Watch the video above to see smart fields in action across different document states.
The guide below covers how they work and why they’re a game changer for managing project information.
Using Smart Fields to Automate BIM Document Content
If you’ve ever built a Word template with placeholder text in red and instructions like “delete this section before printing,” you know how fragile that approach is. Someone forgets to update a project name, a date stays wrong across twelve pages, or a team member pastes outdated details into the wrong field. Manual placeholders don’t scale – and they certainly don’t meet the consistency that ISO 19650 document management requires.
Plannerly solves this with smart fields – dynamic placeholders that connect directly to your project data. Instead of typing a project code into every document that needs it, you insert a smart field once. When that value is set at the project level, it populates everywhere the field appears – across every document in the project, automatically. No copy and paste, no hunting through pages for things you missed.
You can spot smart fields at a glance. An incomplete smart field shows as a yellow warning, making it obvious which values still need attention. Once a value is entered, the field turns blue, confirming it’s been completed. This visual system means you can scan a document quickly and see exactly what’s finished and what still needs filling in.
Some smart fields are tied directly to database fields – like the project ID. When you update the project ID in your project settings on the dashboard, that value flows through to every document where the field is used. Other smart fields connect to system fields, dates, or formatted content. The key idea is that your documents stay in sync with your project data without anyone having to manually update them.
Smart fields also behave differently depending on the document state. When a document is in progress, everything is editable as normal. When it moves to the shared state, only the smart fields can be changed – the document effectively acts like a form, where contributors fill in their specific values without being able to alter the surrounding content. When the document is published, it’s locked for authorised use and smart fields can no longer be edited. This progression gives teams a controlled workflow from drafting through to final approval.
For teams building BIM execution plans, exchange information requirements, and other structured project documents, smart fields remove the busywork of keeping content consistent. They also make templates genuinely reusable – because the template structure stays the same while the project-specific values update themselves.
How to use smart fields in Plannerly
- Insert a smart field – click into any editable section and use the insert smart field button in the toolbar. Choose from available field types like project ID, dates, roles, or custom values.
- Identify incomplete fields – look for yellow-highlighted fields with a warning indicator. These show which smart fields haven’t been filled in yet.
- Set database-linked values – for fields tied to project data (like project ID), go to your project dashboard, click settings, and enter the value. It will populate across all documents that use that field.
- Review completed fields – completed smart fields display in blue, confirming they have a value. Scan your document to verify everything is filled in before sharing.
- Use shared state as a form – move your document to the shared state. Contributors can now fill in smart field values, but the rest of the document content is locked. This is useful for collecting project-specific information from team members.
- Publish for authorised use – when the document is ready, set it to published. All content including smart fields is locked, confirming the document is approved and final.
What you’ll learn
- What smart fields are – dynamic placeholders that connect your document content to project data for automatic updates
- Visual status indicators – how yellow (incomplete) and blue (completed) colours help you track what still needs attention
- Database-linked automation – how updating a value in project settings populates it across every document that uses that smart field
- Document states and smart fields – how in progress, shared, and published states control who can edit what
- Form-like behaviour – how the shared state turns documents into structured forms for collecting project information
Common questions
What’s the difference between smart fields and regular placeholder text?
Regular placeholders are just formatted text – someone has to remember to find and replace them manually. Smart fields are connected to your project data. When a value changes at the project level, every smart field using that value updates automatically. There’s no risk of missing one buried on page fifteen of a document.
Can I use smart fields to link to other document names?
Yes. You can insert a smart field that links to a document name, which keeps cross-references between documents accurate and up to date. If the referenced document name changes, the smart field reflects that automatically.
What happens to smart fields when a document is shared?
In the shared state, the main document content is locked but smart fields remain editable. This effectively turns the document into a form – contributors can fill in their specific values without being able to change the structure or surrounding content. It’s a controlled way to collect project information from multiple team members.
Do smart fields work with templates?
That’s where they really shine. When you build a template with smart fields, the structure and content stay the same across projects while the project-specific values update automatically. This makes your document creation much faster and ensures consistency without manual effort.
Where can I learn more about advanced smart field features?
This lesson covers the fundamentals. Smart fields are explored in much more detail in the advanced training course, which covers database-driven documents, structured contracts, and more sophisticated workflows for managing project information at scale.
Explore further
- Using SmartFields – the hands-on lesson in the basic course covering smart field insertion and usage
- How to centralise BEP information and avoid duplicating efforts – practical guidance on moving away from scattered spreadsheets and documents
- How the Docs module helps enforce accountability – understand how document states and smart fields support contractual obligations
- BIM Boot Camp – the intensive programme covering end-to-end BIM and ISO 19650 workflows