In the following sections we will compare the features of Nintex workflow document generation options. Currently we have the following options available:
- Update Document Workflow Action.
- Generate Document (the new document Generation Feature)
Update Document Workflow Action
- This workflow action can be used to update values in multiple 'content controls' within a Word document. and you need to set the content controls in the word document using the Developer ribbon.
- “Content Controls” names in the word document should be matched in the Nintex “Update Document” action, any misspell will result in not filling the control with the right values.
- Each “Content Control” should be addressed in the action, otherwise it will not be filled.
- To add more values to the document, then more “Content Controls” should be added to the document first, then match them with the variables in the action.
- Tables can be filled with Variable for each cell, and cannot be dynamic
- Dynamic images are not supported. If you need an image, then it should be part of the Template.
- Each action works on only one document.
- This feature is only available in Nintex Workflow Enterprise Edition.
Generate Document Action
- This action is new to Nintex workflow and works with Standard and Enterprise edition, as it has a different license.
- The action can work on different templates at the same time with the following options:
- Single PDF File (20 Templates Limit): with this option you can have up to 20 templates, tag them all, and then generate one PDF file.
- Separate PDF Files (5 Templates Limit): with this option you can generate up 5 PDF files from 5 different word templates.
- Original file types (5 Templates Limit): with this option you can generate up to 5 files, and the generated files will have the same original file type.
- Templates can be included in the action based on a condition. For example, if you have a new Vendor and you want to Include the “NDA” temaplate then this can be based on the condition that the Vendor is new. And if the Vendor has already signed the NDA, then there is no need to include this in the generated contact, and this is done through the action itself.
- You can have full control on how do you want to generate your tables, from Rows, columns, sections, and many different options. And you can use them through Nintex Tagger in the Word template.
- You can use images that are available on your SharePoint Portal, or any image providing a valid URL. And this image can be dynamically picked up depending on the URL vlaue
- The action makes it very easy to update different templates at the same time, and there is no need for the “Content Controls”, instead you can directly use the Nintex Tagger.
Features Comparison
The following table will compare features between the different document generation actions.
| Feature | Update Document | Generate Document |
| Underlying Technology | SharePoint Word Automation Services (*) | Nintex Award-winning proprietary technology (*****) |
| Document Tagger (For preparing the templates) | No (**) | Yes |
| Multiple Templates into Single File | No | Yes |
| Multiple Documents into different files | No | Yes |
| Generate Files as PDF | Yes (***) | Yes |
| Conditional Templates | No | Yes |
| Table Generation | Yes (****) but requires extra work for preparing the data | Yes |
| Dynamic Images | No | Yes |
(*) Not available in SharePoint Foundation
(**) Templates have to be prepared manually using Content Controls.
(***) Word Automation Services is required to generate the documents
(****) Each cell value is represented with a workflow variable
(*****) Based on Drawloop technology
