Automatically generating PDFs for required information

BMC Helix Business Workflows provides the ability to generate PDFs for employee requests. As a case business analyst, you create a document template to define the format and content for the PDF document. You then use the document template as an input value for the Generate PDF element within any process to generate a PDF document. Document templates help you save time by providing common content and common document for a particular activity that is performed can be used globally. 

For an overview of document templates and generating PDF documents, see Document-templates-and-generation-of-PDFs.

To create a document template

1. Log in to BMC Helix Business Workflows.
2. Click Settings.
3. Navigate to Document Management > Document Templates.
4. On the Document Templates page, click Document Template.

5. In the Create Document Template dialog box, enter the details as described in the following table:

   Field	Description
   Template Name	Enter a name for the document template. You must enter a unique name for every template for a company.
   Company	Select the company from the list to which the document template belongs. If you select Global, the document template is available for all the companies in the tenant.
   Label	Select a label for the document template. You can filter the templates based on a specific label.
   Description	Enter a short description for the document template.
   Document Body	Use the formatting options provided to define the structure and content for the PDF document. You can format the text by using the standard text and paragraph formatting options, and you can also insert images and tables. a. To add a case field to your content, navigate to where you want to add the field and click . b. The Edit Expression dialog box displays case fields and additional fields available in the templates defined for the selected company. Add the required fields to the document template. The field values are updated based on the case for which the PDF document is generated.

6. Click Save.

After you create the document template, it needs to be provided as an input to the Generate PDF element to get a PDF output.  

Generating a PDF

Generating a PDF can be a part of any process related to a case or task. To generate a PDF document, you must include the Generate PDF element in the process and add the document template as an input parameter. The process should also define an action for the generated document.

When you include the Generate PDF element, in the Element properties pane, enter the values in the required fields like Label, Description, Run as and so on. You must update the Input Map with the details described in the following table: 

Section	Field	Description
INPUT MAP	Document Template	Click Click to build an expression. In the Edit Expression dialog box, select the document template to be used to generate the PDF document.
	Document Name	Click Click to build an expression. In the Edit Expression dialog box, enter a name for the PDF document that is generated.
	Record Instance	Output from the Get Record element to get the values of the case fields including dynamic fields and dynamic groups included in the case.

The process should include an action for the PDF document so that the document is routed to the right destination.

When the process is run, the PDF document is generated using the format defined in the selected document template, and the fields are populated with the values defined in the case or task. The document is then routed as defined in the process. 

Related topics

Document-templates-and-generation-of-PDFs

Example of generating a formatted PDF document