Getting Started with ZeroExport: Your First Document Template

Welcome to ZeroExport! In this guide, we'll walk you through creating your first document template and generating professional-looking PDFs directly within your Salesforce org.

If you're setting up your workflows from scratch, this quick overview of CRM software is helpful context before template design.

What is ZeroExport?

ZeroExport is a native Salesforce document generation solution that operates entirely within your Salesforce org. Unlike traditional document generation tools, ZeroExport doesn't export your data to external servers, making it ideal for organizations with strict compliance requirements.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• ZeroExport installed in your Salesforce org
• Admin or appropriate permissions to create templates
• Basic understanding of Salesforce objects and fields

If you're still evaluating ecosystem options, Salesforce also curates AI apps on AppExchange.

Step 1: Create Your First Template

1. Navigate to the ZeroExport app in Salesforce
2. Click on Templates tab
3. Click New Template button
4. Select the Salesforce object (e.g., Opportunity, Account, Custom Object)

Step 2: Design Your Document

You build the document by dragging elements onto the canvas, not by writing markup. The left panel holds the elements — Heading, Para, and Text, layout elements like Divider, List, and Columns, and data elements like tables.

1. Drag a Heading onto the canvas for the document title
2. Drag Para elements below it for the body
3. Drag a table in for line items or any list of child records

To pull in data, drag a field from the Merge Fields panel or type the token by hand. A merge field is a Source.Field path in double curly braces:

{{Account.Name}}
{{Account.BillingStreet}}
{{Opportunity.Amount}}

Merge fields work in any text field in the builder — headings, paragraphs, table cells, list items, and link labels. When a token points at a collection of child records, the element containing it repeats once per record, so one template row becomes as many rows as the record has.

You can use merge fields to pull data from any related object:

• Standard fields: {{ObjectName.FieldName}}
• Related fields: {{RelatedObject__r.FieldName}}
• Custom fields: {{CustomObject__c.CustomField__c}}

Step 3: Adjust the Styling

There is no stylesheet to write. Select an element on the canvas and the Properties tab in the right-hand panel shows the controls for it.

The controls are contextual — you get the ones that apply to what you selected:

• Tables get Header Styles: header row alignment, font weight, background, and text color, plus a checkbox to repeat the header row on every page when the table runs long. Repeating headers, borders, and spacing are handled by the style system rather than by you.
• Headings get a heading-level picker
• Grid columns get a width control
• Most elements share Spacing (padding and margin, per side), Dimensions (width, height, border), Typography (font family, size, weight, line height, alignment), and Colors

Typography cascades the way CSS does: set a font on a section and its child elements inherit it unless they override it. So brand-level choices are made once at the top rather than repeated on every element.

The practical consequence is that a table with a styled header row and consistent borders is a few clicks, not a stylesheet you maintain alongside the template.

Step 4: Preview and Test

Before deploying, always preview your template:

1. Click Preview in the template editor
2. Select a sample record
3. Review the generated output
4. Make any necessary adjustments

Step 5: Generate Your First Document

Once your template is ready:

1. Navigate to a record (e.g., an Opportunity)
2. Click the ZeroExport action button
3. Select your template
4. Click Generate PDF
5. Your document is ready!

Best Practices

• Keep it simple: Start with a basic template and add complexity gradually
• Test thoroughly: Always test with multiple records before deploying
• Use conditional logic: Show/hide sections based on field values
• Maintain consistency: Use your brand colors and fonts

What's Next?

Now that you've created your first template, explore these advanced features:

• Conditional sections: Display content based on field values
• Dynamic tables: Generate tables from related records, with the header row repeating if the table runs past a page
• Page setup: Paper size, orientation, margins, and automatic page numbers positioned in the header or footer
• Document readiness: Get warned about unresolved fields before a document ships

Need Help?

Related reading:

• Why Native Salesforce Document Generation Matters for Compliance
• Stop Debugging Templates: A Better Way to Generate Documents in Salesforce

If you run into any issues, check out our documentation or contact our support team at support@zeroexport.io.

Happy document generating!