Content controls

Content controls

Use structured DOCX regions for fields, clauses, repeating content, and application-owned workflows.

Content controls are structured regions stored as w:sdt elements in a DOCX. They let your application find and change document content by metadata instead of matching the visible text.

Three content-control shapes
InlinePart of a paragraphRepeated values and typed inputs
Block-levelParagraphs or tablesClause slots and document sections
Repeating sectionA collection of itemsLine items and repeated records

Choose a workflow

Beyond these workflows, content controls support:

  • Typed inputs: Use text, checkbox, date, and choice controls for values with known input behavior.
  • Repeating records: Add, clone, and remove repeating-section items for lists such as line items or questionnaire responses.
  • Custom field UI: Build a field list, navigation panel, or workflow around the controls in the open document.

Use the Document API reference for the complete operation set. Use custom content-control UI to connect document selection and navigation to your application.

Identify a control

Use a tag as the application lookup key. The alias gives people a readable title, while the ID identifies one occurrence inside the document.

Word propertySuperDoc valueUse it for
Tagproperties.tagConnect one application field to every matching control. Multiple controls can share a tag.
Titleproperties.aliasShow a human-readable field name in Word or your application UI.
IDidAddress one occurrence of the field in the DOCX.

A shared tag groups controls for lookup. It does not synchronize their content. Your application decides how values flow between its data and each document occurrence.

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