One Click, Many Gains: Document Templates in Agent Workspace
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May 01, 2025
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We all know that time is a precious commodity in support environments. Whether you're handling HR inquiries, IT service requests, or procurement approvals, there's a common bottleneck that slows everyone down: document creation.
Think about how often agents draft the same kinds of letters—onboarding emails, status updates, approvals, and policy responses. They either:
- Manually copy/paste content from templates
- Write everything from scratch
- Or bounce between ServiceNow and Word/Docs to finalize their files
The result? Lost time. Inconsistent formats. Risk of human error. But what if I told you that you could eliminate that hassle with just one feature?
Introducing: Document Templates in Agent Workspace
What is it?
Document Templates allow agents to generate customized, formatted documents directly from a record in Agent Workspace—using prebuilt templates linked to dynamic record fields.
You can generate PDFs or DOCX files populated with:
- User names
- Request numbers
- Dates
- Approval info
- Custom messages
- And anything else stored in the record
No scripting. No toggling to Word. Just one click.
Why This Feature is a Hidden Power Tool
Imagine being able to:
- Instantly generate an offer letter with the candidate’s name, position, and salary—all pulled from the record
- Auto-fill an IT compliance certificate from change request data
- Generate employee transfer approvals with dynamic routing and timestamps
Now imagine doing this:
- Without switching tools
- Without writing code
- Without inconsistencies in formatting
That’s what Document Templates unlock.
It's not just a time-saver. It enforces standardization, professionalism, and brand consistency—especially in high-volume teams like HR, Legal, and Facilities.
Real-World Use Case: HR Offer Letter Generation
Let’s say your HR team receives a case requesting a job offer letter for a candidate.
Here’s how it would go without Document Templates:
- HR opens the case
- Copies information into a Word doc
- Formats it manually
- Emails the doc
- Saves a copy somewhere else for record-keeping
- Rinse and repeat
Now with Document Templates:
- HR opens the case
- Clicks "Generate Document"
- Selects the Offer Letter Template
- A PDF is created with all the case variables pre-filled
- Done—ready to email or attach to the record
⏱️ Result: Time to deliver drops by 70%. Agents love it. So do recipients.
How to Set It Up (No Coding Needed!)
You’ll need:
- UI Builder access (to configure the component)
- A document template in DOCX format with placeholders like
${caller.name}or${requested_for.email} - A Workspace or record page where the component is added
- The Document Templates plugin enabled
Setup Steps (Simplified):
- Design your DOCX template using Word (with dynamic field tags)
- Upload it into the Document Template Designer module in ServiceNow
- Map fields to record data using the Template Designer UI
- Add the Document Template component to your Agent Workspace record page using UI Builder
- Configure visibility rules and access control
📌 Tip: You can even define multiple templates per record type (e.g., one for offer letters, another for probation extensions)
Pro Tips
- Use Tags smartly: Ensure your placeholder tags match the field names in your record structure
- Combine with Flow Designer: Automatically email or route the document post-generation
- Centralize templates: Maintain brand alignment across teams and geographies
- Add to your onboarding accelerator: It’s a great win for HRSD, CSM, or any team that handles paperwork
Before vs. After Comparison
| Step | Manual Document Creation | Document Template in Agent Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| Open Case | ✅ | ✅ |
| Copy/Paste Info | ✅ | ❌ |
| Format in Word | ✅ | ❌ |
| Save & Upload | ✅ | ❌ |
| Click to Generate | ❌ | ✅ |
| Time Taken | 10–15 mins | < 1 min |
Document Templates aren’t just a nice-to-have.They're a productivity multiplier.
In a world of increasing demands and limited time, every automation counts. If you're in HR, IT, Legal, or Procurement, start looking at your most repetitive document tasks—and ask yourself: Could we templatize this?
Chances are, the answer is yes—and ServiceNow has already given you the tool to do it.
https://www.servicenow.com/community/agent-chat-routing-and-sidebar/one-click-many-gains-document-templates-in-agent-workspace/ba-p/3252537