Salesforce document generation: what it is and how to do it

Discover how businesses generate documents in Salesforce in this Juro explainer.

Salesforce is the dominant system of record for sales teams. It allows them to track deals as they progress through the sales cycle, as well as acting as a repository for important deal data. 

But did you know that you can also use Salesforce to generate documents, too? In this guide, we’ll tell you what Salesforce document generation is, how it works, and how to get started. 

What is Salesforce document generation?

Salesforce document generation means setting up a workflow that enables teams to generate a variety of documents within the Salesforce platform. 

Generating documents in Salesforce enables users to quickly and efficiently create documents without relying on a separate word processor such as Word or Google Docs.

Instead, they’re able to generate documents automatically using document templates and the data stored in Salesforce records. Usually, this can be done in just a few clicks, with no manual admin work required.

Which types of documents can be generated in Salesforce?

Salesforce users can generate business contracts, invoices, personalized letters, proposals, quotes, reports, and even forms within Salesforce. However, the types of documents they can generate will depend on what they’ve integrated Salesforce with. 

This is because Salesforce doesn’t offer native document generation functionality. In other words, Salesforce must be integrated with another business platform in order to generate documents. The platforms you connect Salesforce to will determine which types of documents you can generate.

For example, to automate the generation of contracts, Salesforce will need to be integrated with an all-in-one contract management system like Juro. 

Connecting the two tools enables Salesforce users to generate contracts without leaving Salesforce. To find out more about how this works in more detail, check out this guide on how to manage contracts in Salesforce. 

Salesforce can also be integrated with accounting tools like Xero and Quickbooks which enables users to automate the creation of invoices. Again, connecting accounting platforms with Salesforce enables users to generate documents directly from the CRM, rather than switching between tools.

But how does this work? Let’s find out.

How does Salesforce document generation work?

Salesforce is a customizable solution, meaning users can customize their workflows to generate documents in a way that best suits their needs and tech stack.

That said, most document generation workflows in Salesforce follow a similar process:

1. Firstly, you integrate Salesforce with a business system of your choice. This will be the platform you create your document templates in. If you want to generate contracts in Salesforce, for example, you’d use a tool like Juro to create your contract templates. 

2. Next, you create your document templates. These templates include the standard text that’s used in all documents. But they also have smartfields that correspond to certain data fields in a Salesforce record. This determines which data is pulled into the document from Salesforce, and where it should populate in the template. 

3. Once you’re set up with the stages above, you’ll be able to open up an opportunity or record within Salesforce and generate a document. This is done by clicking on  ‘new document’ or ‘new contract’ in the Salesforce record. You'll also have to choose a template to work from.

4. Once you’ve selected your template in Salesforce, a document will be generated for you automatically with the correct template and up-to-date deal data. 

5. Usually, a copy of the document will also be saved in Salesforce for easy access, and some integrations will even update the status of a Salesforce record (and the data within it) based on the new document. 

Benefits of Salesforce document generation 

Being able to generate documents within Salesforce offers a lot of benefits for businesses, all of which can save them time and resources. Let’s run through a few of these benefits in a bit more detail. 

1. Sales teams can work in their system of record 

One obvious benefit of Salesforce document generation is that it enables sales teams to stay in the CRM, rather than having to move between multiple different tools. 

This also means that they can generate documents from a platform they’re familiar with, which makes it easier for them to self-serve on the creation of complex documents like business contracts. 

This, in turn, speeds up the sales cycle by providing sales teams with access to sales contracts on demand. 

2. No more manual admin work 

Another benefit of being able to generate documents in Salesforce is that it automates the routine admin work that drafting documents usually involves. 

Rather than drafting documents from scratch in a separate tool like Word or Google Docs, Salesforce document generation automatically creates and populates documents for you. 

This results in significant time savings for teams, particularly in scaling businesses where templated documents are used to close, renew and advance deals. 

3. Greater consistency for your documents

Salesforce document generation relies on templates, meaning that the documents created are more consistent. It also means that the contents of the documents have been pre-approved, giving the template owners full control over the language, structure, and information used. 

This consistency is particularly important when it comes to contracts where varying standard terms and language can result in contract risk. 

4. Highly customizable 

Salesforce document generation is also highly customizable. Not only can users customize what their documents look like and include, but they can also customize their workflows and the rules these documents follow. 

Juro’s integration with Salesforce is a great example of this. Juro users can build rules for templates using a feature called conditional logic. In practice, this means that certain clauses can be added to contracts automatically if the Salesforce data shows that a deal is in a certain jurisdiction, or over a certain contract value. 

Again, this doesn’t require any manual drafting or editing work from the sales team. The legal document is generated and customized automatically based on the information provided. 

5. Better visibility

Generating documents in Salesforce also improves visibility for the wider business. 

When you draft documents in a Word processing tool and store them in local drives, it’s hard for other stakeholders to access them. Generating documents in Salesforce solves this problem as all documents created are stored within the CRM. This provides better visibility and a single source of truth for deals and their data. 

Looking to get started with Salesforce document generation? 

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to generate documents in Salesforce, the best place to start is with integrations. 

This is where you consider which types of documents you’d like to generate in Salesforce and which tools you need to do it. Fortunately, Salesforce integrates with thousands of business systems, including lots of document creation tools. This means you’re bound to find one that suits your needs - if you haven’t got one already. 

If you want to generate sales contracts like MSAs, SOWs or order forms in Salesforce, Juro is a great option. Juro enables sales teams to automate contracts using templates pre-approved by legal - all without leaving the Salesforce platform. 

“It takes the sales team four clicks to generate and approve a contract in Juro. There’s less manual work, less admin, and we’re saving 25 minutes per contract” - Callum Hamlett, Senior Revenue Ops Analyst, Paddle

If you’re interested in joining the scaling businesses already using Juro, fill in the form below to find out more. 

Frequently asked questions 

Can you create documents in Salesforce?

It is possible to create documents within Salesforce, but only if you have integrated Salesforce with another business tool that enables you to generate documents. 

Can you store documents in Salesforce?

Some integrations will store documents generated in Salesforce automatically. This means that you don’t have to upload the document manually to keep it in the system. 

Can you generate contracts in Salesforce?

It is possible to generate contracts in Salesforce by integrating the CRM with a contract management solution like Juro. Find out more about Juro’s Salesforce integration.