Generate Documents - New lines in text fields?

Hi everyone, I love the "Generate Document" feature but I have a problem with the text fields for long texts. Even though the Smartsheet cell contains text with several paragraphs, the generated pdf document removes all the new line marks and makes only one big block made of one single paragraph. I checked thoroughly and the fillable pdf fields have the correct field properties ("text"). I tried with Adobe Pro and Nitro Pro and none of these worked. So I guess the problem comes from the Smartsheet tool and not from my fillable document.

Has anyone met the same problem and found a solution?

Thanks, Gilles

Answers

  • Gia Thinh
    Gia Thinh ✭✭✭✭✭✭

    Hi Gilles,

    I did try the "Generate document" feature with my sheet and got the result as I wanted.

    As you can see the below screenshot, I usedAlt+Enter- a keyboard shortcut to create a new line, to make several paragraphs in the Smartsheet cell

    image.png

    and the created pdf showed the same format as text in the Smartsheet cell.

    image.png

    You may want to tryAlt+Entershortcut for your case.


    I love processes, worflows, automation, co-operation and technology. That's why I built a mini ERP solution for businesses.

  • Hi Gia, thanks a lot for your answer. I am actually using Alt + Enter but in the Smartsheet but it doesn't work when applying the "Generate Document" feature. I had a long discussion yesterday with the Smartsheet Helpdesk (very helpful guys by the way! ;-) and we identified that the problem comes from the tool used to create the fillable pdf document. When using Nitro Pro ou Adobe, it doesn't work, even though the field is defined as "Text". And my Helpdesk contact was able to replicate my problem with pdf docs created by these tools. But when using the online tool "PDF Filler" and defining the field as "text" it does work then.

    Just by curiosity, what tool are you using to create your fillable pdf document?

    Kind regards, Gilles

  • Gia Thinh
    Gia Thinh ✭✭✭✭✭✭

    Hi Gilles,

    I used Foxit. You may try it.


    I love processes, worflows, automation, co-operation and technology. That's why I built a mini ERP solution for businesses.

  • Thanks again Gia. I didn't know this one; will try!

    Kind regards,

    Gilles

Help Article Resources

Want to practice working with formulas directly in Smartsheet?

Check out theFormula Handbook template!
Try this:<\/p>

=COUNTIFS([Item Number]:[Item Number], OR(@cell = \"C001\", @cell = \"COO2\", @cell = \"COO3\", @cell = \"COO4\"), [Status]:[Status], OR(@cell = \"Green\", @cell = \"Yellow\", @cell = \"Red\"))<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":322,"name":"Formulas and Functions","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/formulas-and-functions","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[{"tagID":254,"urlcode":"formulas","name":"Formulas"}]},{"discussionID":109490,"type":"question","name":"HAS exact match within multiselect - Numbered Values","excerpt":"Scenario: Trying to identify a match if a value shows up in a multiselect from another sheet. Approach: I'm able to get 95% of this done through an index(collect(contains))) formula, but having some false positives show up wherever a partial match is found. I later found some suggestions that (has) would be more…","snippet":"Scenario: Trying to identify a match if a value shows up in a multiselect from another sheet. Approach: I'm able to get 95% of this done through an index(collect(contains)))…","categoryID":322,"dateInserted":"2023-08-25T19:26:32+00:00","dateUpdated":null,"dateLastComment":"2023-08-26T00:49:48+00:00","insertUserID":154049,"insertUser":{"userID":154049,"name":"Rob W.","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Rob%20W.","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-08-26T00:49:37+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭"},"updateUserID":null,"lastUserID":154049,"lastUser":{"userID":154049,"name":"Rob W.","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Rob%20W.","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-08-26T00:49:37+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭"},"pinned":false,"pinLocation":null,"closed":false,"sink":false,"countComments":2,"countViews":16,"score":null,"hot":3386003780,"url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/109490\/has-exact-match-within-multiselect-numbered-values","canonicalUrl":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/109490\/has-exact-match-within-multiselect-numbered-values","format":"Rich","lastPost":{"discussionID":109490,"commentID":392694,"name":"Re: HAS exact match within multiselect - Numbered Values","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/comment\/392694#Comment_392694","dateInserted":"2023-08-26T00:49:48+00:00","insertUserID":154049,"insertUser":{"userID":154049,"name":"Rob W.","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Rob%20W.","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-08-26T00:49:37+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/"},{"name":"Get Help","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/get-help"},{"name":"Formulas and Functions","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/formulas-and-functions"}],"groupID":null,"statusID":3,"image":{"url":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/KJPRLKL2FW16\/capture-png.png","urlSrcSet":{"10":"","300":"","800":"","1200":"","1600":""},"alt":"Capture.PNG"},"attributes":{"question":{"status":"accepted","dateAccepted":"2023-08-26T00:49:35+00:00","dateAnswered":"2023-08-25T23:58:23+00:00","acceptedAnswers":[{"commentID":392688,"body":"

Hi, <\/p>

Instead of applying the formula to \"Multiselect Text String\" row, did you tried with \"Multiselect Values\" row?<\/p>

=IF(HAS([Multiselect Values]@row, [Component ID]@row), \"MATCH\", \"NO MATCH\")<\/p>

Thank you,<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":322,"name":"Formulas and Functions","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/formulas-and-functions","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[]},{"discussionID":109474,"type":"question","name":"Help with date calculation formula","excerpt":"Hello, I'm trying to find a formula that will help me calculate how long an intake took to resolve. The rows I need to be calculated are Date Reported & Resolution Date. If the resolution date is blank I want it to use the current date in the calculation to see how long this issue has gone unresolved. Any help is much…","snippet":"Hello, I'm trying to find a formula that will help me calculate how long an intake took to resolve. The rows I need to be calculated are Date Reported & Resolution Date. If the…","categoryID":322,"dateInserted":"2023-08-25T16:29:39+00:00","dateUpdated":"2023-08-25T16:29:59+00:00","dateLastComment":"2023-08-25T23:01:30+00:00","insertUserID":165688,"insertUser":{"userID":165688,"name":"Nwest","title":"Systems Analyst","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Nwest","photoUrl":"https:\/\/aws.smartsheet.com\/storageProxy\/image\/images\/u!1!ukHVZ18ImX4!BcjWAe8S9SY!l7iQo_PZHOx","dateLastActive":"2023-08-25T17:22:30+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭"},"updateUserID":165688,"lastUserID":8888,"lastUser":{"userID":8888,"name":"Andrée Starå","title":"Smartsheet Expert Consultant & Partner | Workflow Consultant \/ CEO @ WORK BOLD","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Andr%C3%A9e%20Star%C3%A5","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/0PAU3GBYQLBT\/nXWM7QXGD6464.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-08-26T14:46:22+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭✭✭✭"},"pinned":false,"pinLocation":null,"closed":false,"sink":false,"countComments":3,"countViews":23,"score":null,"hot":3385987269,"url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/109474\/help-with-date-calculation-formula","canonicalUrl":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/109474\/help-with-date-calculation-formula","format":"Rich","tagIDs":[254],"lastPost":{"discussionID":109474,"commentID":392687,"name":"Re: Help with date calculation formula","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/comment\/392687#Comment_392687","dateInserted":"2023-08-25T23:01:30+00:00","insertUserID":8888,"insertUser":{"userID":8888,"name":"Andrée Starå","title":"Smartsheet Expert Consultant & Partner | Workflow Consultant \/ CEO @ WORK BOLD","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Andr%C3%A9e%20Star%C3%A5","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/0PAU3GBYQLBT\/nXWM7QXGD6464.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-08-26T14:46:22+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭✭✭✭"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/"},{"name":"Get Help","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/get-help"},{"name":"Formulas and Functions","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/formulas-and-functions"}],"groupID":null,"statusID":3,"attributes":{"question":{"status":"accepted","dateAccepted":"2023-08-25T17:04:22+00:00","dateAnswered":"2023-08-25T16:36:59+00:00","acceptedAnswers":[{"commentID":392622,"body":"

\n \n https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/109474\/help-with-date-calculation-formula\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Hi, <\/p>

I hope you're well and safe!<\/p>

Try something like this.<\/p>

=IF([Date Reported]@row <> \"//www.santa-greenland.com/community/discussion/108106/\", IF([Resolution Date]@row = \"//www.santa-greenland.com/community/discussion/108106/\", NETDAYS([Date Reported]@row, TODAY()), NETDAYS([Date Reported]@row, [Resolution Date]@row)))<\/p>

Did that work\/help? <\/p>

I hope that helps!<\/p>

Be safe, and have a fantastic weekend!<\/p>

Best,<\/p>

Andrée Starå<\/strong><\/a> | Workflow Consultant \/ CEO @ WORK BOLD<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

Did my post(s) help or answer your question or solve your problem? Please support the Community by <\/em>marking it Insightful\/Vote Up, Awesome, or\/and as the accepted answer<\/em><\/strong>. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!<\/em><\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":322,"name":"Formulas and Functions","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/formulas-and-functions","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[{"tagID":254,"urlcode":"formulas","name":"Formulas"}]}],"initialPaging":{"nextURL":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/api\/v2\/discussions?page=2&categoryID=322&includeChildCategories=1&type%5B0%5D=Question&excludeHiddenCategories=1&sort=-hot&limit=3&expand%5B0%5D=all&expand%5B1%5D=-body&expand%5B2%5D=insertUser&expand%5B3%5D=lastUser&status=accepted","prevURL":null,"currentPage":1,"total":10000,"limit":3},"title":"Trending in Formulas and Functions ","subtitle":null,"description":null,"noCheckboxes":true,"containerOptions":[],"discussionOptions":[]}">

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