XL Docs setup

The XL Docs Setup step is one of the last steps of the wizard. Here you give the details of the documents you want to create: which table the content comes from, what file format the output should be, which template to start from, and where to store the documents—there are more options than a file attachment field.

The step has these fields, each with a ? icon beside it that shows help in the wizard:

1. Select a Table: the table you want to create documents from. The list starts with the placeholder Select a Table.

2. Output File Type: XLSX (selected by default), PDF, or CSV. Every format can be saved in the file attachment field and streamed back to the user's browser. See Output and storage.

3. Template to Use: the Excel workbook used to create the documents. Choose one of the options:

   • Use Standard Sample Template (selected by default)—start from a sample workbook, which you can replace later.

   • Upload Custom Template—upload your own workbook (.xls, .xlsx, or .xlsm). You can use an .xlsm template, but not all macros are supported, so some macros may not work.

   • Use an Existing Template—shown only when your app already has a Document Templates table, for example because you've installed XL Docs on another table in the same app. An Existing Template Record ID# box appears: enter the Record ID# of the template record you want to use.

Select Finish to install, or Previous to go back. To set up the template after installation, see Build a document template.

Setup type—bulk document generation

When you choose Bulk Document Generation in the Setup Type step, the XL Docs Setup step has two more options, between Template to Use and Advanced Settings:

1. Filtering Criteria—how XL Docs finds the records to create documents for. Neither option is selected at first; choose one:

   • Select a Report—choose a report on the selected table from the Select a Report list. When a run starts, documents are created for the records in that report.

   • Filter By Query—build a query that selects the records. When a run starts, documents are created for the records that match the query at that time.

2. Merge Output Files (checkbox)—after XL Docs creates the documents found by the Filtering Criteria, it merges them all into a single file and saves it on the XL Docs Batch Processing control record the run was started from.

   Note

   Merging works only when the Output File Type is PDF.

The Use a Repository Table option isn't offered in bulk mode. Bulk document generation also adds the Application Token step before Finish. For how bulk runs work after installation, see Batch processing.

Advanced settings

Select Advanced Settings to expand these options:

1. Select a Cloud Storage Type: store the documents in cloud storage instead of in file attachment fields. Choose None (the default), or:

   • Amazon S3—you'll enter your Amazon S3 details in an extra step, described on the Amazon S3 setup page. You need your AWS account information.

   • Dropbox—store the documents in Dropbox. See Dropbox setup. A repository table can't be used with Dropbox.

   To connect Amazon S3 or Dropbox, see Cloud provider overview and setup.

2. Use a Repository Table (checkbox, single document generation only): a separate table in your app that holds all the documents created, so every file is in one place. Checking it adds the Repository Table Setup step. A repository table can't be used with Dropbox, so choose None or Amazon S3 as the cloud storage type. Read more on the Repository Table Step page.

Messages on this step

These messages appear on the XL Docs Setup step when you continue and something needs fixing.

For messages you see when creating documents after setup, see XL Docs messages and troubleshooting.

Next: XL Docs finish.