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1.3 Guide for Using Word Templates

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Frédéric Clavert edited this page Jul 23, 2026 · 11 revisions

Guide for Using Word Templates (.dotx)

Overview

ClioDeck supports using custom Word templates (.dotx files) for document export. This feature allows you to apply your own formatting, styles, and structure to your Word exports.

Which export path you actually get depends on your project. Word export in ClioDeck goes through one of three routes:

  1. Pandoc + your template as a reference document — used whenever a bibliography is attached to your project and Pandoc is installed. Since most historians attach a bibliography, this is the route most real exports take. Your .dotx supplies Word style names (Heading 1, Title, Quote, …) that Pandoc's output adopts — the {placeholder} syntax below does not apply here; there's nothing to fill in, Pandoc converts your Markdown directly using your template's styles.
  2. Native docx + citation engine — used when ClioDeck's own citation engine is requested instead of Pandoc's citeproc (so Word-native footnotes can be produced). Also style-based, not placeholder-based.
  3. Native docx + docxtemplater placeholders — used only when there is no bibliography attached. This is the only route where the {title} / {author} / {content} / … placeholders documented below actually get filled in.

If your export doesn't seem to respect your placeholders, check whether a bibliography is attached — if it is, you're on route 1 or 2, and the fix is to use named Word styles in your template instead.

Basic Usage

1. Automatic Detection

To use a Word template, simply place a .dotx file in your ClioDeck project folder:

my_project/
├── .cliodeck/
├── document.md
├── bibliography.bib
└── my_template.dotx  ← Your Word template

ClioDeck will automatically detect the template and inform you during export.

2. Export with Template

When exporting to Word:

  1. Open the Project panel
  2. Click Export Word (.docx)
  3. If a template is detected, you'll see a message: Word template detected: my_template.dotx
  4. Fill in the information (title, author)
  5. Click Export

The generated document will use the styles and formatting from your template.

Creating a Template with Placeholders

This section applies only when your project has no bibliography attached (route 3 above) — that's when ClioDeck uses docxtemplater to merge your content with the template via placeholders. If you have a bibliography, skip to Styles and Formatting instead: your template supplies Word style names, not placeholders.

Available Placeholders

Placeholder Description Example
{title} Document title "My Scientific Article"
{author} Document author "John Smith"
{date} Export date "01/11/2026"
{content} Converted Markdown content Your entire document (article: document.md; book: chapters assembled in order — see Books and Chapters)
{abstract} Abstract (if abstract.md file exists) Your summary

Template Example

Create a Word document and insert these placeholders:

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════
                    {title}

                 By {author}
                    {date}
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════

ABSTRACT

{abstract}


CONTENT

{content}

Save this document as .dotx format (File → Save As → Word Template).

Styles and Formatting

Automatic Styles

If your template contains named styles, ClioDeck will automatically apply them:

  • Heading 1 → Heading1 or Titre 1
  • Heading 2 → Heading2 or Titre 2
  • Heading 3 → Heading3 or Titre 3
  • Normal → Default paragraph style
  • Quote → Citations and blockquotes

Headers and Footers

Your template can include:

  • Custom headers
  • Custom footers
  • Page numbering
  • Institutional logo or image

Note: If your template doesn't have headers/footers, ClioDeck will use defaults (title in header, page number in footer).

Error Handling Behavior

If the template cannot be loaded (corrupted file, incorrect placeholders, etc.), ClioDeck will:

  1. Display a warning in logs
  2. Automatically fall back to standard generation
  3. Still create your document (without applying the template)

You'll never lose your export!

Use Cases

University Theses and Dissertations

Create a template with:

  • Institutional title page
  • Declaration of honor
  • Table of contents (generated by Word)
  • Heading styles conforming to requirements

Scientific Articles

Use a template respecting:

  • Specific journal format (APA, Vancouver, etc.)
  • Required margins and spacing
  • Header with running title

Professional Reports

Include in your template:

  • Company logo
  • Brand guidelines
  • Footer with legal information

Advanced Settings

Multiple Templates

If you have multiple .dotx files in your project, ClioDeck will use the first found (alphabetical order).

Recommendation: Use only one template per project.

Templates by Project Type

ClioDeck's own project types are article, book, and presentation (presentations export to RevealJS, not Word). Nothing in the code ties a specific .dotx file to a project type automatically — this is purely a convention you can adopt yourself:

templates/
├── article_template.dotx
└── book_template.dotx

Copy the appropriate template into your project folder before export.

Troubleshooting

Template Not Detected

  • Verify the file has .dotx extension (not .docx)
  • Make sure the file is in the project root folder (not in .cliodeck/)
  • Restart ClioDeck if necessary

Content Doesn't Appear

If using placeholders:

  • Check spelling: {content} not {contenu}
  • Use single braces, not double
  • No spaces: {title} not { title }

Incorrect Formatting

  • Verify your Word styles are properly named (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.)
  • Test the template by manually creating a Word document
  • Make sure the template isn't corrupted

Resources

Support

If you encounter issues:

  1. Check ClioDeck logs (Journal Panel)
  2. Verify your template opens correctly in Word
  3. Try exporting without a template to confirm the issue is with the template

Version: 1.0.0-rc.3

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