The three building blocks
- Templates: the approved structure, branding and fixed text.
- Rules: conditions that include or exclude content, for example a clause only for a specific jurisdiction.
- Data: client, matter, employee or financial data from CRM, ERP, HR or practice management systems.
How it works step by step
- The user starts a new document from Word or Outlook.
- They pick an approved template.
- They select a client or answer a short questionnaire.
- Data is pulled from connected systems.
- Rules assemble the right clauses and sections.
- The document is validated, saved with metadata and sent.
Types of document automation
Document assembly (question-driven, common in legal), document generation (data-driven, common in finance and operations), and template-based automation inside Office apps. Many platforms combine these.
Inbound tools that extract data from received documents (intelligent document processing) are a different category. See AI in Microsoft 365 document automation.
Why governance matters
Automation produces documents faster, but without governance it also distributes mistakes faster. Governance ensures that only approved content is used, mandatory clauses stay intact and every document is traceable. Read what document governance is.
Document automation in Microsoft 365
For organizations on Microsoft 365, the most adopted approach keeps users in Word and Outlook and stores templates and documents in SharePoint. This is the model Documentaal follows. See Microsoft 365 document automation and the product page.
By industry
Requirements differ by sector: legal firms need clause control, accountancy firms engagement letters, healthcare patient communication and government accessibility and records rules. See document automation by industry.