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Choose a Template

docs101 includes a library of professionally designed templates for invoices and account statements. This guide shows you how to browse the library, preview templates, and set defaults for your account.

Accessing the Template Library​

Navigate to Templates in the main menu. The library displays all available templates as cards with:

  • Preview thumbnails: A visual snapshot of each template design
  • Template name: The name assigned to the template
  • Last updated: When the template was last modified

Your custom templates (created or duplicated in the Template IDE) appear here alongside the pre-built designs.

Browsing Templates​

Pre-Built Templates​

docs101 ships with professionally designed templates covering common invoice styles. Each pre-built template includes:

  • A complete HTML structure with header, content, and footer sections
  • Professional CSS styling optimized for PDF rendering and printing
  • Pre-configured variables mapped to invoice, customer, and company data
  • Translation keys for English and German ready to use
  • Account statement content section for generating statements

Custom Templates​

Any template you create or duplicate appears in the same library. Custom templates are fully editable in the Template IDE and can be set as defaults just like pre-built templates.

Previewing Templates​

Quick Preview​

Click a template card to see its detail view. The template detail page shows:

  • Preview images of the rendered template (if available)
  • Template metadata: name, version, last updated date
  • Access to the Template IDE for editing

Live Preview in the IDE​

For a more detailed inspection, open the template in the Template IDE:

  1. Click a template card to open its detail view
  2. Click Edit to launch the Template IDE
  3. The right panel shows a live PDF preview rendered with sample data from the template's variable definitions
Sample Data in Preview

The Template IDE preview uses the example values defined in the template's variables metadata. These are not your real company or customer data — they are placeholder values used to show how the design looks with realistic content.

Setting a Default Template​

Each company account can have one default template. When creating a new invoice, docs101 uses the default template unless a different one is selected.

Setting the Default​

  1. Open the template library
  2. Navigate to the template you want to use as default
  3. Set it as the default template for your account
Existing Invoices

Changing the default template only affects new invoices. Existing invoices retain the template they were created with. To change the template on an existing invoice, edit the invoice and select a different template.

Customer-Specific Templates​

Customers can be assigned a preferred template. When generating an invoice for that customer, docs101 uses their assigned template instead of the account default.

  1. Open the Customers section
  2. Edit the customer
  3. Select a template preference
  4. Save changes

Duplicating a Template​

To create a variation of an existing template:

  1. Open the template you want to base your new design on
  2. Duplicate the template
  3. Give the duplicate a new name
  4. Open it in the Template IDE to make your changes
  5. Save the customized version

This is a good way to experiment with design changes without modifying the original template.

Selecting the Right Template​

Consider Your Use Case​

  • Standard invoicing: Choose a clean, professional design with clear line item tables and totals
  • International customers: Pick a template with translation support already configured
  • Account statements: Ensure the template has the account statement content section filled in

Test Before Deploying​

  1. Open the template in the Template IDE and review the preview
  2. Create a test invoice using the template
  3. Download and review the generated PDF
  4. Print the PDF to check formatting and readability
  5. If you serve international customers, test with different customer languages
PDF Rendering

The PDF preview in the Template IDE is rendered by the same service (DocsRabbit) that generates your final invoices. What you see in the preview is what your customers will receive.

Troubleshooting​

Template Not Appearing​

If a template does not appear when creating an invoice:

  • Verify the template belongs to your company account
  • Check that a default template is set if none is explicitly selected on the invoice

Preview Looks Different Than Expected​

If the preview does not match your expectations:

  • Check that all variables referenced in the HTML are defined in the variables metadata
  • Verify CSS classes in the HTML match what is defined in the CSS tab
  • Look for typos in variable names (e.g., {{ company.name }} not {{ company.nme }})

Ready to customize your chosen template? Continue to Customize a Template to learn how to modify the design, insert variables, and add your branding.