Template columns allow you to display dynamic text from data found in other columns.
For instance, you can use template columns to create messages where you need to display user-specific information. Check out this example:
“Welcome, NAME!” is the message and NAME is user-specific information extracted from a column source.
Creating a Template Column
In the Data Editor, open the table you want to edit.
Add a new column by clicking the plus (+) symbol to the right of the table.
New columns added with the plus button will always appear on the right. If you'd like to add a column somewhere else in your data, you can select the dropdown menu on an existing column and choose Add column right. You can also click and drag columns to rearrange them.
Give the column a name.
For Type, search for Template or navigate to Computed → Template.
Enter the full text of the message you want to configure. Be sure to leave placeholders for every spot where you want to automatically substitute user-specific data.
Specify the placeholder text that should be replaced, and what it should be replaced with.
If you’d like to make multiple replacements, select Add replacement and make a new entry for each word that should be replaced.
When you are finished, select Done. The text in your column should automatically update with the customized, user-specific information you’ve chosen.
It can be helpful to use brackets or capital letters in your template message so it’s obvious where you should swap out the text.
For example: “Welcome, NAME! Today is DAY.” Becomes: “Welcome, Elina! Today is Thursday.”
Information from User Profiles
If you plan to display user-specific information, such as names, make sure to set up User Profiles in your app. This way, data specific to that user in your template column is displayed properly in your app.