Getting the foundations right before users start generating documents saves significant rework later. The following set up steps should be completed in order, each depends on the one before it.

Active Documents has dependencies between its components. Attempting to configure them out of order means going back to fix the gaps later. The recommended order is:

If your firm has an e-signature solution that integrates with Active Documents, it is best to set up this integration as part of the initialisation. E-signature integrations require admin set up before any user can send documents for signature. This is a one-time configuration per firm.

Templates are the foundation of document generation in Active Documents. Well-maintained templates reduce generation errors, keep the template library manageable, and make it easier for all users to find and use the right template.

Template names appear in the template selection step during document generation, this is what users see when choosing what to generate. Avoid version numbers in names (e.g. "Engagement Letter v3").

Use names that describe the document type and context clearly, such as "Annual Tax Return: Company" or "Engagement Letter: Individual". Publish the updated version instead of creating a new template with a version suffix.

System fields in content templates, such as client name, ABN, contact details, and entity type, are resolved automatically from client data stored in the Active Platform at the point of document generation. If this information is missing or outdated, the corresponding fields in the generated document will return empty without flagging an error.

When building templates that rely on system fields, design with the assumption that client data is complete. For fields where gaps are likely, such as contact email, ABN, or entity type, consider using conditional merge fields to handle the empty case gracefully, or add a custom prompt field as a fallback so users are prompted to enter the value manually at generation.

For users generating documents: before generating, confirm the relevant client's information is up to date in the Active Platform. This is especially important for fields that are easy to miss in a document review, such as ABN, entity type, or contact details.

Republishing a template does not affect documents that have already been generated from it, changes are applied only to new documents generated from that point forward. This means it is safe to update and republish templates without disrupting documents already in use.

Draft templates are not available for document generation. If users report that a template is not appearing in the template selection step, check whether it is still in Draft status.

Only publish a template once it has been reviewed and is ready for use. Avoid leaving templates in Draft indefinitely.

Rather than creating separate templates for different entity types (for example, a company version and an individual version of the same engagement letter), use conditional merge fields to handle variations within a single template. A single template with Show/Hide or If/Else conditions is easier to maintain than multiple near-identical templates. Fewer templates means less to update when firm details or services change.

Content templates support default values for cabinet, document type, status, financial year, and tags. Populating these on the template means they are pre-filled at generation time, reducing manual entry and filing inconsistencies. Set defaults that apply to the majority of documents generated from that template, users can override them at generation if needed.

The following practices apply to all users who add, generate, or manage documents in Active Documents on a regular basis.

The recommended way to add or file a document is from the Clients page.

Navigate to the relevant client, go to the Documents tab, and select the Client Documents sub-tab. Filing from here ensures the document is correctly associated with the right client from the start.

If a content template has been set up for a document type, generate from the template rather than uploading a manually edited file. Generated documents benefit from automatic field population (client name, ABN, dates, and more), consistent formatting from the master template, and version tracking in Active Documents.

Active Documents supports document statuses to indicate where a document is in the workflow. Using statuses consistently makes it easier to track progress, filter documents, and ensure only finalised documents are sent to clients.

As a general guide:

Exact status names may vary depending on how your firm has configured Active Documents. Follow your firm's established conventions where these exist.

Documents generated from templates are saved as Word files by default to support further editing. Before sharing a document with a client, use the Finalise & Publish PDF button to create a PDF copy. This ensures the client receives a finalised, non-editable version, and the PDF is stored alongside the original document or original copy in Active Documents for your records.

If there are multiple documents that need to be sent to a client as a single file, use the Merge PDF feature to combine them into one PDF before sharing. This keeps the client's view clean and reduces the number of attachments to manage. Active Documents will still store the original PDF copies; it will be automatically linked to the merged PDF file for easy access.

For detailed instructions on any of the areas covered in this guide, refer to the Active Documents support article collection: