Dynamic Templates: Edit and Versions

Dynamic Templates allows users to edit Adobe InDesign files within Webdam without the need for InDesign software.

Webdam Dynamic Templates allow you to make parts of your marketing materials customizable while keeping other parts static – so colleagues and partners can personalize presentations, business cards, catalogs, brochures and countless other materials without risking brand consistency. No training or design skills necessary.


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Example use cases

  • A sales person needs to customize a datasheet with their contact information.
  • A travel agency wants to update the pricing, images and dates of a flyer.
  • A marketing manager in Italy wants to update the language of a brochure to Italian.

Learn how to install and set up the Dynamic Templates extension.

How to Edit and Download Dynamic Templates?

Who can edit and download Dynamic Templates?
Users with download permission to a folder containing Dynamic Templates have the ability to edit and download the template.

  1. Go to the folder where you can find the Dynamic Template you want to edit. By default, this is the Dynamic Templates folder
  2. Click a Dynamic Template asset thumbnail to access the asset detail page.
  3. Click Edit template in the toolbar, which will open the editor. The canvas of the template is available in the center of the editor. In the toolbar you'll find the controls to configure the editor and to customize the template. Read more about how to use the editor here.
  4. Customize the template to your liking.
  5. (Optional) Click the dynamic_preview.png Preview button to preview your template. Click Close in the bottom right corner of the preview screen to close the preview.
  6. Once complete, click dynamic_finished.png Finished at the top of the template editor. Read the warning message carefully and if you're really finished editing click Yes to proceed. You can now save the template as a draft, a new template or you can download it.

Download

Follow the steps below if you want to download the template.

  1. Click the Select format dropdown.
  2. Select one of the available file extension download presets. For example, Download as PDF.
  3. Click Save to start your download.
  4. (Optional) Check the sections below if you also want to save your template as a draft or new template.
  5. Click Close to go back to the Asset Detail view.

Save as draft

You can save a draft of a template (for up to one year) to revise and download later. This is especially helpful if you get pulled away while in the middle of editing a template or realize that you made a mistake in the template.

  1. Choose Save my work and click Save.
  2. (Optional) Edit the name, which will be used to save your draft. 
  3. Click Save.

Your draft will be saved and will be available under the Versions tab of the Asset Detail view.

Note
Only the user saving the Dynamic Template will be able to view their saved versions.



Save as new template

Would you like to create a different version of your Dynamic template and make it available to other users? Save your template as a new Dynamic Template. This way, users can create other templates based on your version and adjust it to their needs.

  1. Choose Create a new template and click Save.
  2. Enter a name for your new template. 
  3. Click Save to save your new template.

The new template will be available in the same folder as where the original template is stored. You may have to refresh the screen in order to see the new template.

How Does the Editor Work?

General Controls

Images

Click the images_printUI.svg IMAGES button in the toolbar to add an image. Read more about adding images here.

Text
Click the Add Text button to add a text frame. Read more about adding text here.


Undo
Click the dynamic_undo.png button to undo your last action. Alternatively, you can press ⌘Cmd+Z (MacOS) or Ctrl+Z (Windows) on your keyboard.

Redo
Click the dynamic_redo.png button to redo your last action. Alternatively, you can press ⌘Cmd+Y (MacOS) or Ctrl+Y (Windows) on your keyboard.

Zoom
Use the zoom_in_printUI.svg button to zoom in. 
Use the zoom_out_printUI.svg button to zoom out.
Use the dynamic_defaultzoom.png button to switch back to the default zoom.

Preview

Click the dynamic_preview.png Preview button to preview your template. Click Close in the bottom right corner of the preview screen to close the preview.

Finished
Click the finished_printUI.svg Finished button to finalize your template, which allows you to save and download the template.

Format
Click the dynamic_format.png Format button to open or close the right sidebar where you can find the options to customize text and images.

 

Images

How to Add an Image?

  1. Click the images_printUI.svg IMAGES button in the toolbar.
  2. Open the Upload dropdown and depending on the preferences of the template select one of the following options: 

    Upload a New Image
    Click Upload to upload a new asset. Click the Choose button, select an image from your device and click the Upload button to upload it to your template. The image will be added to the template.

    Select an Existing Asset
    Click Assets to select one of the available assets presented in the left sidebar. The image will be added to the template. You can choose from a selection of assets that was made available for the template.

    Can't find the asset you're looking for? 
    Contact your Portal Administrator and ask if the asset you're looking for can be related to the Dynamic Template you're working on.

How to Edit an Image? 

  1. Click an existing image in your template.
  2. Use the following options in the right sidebar to edit your image.

    Fill
    With this option you can fill the transparent layer of the image with a color. Click Fill and select your preferred color in the color picker or enter the hex code. Click Choose to apply the color.

    Stroke
    With this option you can set the border color of the image. Use the Stroke Weight slider to set the border size.

    Stroke Weight
    Use this slider to set the border size around the image.

    Opacity
    Use this slider to set the opacity of the image.

    Fit
    Use one of the options below to fit your image.
    Note
    Depending on your template some options may not be available.

    Frame to Content

    Click dynamic_frame_to_content.png to fill the image layer with your image. This may result in some parts of your visual fall outside the image frame.

    Content to Frame

    Click dynamic_content_to_frame.png to ensure your image is fully visible within the image frame. This may result in some white empty spaces around your photo.

    Flip
    Click dynamic_flip_horizontal.png to flip the image horizontally. 
    Click dynamic_flip_vertical.png to flip the image vertically.

    Crop
    Click crop_printUI.png to crop the image. Drag any edge of the image to adjust the image size.

    Link
    Click link_printUI.svg to add a link to the image. Enter a URL and click Apply to create the link.
    Do you want to remove a link? Select the image the link is attached to, click link_printUI.svg and click the Remove button.

  3. (Optional) Change the position of the image. Hover over the image, so that a blue border will appear around the image. Click the image to drag and drop it to the desired location. 
  4. Click Done in the right sidebar.

How to Replace an Image? 

  1. Click the image you want to replace.
  2. Click the Change button in the right sidebar.
  3. Open the Upload dropdown in the left sidebar and select one of the following options: 

    Upload a New Image
    Click Upload to upload a new asset. Click the Choose button, select an image from your device and click the Upload button to upload it to your template. The image will be added to the template.

    Select an Existing Asset
    Click Assets to select one of the available assets presented in the left sidebar. The image will be added to the template. You can choose from a selection of assets that was made available for the template.

    Can't find the asset you're looking for? 
    Contact your Portal Administrator and ask if the asset you're looking for can be related.
  4. Click Done in the right sidebar.

How to Remove an Image?

  1. Select the image you want to remove and click the Delete button in the right sidebar.

Note
You can only remove images that you manually added to the template. Images that are a fixed element of the template can't be removed.

 

Text

How to Add Text?

  1. Click the dynamic_text.png Add Text button in the toolbar. A new text box will appear in the top left corner of the template.
  2. Replace the Add text here with your own text. 
  3. (Optional) Format the text. Read more about formatting text here.
  4. Click Done once you've finished formatting your text.
  5. (Optional) Change the position of the text box. Hover over the text box, so that a blue border will appear around the text box. Click the text box to drag and drop it to the desired location. 

How to Format your Text?

  1. Select the text you want to format. 
  2. Make sure you've opened the Text tab in the right sidebar.

    Font
    Click the first font dropdown and select one the available fonts to apply it to your selected text.
    Click the second dropdown and select one of the available font styles to apply it to your selected text.

    Size
    Use the Size slider to change the size of the selected text.

    Line Spacing
    Use the Line Spacing slider to change the amount of space between lines.

    Letter Spacing
    Use the Letter Spacing slider to change the amount of space between the letters of a word.

    Vertical Scale
    Use the Vertical Scale slider to stretch or shrink the selected text vertically.

    Horizontal Scale
    Use the Horizontal Scale slider to stretch or shrink the selected text horizontally.

    Options
    Use the available options to align the text inside the text box to format your text.

    Click the blobid0.png button to align the selected text to the left.
    Click the align_center_printUI.png button to center the selected text.
    Click the align_right_printUI.png button to align the selected text to the right.

    Click the dynamic_underline.png button to underline the selected text.

    A superscript or subscript is when the text is positioned slightly higher (superscript) or lower (subscript) than the other text in the line.

    Click the dynamic_superscript.png button to format the selected text as superscript. 
    Click the dynamic_subscript.png button to format the selected text as subscript.

    Color
    Click the Color button and select your preferred color in the color picker or enter the hex code. Click Choose to apply the color.

    Link
    Click link_printUI.svg to add a link to the image. Enter a URL and click Apply to create the link.
    Do you want to remove a link? Select the image the link is attached to, click link_printUI.svg and click the Remove button.

    Glyphs
    Click the dynamic_glyph.png button to add a special character. If available, you can select a different font and font style using the dropdowns at the bottom of the right sidebar. Click the special character to add it to your text and click Close to close the special character picker. 

    Copy
    Click the dynamic_copy.png  button to copy your selected text.

    Cut
    Click the dynamic_cut.png button to cut your selected text.

    Paste
    Click the dynamic_paste.png button to paste your selected text.
  3. Click Done once you've finished formatting your text.

How to Format Your Text Box? 

  1. Select the text box you want to format. 
  2. Open the Frame tab in the right sidebar.

    Rotation Angle
    Use the Rotation Angle slider to rotate the text box.

    Opacity
    Use the Opacity slider to set the opacity for the text box.

    Align
    Use the available align options to align your text box.

  3. Click Done once you've finished formatting your text box.

How to Remove a Text Box?

  1. Select the text box you want to remove.
  2. Open the Frame tab in the right sidebar.
  3. Click the Delete button.
    Note
    This action cannot be undone. 
  4. Click Done.

 

How to Edit or Delete a Draft?

  1. Click a Dynamic Template asset to reach the asset details page.
  2. Go to the Versions section.
    Note
     Versions will only appear if there is a saved draft.
    • Webdam: Versions will display under Related Assets on the asset details page.
    • Brand Connect: Versions will display next to the asset details or comments on the asset details page.
  3. Click mceclip3.png next to the version you want to edit. The template editor with your changes will appear. Make any additional edits using the editor and download the template. Check this section for more information about editing and downloading templates.
  4. Click mceclip0.png to delete.

Did you know?

  • Admins can preview the changes made to a downloaded Dynamic Template (along with the format it was downloaded in) in the Download Tracker Report.
  • Versions of Dynamic Templates expire after one year of inactivity.
  • Storage in the DAM is not impacted by saved Dynamic Templates. 


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