Why is my PDF output is inconsistenct with my Word .docx template? PDF formatting, spacing, font size and color is different than the word template.

If the PDF output of a document merge is inconsistent with the original template (ie: formatting, spacing, font size and color) it could be due to a variety of reasons. Here are some things to try:

  • Are you using the "Conditional Templates" feature? If so, is your output structure "Single file with page breaks"? The Conditional Template feature works best when the output structure is "Separate files, one for each record" since each template may have different formatting. Single file outputs can work, as Apsona and Word will try to combine the formatting of each template into a single document, but it can also lead to inconsistencies if the formatting of each template is different from each other. You can test by running the merge with "separate files" as the output structure to see if the inconsistencies persist.
    • NOTE: Always check to ensure that the default template is not ALSO referenced in the list of conditional templates. The Conditional Template feature is meant to replace the default template with alternates only
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  • If you are merging rich text fields it's important to note that the values merged into the output document will inherit the formatting of the merge field from the template. Apsona only partially supports rich text fields and some of the formatting may be lost.
  • There are some known issues around spaces or line breaks getting added by the merge tool. Email support@apsona.com if you need us to take a closer look.