— title: Using Document Templates: Custom use case description: Understand how to use Document Templates outside of HR Service Delivery. locale: en-US canonical_url: www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/doc-temp-gen.html release: australia product: HR Service Delivery classification: hr-service-delivery topic_type: task last_updated: “2026-03-12” reading_time_minutes: 1

breadcrumb: [Using Document Templates, Document Templates, HR Documents, HR Service Delivery, Employee Service Management]

Using Document Templates: Custom use case

Understand how to use Document Templates outside of HR Service Delivery.

Before you begin

Role required: admin

Procedure

1. Define a document template for a given table, for example, Incident table.

2. To generate a PDF document from a document template, use the following API:

   /**
   * Description: Method to generate a PDF from a document template.
   * @param {GlideRecord} recordId (GlideRecord of task table)
   * @param {documentTemplateId} docTemplateId (sysId of document template)
   * @param {String} pdfName name of generated pdf (Optional, if not passed then it will be taken from template name)
   * @return {sysId} (sysId of the attachment)
   */
   new sn_doc.GenerateDocumentAPI().generateDocumentForTask(recordId, documentTemplateId, pdfName)

3. If participants are configured for the document template, use the following API to initiate document tasks for participants:

   /**
   * Description: Method to prefill document with mapped values and attach it to record table.
   * @param {GlideRecord} taskGr (GlideRecord of task table)
   * @param {String} htmlBody html body of document (Optional, if not passed then it will be generated from template for html template)
   * @param {SysId} docTemplateId (sysId of document template)
   * @param {String} generatedPdfName name of generated pdf (Optional, if not passed then it will be taken from template name)
   * @param {String} documentId (word template attachment sysId) (Only for word templates)
   * @return {boolean} true/false
   */
   new sn_doc.GenerateDocumentAPI().initiateDocumentTasks(taskGr, htmlBody, docTemplateId, generatedPdfName, documentId)

4. To view the document tasks that are associated to a record:

   1. Open the record, for example, an incident record.

   2. Configure the related lists.[Omitted image "config-rl.png"] Alt text: Configure Related Lists on a record

      A slushbucket opens. Add Document Task -> Parent and Save.[Omitted image "config-rl2.png"] Alt text: Add document Tasks related list to an incident record

      Document tasks associated to the record are displayed in Document tasks related list.

      [Omitted image "doc-tasks-rl.png"] Alt text: Document tasks related list appears on the record form

Parent Topic:Using Document Templates

Related topics

{Using Document Templates: HR Service Delivery}[]

{Working on a document task}[]

{Using Guided Tours in Document Templates}[]