Add an FT Doc Gen Button for Salesforce Document Generation

Overview

Learn how to add an FT Doc Gen button to Salesforce so users can generate Titan documents directly from the record or list view they are working on.

When you generate documents from Salesforce, users need a quick way to start the process from the record or list they already use.

For example, a sales representative may need to generate a quote from a Contact record. Without a document generation button, the user may need to leave Salesforce, find the correct template, and manually identify the Salesforce record. That adds extra steps and increases the chance of using the wrong data.

An FT Doc Gen button keeps document generation connected to the Salesforce record or object the user is viewing. The user can open a record or select records from a list view, then click the button to generate the correct document from the available templates.

For most standard Salesforce objects, Titan automatically creates the FT buttons. If you want to use Titan document generation on a custom object, you must create the relevant button and add it to the Salesforce page layout.

Titan Solution

Titan lets you connect a Salesforce button to your document generation project. When a user clicks the button, Titan identifies the Salesforce record or object the user is working with and opens the document templates that the connected user is allowed to generate for that record.

This keeps the document generation process connected to the correct Salesforce data. Users can generate documents from the right place without manually searching for records or leaving the Salesforce page they are using.

Button Options

You can configure one of the following FT Doc Gen button types, depending on how users need to generate documents in Salesforce:

• Detail Page Button: Use this button when users need to generate a document from a Salesforce record, such as a Contact, Account, or custom object.
• List View Button: Use this button when users need to select multiple records in a Salesforce list view and generate documents for them.

Before You Begin

Complete the following setup in your Titan Forms project before creating the Salesforce button.

1. Configure the Word mapping for your document generation project.
   The Word mapping connects fields in your document template to Salesforce or Titan data. Without this mapping, Titan cannot populate the generated document with information from the selected Salesforce record.
2. Select the Salesforce object that will use the button.
   The selected object tells Titan where the document generation request will come from, such as Contact, Account, or a custom object.
3. Map the Salesforce record ID to the form.
   This mapping indicates which Salesforce record initiated the document generation process. Titan uses the record ID to retrieve the correct data when the button is clicked.

Add an FT Doc Gen Button To A Record Page

Use a Detail Page Button when a user needs to generate a document from a single Salesforce record.

The following example adds the button to the Contact object. You can follow the same process for another supported object.

1. In Salesforce, open the object where you want to add the FT Doc Gen button.
2. Click the Gear icon and select Edit Object.
   Salesforce opens Object Manager for the selected object. Object Manager contains the object’s fields, actions, buttons, and page layouts.

3. Select Buttons, Links, and Actions.
4. Click New Action.
   You are creating an object-specific action. This means the action will be linked to the record the user clicks on.

5. From the Action Type drop-down list, select Lightning Component.
6. From the Lightning Component drop-down list, select Form_Builder.
   This Titan component opens the Document Generation window and passes the current Salesforce record to Titan.
7. Enter the modal height.
   We recommend entering 780 px. This gives the Document Generation window enough vertical space to display the available templates without making the user scroll unnecessarily.
8. Enter a value in the Label field.
   The label is the button name that users see on the Salesforce record. Use a clear label such as FT Doc Gen or Generate Document.
9. Enter a value in the Name field.
   Salesforce uses this value as the API name for the action. Salesforce may automatically create the name from the label and replace spaces with underscores.
10. Click Save.

11. Confirm that the new action appears under Buttons, Links, and Actions.
12. Click the Object Manager tab.

13. Select Page Layouts for the object.
14. Open the page layout that your users use.

An object can have more than one page layout. Make sure you edit the layout assigned to the relevant Salesforce profiles or record types.

15. Select Mobile & Lightning Actions from the page layout palette.

Your new action appears in the list of available Salesforce actions.

16. Move the new button to the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section.

Adding the action to this section makes the button available on the Salesforce record page. The button will not appear to users if you create the action but do not add it to the page layout.

17. Click Save.

18. Return to the object and refresh the Salesforce page.
19. Open a record, such as a specific Contact.
20. Confirm that the new button appears on the record.

21. Click the button.

The Document Generation window opens and displays the templates that the current Salesforce user can access.

Note: The modal shown in this example uses a height of 780 px. You can adjust the height if your templates or Salesforce page configuration require more or less space.

Add An FT Doc Gen Button To A List View

Use a List View Button when users need to select multiple Salesforce records and generate documents for them in a single process.

Creating a List View Button involves three parts:

1. Create a Visualforce page that collects the selected Salesforce record IDs.
2. Create a Salesforce list button that opens the Visualforce page.
3. Add the button to the object’s List View Button Layout.

The Visualforce page acts as a bridge between the Salesforce list view and the Titan Document Generation component. It collects the selected record IDs and sends the IDs to Titan.

Create A Visualforce Page

1. In Salesforce Setup, enter Visualforce Pages in the Quick Find field.
2. Select Visualforce Pages.

3. Click New.

4. Delete the default code from the Visualforce Markup field.

5. Copy and paste the following code:

<apex:page 

    standardController="API_name" 

    recordSetVar="recVar" 

    sidebar="true" 

    lightningStylesheets="true">

    <apex:includeLightning />

    <apex:form>

        <apex:pageBlock title="Generate Multiple PDF">

            <apex:pageBlockButtons location="top">

                <apex:commandButton value="Back" action="{!cancel}" />

            </apex:pageBlockButtons>

            <apex:outputText rendered="{!IF(selected = '', true, false)}">

                <apex:pageMessage 

                    severity="error" 

                    strength="1" 

                    summary="{!$Label.form_builder__Please_choose_at_least_1_record}" />

            </apex:outputText>

        </apex:pageBlock>

        <div id="lightning"></div>

        <script>

            var recids = '{!selected}';

            recids = recids.replace(']', '');

            recids = recids.replace('[', '');

            recids = recids.replace(/\s/g, '');

            if (recids.length > 0) {

                $Lightning.use("Form_Builder:FTPDF", function () {

                    $Lightning.createComponent(

                        "Form_Builder:FTGeneratePDF",

                        { recids: recids },

                        "lightning",

                        function (cmp) {}

                    );

                });

            }

        </script>

    </apex:form>

</apex:page>

This code performs two important functions:

• It reads the IDs of the records selected in the Salesforce list view.
• It passes those IDs to the Titan FT Document Generation component.

If the user has not selected any records, the page displays a message asking the user to select at least one record.

6. Enter a value in the Label field.
   The label helps Salesforce administrators identify the Visualforce page in Setup.
7. Enter a value in the Name field.
   This is the Visualforce page’s API name. Use underscores instead of spaces, for example, Generate_Multiple_Documents.
8. Select Available for Lightning Experience, Experience Builder sites, and the mobile app.
   This setting allows Salesforce to use the Visualforce page in Lightning Experience.
9. In the opening <apex:page> tag, replace API_name with the API name of your Salesforce object.
   For example, for a custom object with the API name Birthdays__c, update the code as follows:

standardController=”Birthdays__c”

Use the object’s API name rather than its label. A custom object API name usually ends with __c.

10. Click Save.

11. Confirm that the new Visualforce page appears in the Visualforce Pages list.

Create A List Button From The Visualforce Page

After creating the Visualforce page, create a button that opens the page from the object’s list view.

1. In Object Manager, search for and select your custom object.
2. Select Buttons, Links, and Actions.
3. Click New Button or Link.

4. Enter a value in the Label field.
   This is the button name users will see in the Salesforce list view. For example, enter FT Doc Gen or Generate Documents.
5. Enter a value in the Name field.
   Salesforce uses this value as the API name. Use underscores instead of spaces.
6. Under Display Type, select List Button.
   A List Button can work with records selected from an object list. A Detail Page Button only receives the record currently open.
7. From the Content Source drop-down list, select Visualforce Page.
8. From the Content drop-down list, select the Visualforce page you created.
   Selecting the correct page connects the list button to the code that collects the selected record IDs and sends them to Titan.
9. Click Save.

Add The Button To The List View Layout

Creating the button does not automatically make it visible. You must add the button to the object’s List View Button Layout.

1. From the custom object in Object Manager, select List View Button Layout.
2. Open the drop-down menu beside the list view layout and select Edit.

3. Under Available Buttons, select the button you created.
   Titan package buttons may also appear in this list. Check the label carefully so that you add the correct button.
4. Select the right arrow to move the button to Selected Buttons.
5. Click Save.

The FT Doc Gen button is now available from the object’s list view.

Generate Documents From A List View

1. Open the Salesforce object.
2. Select the records that you want to use for document generation.
3. Click the FT Doc Gen button.
4. Select the required document template and continue with the generation process.

If the button does not appear directly in the list view action bar, open the additional actions drop-down menu and select FT Doc Gen.

The button’s location can vary based on available space, Salesforce page configuration, and the number of actions added to the list view.

Troubleshooting

The Button Does Not Appear on a Record

Confirm that you added the action to the page layout assigned to the user’s profile and record type. You should also confirm that the action appears in the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section.

The List View Button Does Not Appear

Confirm that you moved the button from Available Buttons to Selected Buttons under List View Button Layout.

For some custom objects, Salesforce only displays the List View Button Layout option when search is enabled for the object.

No Templates Appear in the Document Generation Window

Confirm that:

• The Titan project has been published.
• The user has access to the relevant document templates.
• The Salesforce object and record ID mapping are configured correctly.
• The Word template mapping has been completed.
• The Titan package and Salesforce connection are active.

The Visualforce Page Displays an Error

Check that the standardController value matches the exact API name of the Salesforce object. For a custom object, include the __c suffix.

Also, confirm that the Visualforce page is available in Lightning Experience and that the user has permission to access it.

Next Steps

After adding the button, test the process with a record that contains complete Salesforce data. Generate a document and confirm that the correct record values populate the mapped Word template.

Testing the full process helps you catch mapping, access, and layout issues before the button is made available to a wider group of users.

You can also read our comparison of the ten best Salesforce document generation tools to see how different document generation options handle templates, automation, Salesforce data, and batch generation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is An FT Doc Gen Button?

An FT Doc Gen button is a Salesforce button that opens Titan document generation from a Salesforce record page or list view. It lets users generate documents from Salesforce records they are already working with.

Why Do I Need To Add An FT Doc Gen Button?

You need to add the button when users must generate Titan documents directly from Salesforce. The button saves users from leaving Salesforce, manually searching for a record, or starting document generation from the wrong place.

Does Titan Automatically Create The FT Doc Gen Button?

Titan automatically creates FT buttons for most standard Salesforce objects. If you want to use document generation on a custom object, you must create the button and add it to the relevant Salesforce page layout or list view layout.

What Is The Difference Between A Detail Page Button And A List View Button?

A Detail Page Button is used when a user generates a document from one Salesforce record, such as a Contact or Account.

A List View Button is used when a user selects multiple records from a Salesforce list view and generates documents for those records.

Why Do I Need To Map The Salesforce Record ID?

The Salesforce record ID identifies which record initiated the document generation process. Titan uses this ID to pull the correct Salesforce data into the document template.

Which Lightning Component Should I Select For The Record Page Button?

Select Form_Builder. This Titan Lightning Component opens the Document Generation window and passes the current Salesforce record to Titan.

Why Do I Need A Visualforce Page For The List View Button?

The Visualforce page collects the IDs of the records selected in the Salesforce list view and passes those IDs to Titan. This is what allows Titan to generate documents for multiple selected records.

What Should I Use As The StandardController Value In The Visualforce Code?

Use the Salesforce API name of the object. For a custom object, the API name usually ends with __c, for example, Birthdays__c.

Why Can’t I See The Button After Creating It?

Creating the button does not automatically make it visible to users. For a record page button, add the action to the correct Salesforce page layout. For a list view button, add it to the object’s List View Button Layout.

Why Are No Templates Showing In The Document Generation Window?

Confirm that the Titan project is published, the Word mapping is complete, the Salesforce record ID is mapped, and the connected user has access to the relevant templates.

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