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Google Docs Integration

Connect Expedify with Google Docs to automatically generate personalized documents, contracts, proposals, and reports from CRM data using customizable templates.

What You'll Need​

  • Google Account (Gmail or Google Workspace)
  • Access to Google Docs
  • Your Expedify organization access

Integration Setup​

Step 1: Access Expedify Integrations​

  1. Log into your Expedify dashboard
  2. If you have multiple organizations, select the one where you want to connect Google Docs
  3. Go to Settings in the left sidebar
  4. Click Integrations
  5. Click Add Integration button
  6. Search for Google Docs

Step 2: Connect Your Google Account​

  1. Click Connect with Google button
  2. A new window will open asking you to sign in to your Google account
  3. Select the Google account you want to connect
    • If already signed in, choose from the list
    • Otherwise, enter your email and password

Step 3: Grant Permissions​

Google will ask for the following permissions:

  1. See, edit, create, and delete all your Google Docs documents
    • This allows Expedify to create and edit documents from templates
  2. See and download all your Google Drive files
    • This allows Expedify to access document templates in your Drive
  3. Click Allow to grant permissions

Step 4: Verify Connection​

  1. You'll be redirected back to Expedify
  2. Go to Active Integrations
  3. You should see Google Docs showing as Active
  4. Your connected Google account email will be displayed

✅ Success! Your Google Docs is now connected to Expedify.

Part 2: Create Document Templates​

Step 1: Design Your Template in Google Docs​

  1. Open Google Docs
  2. Create a new document or open an existing one
  3. Design your template with placeholders for CRM data
  4. Use double curly braces for variables: 
    Dear {{contact.first_name}} {{contact.last_name}},

    Thank you for your interest in {{company.name}}.
    We're excited to work with you on {{deal.name}}.

    Contract Value: ${{deal.value}}
    Start Date: {{deal.start_date}}

    Best regards,
    {{user.name}}
    {{user.email}}
  5. Format the document with your branding
  6. Save the template

Step 2: Register Template in Expedify​

  1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Google Docs
  2. Click Add Template
  3. Configure:
    • Template Name: "Sales Proposal" (internal name)
    • Document URL: Paste the Google Docs link
    • Category: Sales, Contracts, Reports, etc.
    • Description: What this template is for
  4. Click Save Template

Step 3: Test Template​

  1. Select your template
  2. Click Test Generate
  3. Choose a sample contact or deal
  4. Click Generate
  5. Review the generated document
  6. Verify all variables populated correctly

✅ Template Ready! You can now use this template to generate documents.

Part 3: Generate Documents from CRM​

Method 1: Generate from Contact/Deal Page​

  1. Go to any Contact, Company, or Deal page
  2. Click Actions button
  3. Select Generate Document
  4. Choose your template
  5. Review and edit if needed
  6. Click Generate
  7. Document is created in Google Drive
  8. Link is saved to CRM record

Method 2: Bulk Document Generation​

  1. Go to Customers > Contacts (or Deals)
  2. Select multiple records using checkboxes
  3. Click Bulk Actions
  4. Select Generate Documents
  5. Choose template
  6. Click Generate
  7. Documents generated for all selected records

Method 3: Workflow Automation​

  1. Create or edit a workflow
  2. Add Generate Google Doc node
  3. Configure:
    • Template: Select your template
    • Data Source: Contact, Company, or Deal
    • Filename: Custom name with variables
    • Folder: Google Drive folder to save in
  4. Connect to trigger (e.g., Deal stage changed)
  5. Save workflow

Available Variables​

Contact Variables​

{{contact.first_name}}
{{contact.last_name}}
{{contact.full_name}}
{{contact.email}}
{{contact.phone}}
{{contact.company_name}}
{{contact.title}}
{{contact.address}}
{{contact.city}}
{{contact.state}}
{{contact.country}}
{{contact.postal_code}}
{{contact.tags}}
{{contact.created_at}}
{{contact.updated_at}}

Company Variables​

{{company.name}}
{{company.industry}}
{{company.website}}
{{company.phone}}
{{company.email}}
{{company.address}}
{{company.city}}
{{company.state}}
{{company.country}}
{{company.employees}}
{{company.revenue}}

Deal Variables​

{{deal.name}}
{{deal.value}}
{{deal.stage}}
{{deal.close_date}}
{{deal.probability}}
{{deal.owner}}
{{deal.created_at}}
{{deal.expected_revenue}}

User Variables​

{{user.first_name}}
{{user.last_name}}
{{user.full_name}}
{{user.email}}
{{user.phone}}
{{user.title}}
{{user.company}}

Date Variables​

{{today}}
{{current_month}}
{{current_year}}
{{tomorrow}}
{{next_week}}
{{next_month}}

What You Can Do Now​

Automated Contract Generation​

  • Generate contracts when deals reach specific stages
  • Include all deal terms and contact information
  • Attach contracts to CRM records automatically
  • Send for e-signature via workflow

Proposal Creation​

  • Create personalized proposals for each prospect
  • Include pricing, terms, and service details
  • Brand with your company logo and colors
  • Generate and send in minutes, not hours

Report Generation​

  • Monthly client reports with KPIs and metrics
  • Quarterly business reviews
  • Executive summaries
  • Custom analytics reports

Invoice and Receipt Generation​

  • Automatically generate invoices when deals close
  • Create payment receipts
  • Include detailed line items
  • Professional branding

Letter and Email Templates​

  • Welcome letters for new clients
  • Thank you letters
  • Follow-up communications
  • Service agreements

Using in Workflows​

Example Workflow: Contract Generation​

Trigger: Deal stage changed to "Contract"

Actions:

  1. Generate Google Doc from "Sales Contract" template
  2. Populate with deal and contact data
  3. Save to "Contracts 2024" Google Drive folder
  4. Attach document link to deal record
  5. Send email to contact with contract attached
  6. Create task: "Follow up on contract signature"

Example Workflow: Welcome Packet​

Trigger: Contact tagged as "New Client"

Actions:

  1. Generate Google Doc from "Welcome Packet" template
  2. Include company info and contact details
  3. Generate Google Doc from "Getting Started Guide"
  4. Save both documents to client folder
  5. Send welcome email with document links
  6. Create onboarding task for account manager

Example Workflow: Monthly Report​

Trigger: Scheduled - 1st day of each month

Actions:

  1. Query previous month's data
  2. Generate Google Doc from "Monthly Report" template
  3. Include metrics, charts, and insights
  4. Save to "Reports 2024" folder
  5. Send to all clients tagged as "Active"
  6. Post summary to Slack channel

Features​

  • Template Library: Create unlimited document templates
  • Variable Substitution: Auto-fill with CRM data
  • Bulk Generation: Generate documents for multiple records
  • Workflow Integration: Automate document creation
  • Custom Branding: Add logos, colors, and styles
  • Conditional Content: Show/hide sections based on data
  • Dynamic Tables: Generate tables from CRM data
  • Multi-Format Export: Generate as PDF or DOCX
  • Version Control: Track document versions
  • Access Control: Manage who can generate documents
  • Audit Trail: See all generated documents

Managing Templates​

You can create and manage multiple templates:

Use Case 1: Sales Documents​

Sales Proposal → Customized proposals for prospects
Sales Contract → Legally binding agreements
Quote → Pricing and terms
NDA → Non-disclosure agreements

Use Case 2: Client Communications​

Welcome Letter → New client onboarding
Service Agreement → Terms of service
Invoice → Payment requests
Thank You Letter → Post-project appreciation

Use Case 3: Reports​

Monthly Report → Client performance metrics
Quarterly Review → Business review meetings
Executive Summary → High-level overview
Analytics Report → Data insights

To add more templates:

  1. Create new Google Doc with variables
  2. Go to Settings > Integrations > Google Docs
  3. Click Add Template
  4. Paste document URL and configure
  5. Test template with sample data

Troubleshooting​

Integration not connecting?

  • Make sure you're using the correct Google account
  • Check that pop-ups are not blocked in your browser
  • Try connecting in an incognito/private window
  • Ensure you clicked "Allow" on all permission screens

Variables not populating?

  • Check variable syntax (use double curly braces)
  • Verify field names match CRM fields exactly
  • Ensure the data exists for that record
  • Test with a record that has all fields filled

Document not generating?

  • Verify template URL is correct and accessible
  • Check that Google Docs integration is still active
  • Ensure you have edit permissions on the template
  • Look at workflow execution logs for errors

Formatting lost after generation?

  • Use Google Docs native formatting (not pasted styles)
  • Avoid complex layouts that may not render correctly
  • Keep formatting simple and consistent
  • Test with different records to verify formatting

Permission errors?

  • Verify your Google account permissions haven't been revoked
  • Re-authorize the integration if needed
  • Check template document permissions
  • Ensure output folder is accessible

Best Practices​

Template Design​

  1. Clear Variables: Use descriptive variable names
  2. Fallback Values: Provide defaults for optional fields
  3. Consistent Formatting: Use uniform styles throughout
  4. Test Thoroughly: Generate with various records to test
  5. Keep Simple: Avoid overly complex layouts

Variable Usage​

  1. Required vs Optional: Mark optional variables clearly
  2. Data Validation: Ensure data exists before generating
  3. Formatting: Use consistent date, number, and currency formats
  4. Conditional Logic: Show/hide sections based on data
  5. Default Values: Provide fallbacks for missing data

Document Organization​

  1. Folder Structure: Organize generated docs in Drive folders
  2. Naming Convention: Use consistent file naming
  3. Version Control: Keep template versions organized
  4. Access Control: Set appropriate permissions
  5. Archiving: Archive old documents regularly

Automation​

  1. Workflow Triggers: Use appropriate triggers for auto-generation
  2. Error Handling: Add fallback actions for failures
  3. Notifications: Alert team when documents are generated
  4. Follow-up: Create tasks for document review and approval
  5. Testing: Test workflows thoroughly before activating

Permissions & Security​

  • OAuth 2.0: Secure authentication via Google's OAuth system
  • Token Refresh: Expedify automatically refreshes access tokens
  • Revoke Access: Disconnect anytime from Settings > Integrations or Google Account settings
  • Read/Write: Expedify can only access templates you explicitly connect
  • No Password Storage: Your Google password is never stored in Expedify
  • Document Permissions: Generated documents inherit your Drive permissions

To revoke access from Google's side:

  1. Go to Google Account Settings
  2. Find Expedify in the list
  3. Click Remove Access

Support​

Technical Details​

  • API: Google Docs API v1
  • Authentication: OAuth 2.0
  • Scopes:
    • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents (read/write documents)
    • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file (manage Drive files)
  • Generation Method: Template cloning + variable replacement
  • Max Document Size: 1MB (Google limit)
  • Max Templates: Unlimited
  • Variable Syntax: {{field.name}}
  • Export Formats: Google Docs, PDF, DOCX

Next Steps​

  1. ✅ Connect Google Docs - Link your Google account
  2. ✅ Create Templates - Design document templates
  3. ✅ Add Variables - Insert CRM data placeholders
  4. ✅ Test Generation - Generate sample documents
  5. ✅ Automate - Create workflows for document generation

Ready to automate document creation? Start connecting Google Docs and save hours of manual work!

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