In the **PDF Creator** you maintain the HTML templates for your documents and labels: delivery note, packing list / loading list, invoice, label (pallet / shelf label) and other documents. The templates are used

- in the [warehouse settings](/warehouse-setup/warehouse-settings.md) (default delivery note, invoice and label template),
- in [workflows](/automation/workflows.md) (print delivery note / invoice),
- at [putaway](/inbound/putaway.md) (pallet and article labels),
- at [packing](/outbound/packing.md) and [loading](/outbound/loading.md).

![Screenshot: PDF documents overview with PDF name, company, type, format and last change](/automation/images/pdf-documents-overview.png)

## Before you start

- Your user needs the permissions for **Settings** (*Einstellungen*) and **PDF documents** (*PDF - Dokumente*) in the WMS menu. Opening the form and deleting templates are separate permissions – ask your administrator.
- The client the template is for – see [Clients](/company/clients.md).
- Logos and images in your company media – see [Media](/company/media.md).

## Create a template

1. Open **WMS › Settings › PDF documents** (*WMS › Einstellungen › PDF - Dokumente*).
2. Click **New PDF** (*Neue PDF*). The **PDF Creator** opens.
3. In **Settings** (*Einstellungen*) on the right enter
   - **Template Name** (*Name der Vorlage*), e.g. "Standard delivery slip",
   - **For companies** (*Für Firma*) – the client,
   - **Document type** (*Dokumenttyp*),
   - **Format** – A4, A5, A6 or **Custom Size** (*Eigenes Maß*) with **Width (mm)** and **Height (mm)**,
   - **Orientation** (*Ausrichtung*) – **Portrait format** (*Hochformat*) or **Landscape** (*Querformat*),
   - **Page Numbers** (*Seitenzahlen*) – show page numbers.
4. Edit the **Template (HTML / Twig)** (*Vorlage (HTML / Twig)*). Helpers in the toolbar:
   - **Insert a block** (*Baustein einfügen*) – header and footer on every page, address block, position table (delivery note or invoice), two columns, delivery note barcode, page break, label per copy, print date.
   - **Variables** (*Variablen*) – searchable list of the placeholders for the selected document type. A click inserts the code at the cursor position.
   - **Basic Framework** (*Grundgerüst*) – inserts a complete starter template for the selected document type.
   - **Corporate Media** (*Firmenmedien*) – insert images from your company media or copy their path.
   - **Formatting** (*Formatieren*) – indents and tidies the source code (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + F).
5. Optional tabs:
   - **CSS Header / Footer** (*Kopf- / Fußzeile CSS*) – styles for the header (element with the id pdf-header) and footer (id pdf-footer). Typically position fixed with top/bottom, so they appear on every page.
   - **Page margins** (*Seitenränder*) – only the margins of the @page rule; the format comes from the settings. For labels set the margin to 0.
6. Check the **Preview** (*Vorschau*) with **Sample Data** (*Beispieldaten*) or a **Real Order** (*Echter Auftrag*).
7. Click **Save** (*Speichern*) – or press Ctrl/Cmd + S.
8. Assign the template – see [Use the template](#use-the-template).

![Screenshot: PDF Creator with the settings panel, the HTML editor and the live PDF preview](/automation/images/pdf-documents-editor.png)

![Screenshot: Variables panel of the PDF Creator for the document type delivery note](/automation/images/pdf-documents-variables.png)

![Screenshot: Company media dialog with an image selected and the "Copy path" button](/automation/images/pdf-documents-media.png)

## Fields and options

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **Template Name** (*Name der Vorlage*) | Name shown in the overview and in the selection lists. Required. |
| **For companies** (*Für Firma*) | The client the template belongs to. Required. |
| **Document type** (*Dokumenttyp*) | **Delivery note** (*Lieferschein*), **Packing list / loading list** (*Packliste / Ladeliste*), **Invoice** (*Rechnung*), **Label (pallet / shelf label)** (*Etikett (Paletten- / Fachbodenlabel)*) or **Other** (*Sonstiges*). It decides which variables are available and where the template can be selected. |
| **Format** / **Custom Size** | Paper format or label size. For a custom size enter width and height as the label comes out of the printer, and leave the orientation on portrait. |
| **Orientation** (*Ausrichtung*) | Portrait or landscape. |
| **Page Numbers** (*Seitenzahlen*) | Prints page numbers. |

## Placeholders

Placeholders are written as the variable name in double curly braces – for example the variable name DATA.order_number in double curly braces prints the shop's order number. Insert them from the **Variables** panel to avoid typos. Lists such as positions are printed with a loop; the blocks **Position table** and **Basic Framework** already contain the right loop.

| Group (document types) | Examples of variable names |
|---|---|
| Order (delivery note, packing list) | DATA.order_id, DATA.order_number, DATA.external_document_no, DATA.order_date, DATA.delivery_date, DATA.delivery_id (delivery note number), DATA.customer_number, DATA.total_count, DATA.shipping_method, DATA.packages_count, DATA.pallets_count, DATA.colli_count, DATA.order.note, DATA.order.tracking_id |
| Delivery address | DATA.address.company, .first_name, .last_name, .street, .house_number, .add_on, .zip, .city, .country, .phone, .email |
| Positions | DATA.products (list) with item.sku, item.name, item.quantity, item.delivered_quantity, item.unit, item.ean, item.article_number |
| Invoice | DATA.invoice_number, DATA.customer_number, DATA.dates.added, DATA.dates.start / end (billing period), DATA.vat_id, DATA.tax_note (reverse charge note), DATA.total_netto, DATA.total_tax, DATA.total_brutto, DATA.positions (list) |
| Pallet label | DATA.sku, DATA.name, DATA.quantity, DATA.spot_number, DATA.palette_number, DATA.batch_number, DATA.article_owner |
| Shelf label (article label) | DATA.sku, DATA.name, DATA.name_full, DATA.spot_number, DATA.employee, DATA.date, DATA.ean, DATA.han, DATA.supply_number, DATA.copies |
| General | Current date, conditions (print only if a value is set) and default values for empty fields |

**Barcodes and images** are inserted with simple markers instead of placeholders: #delivery# (delivery note number), #order_barcode# (order number), #invoice_number# (invoice number), #article_barcode# (article number), #pallet_number_barcode# (pallet number) and #qr_code# (QR code of the article number), all as Code128 unless stated otherwise. Images use a relative path (media/…) – copy it from **Corporate Media**; the image is embedded when the PDF is rendered.

![Screenshot: Preview of a delivery note template with sample data, barcode and position table](/automation/images/pdf-documents-preview.png)

## Use the template

- **Warehouse settings**, tab **Configurations** (*Konfigurationen*): **Standard Delivery Note**, **Invoice PDF Template**, **Label PDF Template** and the template for **Shelves** (*Fachböden*) – see [Warehouse settings](/warehouse-setup/warehouse-settings.md).
- **Workflows**: **Delivery Note Template** and **Invoice Template** in the print settings – see [Workflows](/automation/workflows.md).

If no matching template exists, these selection fields show "No template was found".

![Screenshot: Warehouse settings, tab Configurations, with the template selection fields](/automation/images/pdf-documents-warehouse-settings.png)

## Troubleshooting

| Message | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Please enter a name and company. (*Bitte Name und Firma angeben.*) | Name or client missing. | Fill in both fields. |
| The PDF template has been deleted (*Die PDF Vorlage wurde gelöscht*) | Confirmation. | – |
| No template was found (*Es wurde keine Vorlage gefunden*) | No template of this document type for the client. | Create a template with the right document type. |
| The article label could not be created from the PDF template. Please check the template in the warehouse settings. (*Das Artikeletikett konnte nicht aus der PDF-Vorlage erzeugt werden. …*) | Faulty label template. | Fix the template and check it with the preview – see [Putaway](/inbound/putaway.md). |
| There is no suitable PDF template! (*Es gibt keine passende PDF Vorlage!*) | No delivery note template when printing in loading. | Create a delivery note template and assign it. |