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Edit and Preview Narrative Templates

RETURN TO: Narrative Settings

KEY TOPICS:

  • About Narrative Templates
  • Work with Template Sections
    • Select a Section (and Include or Exclude it)
    • Include Section in the Table of Contents
  • About Composing Content
  • Use the Text Editor to Edit Content
    • Import Narrative Content for Editing
    • Edit Narrative Content and Formatting
    • Insert a Tag into the Narrative
    • Access Tag Editing
    • Export a Narrative Section for Review
  • Upload a PDF (or Word) File for Read-only
  • Revert to the Default Narrative Template
  • View the Published Narrative
  • Work with Narratives in a Master Plan

RELATED STEPS:

Customize and Review AAP Narratives

About Narrative Templates

Access the Reports > Narratives > Templates tab to view and build the required AAP Narratives by Section. This task area offers:

  • Default language for the following Narratives —
    • Minorities/Women
    • IWD
    • Veterans
  • Options for composing each Section
  • A word-processing text editor for revising content

Templates can be carried over from year to year, making subsequent plan development more stream-lined. If you have a prior-year plan in the system, and some or most of the content is sufficient, you may bring in those Narratives. See: Narratives (and Settings) / Import Narratives from another BALANCEaap Plan.

Work with Template Sections

Select a Section (and Include or Exclude it)

After accessing a Narrative from the upper ribbon, choose the Section you wish to compose or edit from the provided drop-down.

All available Sections are included in the Narrative by default. To exclude a particular Section from the narrative, uncheck the box for: Include this section in the Narrative.

Include Section in the Table of Contents

All Sections are included in the Narrative's Table of Contents by default. (Exhibits are not included.) The Section may be excluded by unchecking the box for: Include this section in the Table of Contents.

The Table of Contents will display in the exported PDF.

About Composing Content

Two options are offered for composing the Narrative Section. Using the Section menu, you can define the method by clicking one of the following radio buttons:

  • Entering the template text below — and editing content, as necessary
    • Begin with default system text (including system tags) OR an imported text file
  • Uploading a PDF file — (or Word file) for read-only

Instructions for both methods are shown below.

Use the Text Editor to Edit Content

BALANCEaap's text editor provides Word-like tools to perform the following, and more:

  • Format text
  • Add tags for merged content
  • Include external Web links
  • Insert page breaks

Important: Click [Save] after performing editing or other actions, described in this article.

Import Narrative Content for Editing

From the Section menu, click the method of: Entering the template text.

The following file types are supported:

  • Word 2007
  • Word 97-2003
  • HTML
  • Plain Text
  • Rich Text

Navigate down to the Import/Export menu. Click the [Import] button. [Browse] for a file, and bring the content in. The content may be edited further, as described below.

Edit Narrative Content and Formatting

Review and edit the template, using the provided text editor and editing toolbar. Use this option when tags must be included in the Section (as described below).

Insert a Tag into the Narrative

Some default (and created) tags will already exist in the narrative template. To insert a tag, place your cursor in a location, and click [Insert Tag]. Select the desired tag from the drop-down, and click [Insert].

Quick Tip: Filter the drop-down by selecting:

  • User Defined Narrative Tags (insertions you defined, using the Tags and Values tab)
  • Calculated/Generated Tags (insertions the system calculates from plan data)
  • Report Tags (insertion of full plan reports)

Access Tag Editing

If a tag is shown in blue within the text editor, a link is available to edit the tag. Click the tag to access the Edit Tags & Values screen for that tag.

Export a Narrative Section for Review

Using the Template Text menu header, first select a file type from the provided drop-down:

  • Word 2007 (default)
  • Word 97-2003
  • Plain Text
  • Rich Text
  • HTML
  • PDF

Then, select, the [Export] button, and follow the Windows or other prompts.

Upload a PDF (or Word) File for Read-only

Although balanceAAP will display the uploaded file as a PDF, both Word and PDF file formats can be imported. This option is useful for attaching an exhibit to the AAP (e.g., Self-Identification form). When a file is uploaded in this manner, the text editor will not be available. Therefore, upload a read-only file when:

  • The Section will not contain tags.
  • No further editing is required.

Quick Tip: Revert to the default template text editor at any time by selecting: Enter the template text.

Revert to the Default Narrative Template

At any time, you can change the Narrative template back to balanceAAP’s default by clicking [Revert to Default], a button located at the bottom of the page.


View the Published Narrative

The Published Narrative tab displays a final preview of the narrative sections.

To edit the Narrative locally without changing the template, select a narrative Section from the drop-down, and click the [Edit] button. Confirm by clicking [Edit] again. The Published Narrative will appear in a text editor. Make the edits, and click [Save].

Important Caution: If you edit a Narrative and subsequently republish it due to updated calculations, all edits made on the Published Narrative tab will be lost. It is recommended that only the Templates (as described above) be edited.

Republish the Narrative

If calculations or merged information has been updated, return to the Published Narrative tab. Click the [Edit] button. From the Edit pop-up window, click the [Republish this section now] button. (The Republish alert will also display on the Select Reports page, if the system detects changes to plan data.)

Important Caution: Any edits made on the published Narrative since the Section was last published will be lost.