Table Square Brackets

Table square brackets are data tables in AUTTO that are saved into square brackets and presented using complex formatting to workflow users. This article discusses table square brackets in more detail.

Table of Contents

• What are Table Square Brackets?
• Using a Table Square Bracket
• Formatting a Table Square Bracket
  • To Edit a Table's Font and Appearance
  • To Format a Table Column
  • To Rearrange Table Columns
  • To Remove A Column
  • To Remove All Columns and Design a New Table
  • To Add All Columns Back to the Table
  • To Save Formatting Changes
• Editing an Existing Table Square Bracket
• Deleting an Existing Table Square Bracket
• How a Table Square Bracket Looks in a Workflow

What are Table Square Brackets?

Data tables are a key feature of AUTTO that allows data management capabilities to be integrated in your workflows. Aside from their use as reference tables in your workflows, they also allow workflows to be updated by information created in other workflows. For more information, see Using Data Tables.

Square brackets are used to store information that can be called on later in a Workflow. Square brackets can be used across multiple Actions, allowing users to retrieve the information stored in them. They can also be used to build intelligent conditions into a workflow, allowing a workflow to progress differently depending on a square bracket input. Current system information such as the time, date, and information about the user is also stored in square brackets. For more information, see Working with Square Brackets.

Data tables used in workflow actions can also be saved into square brackets. A special form of square bracket is the table square bracket, which can be presented using complex formatting to workflow users. Aside from this special formatting, table square brackets are created in the same way as other square brackets in AUTTO.

Table square brackets can be created from both persistent data tables created under the Main Menu and temporary tables created earlier in a workflow.

Table square brackets can be created anywhere you can create a table or a new version of a table, including the following:

• Table Builder Action
• Table Questions
• Table Upload Questions
• Run for Table

You can also generate a table square bracket with a Conditional {} Action based on other square bracket information you have already gathered as part of a workflow.

In addition, table square brackets can be used to display information in the following actions:

• AuttoDoc
• Email
• Page

Table square brackets can also be used to input information in the following actions:

• Table Builder Action
• LookUp Action
• Lookup Questions
• Any action with AUTTO's Run for Table feature

Using a Table Square Bracket

Once a data table is saved into a square bracket, it can be used in the appropriate Action. In the example below, a table square bracket defined earlier in a workflow is used in a Page action.

1. Drag a Page action into a workflow, position your cursor over it, then click Edit.
2. On the Action Editor, under the Page text section, enter the opening bracket, select the table square bracket defined earlier in the workflow, then select either Table formatting or Individual table cell. If you select the former, proceed to Step 3. Otherwise, skip to Step 4.
   
   
3. Under the Table format: [table square bracket name] window, or the Table Editor, the columns in the data table can be seen. You may either accept the default table format or format the table according to your specific requirements (for more information, see Formatting a Table Square Bracket). Once you complete formatting the table, skip to Step 5.
   
   
   
   
4. Select the name of the column to be displayed on the Page action. Some column types, for example, a Date column, will allow you to select a format. Skip to Step 6.
   
   
5. Click Done.
6. The table square bracket and its format is then displayed on the Page text section. You can also format the table square bracket further using the Visual Editor.

Formatting a Table Square Bracket

Table square brackets can be formatted according to your specific requirements from the Table Editor, or the Table format: <table_name> window.

To Edit a Table's Font and Appearance

You can change the default font size and use another grid line format other than the default Solid grid line for the table.

To Format a Table Column

You can also insert custom labels for columns, resize columns using a percentage of the available display width to a column, and align columns to the left, centre, or right.

The available ways to format a table column depend on the type of data presented in the column. For example, you have the option of choosing from different date formats, e.g. mm/dd/yyyy and yyyy-mmdd,  different time formats, e.g. 12-hour and 24-hour clock, and single line or multiple lines in Address columns.

In the example below, in the case of Number columns, you can choose the output format from Number, Currency, or Percentage, use a thousand separator, set the decimal places, and choose how to display negative numbers.

To Rearrange Table Columns

You can also rearrange the columns by positioning your cursor over a column and dragging it to another position in the table.

To Remove A Column

To remove a column from the table, click the Trash icon on the top-right of the column.

To Remove All Columns and Design a New Table

If the table has too many columns, instead of removing a column one by one, you can remove all columns, then add only those columns you want to appear in the table.

To Add All Columns Back to the Table

If you change your mind and decide to include all columns to the table, you can add all columns back by clicking the Add all available square brackets to columns.

To Save Formatting Changes

While formatting, a real-time preview of the table is displayed on the bottom, allowing you to check on how the table will look like once it is used in the workflow.

Once you have completed formatting the table, click the Done button at the bottom-right of the Table Editor.

Editing an Existing Table Square Bracket

You can edit an existing Table Square Bracket at any time. For example, if you want to make changes to the formatting you have previously applied to a table square bracket.

To edit a Table Square Bracket:

1. Position your mouse cursor over the Table Square Bracket until it turns into a pointer, then click the table square bracket.
2. On the Table Editor, make your changes to the Table Square Bracket.
3. Click Done at the bottom-right of the Table Editor.

Deleting an Existing Table Square Bracket

You can delete an existing table square bracket at any time. For example, if you do not need the table square bracket any more.

To delete a Table Square Bracket:

1. Position your mouse cursor before the Table Square Bracket, then press the Delete key on your keyboard.
2. Alternatively, position your mouse cursor before the Table Square Bracket, then press the Backspace key on your keyboard. 

How a Table Square Bracket Looks in a Workflow

When run, the workflow will display the data table using the formatting applied to the table square bracket.