> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.docexport.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.docexport.com/features/automations.md).

# Automations

DocExport documents can be automatically generated based on a button click, a date/time period or a status change. You can use our **pre-made automation templates**, use the **monday automation builder** or the DocExport Action block in the **monday workflow** builder.

## Create a template and define actions

**Create a PDF document and define which actions you want to use in your automation.**

1. Open the "DocExport" view and [create a document.](broken://pages/qapXoxkqHY2mGpBXslvH)
2. Click on "Actions/Automations" once you're happy with the result.
3. Now define all the actions you want to trigger through automation, e.g. send a document via email or save it to a file column. For a detailed explanation of all available actions, please take a look [here](/features/actions.md). We recommend specifying a name so that you can easily identify it later when creating the automation, e.g. "Invoice Template A" or "Risk Assessment".
4. Once you have defined all the actions, click on the blue "Setup automation" button.

## Set up a pre-made automation

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/5kRvLlnWSgw>" %}

1. In your monday board, click on **Automate**
2. Search for **DocExport** and select it.
3. You will find five different automation recipes: 1 Board Recipe and 4 Item Recipes. Select the recipe that suits your use case and fill in the parameters. The DocExport recipe you just defined in your Actions will be shown in the dropdown.
4. Add the integration to your board. All done. If you now change the status/click a specific button or a certain date is reached, a document will automatically be created (and optionally sent via email).

<figure><img src="/files/ohGVcKeZz1mcoD8sibcW" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### **1) Board recipe: Time period** <a href="#id-1-board-recipe-time-period" id="id-1-board-recipe-time-period"></a>

Example: **Every Friday create** a board **document** using **DocExport template "Weekly Status Report".**

### **2) Item recipe: Status integration** <a href="#id-2-item-recipe-status-integration" id="id-2-item-recipe-status-integration"></a>

Example: Changing the **Status** to **Done**, creates a new document based on the **DocExport template "Project Status Report"**.

### **3) Item recipe: Button integration** <a href="#id-3-item-recipe-button-integration" id="id-3-item-recipe-button-integration"></a>

Example: Clicking on the button **Generate PDF**, creates a new document based on the **DocExport recipe "Portfolio Report"**. To use the button integration, you need a column that contains a button. You can also create a new one on the fly while adding the integration.

![](https://help.pdfreportgenerator.com/~gitbook/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.gitbook.com%2Fcontent%2FF9ADBOi8Mmb40b5fAD2l%2Fblobs%2Fhxn9REenF3xTOBSr3eYw%2FDocExport_ButtonNewColumn.png\&width=768\&dpr=4\&quality=100\&sign=9203c06\&sv=2)

### **4) Item recipe: Date integration** <a href="#id-4-item-recipe-date-integration" id="id-4-item-recipe-date-integration"></a>

Example: 1 day after the timeline end date is reached, create a new document based on the DocExport recipe "ProjectReport".

### **5) Item recipe: When item is created** <a href="#id-4-item-recipe-date-integration" id="id-4-item-recipe-date-integration"></a>

Example: As soon as you add an item to your board,  a new document based on your DocExport recipe is created.

## Create monday automation from scratch

You can use the DocExport template in the monday automation builder. This allows more complex automations with multiple conditions.

1. In your monday board, click on **Automate**
2. Click **Create** and Create from scratch
3. Search for **DocExport** in the action section

<figure><img src="/files/zQuFojn87kdOLNcbrSH5" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## DocExport in monday workflows

You can add DocExport as monday workflow action. This allows more complex automations and also multiple templates depending on different conditions.

1. In your monday workflow builder, search for **DocExport**
2. Select **Generate DocExport Document**
3. Select your DocExport template from the dropdown

<figure><img src="/files/mEI9Dq9UHfJceNFWHw7d" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Limitations

When generating documents for many items at once, the following limits apply per run:

* **Saving to a file column:** up to **200 documents** at once — for more, please generate in batches of 200.
* **Downloading from the board view** (no file column): up to **500 documents** in one go.

Found a bug or hit another limit? [Contact us](https://www.docexport.com/contact/) — we're happy to help.