How-to guide

How to create a branded PDF template

Build a reusable DocForge template with brand styling, readable Liquid variables, and preview checks for real data.

20 minute guide

What you'll need

1
Start with the document job
Write down what the PDF needs to prove or communicate before touching styling. An invoice needs payment clarity, an offer letter needs accurate employment terms, and an NDA needs stable legal language. This keeps the template focused on the reader's task instead of becoming a visual redesign exercise with unclear data requirements.
2
Define variables in plain language
List every value that changes from one document to the next and give it a readable variable name. Match those names to your CSV headers or API payload fields. Avoid clever abbreviations, because future operators need to understand why customer_name, statement_month, or signer_title appears in the template.
3
Apply brand styling carefully
Add logo placement, colors, typography, spacing, and table styles after the content structure is stable. Keep the design resilient by testing long names, multiple-line addresses, empty optional fields, and large numbers. A branded PDF should still behave predictably when real operational data is less tidy than the sample.
4
Preview with real rows
Upload a representative CSV and render several previews before saving the template for production. Check that the document is readable, the brand treatment is consistent, and every placeholder resolves to the intended value. Fix mapping or layout problems while the batch is still small and easy to reason about.

How-to guide

Build a reusable DocForge template with brand styling, readable Liquid variables, and preview checks for real data.

20 minute guide

1
Start with the document job
Write down what the PDF needs to prove or communicate before touching styling. An invoice needs payment clarity, an offer letter needs accurate employment terms, and an NDA needs stable legal language. This keeps the template focused on the reader's task instead of becoming a visual redesign exercise with unclear data requirements.
2
Define variables in plain language
List every value that changes from one document to the next and give it a readable variable name. Match those names to your CSV headers or API payload fields. Avoid clever abbreviations, because future operators need to understand why customer_name, statement_month, or signer_title appears in the template.
3
Apply brand styling carefully
Add logo placement, colors, typography, spacing, and table styles after the content structure is stable. Keep the design resilient by testing long names, multiple-line addresses, empty optional fields, and large numbers. A branded PDF should still behave predictably when real operational data is less tidy than the sample.
4
Preview with real rows
Upload a representative CSV and render several previews before saving the template for production. Check that the document is readable, the brand treatment is consistent, and every placeholder resolves to the intended value. Fix mapping or layout problems while the batch is still small and easy to reason about.