1. NetSuite CPQ
  2. NetSuite CPQ Proposal Generator
  3. Creating Document Templates

Creating Document Templates

With NetSuite CPQ Proposal Generator, you can create templates to outline the document structure and store the document content.

Before creating a template, you should create a draft to visualize the look and feel of the final document. Drafting the document helps you make decisions about the type, order, and frequency of groups and sections.

Regarding the document layout, you can define the header and footer. Additionally, you can customize the look and feel with CSS styles, as well as set up various formatting options, including the page format.

Documents can be automatically generated from templates, and you can also export and import templates. For more information, see Automatically Creating Documents and Exporting and Importing Document Templates.

To create a template:

  1. In NetSuite, go to CPQ > Proposal Generator> Templates.

  2. Click New CPQP Template.

  3. Provide a descriptive name for the template.

    The name is displayed in the template list when users click the Proposal button.

  4. (Optional) In the Description field, enter a brief explanation of the template.

    The description is not displayed to users.

  5. To define the page format for the final document, two options are available:

    • In the Format field, select a predefined page format, such as A3 or A5. If you leave this field blank, the default format is A4.

    • Check the Custom Size box. Then, provide the page height and width in millimeters.

  6. In the Custom Styles field, enter the CSS code to style the final document as you would do in an external CSS file.

    To identify CSS classes, create the document from the transaction and inspect the browser preview.

  7. (Optional) In the Pages Without Padding field, provide the pages that do not include margins.

    Enter each page number followed by a comma.

  8. Provide the content for the header and footer.

    You can use the text editor or HTML and CSS code to format the text.

    Note:

    The document header and footer are not included in the browser preview.

  9. Provide the header and the footer height. Enter numbers to express the value in pixels.

    If you leave these fields blank, the default values are:

    • 150 pixels for the header

    • 100 pixels for the footer

  10. The header and footer are displayed on every page of the final document. To hide the header and footer on the cover page, check the Hide header and footer on the first page box.

  11. To automatically create documents when saving or editing a transaction:

    • Check the Automatically generate PDF box to create PDF files.

    • Check the Automatically generate DOCX box to create Microsoft®Word documents (DOCX files).

    For more information, see Automatically Creating Documents.

  12. Click Save.

To hide a template from the template list displayed to users, check the Disabled box on the template record.

Automatically Creating Documents

Documents can be automatically created or updated with the latest transaction data whenever users save a transaction. To automatically create documents for eligible transactions, check the following boxes on the template record:

  • Automatically generate PDF box – Automatically creates PDF files.

  • Automatically generate DOCX box – Automatically creates Microsoft® Word files.

If you enable these options for multiple templates, you will obtain multiple documents for the same transaction. Automatically created documents are stored in the Proposals folder at File Cabinet > SuiteScripts > CPQ.

After saving the transaction and opening it in edit mode, users can go to the Custom subtab. In the NS CPQ Auto-Generated Proposals, users can view the list of document links and download the documents.

Exporting and Importing Document Templates

You can export and import your document templates at CPQ > Proposal Generator > Settings. Use the import and export options to move document templates from your sandbox account to your production account after testing. Additionally, you can create duplicate templates in your current account to use as a base for new templates.

To export a template, select one in the Export Proposal field and click the Export button. The template is saved as a ZIP file to your computer.

In the exported file, you can include additional resources, such as the appended PDF files. If the additional resources are unavailable in the target account, you must check the Export resources box before exporting the template. However, if you export the template for testing purposes and do not need additional resources, leave the box unchecked.

After exporting a template, you can import it back to the same or different accounts. Imported templates may include references to files. These referenced files may need to be retrieved in the target account.

During the template setup, choose how to work with references to attached files during the import process in the NS Links Import Options field:

  • Don't import links – Leaves blank all fields containing a reference to a file.

    Choose this option when importing templates into a sandbox account for testing purposes.

  • Import links using same IDs – Assigns references to files based on the internal ID of the item. This is the default option.

    Choose this option when importing templates within the same account to optimize the import process.

  • Import links using search by name – Looks for the file name to find its internal ID and place it in the link field.

    Choose this option when importing templates across different accounts because files with the same name can have different internal IDs.

To import a template:

  1. In NetSuite, go to CPQ > Proposal Generator > Settings.

  2. In the Import Proposal field, select the ZIP file containing the template.

  3. In the NS Links Import Options field, select how to handle references to files when importing templates.

  4. Click Import.

Related Topics

General Notices