PDF Templates
Package: BASIC
1. General
PDF templates can be created for almost all modules to enable PDF export. This allows records such as invoices or deals to be easily generated as PDF files and then saved, printed or sent by email.
A company creates a PDF template for the Invoices module. In the layout, the company logo, address fields and a line item group with placeholders from the product block are inserted. For Swiss customers, the QR invoice field is additionally activated.
A sales employee wants to export quotes as PDFs. They create a PDF template for the Deals module, add a header and footer template with page numbering, and set the template as the default template for this module.
2. Layout – Functional Areas
The creation view of a PDF template is divided into the Details and Layout tabs.
In the Details tab, the basic details of a template are set — see the section Templates – Detail View.
In the Layout tab, the PDF template itself is configured. The Layout tab is divided into several functional areas:
- Editor Toolbar
- Switch Template
- Language
- Preview
- Document Settings
- Watermark
- PDF as Template
- Export Filename
- Placeholders
Functional areas of the Layout tab
2.1. Editor Toolbar
The editor toolbar provides all text formatting functionalities (e.g., font and size, bullet points, inserting images and links, tables, etc.).
2.2. Switch Template
After clicking the "Template" button, a flyout menu appears that allows switching between the PDF template itself and the header and footer.
The header and footer are areas at the top and bottom of a page respectively, which can contain information such as the document title, date, author or page number. They appear on every page of the document.
Placeholders can be used in the header and footer just as in the PDF template itself.
To have consistent headers across all PDF templates, header and footer templates can be created and loaded during PDF export.
2.3. Language
The "Language" button provides the option to switch between different languages if the template is to be created in multiple languages.
Text entered directly in the layout cannot be translated. For multilingual templates, the "Text" and "Text Area" placeholders from the Individual Fields → General tab must be used. In the "Link Data" step, the desired text per language can be stored for these placeholders.
2.4. Preview
The "Preview" button provides the option to get an initial preview of the template.
After clicking, the placeholder icons are hidden. Clicking the button again shows the placeholder icons again.
2.5. Document Settings
After clicking the "three dots" button (more settings), a flyout menu appears with the following options:
- Document Settings
- Watermark
- PDF as Template
- Attachments
After clicking "Document Settings", a sidebar appears in which all document settings can be configured.
Document Settings sidebar
The document settings are grouped into three areas:
2.5.1. Document
Cover Page: Setting (toggle) whether the cover page is displayed during export.
The cover page offers the same functionalities as the template itself. All placeholders of the template are also available on the cover page.
Table of Contents: Setting (toggle) whether the table of contents is displayed during export.
When activated, the "Settings" link appears, through which font, size, color and formatting can be set for each level.
The table of contents is automatically generated from the headings in the layout. The prerequisite is that the headings are entered directly in the layout — headings within tables or other elements are not taken into account.
Table of Contents popup
For each level of the table of contents — automatically generated from the headings in the layout — font, size, color and formatting can be set.
2.5.2. Page Setup
The following settings can be configured in the page setup section:
- Format → Format of the PDF file (A3, A4, A5, A6, Letter and Legal)
- Orientation → Orientation of the PDF file (portrait/landscape)
- Margins → Setting of page margins (top, bottom, left and right) as well as the height of the header and footer
2.5.3. Number Format
When outputting numbers, they can be displayed differently in the PDF file than they are stored in brainX. The following settings can be configured:
- Numbers → Setting of decimal separator, grouping separator and decimal places
- Currencies → Setting of decimal separator, grouping separator and decimal places
- Percentages → Setting of decimal separator, grouping separator and decimal places
2.6. Watermark
After clicking Watermark in the flyout menu (three dots button), a sidebar appears in which all settings for a watermark can be configured. For the watermark, a choice can be made between an image and text. Using the settings (size, transparency and rotation), the watermark can be individually configured.
Watermark – Image
Watermark – Text
2.7. PDF as Template
After clicking PDF as Template in the flyout menu (three dots button), a sidebar appears in which a PDF can be uploaded as a background template.
PDF as Template sidebar
Instead of inserting background images in the header and/or footer, there is also the option to use a PDF file as a background template. Like letterhead, the template is applied to every page of the export (including cover page and table of contents). The PDF template file can have any number of pages.
A special case occurs when the PDF template has fewer pages than the subsequent export — in this case, the last page of the PDF template is used for all subsequent pages. In the simplest case, the file consists of one page that is used on every page of the export.
When a PDF file is used as a template in conjunction with a table of contents, note that the table of contents is technically always generated last and moved to the beginning. This means the table of contents receives the background of the PDF template found on the last page of the export.
2.8. Export Filename
In the Export Filename field, the default name to be given to the generated PDF file is entered. To customize the filename, placeholders (e.g., the invoice number) can be used.
2.9. Placeholders
Various types of placeholders can be used in a PDF template. These are replaced with the corresponding values from the records when the PDF file is generated.
Three categories of placeholders are distinguished:
In the "Placeholders" sidebar, these three categories are organized into corresponding tabs that can be switched between at any time.
2.9.1. Individual Fields
Individual fields are divided into the areas "General" and "Module-Related".
Placeholders sidebar – Individual Fields tab
2.9.1.1. General
General fields include:
- Text → Input of text
- Text Area → Input of multi-line text
- Image → Insert an image; dimensions can be set after uploading
- Date/Time → Current date with optional display of time
- DocuSign/DocuSeal Fields → Fields of the Digital Signature integration
2.9.1.2. Module-Related
In the "Module-Related" area, both placeholders for fields of the main module and placeholders from referenced modules are available.
Module-related fields include:
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Module Fields → Fields of the main module as well as fields from linked/referenced records
Note: Module fields of the type URL can be configured with an alternative text. Instead of the full URL, the configured text is displayed as a clickable link in the PDF document. Configuration is done after inserting the placeholder via the Link Data step. -
User Information → Fields from user information; during export this placeholder is replaced with the values of the currently logged-in user
-
Company Information → Fields from Company Information
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Condition → Allows setting a value depending on another value
Note: In the Deals module, two additional fields are available for conditions:- Number of Alternative Line Items
- Number of Optional Line Items
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This allows blocks or content in the template to be shown or hidden depending on the line item configuration of the deal. These fields are also available in list views, reports and automations.
Formatting options for output values (e.g., date format, currency format, alternative link text for URL fields) can also be defined for fields inserted into the template via a condition. Configuration is done in the Link Data step of the respective placeholder.
For line items in Billing modules, the field Discount Type is additionally available as a condition field. This allows controlling whether a block or content in the template is shown or hidden depending on the discount type of a line item — e.g., for tiered discounts. -
Responsible User Information → Fields from user information; during export this placeholder is replaced with the values of the responsible user
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Signature → Inserts the signature stored in the user profile (see My Settings - Further Settings).
When inserting the placeholder, you can choose which signature is used:
- responsible user of the record → the signature is drawn dynamically from the responsible user stored in the record
- fixed user → the signature of a specific, fixed user is always used, regardless of the record's responsible user
Note: The signature stored in the user profile should already be uploaded in the required size to avoid unwanted scaling in the PDF export.
- Barcode → Enables the generation of barcodes for various standards, e.g., EAN-13
To visually identify placeholders quickly, the respective module icons are additionally displayed.
After inserting a placeholder into the PDF template, the corresponding field from that module can be selected by clicking on the placeholder.
Module-related placeholder for the Contacts module
2.9.2. Relations
In the "Relations" tab, placeholders from referenced modules/records are available — those listed in the record of the main module in the detail view under the Relations tab.
Placeholders sidebar – Relations tab
For each module listed in the Relations tab of the main record, three placeholders exist (Block Start, End and Fields). If placeholders from the More Information of a record are used and the respective block is empty, the area can be hidden from the template as long as tables are used.
Within a Relations block, any placeholders from the General, Fields and Symbols categories can also be used.
2.9.3. Custom Blocks
Custom blocks are used to insert line items from the product block of the Sales Orders, Deals, Purchase Orders, Credits, Invoices and Cancellations modules into a template.
Placeholders sidebar – Custom Blocks tab
The following custom blocks are generally available:
- Line Items → Block Start, Field and End for line items
- Line Item Groups → Block Start, Field and End for line item groups
- Product Bundles → Block Start, Field and End for product bundles
- Tiered Discounts → Block Start, Field and End for tiered discounts
- Summary → Block Start, Field and End for summary
Within the "Summary" block, additional cumulative tax placeholders are available. These enable the summed output of taxes over a monthly or annual period — relevant for example for contract billing.
For the Invoices, Credits and Cancellations modules, additional placeholders are available for the totals of installment payments made:
- Subtotal (Installment Payments)
- VAT (Installment Payments)
- Gross (Installment Payments)
2.10. Attachments
After clicking Attachments in the flyout menu (three dots button), a sidebar appears in which one or more PDF files can be uploaded as attachments. The attached PDF files are appended to the end of the generated document during export.
Attachments sidebar
Only PDF files are supported as attachments.
3. Practical Examples
1 – Invoice Template with Company Logo, Address Block, and Product Positions
A company wants to export invoices as professional PDF documents. In the Templates module, a new PDF template is created for the Invoices module. In the Layout tab, the user first switches to the header using the Template button: the company logo is inserted as an image and a header template is linked to appear on every page. The user then switches back to the main template.
In the layout, placeholders for the invoice recipient (name, address), invoice date, and invoice number are inserted from the Single Fields → Module-specific tab. For the line items, the Positions block (Start, Fields, End) from the Custom Blocks tab is embedded in a table so that each invoice position is displayed in its own row. The Summary block outputs the net amount, VAT, and gross total.
In the Export Filename field, the placeholder for the invoice number is entered so that the generated PDF file is automatically named accordingly. The template is then set as the default template for the Invoices module.
2 – Multilingual Quote Template (German/English)
A sales representative creates a PDF template for the Deals module that can be output in both German and English. Since text entered directly in the layout cannot be translated, all language-dependent labels (e.g., "Angebot" / "Quotation", "Gültig bis" / "Valid until") are exclusively inserted using Text placeholders from the Single Fields → General tab.
After inserting each text placeholder, the German text is entered for the German language and the English text for the English language in the Link Data step. The Language button in the layout tab allows switching between language versions at any time to verify the output. When exporting, the user selects the desired language and the template is filled accordingly.
3 – Letterhead Background Using "PDF as Template"
Instead of manually inserting background images into each header and footer, a company uploads its own letterhead directly to the template as a PDF file. In the flyout menu (three dots button), PDF as Template is selected and the single-page letterhead PDF is uploaded. Since the letterhead contains only one page, this layout is automatically applied to all subsequent export pages.
The actual template layout is limited to content placeholders (address block, positions, totals) without any background design – this comes entirely from the uploaded letterhead. The result is a consistent appearance across all export pages that can be maintained independently of the template content.
4 – Conditional Content Based on Discount Type (Deals)
A company uses both regular discounts and tiered discounts in the Deals module and wants the PDF template to display different text blocks depending on the discount type. To achieve this, a Condition placeholder is inserted from the Single Fields → Module-specific tab, with Discount Type selected as the condition field.
In the Link Data step, two cases are defined: if the discount type is Tiered Discount, an explanatory note about the discount tiers is displayed; in all other cases, the section remains hidden. Additionally, the fields Number of Alternative Positions and Number of Optional Positions are available as conditions to show or hide entire blocks depending on the position configuration of a deal.
5 – Export Template with Table of Contents for Extensive Documents
A PDF template with an automatic table of contents is created for the Projects module. In the layout, the various sections (e.g., project description, milestones, appendix) are added with headings directly in the editor – not inside tables, as these are not taken into account for the automatic table of contents.
In the Document Settings, the table of contents is enabled. Using the Settings link, font, size, and formatting are defined for each level. The table of contents is automatically generated during export and placed at the beginning of the document.
4. Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't my headings appear in the table of contents?
The automatic table of contents only considers headings entered directly in the layout. Headings inside tables or other embedded elements are not included. Additionally, the table of contents must be enabled in the Document Settings.
How do I create a multilingual PDF template?
Text entered directly in the layout cannot be translated. For multilingual templates, all language-dependent content must be inserted using Text or Text Area placeholders (tab Single Fields → General). In the Link Data step, the desired text for each language is entered for every placeholder.
What is the difference between a header template and the "PDF as Template" feature?
A header template defines a reusable header or footer section that can be embedded in multiple PDF templates. PDF as Template, on the other hand, uploads a complete PDF file (e.g., letterhead) as a background that is applied to every page of the export – including the cover page and table of contents.
Why does the table of contents have a different background than the rest of the pages when using "PDF as Template"?
The table of contents is technically generated last and then moved to the beginning of the document. It therefore receives the background from the PDF template that appears on the last page of the export. If the letterhead consists of only one page, the background is identical on all pages and this issue does not occur.
How can I automatically fill the filename of the exported PDF?
In the Export Filename field in the Layout tab, placeholders from the module can be used. For example, the invoice number or the customer name can be set as part of the filename. The filename is automatically populated from the respective record during export.
Can attachments contain module-specific documents, or only static files?
The Attachments feature (flyout menu, three dots button) only supports static PDF files that are appended with every export. Dynamic attachments from records (e.g., linked documents) are not supported through this feature.
What happens if my "PDF as Template" file has fewer pages than the export?
In this case, the last page of the uploaded PDF template is applied to all remaining export pages. In the simplest case – and the most common use case – the letterhead consists of exactly one page, which is automatically applied to all pages of the export.
How do I insert placeholders from linked modules (e.g., contacts linked to an invoice)?
Linked modules are available in the Links tab of the placeholder sidebar. For each module listed in the Relations tab of the main record, block start, block end, and field placeholders are available. Within such a block, all general placeholders as well as fields from the linked module can be used.