With Ezus, you can use reusable templates to create personalized travel documents without rebuilding the layout for every project. The template provides the presentation, while the information entered in Ezus supplies the content.
This article focuses on Slides documents and HTML webpages. Invoices, detailed quotes, and other document types follow separate workflows.
1. What is a document template?
A document template is the reusable starting point for your documents. It defines how information should be presented: the layout, text formatting, images, and placement of content.
You can use the same template for different projects while keeping a consistent presentation.
To understand how this works, distinguish between the template, the source information, and the generated document.
Element | What it represents | Example |
Template | The reusable design and configuration. | A proposal layout with a cover, a program presentation, and accommodation information. |
Source information | The information the template is configured to retrieve from Ezus. | The project title, the program descriptions, or information about an accommodation. |
Generated document | The result created using the selected template and the relevant information. | A proposal prepared for a particular customer and project. |
Static content and variables
A template can contain two different types of content.
Static content is entered directly in the template. It remains the same unless you edit it. For example, a heading such as “What you can do on the ground” can be static text.
Variables identify information that Ezus should retrieve when generating the document. Instead of typing a project title into every proposal, you insert the variable that retrieves that information.
To Learn more see our article ✍️ Getting started with variables, which explains how to recognize variables, where to find them, and how to choose the right one.
💡 Use static content for wording that should remain the same across your documents. Use a variable when the information should come from Ezus and may differ between projects.
2. Should I use Slides or HTML?
Slides and HTML are two different ways to present your project information. The choice depends on the output you need and how you want to customize the template.
2.1 Slides: a slide-based document
Slides templates use the Google Slides editing environment. This allows you to work visually with text boxes, images, and slide layouts.
In the Slides documentation, you will learn how to create and configure blocks, insert variables, display several days or items, and control the appearance of generated content.
The Slides path is intended for customers who want to build or customize document layouts without editing HTML code.
2.2 HTML: a webpage
HTML templates produce webpages that customers can open through a link. Ezus’s webpage feature is designed for viewing travel information on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
There is an important distinction between generating a webpage and editing its template: Generating a webpage from an existing template does not require you to write HTML. You use the available template with your project information.
Creating or modifying the template’s code requires an understanding of HTML and, for styling changes, CSS. The HTML articles in this collection focus on Ezus-specific variables, loops, and template behavior. They are not an introduction to HTML.
HTML templates do not use Slides blocks. Their structure is defined through HTML elements and the template’s supported logic.
💡Start by generating a document from an existing template before changing its design. This helps you understand what the template already produces and whether it meets your needs
3. How does the template connect to my project?
The connection between your template and your information is made through variables. Ezus reuses information entered for the project, including its itinerary, accommodations, transport, and activities. The template determines how that information is presented.
However, not every variable refers to the same source or the same level of information.
A variable may refer to the project as a whole, a particular day, a supplier or a product within the program. Other variables relate to information such as the customer, travelers, user, or account.
💡 In general our templates pull steps, accommodations, transports with it's title and long descriptions from the program (Not on supplier or product level).
3.2 Check the source information before changing the template
When expected content is missing, start with these questions:
Is the information filled in? Check that the required text, image, or value exists.
Is it filled in for the right project or item? Information on one accommodation does not establish that another accommodation has the same information.
Does the variable refer to that information? Check the variable’s context rather than relying only on its name.
⚠️ A document generated from an incomplete test project is not enough to determine whether the template works correctly. Check the required source information before changing or replacing a variable.
👉 Related article: Getting started with variables
What should I read next?
Continue with Generate and check a document on Ezus to create your first output from an existing template.
For more detail about selecting and using variables, read Getting started with variables.