WordPress - Document Frontmatter

Document Frontmatter lets you control post metadata directly in your Google Docs using a simple table. Set title, categories, tags, status, and publishing schedule without filling export forms. Works seamlessly with manual exports and automations (Drive Automation and Sheet Automation).

Quick Start

Open Google Docs, click on Extensions > Tenwrite > Frontmatter > Insert WordPress Frontmatter. This adds a ready-to-use frontmatter table at the top of your document.

Requirements

• Google Docs access
• Tenwrite add-on installed

How It Works

Frontmatter is a simple 2-column table at the very top of your Google Doc. Tenwrite reads this table and applies the values to your post automatically.

Benefits:

• Set metadata directly in your document
• Works with manual export, Drive automation, and Sheet automation
• Overrides any form inputs set while exporting

Setup Steps

Step 1: Insert Frontmatter Table

1. Open your Google Doc
2. Go to Extensions > Tenwrite > Frontmatter > Insert WordPress Frontmatter
3. Customize values in the second column

Available Fields

Field	Options	Example
tenwrite_frontmatter	Must be v1	v1
title	Any text	My Amazing WordPress Post
excerpt	Any text	Brief post summary
object_type	post, page	post
status	draft, publish, future, private, pending	draft
slug	URL-safe text	my-amazing-post
categories	Comma-separated	Technology, Tutorials
tags	Comma-separated	wordpress, google docs, automation
comment_status	open, closed	open
ping_status	open, closed	open
publish_date	YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM	2024-12-25 14:30
output_format	wp_blocks, classic_html	wp_blocks
preset	balanced, my_preset	balanced
formatting	balanced, full	balanced

Note

Dates use your Google account timezone.

Example Table

Key	Value
tenwrite_frontmatter	v1
title	Complete Guide to WordPress Automation
excerpt	Learn how to automate your WordPress publishing workflow using Google Docs and modern tools.
object_type	post
status	future
slug	wordpress-automation-guide
categories	WordPress, Automation, Tutorials
tags	wordpress, automation, google docs, productivity, cms
comment_status	open
ping_status	open
publish_date	2024-12-31 09:00
output_format	wp_blocks
formatting	balanced

Troubleshooting

Frontmatter Not Working

• Ensure table is the very first element in your document
• Use the Extensions > Tenwrite menu to insert properly formatted tables
• Don’t modify the first row with tenwrite_frontmatter : v1
• Only change values in the second column

Scheduled Posts Not Publishing

• Include publish_date field with future status
• Use format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM
• Set future date when exporting

Categories or Tags Not Working

• Use comma-separated format for categories: category1, category2
• Use comma-separated format for tags: tag1, tag2
• Check field spelling: categories and tags

Conclusion

Frontmatter gives you complete control over post metadata directly in your Google Docs. Set up once and your metadata will be used across all publishing methods in Tenwrite.

Key benefits:

• No more filling export forms
• Consistent metadata across different publishing methods
• Everything stays organized in your document

For help with frontmatter setup, contact support@tenwrite.com.