Alternative to Docomotion for Salesforce Document Generation

Alternative to Docomotion for Salesforce Document Generation

Document generation is an almost universal need for businesses and nonprofits leveraging the Salesforce platform as a CRM and beyond. Companies want to build quotes, contracts, invoices, product sheets, and many other documents off the data they manage through Salesforce, in as few steps as possible. This document compares six of the most popular tools available on the appexchange today. A summary table highlights core attributes, including basic technical capabilities. In addition, each tool is further described in more detail with an emphasis placed on the user experience for both the admin setting up the template as well as the end user generating documents from records.

Docomotion

Overview: Docomotion focuses on the creation of Word or pdf documents, using a Desktop Designer to allow users to drag-and-drop Salesforce fields directly into a Word document. In addition to pulling in data from a record, interactive fields can be used. These allow the document recipient to update information, which will subsequently be updated in Salesforce. While the concept is very interesting, especially for people used to working with Word merge fields and logic, the actual use of the tool is technically challenging. Docomotion has received outstanding reviews for it’s customer service. 

Best for: Organisations with a limited budget and a specific need for creating documents that the recipient will update. The interface and scripting for advanced options may be a comfortable fit for admins used to working extensively with the MS Office Suite, including creating and running macros. 

Admin User Experience: After installing the package, Docomotion has to be configured for use. This includes assigning Permission Sets, configuring Generate Document buttons, and locally installing the Designer tool. Depending on advanced options desired, additional setup steps may be required, e.g. authorizing Docomotion to update Salesforce data in order to use interactive fields. Step-by-step guides are available on the Docomotion support site, which is linked into a Quick Start tab within the Salesforce app. Once setup is complete, the admin has to create a Form and a Data Model. The Form links the Data Model and the template, and allows the admin to select additional options, similar to the Conga Solution. The interface to set up the Data Model is highly intuitive, with options to pull fields through multiple parent/child relationships in just a few clicks. Once the Data Model is ready, the admin can launch the local Designer from the Form record. The Designer has a split interface, with one side containing a regular MS Word interface, and the other side containing data tags and the data model. For me, the interface rendered poorly, with not all MS Word options fitting on the screen. To add merge fields into the template, the admin can drag-and-drop the fields into the Word document. Advanced logic requires scripting. There are options to preview and test the template directly from the Designer, then save it to Salesforce. 

Template Setup Effort: Installing, setting up and navigating Docomotion, as well as creating my first template took me approximately two days, similar to Conga Composer. While some aspects are more intuitive to navigate (e.g. Data Model creation), the Designer itself is less intuitive, especially when it comes to the more advanced options. Some of the difficulties were due to the interface rendering poorly, which may depend on the specs of the computer used for the task. 

End User Experience: End Users click a Generate Documents button from the starting record, then select the template they want to apply. If enabled by the admin for the template, users may select the output format and delivery channel. The UI matches Lightning Design System.

Titan

Overview: Titan’s MS Word Add-in provides a fantastic user experience when creating templates. It’s incredibly easy to use, there is no need to separately build out a data model or otherwise define which objects you want to work with, fields and tables can simply be added in as you go. Subsequently defining how the records are related is also easy, and no SOQL statement, scripting or other code is required to set up even advanced logic for a template. A preview option allows for quick testing of the template, before publishing it. Setting up delivery methods and establishing the full connection to Salesforce is a little more challenging, as the admin has to navigate their online Titan account, which is primarily geared towards form creation. Finding the options relevant to document generation can be challenging. The same applies to the support documentation, which is extensive (though it primarily consists of videos) and can be hard to navigate. 

Best for: Companies with webform needs in addition to document generation needs taking advantage of the full Titan offering. Admins wanting a pure clicks-not-code experience with extensive video guidance. Could be a good fit for non-admins setting up the template in MS Word, and admins only supporting in the online setup steps.

Admin User Experience: Titan provides a very quick access to the templates itself. Rather than first having to set up a solution, package, or similar, they only need a Titan account, the add-in in Word, and can then start directly building out the templates. The MS Word Add-in is incredibly easy to use and fits in visually, too. Titan is a true clicks-not-code tool, even for advanced logic. There is no need to copy-paste merge fields or write SOQL queries to filter results. The Add-in also provides an option for previewing the template. Once the template is set up, it can be published to the Titan account. This is where the setup becomes more challenging, as the user interface contains a multitude of options that are not relevant to document generation, making it harder to navigate. The admin follows a few general setup steps in the Titan account, then needs to set up various pieces for each individual template. Similar to FormStacks Documents, a mapping has to be set up, though in Titan this can be largely automated. In addition, collaborators have to be set up per template in order to allow Salesforce users access. Depending on the desired automated delivery method (storage, email, e-signature), further setup is required, though the end user may also select these methods manually when generating documents.

End User Experience: The end user clicks a Generate Document button from the starting record. They can then select the relevant template, and either view/download it or choose from a range of options, including Download, Email, or attaching the document. The UI is in line with Titan and does not clash with Lightning Design System.