# Design a template

> Lay out your own spec sheet in the page designer, then assign it to tables so their records print with it.

Source: https://www.speclatch.com/guide/documents/design-a-template
Who: Admin, Engineering or Marketing. Plan: Every plan.
Last verified: 2026-11-11

Until a table has a template of its own, its spec sheets print in the built-in layout. Design one when the sheet should follow your own layout, with the fields you choose in your order. At the end, every record in the tables you assign prints with it.

## How a template fills itself in

A template holds the layout, never the values. Each sheet fills its boxes from its own record:

- A text box holds tokens in braces. `{name}` prints the record's name, and a field's key, such as `{bep_flow}`, prints that field's value with its unit.
- A *Spec table*, an *Image*, *Curves* and *Documents* fill themselves with the record's fields, photo, curves and files.
- A field above the sheet's visibility prints as nothing, so one template serves a Public sheet and an Internal one.

While you design, the page is drawn with a real record, so what you see is what prints. The toolbar's *Preview as* menu, *English · Public* at first, changes its language and visibility.

## Before you start

- You need the Admin, Engineering or Marketing role.
- The table has at least one record, because the designer shows your layout with real data.

## Create the template

1. In Settings, open **Templates** and click **New template**.
2. Type a name, such as *Pump data sheet*.
3. Under *What is it for?*, keep *Spec sheet*.
4. Click **Create & design**. The designer opens on a starter page for you to reshape.

![The New template dialog: the name Pump data sheet, and Spec sheet chosen over Catalog.](https://www.speclatch.com/guide/documents/design-a-template-1.png)

*A spec sheet prints one record; a catalog, a whole table.*

## Lay out the page

On the left are the pages, the **Insert** menu and the layers. The inspector on the right edits the selected box.

1. In the toolbar, click the record's name and pick a record from this template's table. *Insert field* lists its fields.
2. Click **Insert** and pick an element, such as **Text**. It lands in a free spot, selected.
3. Drag it into place. Its handles resize it.
4. In the inspector, type the text under *Content*.
5. To print a value, pick a field under *Insert field*. It goes in at the cursor as a token.
6. Click **Save**.

![The inspector of a text box whose content is Model followed by the model number token, above Insert field.](https://www.speclatch.com/guide/documents/design-a-template-2.png)

*Tokens show in braces here and print as values.*

> **Tip:** A new spec table prints every field that has a value. To print only some, select it, click **Choose fields…**, remove *All remaining fields* and add fields in print order.

> **Tip:** **Preview PDF** renders the saved template for the picked record as a watermarked PDF, in a new tab. On a narrow window it is just a page icon.

## Assign it to tables

A record prints with a template only once its table offers it. A table can offer several; its default is used when nobody picks one.

1. Click the **⋯** menu at the right of the toolbar, then **Assign to tables…**.
2. Tick each table whose records should print with it.
3. Click **Save assignments**. A table with no spec sheet template yet makes this one its default.
4. For a table that already had a default, open **Assign to tables…** again and click **Make default**.

![The Assign this spec sheet dialog: three pump tables ticked and marked default, two others unticked.](https://www.speclatch.com/guide/documents/design-a-template-3.png)

*Default marks each table's usual template.*

> **One template for several tables.** A spec table set to every field adapts to each table, but a token whose key a table lacks prints as nothing there. The inspector flags such tokens.

## What happens after

Records in assigned tables now print with your layout from their **Spec sheet** menu. Sheets generated earlier keep their old layout and aren't marked stale, so generate them again. **History** in the **⋯** menu rolls back to any of the last 20 saved versions.