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Markdown Formatting

Time to learn: 5 minutes
Prerequisites: Understanding of Placeholders

Markdown formatting lets you render rich text in your placeholders. Enable this feature to display formatted text, lists, links, and more in your generated documents.

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Markdown Formatting Quick Reference

EnableToggle in placeholder settings
SupportsBold, italic, lists, links
LocationIn data source fields
Use caseRich text content

Before and After Example​

See how markdown in your data source becomes formatted text in documents:

Before

Data Source (with Markdown)

**Features:**
- Feature 1
- Feature 2
- Feature 3

Visit our [website](https://example.com)
→
After

Generated Document

Features:
• Feature 1
• Feature 2
• Feature 3

Visit our website (clickable link)

What Is Markdown Formatting?​

Markdown is a simple way to format text. When enabled, placeholders can contain markdown syntax that gets converted to formatted text in your documents.

Example:

  • Input: **Bold text** and *italic text*
  • Output: Bold text and italic text

Why Use Markdown?​

Markdown lets you:

  • Format text without complex HTML
  • Create lists easily
  • Add links to your content
  • Structure content with headings
  • Keep data clean in your data source

Enabling Markdown​

To enable markdown for a placeholder:

  1. Open the Mapping Config overlay
  2. Find your placeholder
  3. Expand Advanced Settings
  4. Toggle "Markdown Formatting" to ON
  5. Save the configuration

Supported Markdown Syntax​

Bold Text​

**bold text** or __bold text__

Renders as: bold text

Italic Text​

*italic text* or _italic text_

Renders as: italic text

Bold and Italic​

***bold and italic*** or ___bold and italic___

Renders as: bold and italic

Headings​

# Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

Lists​

Unordered lists:

- Item 1
- Item 2
- Item 3

Ordered lists:

1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item
[Link text](https://example.com)

Renders as: Link text

Line Breaks​

Line 1
Line 2

Code​

`inline code`

Renders as: inline code

Use Cases​

Product Descriptions​

Store formatted product descriptions in your data:

**Features:**
- Feature 1
- Feature 2
- Feature 3

Visit our [website](https://example.com) for more info.

Candidate Skills​

Format skills lists in resumes:

**Technical Skills:**
- JavaScript
- React
- Node.js

**Soft Skills:**
- Communication
- Leadership
- Problem-solving

Notes and Comments​

Add formatted notes to documents:

**Important Notes:**
*This is a priority order*
Please contact [customer@example.com](mailto:customer@example.com)

Storing Markdown in Your Data​

You can store markdown in your data source:

Airtable​

Use a "Long text" field and type markdown directly.

Google Sheets​

Store markdown in a cell - it will be rendered when the document is generated.

API​

Return markdown in your JSON response.

Best Practices​

  • Keep it simple: Use basic markdown for best results
  • Test formatting: Verify how markdown renders in your documents
  • Consistent style: Use the same markdown style across all records
  • Document your format: Note which fields use markdown

Limitations​

  • Not all markdown is supported: Some advanced markdown features may not render
  • Google Docs formatting: Markdown converts to Google Docs formatting, which has limitations
  • Complex tables: Advanced table markdown may not work perfectly

Tips​

  • Test with sample data: Verify markdown renders correctly
  • Use simple formatting: Basic markdown works best
  • Check your output: Review generated documents to ensure formatting is correct
  • Combine with conditions: Use markdown with conditional placeholders for dynamic formatting

Next Steps​

Now that you understand markdown formatting:

  1. Learn about Placeholders for basic data insertion
  2. Explore Conditions for conditional content
  3. Check out Sections for conditional blocks