using markup in your SmartDoc text. Follow these steps:

  1. Type a / character at the start of a new line or after a space

  2. Type all or part of the words code block or scroll to the item with your mouse (it's in the Advanced section)

  3. Click Insert Code Block

Read more about Code Blocks in this article.

Break things up with a divider

Separate sections of content with a divider line, which can be added by following these steps:

  1. Type a / character at the start of a new line or after a space

  2. Type all or part of the words divider line or scroll to the item with your mouse (it's in The Basics section)

  3. Click Insert Divider Line

Copy & Paste

You're into using Microsoft Word or Google Docs but you can easily copy & paste rich format text and content from traditional document tools into a SmartDoc field.

Perhaps more importantly, you can copy & paste formatting from a SmartDoc field into a traditional document and maintain the same formatting.

For those times when you want to collaborate and share with external resources or people without access to SmartSuite.

Consider Record Layouts

Solutions Managers can set the Record Layout in an Table's Page Settings. We recommend the Two Column 70/30 layout for content-heavy applications.


Insert and embed images, videos and data

Add images, attachments and multimedia

Make your SmartDoc come alive by including images, an informative GIF, videos or file attachments! There are two ways to insert images or GIFs:

  • Select Insert Image from the slash-command menu

  • Drag and drop the image or GIF onto the SmartDoc

Get all the details about adding images in this article.

Insert attachments

You can embed file attachments directly into your SmartDoc in one of two ways:

  • Select "Insert Attachment" from the slash-command menu

  • Drag and drop the Attachment onto the SmartDoc (note that any image that is dropped onto the SmartDoc will be displayed on the page - attach image files from the slash-command menu to have them appear as downloadable links!)

Embed videos

You can also embed videos directly into SmartSuite in two ways:

  • Select "Insert Video" from the slash-command menu

  • Drag and drop the Video onto the SmartDoc


Markdown and text shortcuts

Shortcuts while typing:

  • ctrl+b activates bold

  • ctrl+i activates italic

  • ctrl+s activates strikethrough

  • shift+control+[1, 2, 3, 4 or 5] switch the current selection to heading level 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5

  • shift+control+0 switches the current selection to regular paragraph formatting

  • ctrl+a selects all content in the SmartDoc

  • shift+enter creates a line break (without creating a new paragraph)

  • ctrl+_ creates a horizontal line

  • ctrl+z undo

  • shift+ctrl+z redo

At the beginning of a line:

  • > space creates a block quote

  • ``` creates a code block

  • - space or * space starts an unordered list

  • 1. space starts a numbered list (Also, if you use 2 or any other number, the list will start at that number)

  • # space creates a H1 heading

  • ## space creates a H2 heading

  • ### space creates a H3 heading

  • #### space creates a H4 heading

  • ##### space creates a H5 heading

  • ###### space creates a H6 heading


Collaborate on content

@mentions

Draw your teammates into the conversation - inside a SmartDoc! To @mention another Member (or even Team) just do this:

  1. Type @ on a new line or after a space

  2. Select the Member or Team you want to mention

Add emotion with Emoji

Spice up your content with a large selection of emoji to communicate just what you're feeling! Get started by typing a colon : character followed by a descriptive word, like "thumb," "smile," or anything else you like.

If the word matches anything in the emoji library (each emoji has a descriptive name, and there are thousands of them) a menu will be displayed, like this:


Create Templates with Default Values

Solution Managers can create Default Values in the SmartDoc field settings to encourage consistency.

Let's consider an example, where work in your organization runs on operational plans prepared by department leads. As an executive, you want to ensure consistency in formatting so everyone in leadership views information the same way.

Embed a template as a default value when creating new records:


Examples of Use

Let's look at a couple of examples of how we use SmartDocs in our work at SmartSuite:

Crafting Website Page Content

We drafted content for our initial website and subsequent revisions using our Website Management solution, including SmartDoc fields to capture goals and rich content.

Documenting Product Requirements

We use SmartDoc fields to document product requirements and user stories for our agile software development methodology.


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