Automating and Publishing Templates

You can automate existing documents into templates or create new templates from scratch. Then, you can publish them so that others can generate documents with consistent, dynamic content.

Starting document automation

To open an existing document in an editor or to create a new template:

  1. Open the M-Files Ment home page.
  2. Select Automate templates.
  3. Select New template.
    Result:The New template window opens.
  4. Enter the template information.
    If you use an existing document, drag and drop the .docx file into the upload area, or click the area to browse and select the file.
  5. Select Create template.
    Result:The document opens in the M-Files Ment editor. If you want to create a new template, follow steps 6 and 7.
  6. Optional: Select Add document(s), and enter the document name.
  7. Optional: Select Add document.
    Result:A blank document opens in the M-Files Ment editor, and you can start to create your template content.

Adding automation

To add automation to a template:

  1. Select the text you want to automate and the automation type.
  2. Select Add a new question or Choose existing question to enter the question.
    When you enter a question, you can link it to an M-Files vault. If you link the question, the system uses values or objects from the vault as answer options.
  3. Enter the question and the answer type:
    • For free-text field(s) questions the content is provided in the answer.
    • For choice questions, define the answer options and the content each option gives.

      Example: For the question Is the supplier an independent contractor?, you can add the options Yes and No. If the user selects Yes, a specific clause is added to the document. If No, the clause is excluded.

  4. Select Next.
  5. Connect the automation to the question.
    • Select the question you created.
    • Set the correct answer option.
    • Select Done to save the automation.
  6. Select Save changes.

Publishing templates

When you have added all automation to a template, you can publish it.

To publish a template:

  1. Select Preview to see how the automated template works.
    Select Back to edit if you want to make changes.
  2. When the automation is complete, select Change status at the top left.
    Result:Change template status dialog opens.
  3. Select Publish to make the template available to other users.
    Result:The template is labeled Published and can be used to generate documents.
Note: If you make changes to a published template, you have to republish it for the changes to take effect.

If the template is no longer used, you can unpublish it. This way you don't have to permanently delete the template.