Automated document creation for high-volume workflows

Document Generation API. Your data in, finished documents out.

Create consistent, branded contracts, letters, agreements and onboarding packs automatically, from data your CRM or business system already holds. PaperTrail merges it with your stored templates and delivers the finished document by email, SMS or WhatsApp.

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Try it

REST API with JSON
PDF or DOCX
Email · SMS · WhatsApp

What it is

Your team’s central, compliant document factory.

The Document Generation API connects your CRM, ERP or line-of-business system to your templates hosted in PaperTrail.

You send structured data. We return a fully generated document, or deliver it straight to your customer.

It’s built for enterprises that need accuracy, compliance and high-volume automation, without manual work.

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What	A cloud engine that merges your data with templates hosted in PaperTrail
Connects to	Your CRM, ERP, dealer system, HR platform, finance software or any back end
Input	JSON over a REST API. Fields can also come from XLSX, XLS or CSV
Templates	DOCX, DOC, ODT, PDF, HTML, TXT or SQL, with merge fields, conditions and branding
Output	PDF or DOCX, with HTML as an option
Delivery	Email, SMS, WhatsApp, or the file back to your system with a webhook callback
Volume	One at a time in real time, or in batches

How it works

From your system to your customer in four steps.

01
Store templates in PaperTrail
Upload your DOCX, DOC, ODT, PDF, HTML, TXT or SQL templates and add dynamic fields, conditions and branding.
02
Send data via the API
Your CRM sends a JSON payload with the customer or transaction fields.
03
Document generated
PaperTrail merges the data with your chosen template and produces a final PDF or DOCX.
04
Deliver or return
Send it by email, SMS or WhatsApp, or receive the file back through the API. Delivery logs included.

Try it

One API call. One finished document.

Pick a template, change the data and choose how it should be delivered. On the left is what your system sends; on the right is what your customer receives.

POST/v1/documents/generate

{
  "template_id": "policy_schedule",
  "data": {
    "customer_name": "Thandi Mokoena",
    "policy_number": "BLG-2026-04817",
    "cover_type": "Comprehensive",
    "premium": "R1 250.00",
    "start_date": "2026-12-01"
  },
  "output": "pdf",
  "delivery": {
    "whatsapp": "082 555 0143"
  }
}

Deliver byEmailSMSWhatsAppReturn to my system

Preview

Bluegum Insure

Policy schedule

Dear Thandi Mokoena,

Thank you for choosing Bluegum Insure. Your cover details are below.

Policy number	BLG-2026-04817
Cover	Comprehensive
Monthly premium	R1 250.00
Start date	1 December 2026

Conditional section · shown
Roadside assistance and car hire are included.

Generated by PaperTrail · template policy_schedule

Sample data and fictional companies. Nothing is sent from this page.

Why companies use it

Less manual work. More control over every document.

Central template governance

All templates managed in one place: always up to date, compliant and on brand.

High volume, high speed

Generate thousands of documents in real time with near-zero manual involvement.

Embedded in your tech stack

Connect your CRM, dealer system, HR platform, finance software or any back end through the REST API.

Delivery on every channel

Email, SMS, WhatsApp or an API callback, whichever fits your workflow.

Secure, audited, enterprise-ready

Full encryption, version control, activity logs and delivery tracking.

Consistent every time

Every contract, letter and notification is correctly formatted, with no copying, pasting or retyping.

Use cases

Every document your systems should be writing for you.

Insurance

Policy schedules, renewal notices and claim letters, generated the moment a policy is written or changed in your admin system.

Lending and finance

Loan agreements, quotes and customer letters built from your loan or finance system, with every figure merged straight from the source.

Leasing and rentals

Lease agreements and quotes with every asset listed, ready as soon as a deal is approved. See LeaseHub.

HR and onboarding

Offer letters, employment contracts and onboarding packs from your HR platform, in the candidate’s language. See PeopleHub.

Motor and dealer groups

Sales agreements and customer documents generated from your dealer system and sent to the buyer’s phone.

Customer communications

Welcome packs, notifications and letters sent by email, SMS or WhatsApp straight from your CRM.

Need the whole process around the document built too? See Custom Solutions

Capabilities

Everything a document factory needs.

Template intelligence

Conditional logic to show or hide sections
Dynamic tables and repeatable rows
Merge fields and variable mapping
Multi-language templates

API automation

REST API
JSON data input
Webhook callbacks
Batch generation

Document output

PDF
DOCX
HTML (optional)

Delivery options

Send by email
Send by SMS
Send by WhatsApp
Return the file to your system

File format support

Templates in DOCX, DOC, ODT, PDF, HTML, TXT or SQL
Fields in JSON, XLSX, XLS or CSV

Compliance and security

Encrypted in transit and at rest
Template version history
Audit trail for every document
Role-based permissions

Security and compliance

Secure, audited and enterprise-ready.

Generated documents carry personal and financial details. Every template, document and delivery is protected and on record.

Encrypted end to end
Your data and documents are encrypted in transit and at rest.
Version-controlled templates
Every change to a template is kept, so you always know which version produced a document.
An audit trail for every document
Activity logs and delivery tracking show what was generated, sent and received.
Role-based permissions
Only the right people can create, change or approve templates.

Getting started

From first template to first document.

01
Show us your documents
Book a demo and bring the letters, contracts and packs you produce by hand today.
02
Set up your templates
Your templates go into PaperTrail with their merge fields, conditions and branding.
03
Connect and go live
Your system sends data to the REST API, and documents start flowing to your customers.

Schedule a Demo

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the Document Generation API

Straight answers to what developers and operations teams ask us most. Can’t see your question?

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What is a document generation API?

It lets your own software create documents without anyone opening Word. Your system sends the data, such as a customer’s name, policy number and premium, and the API merges it with a template stored in PaperTrail to produce a finished, branded PDF or DOCX. PaperTrail can deliver it to your customer or return the file to your system.

Which systems can connect to it?

Any system that can make a REST call: your CRM, ERP, dealer system, HR platform, finance software or a custom back end. Your system sends a JSON payload, and webhook callbacks let it know when each document is ready.

Which template and data formats are supported?

Templates can be uploaded in DOCX, DOC, ODT, PDF, HTML, TXT or SQL format. Data comes in as JSON through the API, and fields can also be provided in XLSX, XLS or CSV. Documents are produced as PDF or DOCX, with HTML as an option.

How are the documents delivered?

By email, SMS or WhatsApp straight to your customer, or returned to your own system through the API. Delivery logs are included, so you can see what was sent, to whom and when.

Can one template handle different versions of a document?

Yes. Templates support conditional logic to show or hide sections, dynamic tables with repeatable rows, merge fields with variable mapping, and multiple languages. One template can cover many variations of the same document.

Can it handle high volumes?

Yes. It is built for high-volume automation: generate thousands of documents in real time as events happen in your system, or in batches, with near-zero manual involvement.

How secure is it?

Documents are encrypted in transit and at rest. Templates keep a full version history, every generated document has an audit trail, and role-based permissions control who can work with templates.