Generate a Document in Flow Builder

Documents can be generated within flows using an Action element.

• Drag and drop a flow “Action” onto the flow canvas
• Select the “Document” category
• Select the “Generate Document” action

There are several configurable options for generating a document (see complete settings below), but 2 input variables are required:

1. Record ID - An input value passed into the flow.
2. Template ID - A ContentVersion record ID of a Word doc merge template.

Record ID

The Record ID is typically passed into a screen flow from the record page layout. For auto-launched flows, the Record ID can be any Salesforce record to be merged with a document template.

Template ID

The Template ID is a reference to a ContentVersion file record that meets the following criteria

• Title = the title of the file template
• IsLatest = {$GlobalConstant.True}

The template must be a Word document merge template previously updated with tags mapped to merge fields. See the “Word Document Templates” documentation for details.

Optional Input Values

Input	Valid Values	Default Value	Description
Attach As	File or Attachment	Attachment	Determines if the generated document is attached as a legacy Attachment or Chatter File
Attach As New Version	True or False	False	For AttachAs “Files”, indicates that subsequent generations of the same record/template create a new File version. Matched based on file name.
Content MIME Type	application/pdf and application/vnd. openxmlformats-officedocument. wordprocessingml.document	application/pdf	This value is auto-set based on the File Format input.
File Name	Text(255)	GeneratedDocument.pdf	The Attachment Name or ContentVersion Title property.
File Description	Text(255)	empty	A description associated with the file
File Format	PDF or WORD	PDF	Determines the file format for generated document.
Parent ID	Any 15 or 18 char record ID	Record ID	Allows the generated document to be attached to a record other than the merge RecordID. Example: Merging a Contact record but attaching to parent Account record.
Run Asynchronous	True or False	False	Determines if the action is executed in a @future method context. Because this action makes an API callout, any uncommitted DML may throw an exception. Set Run Asynchronous=True to avoid this type of error.

Output Values

All document and room actions reflect back the input values to the output and additionally provide a boolean Success value and a Message value. It’s generally best practice to capture these 2 values in variables, particularly in screen flows, for use in providing the user feedback.

Output	Values	Description
Attachment ID	Attachment ID or ContentVersion ID	Depending on the file format input, provides a reference to the document that was generated. This value is commonly mapped to a flowe variable for use in downstream activities, like sending the document via email
Success	True or False	Indicates whether the document generation action was successful. If False then details of the error are available in the Message output value.
Message	null or String value	Populated with error message details when Success=False.