Key Terminology
Understanding these core terms will help you configure and use Smart Form Publisher more effectively. Each concept plays an essential role in the document generation process.
Placeholder / Merge Tag
Definition: A placeholder — also called a merge tag — is a special token used in your Google Docs™, Slides™, or Sheets™ template that gets replaced with actual data from a Google Form™ response.
Format: Placeholders are wrapped in double curly braces. For example:
{{Full Name}}{{Department}}{{Score}}
Each placeholder must exactly match the question title in your Google Form to ensure the correct data is inserted when generating documents.
Google Docs / Slides / Sheets Template
Definition: A Google Docs™, Slides™, or Sheets™ file that acts as the design and content template for all generated documents.
Requirements:
- Must contain placeholders enclosed in
{{ }}to represent where form data will appear. - Should follow your organization’s layout, branding, and design preferences.
- Supports dynamic text, images, and QR codes.
💡 You can create your own template from scratch or start with one of the pre-built templates available in the Smart Form Publisher gallery.
Document ID / Number
Definition: A unique identifier automatically assigned to each generated document to help with tracking, referencing, and authenticity verification.
Format: Generated as a unique string and can be inserted using the system tag {{Document ID}}.
Verification Link / QR Code
Definition: Each published document includes a unique link or QR code that allows verification of authenticity or online access.
Usage:
- Use
{{Verification Link}}to show a clickable URL. - Add a QR code using system tags (auto-generated by Smart Form Publisher).
- The QR code can link to a Drive preview, a verification page, or a custom URL.
Particularly useful for reports, certificates, or official documents requiring validation.
System-Generated Fields
Definition: Dynamic placeholders automatically created by Smart Form Publisher to include extra metadata, tracking info, or timestamps.
Available Fields:
| Placeholder | Description |
|---|---|
{{Reached Percentage}} | Percentage achieved by the respondent. |
{{Reached Points}} | Total points earned by the respondent. |
{{Form Name}} | Title of the Google Form. |
{{Verification Link}} | URL to verify authenticity. |
{{Certificate No.}} | Unique certificate number. |
{{Date}} | Date the document or certificate was generated. |
🔍 Usage Tip: These fields can be used in Docs™, Slides™, Sheets™ templates, or even in email subjects and body text.
Core Concepts & Terminology
Mapping
Definition: The process of aligning your Google Form™ questions with the placeholders in your document template.
- Automatic Mapping — The add-on automatically detects exact matches between form question titles and
{{tags}}in your template. - Manual Mapping — From the add-on sidebar, you can manually choose which form question supplies data to a specific placeholder if names do not match exactly.
Output Format
Definition: The file type of the final document delivered to the respondent and saved to Google Drive™.
- PDF — The most common format for certificates and invoices; preserves layout and prevents editing.
- Image (PNG/JPG) — Useful for social media sharing or visual-style certificates.
- Google Doc / Slide / Sheet — Creates an editable copy of the template; typically used for internal workflows rather than delivery.
Generation Trigger
Definition: The event that initiates the document generation process.
- On Form Submit — The document is generated immediately after the respondent clicks Submit.
- Manual Trigger — As shown in the Bulk Generation video, documents can be generated later for past responses directly from the linked spreadsheet.
Conditional Logic (Filters)
Definition: Rules that determine whether a document should be generated based on the respondent’s answers.
- A Passing Grade filter generates a certificate only if the score is greater than 70%.
- A Department filter sends a specific template only if the respondent belongs to Sales.
Media Placeholder (Image Merge)
Definition: A special type of placeholder designed to insert images instead of text.
- Usage — Commonly used for profile photos, uploaded signatures, or dynamic charts.
- Requirement — The respondent must upload a file through the Google Form™ for the image placeholder to function.
Having a clear understanding of these terms will help you design templates, configure automation, and manage your publishing workflow with confidence.