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Word documents are the most common template type in Gavel. You prepare a standard .docx file, mark the places where questionnaire answers should appear using double-curly-bracket variable tags, and upload the file to your workflow. When a user completes the questionnaire, Gavel replaces every tag with the corresponding answer and generates a finished document — either as a Word file, a PDF, or both.

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Variable tag syntax

Every variable in your Word template is wrapped in double curly brackets with a space on each side: 
{{ variable_name }}
Variable names are case-sensitive and must match the variable names in your Gavel workflow exactly. Here is a short example showing variables placed in a letter template: 
Dear {{ FirstName }},

This agreement is dated {{ AgreementDate }}.

Signed,
{{ LawyerName }}
When the workflow runs, Gavel substitutes each tag with the answer the user provided. You can apply any Word text formatting — bold, italic, underline — directly to the tag, including the curly brackets. The formatting carries through to the generated document.
Variable names in Gavel are case-sensitive. {{ clientname }} and {{ ClientName }} are treated as two different variables. Always verify that the variable name in your template matches the variable name in your workflow questionnaire.

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Install the Gavel Word add-in

Gavel provides a no-code Word add-in called Document Tagger that lets you insert and manage all variable tags without writing syntax by hand. The add-in is available in the Microsoft Office Add-ins store.
1

Install from the Office store

Open Microsoft Word and go to the Office Add-ins store. Search for Gavel or visit the store page directly. Once installed, click Document Tagger in the Word Ribbon to open the panel.
2

Generate an API key

In your Gavel account, go to Settings > API Keys. Enter a title for the key and click Create a Key. Copy the key immediately — Gavel does not display the same key twice for security reasons. Keep the key somewhere safe in case you need it again.
3

Log in to the add-in

In the Document Tagger panel, enter your Client Name (your Gavel subdomain) and paste the API key you just copied. Click Login.
4

Select your workflow

Once logged in, choose the workflow you are building or editing from the dropdown. The add-in loads all the variables already defined in that workflow, so you can insert them by clicking rather than typing.
You can upload your output document to the workflow’s Document Templates tab before using the add-in. This lets you see whether you have created all the questions you need before you start tagging.If you add new questions to your workflow later, click the green refresh arrow in the add-in to pull in the updated variable list.

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What you can tag with the add-in

The Document Tagger add-in covers the full range of tagging tasks without requiring you to write syntax manually.
Insert any workflow variable and optionally apply formatting — uppercase, first-letter capitalised, or various date formats. The {{ today() }} function is also available for inserting the current date.
Format number variables as currency, percentages, or custom numeric formats directly from the add-in panel. For formats not listed, you can use advanced syntax from the Code Curious section of the Learning Center.
For multi-select question types, the add-in inserts only the selected values as a list. You can choose comma-separated, Oxford comma, semicolon, or a custom separator.
Highlight any text in your document and set the conditions under which it should appear. Show Phrase when hides just the highlighted text. Show Paragraph when removes the entire paragraph and its line, and renumbers any surrounding numbered lists automatically.
Build calculations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division across number variables. For date calculations, you can find the time between two dates or add/subtract days, weeks, or years from a date variable or from today’s date.
Tag repeating item data in four formats: comma lists (single line), multi-line paragraphs, auto-generated Word tables, or generate-multiple (one document per repeating item instance). You can also create conditions based on the number of repeating item instances or the value of a specific attribute.

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Upload your template to Gavel

Once your document is tagged you can upload it to Gavel in three ways:
  • Gavel Blueprint — the AI-enabled workflow builder. Click New Workflow > Start with documents, upload your .docx file, and Blueprint automatically reads your document, identifies variables, and generates a draft questionnaire for your review.
  • Document Templates tab of a workflow — open any existing workflow, go to the Document Templates tab, and upload the file directly.
  • Document Templates section of the dashboard — upload templates centrally and attach them to workflows later.
If you have already uploaded the template to a workflow, you can update it directly from the Word add-in: select the document name in the add-in’s dropdown and click Update Document. This saves you from re-uploading manually.

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Auto-adjusting custom numbering

If your document uses section numbers written as plain text (not as Word list fields), they will not renumber automatically when a paragraph is removed by conditional logic. Gavel’s Number Iterator functions solve this by inserting counters that renumber at runtime.
FunctionOutput format
{{ number_iterator() }}Written number (one, two, three)
{{ number_iterator_ordinal() }}Ordinal (first, second, third)
{{ number_iterator_numeric() }}Numeric (1, 2, 3)
{{ number_iterator_roman() }}Roman numeral (I, II, III)
For example, if you have three sections and the second is removed by conditional logic, the third section automatically becomes Section Two: 
Section {{ number_iterator() }}
Some text here.

Section {{ number_iterator() }}
Some text here.

Section {{ number_iterator() }}
Some text here.
Be sure your Word document uses List Styles for any outlines or numbered articles that you plan to make conditional. This allows the output document to update numbering formats automatically when conditions are met or not met.

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Templates within templates

For advanced use cases, you can embed the full content of one .docx file inside another using the include syntax: 
{{p include_docx_template('sub_document_name.docx') }}
Place this tag in your main document at the location where the subdocument’s content should appear. Both the main document and the subdocument must be .docx files. The subdocument name must use underscores instead of spaces and include the .docx extension, written exactly as the file is named. This is useful for shared headers that change frequently, or standard clauses (such as non-compete language) that appear in multiple documents. You update the subdocument once and every main document that references it reflects the change automatically.
Templates-within-templates should only be used when standard conditional logic cannot achieve the same result. In most cases, regular Show Phrase / Show Paragraph conditions are sufficient.

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Troubleshooting

Conditional logic affects line spacing depending on which type of condition you use:
  • Show Phrase when — removes only the text inside the condition. The line itself and its surrounding spacing remain, which can leave an empty line if an entire paragraph is hidden this way.
  • Show Paragraph when — removes the entire paragraph, the line it occupied, and any surrounding blank lines. Numbered lists renumber automatically.
Use Show Phrase when for a few words or a short sentence inline. Use Show Paragraph when whenever you want to conditionally remove an entire paragraph, a bulleted list item, or a full page.
If your generated document shows raw tags instead of values, check the following:
  • Have you accidentally deleted a curly bracket? Each tag requires two opening {{ and two closing }} brackets.
  • Are variable names spelled correctly and in the right case? Gavel variable names are case-sensitive and must match your workflow exactly.
  • Does every if condition have a matching endif closing tag?
  • Do the opening and closing tags for conditions match? If your if tag includes a p (for paragraph), the endif must as well.
Use the Check for Errors button in the Document Tagger add-in to scan your document for syntax problems before running the workflow.