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Viewer Features

Viewer is a native Salesforce application for generating, viewing, and editing documents inside Salesforce. It combines Word-based templates, automation, reusable document logic, and document protection features in one product.

Overview​

Viewer helps teams create operational and customer-facing documents without moving data outside Salesforce. Based on the product feature overview, you can use Viewer to:

  • Generate PDF, Word, and Excel documents directly from Salesforce data
  • Reuse Microsoft Word templates instead of building documents in HTML
  • Use HTML templates to generate PDFs or email message bodies with full Handlebars.js support
  • Automate document creation with Salesforce Flow and batch-style processes
  • Start faster with ready-made templates and import tools
  • Build dynamic layouts with repeater tables, lists, and formatted document sections
  • Apply signing and formatting features such as in-person signing and date formatting helpers
Why this matters

Viewer focuses on native Salesforce document generation with reusable templates and automation, which helps teams reduce manual document preparation and keep processes inside the Salesforce platform.

Native Security Advantage​

One of the biggest Viewer advantages is its native Salesforce approach.

Viewer does not require:

  • an external database to store document data
  • a separate external web application login
  • an Office plugin installation
  • a browser extension installation

This is important for teams that want a simpler security model and fewer external dependencies.

Why this is a major advantage

Because Viewer works natively inside Salesforce, teams can reduce the operational and security overhead that often comes with external document platforms. There is no separate user access model to maintain outside Salesforce, and users do not need extra plugins or browser add-ons just to work with templates and generated documents.

Key Features​

MS Word Templates​

Viewer supports Word-based templates so teams can work with familiar document layouts and formatting. This makes it easier to import existing templates and populate them with Salesforce data.

Useful when you need to:

  • Reuse an existing Word document format
  • Create branded quotes, invoices, or work orders
  • Avoid building layouts in HTML editors

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Powerful Automation​

Viewer supports document automation in Salesforce using Flow and larger-scale document processes. This helps teams generate documents from business events instead of creating them manually.

Useful when you need to:

  • Generate documents from Flow
  • Send documents after record updates
  • Scale document generation for repeated business operations

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Ready-Made Templates​

Viewer includes access to ready-made templates and import workflows that help teams get started faster.

Useful when you need to:

  • Start from a working template instead of a blank file
  • Reduce setup time for common document types
  • Standardize document outputs across teams

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Editing and Layout Capabilities​

No HTML Editor Needed​

Viewer is designed around Word-based document design. This helps business users and admins work with a familiar editing experience without depending on HTML-based template building.

Useful when you need to:

  • Let document owners work in Word
  • Keep formatting closer to your final output
  • Reduce the learning curve for template editing

Repeater Tables and Lists​

Viewer supports dynamic layouts for repeated data such as product lines, related records, or grouped rows. This is especially useful for sales and service documents.

Useful when you need to:

  • Show related object records in one document
  • Create quote lines or invoice tables
  • Repeat data rows without duplicating template sections manually

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Viewer can work with document layouts that include structured page elements like headers and footers. This is useful for branded and professional document outputs.

Useful when you need to:

  • Add company branding
  • Show page-level document context
  • Keep recurring content consistent across pages

HTML Templates​

In addition to Word-based templates, Viewer supports HTML as a template format. This gives teams more control over layouts and enables scenarios where HTML output is needed, such as email messages.

HTML to PDF​

Viewer can render an HTML template and export the result as a PDF document. You can use all of Viewer's built-in helpers and the full Handlebars.js expression syntax inside an HTML template — the same way you would in a Word template.

Useful when you need to:

  • Generate a styled PDF from an HTML layout
  • Use CSS-controlled formatting in your document output
  • Give developers or web designers control over the document structure

HTML for Email Message Body​

Viewer can produce an HTML output intended for use as an email message body. This makes it easy to generate a dynamic, data-driven email using Salesforce record fields, and then send it through a Flow or automation step.

Useful when you need to:

  • Build a rich email body with Salesforce data merged in
  • Standardize email content across teams or automations
  • Keep email composition logic inside Salesforce
Handlebars.js Support in HTML Templates

Both HTML-to-PDF and HTML-for-email templates support the full Handlebars.js syntax together with all of Viewer's custom helpers. This means you can use conditionals, loops, helper functions (date, math, string, comparison), and any other Handlebars expression directly inside your HTML template.

Formatting and Signing Features​

Date Formats and Manipulation​

Viewer includes date helper support for formatting dates, calculating relative dates, and adapting date output for different document needs.

Useful when you need to:

  • Format Salesforce date fields for customer-facing documents
  • Show future or past dates based on document logic
  • Standardize date output across templates

Related topics:

In-Person Signing​

Viewer supports signing-related capabilities that help teams collect signatures as part of document processes.

Useful when you need to:

  • Capture signatures during customer or field interactions
  • Include signing steps in document workflows
  • Support document completion inside Salesforce experiences

Related topics:

Common Questions​

What types of documents can Viewer generate?​

Viewer is presented as a solution for generating PDF, Word, and Excel documents in Salesforce.

Does Viewer require an HTML editor?​

No. The product overview emphasizes Word-based templates and a no-HTML-editor workflow.

Does Viewer require an external database or external web app login?​

No. Viewer is designed to work natively in Salesforce, without depending on an external database or a separate external web application login.

Does Viewer require an Office plugin or browser extension?​

No. Viewer does not require users to install an Office plugin or a browser extension to work with templates and generated documents.

Can Viewer automate document generation?​

Yes. Viewer supports automation through Salesforce Flow and other scaled document-generation processes.

Can Viewer help with repeated table data?​

Yes. The product overview includes repeater tables and lists as a core capability for dynamic document layouts.

Does Viewer support signing features?​

Yes. The feature overview includes in-person signing, and the documentation also includes articles for signature pad and digital PDF signing.

Does Viewer support HTML templates?​

Yes. In addition to Word-based templates, Viewer supports HTML templates. You can use them to generate a PDF or to produce an HTML email message body. Both scenarios support the full Handlebars.js syntax and all of Viewer's custom helpers (date, math, string, comparison, and others).