How to change text in multiple layers at once?

[macs805]

Is there is a way in illustrator to change text on duplicated layers at once?

In photoshop, I can create a smart object and it will auto populate edited text acoss my lable template where I placed the smart objects. I am trying to find away to achive the same thing in illustrator. 

[Monika Gause]

Try symbols. Or maybe variables? Try and describe the overall task. Why you want to do it.

[macs805]

The task is to change the text of a specifc field of a lable accoss all labels at once. The template has 16 identical labels + a cut path. Duplicating the lable 16 times in illustrator and making sure they fall excatly in line of the cut put is difficult. I have employes who arnt familiar with the software so I am trying to make it as fool proof as possible.

Here is a video of how I use a smart objects to complete this task in photoshop. I'd like to find a way in illustrator todo the same if possible. 

[Monika Gause]

They are arranged in a regular grid?

two options: Symbols or transform effects. See a sample file: https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/f992a80d-6ef3-4d37-4ad9-06188ab50141

[macs805]

Thanks for uploading that. That is the idea but the text is not arranged in a regular grid. The text fields are very specific to the layout to the label design. Here is another template I need to accomplish the same thing. This one needs more specific placement. [Moderator: Personal file removed.]

Can I use transform to place text in a place that isnt in a regular grid? 

[Monika Gause]

The text elements are duplicated in a regular manner, no? Always the same distance to the right and then always the same distance to the bottom, right?

Then the transform effect will work. You can check it out in my demo file. Take a look at the appearance panel.

[macs805]

Took me a little to figure it out. Is there a way to use the transform effect and move the copies vertically more than 35.2778 mm?

[Monika Gause]

Just enter a value and ignore the slider.

[RvdT]

use a paragraph style