How to Use the "Instant Docs" Feature in Pipeline CRM

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The "Instant Docs" feature in Pipeline CRM allows you to quickly generate personalized documents for your leads with just one click. This guide will walk you through each step to help you create customized documents, such as invoices, efficiently.

Admins can create an unlimited number of templates that can be used by any user in the CRM.

Step 1: Understanding Instant Docs
What are Instant Docs?
Instant Docs is a feature within Pipeline CRM that streamlines the process of creating personalized documents, like invoices, directly from your CRM data. It's designed to save time by automating document creation based on pre-defined templates and CRM records.

Step 2: Preparing Your Document Template
Template Requirements:
Instant Docs currently supports only .docx files. You need to prepare a .docx file template with placeholders for the data you want to populate from Pipeline CRM. 
Creating the Template:
Start by designing your document (e.g., an invoice). In the template, include all relevant information, such as your company logo, contact details, and any other fixed text. Wherever you want CRM data to be inserted, use placeholders. Here are a few sample templates.

Step 3: Placeholder Setup
Using Placeholders:
Placeholders in your template act as variables that will pull specific data from your CRM. For instance, you might use {{ClientName}}, {{InvoiceDate}}, and {{TotalAmount}} as placeholders. During document generation, these placeholders are automatically replaced with the actual data from the CRM record as per the mapping. Any word enclosed in the double braces ({{ }}) will be considered a placeholder. There is no limit on the number of placeholders you can use in a single document. Step 4: Uploading the Template to Pipeline CRM


Uploading Your Template:
Once your template is ready, Admins can upload it at Admin Settings > General > Instant Docs by clicking "Add New Template" at the right top corner. Ensure your .docx file is correctly formatted and includes all the necessary placeholders. You can select the type of document so that it's easy to manage multiple templates. 
Supported File Format:
Remember that only .docx files are accepted by Instant Docs. If your document is in a different format, convert it to .docx before uploading.

Field Mapping:
In the next step, you can choose from Deal, Company, and Person profiles to indicate where this template will be available. Once you have made your selection, you can proceed with mapping the placeholders with the respective Pipeline Field. The 'Fallback' option allows you to always resolve the value of the placeholder to a specific value (entered in the Fallback text box field) if no Pipeline Field is selected.
Preview the Document:
Once the mapping is configured you can search for any existing deal, company, or person and create a document by clicking on Preview. Please review the document to ensure all placeholders have been correctly replaced with the desired data. This is your opportunity to make any final adjustments to the mapping configuration or document.
Step 5: Generating Documents
Document Creation:
After uploading your template, you can quickly generate documents in Pipeline CRM with just one click. Visit the Person, Deal, or Company profile page for which you want to create a document, and Instant Docs will automatically generate a new document by replacing the placeholders in your template with the corresponding CRM data. To create a document, click on the "+" icon located at the right-top corner of the Instant Docs section, and select the template you want to use.


Once the document is generated it will automatically open in a new browser window. Depending on your browser's settings, you may need to allow pop-ups. You can continue using the CRM, as the document is created. An activity will be automatically created, and you can view or download the document.


Sending the Document:
Send the document to your lead or client directly through Pipeline CRM, or download it for other uses.


Additional Admin Actions
Admins can manage the existing templates by duplicating an existing template or deleting it.


Admins can also edit an existing template by clicking on it from the Admin settings and changing Name, Type, Enabled for, and Field Mappings


The Activity Scoreboard & Recent Updates (Admin Settings) will track any documents created.



Tips for Effective Use:
Template Quality:
Ensure that your templates are well-designed and professional, as they represent your business.

Regular Updates:
Keep your templates updated to reflect any changes in your business, such as new services or pricing.

Test Before Sending:
Always test the document generation process with a sample lead to ensure that all placeholders are working correctly.