Design XML inputs that remain stable across templates and applications.

Overview

Design XML inputs that remain stable across templates and applications. Author templates against a documented data contract and a known-good base package. Keep source files, sample data, and expected output together.

Key points

• Use a predictable data root, normally data.
• Represent repeated records as repeated child elements.
• Keep element names stable across versions.
• Escape XML-sensitive characters.
• Document date, currency, boolean, and empty-value conventions.
• Include representative samples with every template.

Example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<data>
  <Matter>
    <caption>Example v. Example</caption>
    <caseNumber>CL-2026-000001</caseNumber>
  </Matter>
  <Items>
    <Item>
      <description>First item</description>
      <amount>125.00</amount>
    </Item>
  </Items>
</data>

Replace bracketed values with values issued for the target environment. Never place production tokens, API keys, or client data in screenshots or public examples.

Recommended procedure

1. Prepare sample XML that includes optional and repeated data.
2. Author the smallest valid transform or fragment.
3. Validate placeholders, XPath, XML, XSLT, and OpenXML structure.
4. Render and compare the result with the expected document.

Authoring checklist

• Keep the source template under version control or in an approved source library.
• Keep sanitized sample XML next to the template.
• Test missing, long, repeated, and special-character values.
• Validate both the transform and the final DOCX or PDF.
• Document every external style, font, image, relationship, or resource dependency.

Troubleshooting

The XML or XSLT will not parse

Remove malformed markup, prohibited declarations, and unescaped characters, then validate again.

A placeholder remains visible

Confirm its spelling and field mapping and ensure it was not escaped with a backslash.

The DOCX opens with a repair warning

Inspect OpenXML namespaces, relationships, part paths, content types, and body or section structure.

Related documentation

• Friendly Placeholder Syntax
• XPath for Template Authors
• XSLT Authoring Fundamentals

Documentation source: feradelinc/feradel.render.api, reviewed against repository revision b2c3a710. Verify behavior against the deployed release before publishing exact routes, limits, or version requirements.