Document templates and the Document button

A document template is your own layout with codes where the details go: the customer's name, the products, the totals. The Document button on a record fills it in and gives you a PDF or Word file, such as a quotation from a deal, a proforma or a receipt from an invoice, or a welcome letter from a contact.

Templates are kept under Automations → Templates. Owners, admins and managers can add and change them; everyone can use them.

Find your templates

Open Automations in the left menu and click the Templates tab. It has three tabs of its own:

• Documents: templates for files.
• Emails: email templates.
• Numbering: number series for your documents.

Each document template shows where it can be used (On: Invoices, for example) and the next number, if it numbers what it makes.

Add a Word template

The easiest way to get the look you want is to design it in Word.

1. On the Documents tab, click Add a Word template.
2. Click Download the starter. It already has your company, the customer, a product table and totals laid out.
3. Open it in Word and change the look as you like. Keep the codes in {curly brackets} where you want the details.
4. To add a detail, type what you want in the box on the right, for example "customer name", "GST" or "quantity", and click the code to copy it. Paste it into Word.
5. Save the file in Word as .docx.
6. Back in the CRM, drop the file on Upload the Word file, or click it to choose the file.
7. Give the template a Name, such as Quotation or Payment receipt.
8. Under Use it on, pick where the template is offered. It starts on Estimates; click Everywhere, or the kinds of record you want, such as Deals or Invoices. Click a chosen one again to remove it.
9. Optionally, choose a number series under Number the documents it makes.
10. Click Add the template.

To change a Word template later, click Download on its card, change the file in Word, and click Upload new version. The pencil icon changes its name, where it is used and its numbering.

Write a template in the CRM

For a simple letter or note, you do not need Word.

1. On the Documents tab, click Write one here.
2. Give it a Name.
3. Write the Text. A line starting with # is a heading, a line starting with - is a bullet, and a blank line starts a new paragraph.
4. To add a detail, find it in the box on the right and click it. It is added at the cursor, in {{double brackets}}.
5. Choose where to Use it on, and a number series if you want one.
6. Click Save.

Number your documents

A number series gives each document a number of your own, such as PF-2026-27-001 for proforma invoices.

1. On the Numbering tab, click New series.
2. Fill in Name, Starts with (such as PF), Year in the number (Financial year, Calendar year or No year), Digits and Next number, and optionally Ends with.
3. Tick Start again from 1 each financial year (or each year) if you want the count to restart.
4. Check the preview under The next number will be, and click Save.

Then choose the series under Number the documents it makes on a template. The number goes where the template has the code {DocumentNumber}. Each number is used once, when the file is made.

Estimates and invoices have their own numbering. An owner or admin can switch them to a series instead, at the top of the Numbering tab, under Estimates take their numbers from and Invoices take their numbers from.

Make a document from a record

1. Open the record: a lead, deal, contact, company, estimate or invoice.
2. Click Document at the top. On the Estimates and Invoices lists, each row has its own Document button too.
3. Choose the Template. Only templates set to be used on this kind of record are offered.
4. For a template written in the CRM, choose the Format: PDF or Word. A Word template always makes a Word file.
5. Click Make the file. It opens so you can check it, download it or print it.

Every file made is listed under Files made here in the same window, with View, and is noted on the record's timeline. On an estimate or invoice, they are also listed under Documents on the page.

If your workspace has more than one brand, a lead, deal, contact or company asks which brand to print the document as. An estimate or invoice uses the brand chosen on it.

If the window says no template is set to be used here yet, ask an owner, admin or manager to add one, or to tick this kind of record under Use it on.

Next steps

• Choose how estimates and invoices look
• Work in a record card