Before you start setting up your templates and sending documents, take a minute to review your profile information. Make sure your first name and last name are correct, add your signature and review the notifications. Add your profile picture - it will show up in the PandaDoc emails when you send a document to someone!

Availability: Business and Enterprise plans

You can personalize the PandaDoc emails coming from your account by adding your company logo, adjusting the button color and button text color, and customizing the email footer.

Why should I create templates? - you might ask. Creating and sending documents becomes much easier when you’re not starting from scratch. Build reusable templates with PandaDoc to increase your productivity and create consistency across all of your documents.

Think of a boilerplate for text, design, and branding that can be used as the starting point when generating a new document.

You can create a template from scratch, upload a static PDF or mix both options.

Alternatively, there is an option to choose one of the professional templates from the Template library.
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A template created from scratch gives you full control over its formatting and design but will take longer to create. To speed it up, you can convert your .docx file into an editable PandaDoc which will take a few seconds.

An uploaded template won’t be editable, but you can add text on top of it and drag and drop fields. It’s a quick and easy way if you want to pull in a PDF and have somebody sign it.

Once you have started a template, your next step is to create template roles. Roles are placeholders for future recipients, e.g. Client, Decision Maker, Accounting, or Sender.

Pre-assign fields to a Role on your template and they will act as placeholders for your future recipients. When you create a document from this template, you will assign recipients to each role in the template. All pre-assigned fields will be automatically assigned to designated recipients.

Each role generates 11 role variables for dynamic information about recipients. When you create a document from the template, variables will be auto-populated based on the information in the contacts.

We have just mentioned variables in the role context but you can use variables outside of it! Think of the information that is always unique to each specific document, then replace that with a variable.

When you create a document from this template, fill out the variables just once, and the data will be populated throughout the document. It’s that simple!

Teamwork makes the dream work. Now, multiple team members can edit a document simultaneously. Avatars will appear in the document to show who is making changes.

Availability: Business and Enterprise plans

In the Content Library, you can store pieces of information that you will be using over and over again like Testimonials or Terms and Conditions. This is a great way to send customized documents with consistent phrasing.

Alright, you have set up your template: added roles, content, and fields. Time to add some style! To design your template, click Design on the right panel. You have a bunch of options to style Text, Headings, Tables, Page Background, Header, or Footer, and choose your theme color. Any changes will be applied to the entire template.

To style a piece of text, highlight it and apply changes using the top toolbar. Then use Properties to add a background and adjust paddings and margins.

Click on the ellipses in the top right to manipulate the settings on your template such as Auto reminders, Auto expiration, Renewals. All documents created from this template will inherit the settings.

Click on Manage or Add roles/recipients > switch the toggle for Attach a PDF to email on the right.

Make sure that the notification "Document is completed by all recipients" is checked (you can double-check in Settings > Profile).

You can adjust most settings on the workspace level, and all new templates and documents will inherit the settings. You can always change the settings on specific templates and documents which will override the workspace settings.

But what about products and pricing? In PandaDoc, you can create a product catalog to automate quote creation. You can either create it from scratch or import products via CSV:

First, add a pricing table. Next, click on it to access the edit mode. And here you can add items from your catalog that you have already set up or imported.

With the PandaDoc pricing table, you have the flexibility to add unlimited custom columns for fees, line item discounts and taxes, and additional multiplier:

Set items to optional or QTY editable, add multiple-choice sections allowing your customer choose the right option for them:

​Here are more tips and tricks to get the most out of the PandaDoc pricing table.

Well done - you have set up your template! Now you are ready to generate a document and send it out. In your template, select Use this template > assign recipients to Roles and click Continue:

Fill out unfilled variables - these are going to be the custom variables that you have set up on the template.

Review the document and send it out! Here’s a detailed guide on sending and signing a PandaDoc.

​New to PandaDoc? Take one of our Getting Started with PandaDoc classes through the PandaDoc Learning Academy!