SalesforceDocGen: Free, Open-Source Document Generation with Bulk, Flow & e-Signatures

Mar 10, 2026

SalesforceDocGen: Free, Open-Source Document Generation with Bulk, Flow & e-Signatures

Mar 10, 2026

Salesforce users and developers often need to create PDFs, Word documents, or PowerPoint decks directly from record data. Commercial solutions usually charge per-user, per-month fees that can add up quickly. SalesforceDocGen is an open-source, 100% server-side package that removes those costs while providing a full feature set: template management, bulk generation, flow integration, background PDF rendering, rich text handling, and even multi-signer electronic signatures.

What SalesforceDocGen Offers

  • Free & Open-Source – MIT licensed, no hidden costs.
  • Native Apex Engine – All processing happens on the server; no client-side templating libraries are required.
  • Multiple Output Formats – DOCX, PPTX, PDF.
  • Rich Text & Images – Embedded images from rich text fields, HTML support.
  • Bulk Generation – Generate documents for thousands of records in a single batch.
  • Flow Integration – Two invocable actions for record-level and bulk generation.
  • Multi-Signer e-Signatures – Role-based signing with secure links.

Key Features at a Glance

Feature Description
Template Manager Upload, edit, version, and share .docx/.pptx templates. Visual query builder eliminates SOQL knowledge for most users.
Record Page Generator Lightning Web Component (docGenRunner) drops into any record page to generate documents instantly.
Bulk Document Generation Filter records with SOQL WHERE clauses; real-time progress tracking; Apex batch background processing.
Flow Actions DocGenFlowAction (single record) and DocGenBulkFlowAction (bulk/streaming).
PDF Rendering Client-side preview + html2pdf conversion or server-side Named Credential loopback with retry logic.
Electronic Signatures Role-based signing, secure token links, Visualforce portal, PNG injection, SHA-256 audit trail.

Installation & Setup

  1. Install the Subscriber Package 
    sf package install --package 04tdL000000Or6PQAS --wait 10 --installation-key-bypass
  2. Assign Permission Sets – DocGen Admin, DocGen User, and (if using signatures) DocGen Guest Signature.
  3. Add the Generator to Record Pages – Drag the docGenRunner Lightning Web Component onto any record page via App Builder.
  4. Configure PDF Engine – Run the 3-step wizard in the DocGen Setup tab: create an External Client App, provision credentials (Auth Provider, External Credential, Named Credential), authenticate, and grant access to permission sets.
  5. Optional Signature Configuration – Create a Salesforce Site for public signature links, enable guest access for relevant Visualforce pages, and enter the site URL in the DocGen Setup wizard.

Using the App in Lightning Pages

  • The docGenRunner component appears as a button on any record page.
  • Users can select from available templates filtered to that object.
  • One-click generation produces DOCX with automatic PDF rendition; generated files attach to the record's Files related list.
  • For bulk operations, navigate to the DocGen Bulk Gen tab and set SOQL filters.

Bulk Generation & Flow Integration

Use Case Invocable Action
Single Record DocGenFlowAction – inputs: templateId, recordId; outputs: contentDocumentId, errorMessage.
Bulk/Batch DocGenBulkFlowAction – inputs: templateId, optional queryCondition; outputs: jobId, errorMessage.

These actions can be embedded in any Flow, making document generation a first-class citizen of your automation.

PDF Rendering Options

Client-Side

A VF iframe receives the DOCX via postMessage. docx-preview.js renders with full formatting; html2pdf.js converts to PDF and saves back as a ContentVersion.

Server-Side (Bulk & Flow)

Named Credential loopback calls Salesforce's Connect REST API (/services/data/v63.0/connect/files/{id}/rendition?type=PDF). Built-in retry handles 202 Accepted latency.

Electronic Signatures

  • Zero-Cost, Multi-Signer – Define roles (Buyer, Seller, Witness) per template.
  • Secure Token Links – Each signer receives a unique URL (https://your-site.salesforce-sites.com/apex/DocGenSignature?token=<secure_token>).
  • Visualforce Signing Portal – Mobile-friendly capture with live preview; no Experience Cloud configuration required.
  • OpenXML Stamping & SHA-256 Audit Trail – Signatures are PNGs injected into DOCX placeholders before PDF conversion, and each signed PDF is hashed for immutable audit.

Template Tag Syntax

Tag Purpose Example
{FieldName} Simple field merge {Account.Industry}
{#ChildList}...{/ChildList} Loop over child records {#Contacts}{FirstName} {LastName}{/Contacts}
{%ImageField} Inject image (default size) {%Company_Logo__c}
{#Signature_RoleName} Multi-signer placeholder {#Signature_Buyer}

Tags are placed directly in the .docx or .pptx template files; the engine expands them server-side.

Architecture Overview

  1. Template Decompression – ZIP decompression via Salesforce Compression API.
  2. XML Pre-processing – Merge split text runs, normalize tags across formatting boundaries.
  3. Server-Side Tag Processing – Simple substitution, loop expansion, conditional rendering, image injection, rich text handling.
  4. Recompression & Storage – Save as ContentVersion.
  5. PDF Rendition – Either client-side conversion or server-side Named Credential loopback.
  6. Signature Flow – Secure token validation → DOCX preview → PNG capture → stamping → PDF upload.

Contributing and Licensing

The project is under the MIT license; contributions are welcome via GitHub issues or pull requests. Repository structure: force-app/main/default/ contains Apex classes, LWC components, Visualforce pages, permission sets, and static resources. Documentation can be found in the repository's README.md, INSTALL.md, and LICENSE files.

Sources

By Ciarán Fitzgerald