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Creating Templates ​

There are two ways to get a document template: start from a pre-built template (fastest), or upload your own Word or PDF document.

Method 1: Start From a Pre-Built Template ​

Ascend ships ready-made templates that set up everything for you in one click.

  1. Click + New (or the + next to Databases in the sidebar).
  2. In the create dialog, look for the Document templates (or filter to From a document).
  3. Pick one from the library — 50+ ready-made templates, grouped by what they do. Each is professionally laid out and pre-written, so it's usable straight away (legal and HR documents include a not legal advice note — always have a professional review them before use).

💰 Finance & billing ​

🧾 Tax Invoice · 📄 Quote / Estimate · 🧾 Receipt · 🔁 Retainer Invoice · 💰 Deposit Invoice · 📋 Pro Forma Invoice · ↩️ Credit Note · ⏱️ Timesheet / Hours Summary · 🧮 Project Budget / Cost Estimate · 🛒 Purchase Order · 🧾 Expense Report · 🚗 Mileage / Reimbursement Log · 📨 Recipient-Created Tax Invoice (RCTI) · 🔔 Payment Reminder Letter · ⚠️ Final Notice / Collections Letter

📈 Sales & proposals ​

📈 Business Proposal · 🧭 Statement of Work (SOW) · 💲 Rate Card / Pricing Guide · 🔎 Discovery / Client Brief · ✉️ Engagement Letter · 🤝 Letter of Intent (LOI) · 🔄 Renewal Proposal / Quote · 🏛️ Capabilities Statement · 🏆 Case Study · ⭐ Testimonial / Referral Request

⚖️ Master Services Agreement (MSA) · 🤝 Non-Disclosure Agreement (Mutual) · 🔒 Non-Disclosure Agreement (One-Way) · 📐 Consulting Agreement · 🛠️ Contractor / Freelancer Agreement · 📑 Independent Contractor Agreement · 🔗 Subcontractor Agreement · 🤝 Retainer / Service Agreement · 🪪 IP Assignment / Work-for-Hire · 📜 Terms of Service · 🛡️ Data Processing Agreement (DPA) · 🚪 Cancellation / Termination Letter

👤 HR & hiring ​

📝 Offer of Employment · 🧾 Employment Contract · 📈 Performance Review

🗂️ Projects & delivery ​

🚀 Project Kickoff · 📝 Project Brief · 🎨 Creative Brief · 🔧 Change Order / Scope-Change Form · 📊 Project Status Report · 🗓️ Monthly Retainer / Client Report · ✅ Deliverables Acceptance / Sign-off · 🏁 Project Closeout Report · ⚠️ Risk Register · 🗂️ RACI / Responsibility Matrix · 📋 Meeting Agenda · 🗒️ Meeting Minutes · 😊 Client Satisfaction Report

🤝 Client operations ​

👋 Client Onboarding Pack · 📦 Client Offboarding / Closeout Pack

When you choose one, Ascend creates:

  • a database with the right columns,
  • one example row so you can generate immediately,
  • a matching intake form (so others can submit data that becomes rows), and
  • the Word template, already tagged and ready to generate.

You're taken to the new database. Switch to the Documents tab and click Generate to try it.

Pre-built templates are a starting point, not a cage

Everything is editable. Rename columns, add your own fields, or download the template to rework the wording and branding in Word — then keep generating.

Method 2: Upload Your Own Document ​

Use this when you already have a contract, letter, or invoice you want to reuse.

Attach it to an existing database ​

  1. Open the database the document should pull its values from.
  2. Switch to the Documents tab.
  3. Click Add template.
  4. Choose your file — Word (.docx) or PDF, up to 50 MB.
  5. Decide how the placeholders get mapped (see Tagging below).
  6. Click Upload.

Start a new database from the document ​

From + New → From a document, upload a Word or PDF and Ascend infers a database schema from it, then attaches the template — useful when you don't have a database yet.

The Add Dialog ​

When you upload, the Add document template dialog explains how templates work and lets you choose how the fields get tagged.

Mark the parts that change with a placeholder in double braces — for example {{Client Name}} or {{Total}}. When you generate a document, each placeholder is replaced with the matching field from the database. (See Placeholders & Mapping for the full syntax.)

Tagging during upload ​

You have two paths, and the dialog adapts to your account:

OptionWhat happensCost
Let AI add the tags for meAI reads the document and maps the fields automatically, "as well as it can."Uses AI credits
Do it yourselfType {{placeholders}} in your document; Ascend finds them so you can map them in Configure.Free — no AI

The AI option is only available if you have AI credits. When you're out of credits the checkbox is disabled, and you can still add {{placeholders}} yourself.

The post-upload report ​

After uploading, the dialog shows a short report instead of just closing:

  • With AI: how many placeholders were tagged, how many fields matched, and a list of any fields it couldn't find in your document — with a suggestion to add a {{placeholder}} for them or map them in Configure.
  • Without AI: how many placeholders were detected, with a prompt to open Configure and map each one.

Click Done to close.

Next ​