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Add markup with Author Online

Insert Span

A
Span
 is conditional logic applied to document text and can cover anything from a few letters to one or more paragraphs. The most common type is a
show/hide span
, where the text inside the span is included in the document only if the specified condition is met, and hidden if it is not.
Another useful type is a
repeat span
, which is used when information must be repeated for multiple entities or units. For example, if a contract includes one or more tenants, you can use a repeat span to duplicate the section that lists their names and details.

How to insert a span

To insert a span, highlight the text that requires conditional logic and click
Insert span
. A content control is inserted into the document, and the work pane displays the condition builder screen.
The simplest show/hide spans use a
Yes/No
 question. Add a variable that determines whether the conditional text is required. When you create a new variable, it defaults to the Yes/No type, and a rule is created so that an answer of
Yes
 shows the text and an answer of
No
 hides it.
For example, the question might be "
Is a guarantor needed?
". If the answer is
Yes
, the relevant paragraph appears in the generated document. If the answer is
No
, the paragraph is excluded.
Show/hide spans can also use other types of questions, such as contract value or jurisdiction. For example, conditions such as
ContractValue is more than 1000
 or
Jurisdiction is "England and Wales"
 are valid span rules, where
ContractValue
 is a number variable and
Jurisdiction
 is a text selection variable. These conditions are evaluated as true or false to control whether the text is included or excluded.
Use the
variable – operator – value
 structure to create basic spans. To combine multiple rules, use more advanced expressions, or work with a different type of span, switch to
Advanced mode
.
Unlike fields, spans often contain other fields or spans within them. For example, a guarantor clause controlled by a span might include fields for the guarantor's name and details. These questions are shown in the questionnaire only if the span‑controlling question is answered
Yes
.
To insert a span around an existing span, highlight the entire span, including the lozenges. The work pane displays the Markup home screen, where you can click
Insert span
. You can also insert a field or span inside an existing span. To do this, click within the span text to display the span expression in the work pane, then select the three‑dot menu at the bottom left and choose
Insert field
 or
Insert span
.
Content Control Focus and Markup
Clicking inside a field (for example,
TenantRegisteredOffice
) highlights the content and displays the automation details for that field.
Similarly, clicking inside a span (for example,
GuarantorName
) highlights the content control and displays the automation details for the closest (innermost) span.
Span highlighting innermost details of 'Guarantor Name'
If you click outside a content control, the system shifts focus and displays the markup for the nearest applicable span.

This article applies to:

  • Product: Contract Express

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