Predefined and custom text formats

Use text formats to define how a linked item representing text should look like in your report, regardless of Excel settings.

Best practice

Using custom text formatting texts or parts of texts can be replaced by predefined strings. This enables you to include your own status texts, based on cell values, in your report.

Predefined text formats

smartRush provides a number of predefined text formats for the most common applications in reports. Whenever possible one of the predefined text formats should be selected. Please make sure text formats are only selected for text values. The following text formats are included in smartRush by default:

Predefined text formats
  • Text as shown in Excel: This option will format the text exactly like it is formatted in Excel. If the text format in Excel changes the format in the report will change as well. Test will stay as Test.
  • All capital letters: This option will transform all letters of the text to capital letters. Test will become TEST.
  • All lower case: This option will transform all letters of the text to lower case letters. Test will become test.
  • “Text”: This option will wrap the text in ” “. Test will become “Test”.
  • ‘Text’: This option will wrap the text in ‘ ‘. Test will become ‘Test’.
  • <Text>: This option will wrap the text in < >. Test will become <Test>.
  • -Text-: This option will wrap the text in – -. Testwill become -Terst-.
  • Custom text format: This option provides additional formatting controls as outlined below.

Custom text format

Once the option for custom text format has been selected the format can be defined.

Custom text format
The following options are available in connection with custom text format:
  • Letter case
    • Keep case formatting: Selecting this option does not change the case formatting, the case formatting from Excel will be applied.
    • All letters in upper case: Selecting this option converts all letters in the linked item to upper case letters
    • All letters in lower case: Selecting this option converts all letters in the linked item to lower case letters
  • Trim
    • Do not trim text: Selecting this option does not trim the text. The text as shown in Excel is inserted.
    • Trim left: Trim the text on the left side. Trimming means whitespace characters like space or tabs will be removed.
    • Trim right: Trim the text on the right side, this means any following whitespace characters will be removed. Make sure to add a space if necessary in your report.
    • Trim both: Trim both sides of the text. This will remove whitespace characters at the beginning of the linked item as well as at the end of the linked item. All whitespace characters within the linked item itself will remain.
  • Prefix: If a text is entered here this text will always be shown before the formatted linked item.
  • Suffix: If a text is entered here this text will always be shown after the formatted linked item.
  • Text if empty: If a text is entered here this text will always be shown when the linked text item is empty.
Replace parts of texts with other texts:
  • Custom text format in smartRush provides the ability to replace texts or parts of texts with other texts in the report. this can be used to display custom status texts based on cell values in Excel.
  • smartRush supports a maximum of four replacements for each linked text item
  • To replace text with another text apply the following steps:
    1. Check the checkbox next to the text you want to replace
    2. Enter the text that should be replaced in the left textbox
    3. Enter the text that should be the new text in the right textbox

Please note that any custom text settings are only applied after the Apply button has been clicked.

Options to apply text formats to linked items

Text formats can be applied in several different ways to linked text items. However the result is always the same, regardless of the way the linked text item has been applied. In general the following options are available to apply text formats. Please note that custom text formats are only available using the smartRush taskbar:

  • At insert using live insert: When using the live insert feature the format can be selected in the lower area of the dialog. Please note that Text has to be selected in the dropdown menu for Type in order to set the text format. All predefined text formats are available here.
  • At insert using quick insert: When using the quick insert feature the format can be selected in the dropdown menu of the green Insert button at the top. Please note that selecting any format here will insert the linked text item, apply the format and close the dialog. All predefined text formats are available here.
  • At insert using the link library: When using the link library the format can be set in exactly the same way as when using quick insert. Just hit the dropdown menu next to the Insert button to see all format options.
  • At insert using the taskbar: When using the smartRush taskabr to insert a new item the format can be set in exactly the same way as when using quick insert. Just hit the dropdown menu next to the Insert button to see all format options.
  • Formatting via taskbar: Formatting a linked text item via the Format tab of the smartRush taskbar is the most comprehensive way to apply formats. This is the only place where custom formatting is available.
  • In-Place formatting: When selecting any linked text item in the report two buttons will appear below the item. Hit the Format button to display the format options. When selecting a format here it will immediately be applied to the linked item.
  • Copying formats: Formats may be copied from one item to other items. Please see the help articel for Copying formats for further information.