Formatting Documents with Markdown

Learn the Markdown patterns supported in PracticeRunner documents, including headings, lists, links, emphasis, dividers, and template variables.

PracticeRunner documents use Markdown for simple formatting. Markdown lets you write readable plain text while still adding headings, lists, links, emphasis, and section dividers.

Use the preview in the document editor to confirm how the document will look to clients before you save or send it.

Paragraphs

Use a blank line between paragraphs.

This is the first paragraph.

This is the second paragraph.

Line breaks without a blank line may be treated as part of the same paragraph, depending on the surrounding content.

Headings

Use #, ##, or ### at the start of a line.

# Main heading
## Section heading
### Smaller heading

Most practice documents read best with ## for major sections and ### for smaller subsections.

Lists

Use - for bullet lists.

- First item
- Second item
- Third item

Use 1. for numbered steps.

1. First step
2. Second step
3. Third step

Emphasis

Use double asterisks for bold text and single asterisks for italic text.

**Important policy**

*Optional note*

Use emphasis sparingly so the document stays easy to scan.

Links

Use bracketed link text followed by the URL in parentheses.

[Practice website](https://example.com)

Use clear link text that says where the client is going.

Section Dividers

Use three hyphens on a line by themselves to add a divider.

---

Dividers are useful between major document sections, but headings are usually enough for shorter documents.

Block Quotes

Use > at the start of a line for a quoted or highlighted note.

> This note appears as a separate quoted block.

Template Variables

The document editor can insert variables such as {{practiceName}}, {{providerFullName}}, or {{clientFullName}}. PracticeRunner fills those values when the document is previewed, sent, or completed.

Use the variable picker in the editor to insert variables at the cursor. If a variable cannot be resolved when the document is sent, it is left blank.

For the full list of document variables, see Using the Document Editor.

What To Check Before Saving

Before saving a document, review the preview for:

• paragraph spacing
• heading levels
• list formatting
• links
• template variable placement
• readability on mobile

Short sections, clear headings, and concise paragraphs usually work best for client-facing documents.