Variables values can be assigned to objects while you are working with them; alternatively, you can use the Variable Prompt to assign values at the time of publishing. This is useful when you have a book, or group of topics, that you need to customize on a regular basis.
Example
An example of where you can use the variable prompt is an employee contract. The contract uses a group of variables, but each time you publish the contract you need to set values to cover a specific employee's details and conditions. By adding the prompt to the variable, Author-it requests a value from you at the time of publishing. Using the variable prompt you can ensure that all of the values are updated and appropriate for each new contract.
- Create a variable (leaving the value blank) and select the Prompt Before Publish check box.
- Assign the variable to the publishing profile.
- Add the variable to the topic content.
- Publish the book and add the value when prompted.