The Autohive Doc Maker integration enables automated Word document creation and manipulation through conversational AI agents:

  • Document creation - Build documents from scratch using markdown syntax or load existing templates with preserved formatting
  • Markdown-first content - Natural content creation using standard markdown (headings, lists, tables, formatting) converted to properly styled Word elements
  • Template filling - Automatically discover and replace placeholders with dynamic content while preserving document design
  • Smart analysis - Scan templates to identify fillable elements and suggest optimal filling strategies
  • Safety features - Context-aware replacement with multi-match protection prevents accidental content corruption
  • Stateless operation - Full file streaming support for multi-step workflows in serverless environments

Install the integration

  1. Log in to Autohive and navigate to an agent or create a new one
  2. In the agent settings page navigate to “Add Integrations and Agents” section
  3. Click “Add integrations and agents” then locate the Doc Maker Integration card and click “Add Doc Maker”
  4. Doc Maker is now installed and ready to use

What Can Doc Maker Do?

The Doc Maker integration helps create professional Word documents through:

  • 📄 Creating documents from scratch or templates
  • ✍️ Writing content using markdown syntax
  • 🎨 Filling template placeholders automatically
  • 🔍 Analyzing templates to identify fillable fields
  • 🛡️ Safely replacing content without corrupting existing text
  • 📊 Adding tables, images, and formatted text
  • 🔄 Supporting stateless multi-step workflows

Two Approaches

1. Build Documents with Markdown

Use case: Create new documents using standard markdown syntax that converts to properly formatted Word elements.

Example interaction: “Create a document with heading ‘Project Overview’, add a background section, then list three key objectives”

Best for:

  • New documents from scratch
  • Content-focused writing
  • Quick document generation
  • Flexible structure

2. Fill Template Placeholders

Use case: Use Word templates with placeholders that get automatically filled with provided data.

Example interaction: Template contains [Company Name] → Provide “TechVenture Solutions” → Agent replaces placeholder

Best for:

  • Recurring documents (contracts, reports, proposals)
  • Brand consistency and compliance
  • Pre-designed layouts
  • High-volume document generation

Creating Documents

Markdown-Based Creation

Documents can be created using standard markdown syntax that converts to Word formatting:

Headings:

  # Heading 1
## Heading 2
### Heading 3

Formatting:

  **bold text**
*italic text*
`code text`

Lists:

  - Bullet point 1
- Bullet point 2

1. Numbered item 1
2. Numbered item 2

Tables:

  | Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|----------|----------|----------|
| Data 1   | Data 2   | Data 3   |
| More     | Data     | Here     |

Blockquotes:

  > This is a quote or callout

Code blocks:

code block content

Output:

  • Word document with properly styled elements
  • Headings with appropriate heading styles
  • Formatted text (bold, italic, code)
  • Tables with grid formatting
  • Bulleted and numbered lists
  • Blockquotes as indented paragraphs

Template-Based Creation

Load existing Word templates to preserve formatting and design:

Template file input:

  Provide: .docx file with placeholders
Output: Document ready for placeholder filling

All design elements are preserved:

  • Fonts and styling
  • Headers and footers
  • Page layout
  • Images and logos
  • Custom formatting

Adding Content

Markdown Content

Append additional markdown content to existing documents:

  ## New Section
Content for the new section with **formatting**.

- Additional bullet points
- More information

Content is appended with proper formatting applied.

Images

Insert images from uploaded files:

Supported formats: PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, WebP

Size control:

  Width: 5 inches
Height: 3 inches
Width and height: 6 inches × 4 inches

Images are inserted at the current document position.

Tables

Option 1: Markdown tables

  | Product | Price | Quantity |
|---------|-------|----------|
| Widget  | $10   | 100      |
| Gadget  | $25   | 50       |

Option 2: Structured data Provide dimensions and data array for precise control:

  Rows: 3
Columns: 4
Data: 2D array of cell values

Page Breaks

Insert page breaks to force content onto next page:

  Action: add_page_break
Effect: Hard page break in document

Working with Templates

Template Structure

A template is a Word document with placeholders marking where content should be filled.

Concept:

  • Form with fillable fields
  • Mail merge pattern (one design, many versions)
  • Reusable document structure

Creating Templates

Design templates in Word with placeholders where content should appear:

  STATEMENT OF WORK

Client: [Company Name]
Project: [Project Title]
Date: [Date]

PROJECT SCOPE

[Project Description]

Timeline: [Start Date] to [End Date]
Investment: [Total Amount]

DELIVERABLES

[Deliverable 1]
[Deliverable 2]
[Deliverable 3]

Placeholder Formats

Doc Maker automatically detects multiple placeholder patterns:

Square brackets (recommended):

  [Company Name]
[Project Title]
[Amount]

Curly braces:

  {Company Name}
{{Date}}

Descriptive placeholders:

  Company Name: data here
Project: enter project name
Date: date here

Empty table cells:

  Table cells with no content are detected as fillable

All patterns work automatically and can be mixed within the same template.

Template Analysis

Discovering Fillable Elements

Analyze templates to identify structure and fillable elements:

Input: Template document file

Output:

  Template Summary:
- Structure: 15 paragraphs, 1 table
- Fillable elements: 12 total
- Content elements hidden: 8 (for efficiency)

Fillable Paragraphs:
- p2: "[Company Name]" (pattern: square_brackets)
- p4: "[Project Title]" (pattern: square_brackets)
- p8: "Project Description: data here" (pattern: descriptive)

Fillable Table Cells:
- t0r1c0: "[Deliverable 1]" (Table 1, Row 1, Column 0)
- t0r1c1: "Amount: data" (Table 1, Row 1, Column 1)

Recommended Strategy: Use find_and_replace for square bracket placeholders, include context for safety

Provides:

  • Document structure (paragraphs, tables)
  • Fillable elements only (hides static content)
  • Detected placeholder patterns
  • Exact element positions
  • Recommended filling strategy

Template Filling Methods

Method 1: Direct Replacement

Simple one-to-one placeholder replacement:

  Input: "Replace [Company Name] with 'TechVenture Solutions'"
Action: Find exact placeholder, replace with value
Output: Placeholder updated in document

Works for straightforward, unambiguous placeholders.

Method 2: Data File

Provide structured data file for bulk filling:

JSON format:

  {
  "Company Name": "TechVenture Solutions",
  "Project Title": "Digital Transformation Strategy",
  "Date": "September 30, 2025",
  "Total Amount": "$61,190",
  "Contact Email": "emma.patterson@example.com"
}

Plain text format:

  Company: TechVenture Solutions
Project: Digital Transformation Strategy
Date: September 30, 2025
Total Amount: $61,190
Contact: emma.patterson@example.com

CSV format:

  Field,Value
Company Name,TechVenture Solutions
Project Title,Digital Transformation Strategy
Date,September 30 2025

Process:

  1. Upload data file
  2. Agent reads and parses data
  3. Matches fields to placeholders
  4. Fills template safely
  5. Returns completed document

Benefits:

  • Efficient for many placeholders
  • Reusable data across documents
  • Easy to update and regenerate
  • Reduced error rate

Method 3: Position-Based Updates

Update specific elements by position indices from template analysis:

Process:

  1. Analyze template to get element IDs

      p2: "[Company Name]"
p5: "[Project Description]"
t0r1c0: "[Budget Item]"

  2. Update by position:

      Update p2 → "TechVenture Solutions"
Update p5 → "Digital transformation..."
Update t0r1c0 → "Consulting Services"

Advantages:

  • Maximum safety (no accidental replacements)
  • Precise control
  • Works with any placeholder pattern
  • Best for critical documents (contracts, legal)

Safety Features

Context-Aware Replacement

Advanced safety to prevent accidental content corruption:

Safe patterns (with context):

  Find: "Date: ___"           → Includes label
Find: "Project Name: placeholder text"  → Includes context
Find: "Client: [Company Name]"          → Exact placeholder format

Unsafe patterns (too generic):

  Find: "date"    → Matches "update date", "validate date", etc.
Find: "name"    → Matches "filename", "username", etc.
Find: "amount"  → Matches many unrelated instances

Best Practice:

  • Include label text: "Date: ___" not "date"
  • Include placeholder format: "[Company Name]" not "company"
  • Use unique context-specific phrases

Multi-Match Protection

Prevents unintended replacements when phrase appears multiple times:

Scenario:

  Document contains:
- "Amount: ___" (project amount placeholder)
- "Total Amount: ___" (total amount placeholder)
- "Payment Amount: ___" (payment placeholder)

Protection mechanism:

  Search: "Amount: ___"

Detection:
1. Finds 3 matches
2. Blocks replacement (prevents unintended changes)
3. Reports match locations:
   - Paragraph 5: "Project Amount: ___"
   - Paragraph 8: "Total Amount: ___"
   - Table 1, Row 2: "Monthly Amount: ___"

4. Suggests: Add more context (e.g., "Project Amount: ___")

Override option: Set replace_all: true to replace all matches (use with caution)

Empty Paragraph Removal

Handles gap removal when deleting placeholder content:

Problem:

  Before:
  Project Overview

  (Note: Delete this instruction before sending)

  Background

After simple deletion:
  Project Overview

                    ← Unwanted gap

  Background

Solution:

  Find: "(Note: Delete this instruction before sending)"
Replace: " "
remove_paragraph: true

Result:
  Project Overview

  Background        ← Gap eliminated

Use cases:

  • Deleting instruction paragraphs
  • Removing placeholder lines
  • Cleaning up template artifacts

Avoid when:

  • Replacing content within paragraphs
  • Blank lines are intentional layout

Advanced Template Filling

Comprehensive Fill Operation

Multi-strategy template filling with safety validation:

Process:

  1. Pattern detection - Identifies all placeholder types (brackets, descriptive, empty cells)
  2. Strategy selection - Chooses optimal approach (exact match, position-based, or find/replace)
  3. Safety validation - Checks for ambiguous replacements
  4. Execution - Fills template with provided data
  5. Reporting - Returns detailed results

Success response:

  ✅ SAFETY_STATUS: OK
✅ Successfully filled 15 of 15 placeholders

Summary:
- Placeholder replacements: 12 completed
- Position updates: 2 completed
- Search/replace: 1 completed

Template Status: complete
Action Required: None - template fully filled and ready

Safety issue response:

  ⚠️ SAFETY_STATUS: CRITICAL_ISSUES_DETECTED
⚠️ Completed 12 of 15 operations
⚠️ Blocked 3 operations for safety

Safety Warnings:
1. "project name" is too generic and appears in 4 locations
   → Suggestion: Use "Project Name: [name]" with label context

2. "date" appears in 3 different contexts
   → Suggestion: Specify which date (e.g., "Start Date:", "End Date:")

Action Required: Refine search phrases with more context and retry

Best Practices

For Template Creators

✅ Good Practices:

  1. Clear, unique placeholder names

    • Good: [Client Company Legal Name]
    • Bad: [Name] (ambiguous)

  2. Context labels before placeholders

    • Good: Date: [date]
    • Bad: [date] (no context)

  3. Consistent placeholder patterns

    • Use all [square brackets] OR all {curly braces}
    • Consistency aids detection

  4. Logical grouping

    • Group client information together
    • Group financial information together
    • Facilitates data preparation

  5. Testing with sample data

    • Analyze template for detection accuracy
    • Fill with realistic content
    • Verify no unintended changes

❌ Avoid:

  1. Generic placeholder names

    • Bad: [Name] → Whose name?
    • Bad: [Date] → Which date?
    • Good: [Client Contact Name], [Project Start Date]

  2. Placeholders without context

    • Bad: [amount] alone in a line
    • Good: Total Amount: [amount]

  3. Ambiguous placeholder text

    • Bad: Project: enter name (too similar to other fields)
    • Good: Project: [project name here]

For Template Filling

✅ Good Practices:

  1. Analyze before filling

    • Run template analysis first
    • Understand structure and placeholders
    • Choose appropriate filling strategy

  2. Use data files for multiple placeholders

    • Prepare JSON, CSV, or text file
    • Single file fills entire template
    • Easier to review and update

  3. Include context in search phrases

    • Search: "Project Name: [name]"
    • Not: "name"

  4. Use position-based updates for critical documents

    • Safest approach
    • No risk of content corruption
    • Requires template analysis first

  5. Review safety warnings

    • Read blocked replacement reasons
    • Add context to search phrases
    • Don’t force replace_all without verification

❌ Avoid:

  1. Generic search terms

    • Don’t search for “date”, “name”, “amount” alone
    • Always include surrounding context

  2. Ignoring safety warnings

    • Multiple matches indicate potential issues
    • Add context rather than forcing replacement

  3. Skipping template analysis

    • Analyze complex templates first
    • Understand structure before filling
    • Prevent surprises

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Weekly Status Report

Template structure:

  # Weekly Status Report - Week of [Date]

## Project Progress
[Progress Summary]

## Key Metrics
- Tasks Completed: [Tasks Count]
- Completion Rate: [Completion Percentage]
- Blockers: [Blocker Count]

## Upcoming Milestones
[Upcoming Milestones]

Prepared by: [Author Name]

Data file (JSON):

  {
  "Date": "October 7, 2025",
  "Progress Summary": "Completed phase 2 implementation...",
  "Tasks Count": "23",
  "Completion Percentage": "87%",
  "Blocker Count": "2",
  "Upcoming Milestones": "Beta release scheduled for...",
  "Author Name": "Sarah Johnson"
}

Result: Consistent weekly reports generated in seconds

Scenario 2: Statement of Work

Template with placeholders:

  STATEMENT OF WORK

Client: [Client Legal Name]
Project: [Project Name]
Date: [Date]

PROJECT SCOPE

[Detailed Scope Description]

TIMELINE
Start Date: [Start Date]
End Date: [End Date]
Duration: [Duration]

INVESTMENT
Professional Services: [Services Amount]
Expenses: [Expenses Amount]
Total Investment: [Total Amount]

DELIVERABLES
1. [Deliverable 1]
2. [Deliverable 2]
3. [Deliverable 3]

TERMS
Payment Terms: [Payment Terms]
Cancellation Policy: [Cancellation Policy]

CONTACTS
Client Contact: [Client Name] | [Client Email] | [Client Phone]
Project Manager: [PM Name] | [PM Email] | [PM Phone]

Data file (JSON):

  {
  "Client Legal Name": "TechVenture Solutions Inc.",
  "Project Name": "Digital Transformation Strategy & Implementation",
  "Date": "September 30, 2025",
  "Detailed Scope Description": "Comprehensive analysis and implementation...",
  "Start Date": "October 15, 2025",
  "End Date": "March 15, 2026",
  "Duration": "5 months",
  "Services Amount": "$55,000",
  "Expenses Amount": "$6,190",
  "Total Amount": "$61,190",
  "Deliverable 1": "Current State Assessment Report",
  "Deliverable 2": "Technology Roadmap & Architecture",
  "Deliverable 3": "Implementation & Training",
  "Payment Terms": "Net 30",
  "Cancellation Policy": "30 days written notice",
  "Client Name": "Emma Patterson",
  "Client Email": "emma.patterson@techventure.com",
  "Client Phone": "+1 (555) 123-4567",
  "PM Name": "Alex Rivera",
  "PM Email": "alex.rivera@company.com",
  "PM Phone": "+1 (555) 987-6543"
}

Benefits:

  • Consistent branding and formatting
  • Zero missed fields
  • Professional appearance
  • Rapid generation (<1 minute)

Scenario 3: Meeting Minutes

Template structure:

  # Meeting Minutes - [Meeting Title]

**Date:** [Date]
**Time:** [Time]
**Location:** [Location]
**Attendees:** [Attendees]

## Agenda

[Agenda Items]

## Discussion Summary

[Discussion Summary]

## Decisions Made

[Decisions]

## Action Items

| Action | Owner | Due Date | Status |
|--------|-------|----------|--------|
| [Action 1] | [Owner 1] | [Due 1] | [Status 1] |
| [Action 2] | [Owner 2] | [Due 2] | [Status 2] |
| [Action 3] | [Owner 3] | [Due 3] | [Status 3] |

## Next Meeting

**Date:** [Next Meeting Date]
**Topics:** [Next Topics]

---
Minutes prepared by [Preparer Name] on [Prep Date]

Fill after each meeting and distribute.

Troubleshooting

Placeholder Not Found

Checks:

  1. ✅ Run template analysis first
  2. ✅ Verify exact spelling: [Company Name] ≠ [CompanyName]
  3. ✅ Check spacing: [Date] ≠ [Date ] (extra space)
  4. ✅ Case sensitivity: Matching is case-insensitive by default
  5. ✅ Include context: Search "Date: [date]" not just "[date]"

Solution: Template analysis shows exact placeholder text for accurate matching.

Replacement Blocked

Reason: Multiple matches found, system prevented unintended replacement

Example:

  Blocked: "Amount" found in 3 locations
- Paragraph 8: "Total Amount: ___"
- Paragraph 12: "Payment Amount: ___"
- Table 1, Row 3: "Monthly Amount: ___"

Solutions:

  1. Add more context (recommended)

    • Instead of: "Amount: ___"
    • Use: "Total Amount: ___" or "Payment Amount: ___"

  2. Use position-based update

    • Analyze template for position IDs
    • Update specific positions: p8, p12, t0r3c1

  3. Replace all (use carefully)

    • Set replace_all: true
    • Only if all instances should have same value

Accidental Content Change

Cause: Search phrase too generic

Example:

  Searched: "name"
Intended: Replace "[Name]" placeholder
Actual: Changed "filename", "company name", "username", etc.

Prevention:

  1. Include context

    • Good: "Client Name: [name]"
    • Bad: "name"

  2. Use exact placeholder format

    • Good: "[Client Name]"
    • Bad: "Client Name"

  3. Analyze template first

    • See exact match candidates
    • Test on copy for critical documents

Recovery:

  • Reload original template
  • Use position-based updates for control

Incomplete Template Filling

Cause: Some placeholders not matched

Checks:

  1. Run template analysis

    • See all placeholders
    • Compare with data file

  2. Verify data keys

    • JSON keys must match placeholder names
    • [Company Name] requires "Company Name": "value"

  3. Check pattern mixing

    • Multiple placeholder patterns may need different strategies
    • [Bracket] vs {Brace} vs "data here"

Solution: Fill remaining placeholders individually or use position-based updates.

Quick Reference

Markdown Syntax

Element Syntax Word Output
Heading 1 # Text Heading 1 style
Heading 2 ## Text Heading 2 style
Heading 3 ### Text Heading 3 style
Bold **text** Bold formatting
Italic *text* Italic formatting
Code `text` Code style
Bullet list - item Bulleted list
Numbered list 1. item Numbered list
Blockquote > text Indented paragraph
Table | col | col | Grid table

Placeholder Patterns

Auto-detected placeholder formats:

  [Placeholder]           → Square brackets
{Placeholder}           → Curly braces
{{Placeholder}}         → Double curly braces
Label: data here        → Descriptive placeholders
Empty table cells       → Cells with no content

All patterns work automatically and can be mixed.

Template Workflow

Standard process:

  1. Analyze template

    • Identify structure and placeholders
    • Get element positions

  2. Prepare data

    • Create data file (JSON, CSV, or text)
    • Match field names to placeholders

  3. Fill template

    • Provide data file or individual values
    • Agent processes with safety checks

  4. Review results

    • Check safety warnings
    • Verify all placeholders filled

  5. Download document

    • Get completed Word file

Safety Checklist

Pre-filling:

  • Analyzed template structure
  • Prepared data with matching field names
  • Included context in search phrases
  • Tested on copy (for critical documents)
  • Ready to review safety warnings

Safe patterns:

  • ✅ "Client Name: [name]" → specific with context
  • ✅ "[Company Name]" → exact placeholder format
  • ✅ Position-based: p5, t0r2c1 → precise location

Unsafe patterns:

  • ❌ "name" → too generic
  • ❌ "date" → too common
  • ❌ "amount" → ambiguous

Approach Selection

Use Markdown When:

  • Creating new documents
  • Content is primary focus
  • Flexible structure needed
  • No template exists

Use Templates When:

  • Recurring documents (contracts, reports)
  • Brand consistency required
  • Pre-designed layout needed
  • Multiple users need same format

Use Position-Based Filling When:

  • Template is complex
  • Document is critical (legal, financial)
  • Maximum safety required
  • Mixed placeholder patterns

Real-World Example: Employee Onboarding

Step 1: Design Template 

  # Employee Onboarding - [Employee Name]

**Position:** [Job Title]
**Department:** [Department Name]
**Start Date:** [Start Date]
**Manager:** [Manager Name]

## Welcome Message

Dear [Employee Name],

Welcome to [Company Name]! We're excited to have you join our [Department Name] team as our new [Job Title].

## First Day Details

**Date:** [Start Date]
**Time:** [Start Time]
**Location:** [Office Location]
**Parking:** [Parking Instructions]

## Your Onboarding Buddy

[Buddy Name] will be your onboarding buddy.
**Contact:** [Buddy Email] | [Buddy Phone]

## First Week Schedule

| Day | Activity | Location | Time |
|-----|----------|----------|------|
| Monday | [Mon Activity] | [Mon Location] | [Mon Time] |
| Tuesday | [Tue Activity] | [Tue Location] | [Tue Time] |
| Wednesday | [Wed Activity] | [Wed Location] | [Wed Time] |

## Required Documents

Please bring:
- [Document 1]
- [Document 2]
- [Document 3]

## IT Setup

**Equipment:** [Equipment List]
**Accounts:** [Accounts List]
**Software:** [Software List]

## Questions?

Contact HR: [HR Contact Name] | [HR Email] | [HR Phone]

---

Document prepared by [Preparer Name] on [Prep Date]

Step 2: Save Template

Save as employee_onboarding_template.docx

Step 3: Prepare Data File

JSON format:

  {
  "Employee Name": "Jordan Chen",
  "Job Title": "Senior Software Engineer",
  "Department Name": "Engineering",
  "Start Date": "October 15, 2025",
  "Manager Name": "Sarah Johnson",
  "Company Name": "TechVenture Solutions",
  "Start Time": "9:00 AM",
  "Office Location": "Building A, 3rd Floor",
  "Parking Instructions": "Use visitor parking, collect permit at reception",
  "Buddy Name": "Alex Rivera",
  "Buddy Email": "alex.rivera@techventure.com",
  "Buddy Phone": "+1 (555) 123-4567",
  "Mon Activity": "Orientation & Welcome Session",
  "Mon Location": "Conference Room B",
  "Mon Time": "9:00 AM - 12:00 PM",
  "Tue Activity": "Department Introduction & Setup",
  "Tue Location": "Engineering Floor",
  "Tue Time": "9:00 AM - 5:00 PM",
  "Wed Activity": "Training Sessions",
  "Wed Location": "Training Room 2",
  "Wed Time": "10:00 AM - 4:00 PM",
  "Document 1": "Government-issued ID",
  "Document 2": "Signed offer letter",
  "Document 3": "Banking information for direct deposit",
  "Equipment List": "MacBook Pro, 27\" monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset",
  "Accounts List": "Email, Slack, GitHub, Jira, Confluence",
  "Software List": "IDE, development tools (list provided separately)",
  "HR Contact Name": "Emily Rodriguez",
  "HR Email": "hr@techventure.com",
  "HR Phone": "+1 (555) 999-8888",
  "Preparer Name": "Emily Rodriguez",
  "Prep Date": "October 1, 2025"
}

Step 4: Fill Template

Provide template and data file to agent for filling.

Step 5: Results

Output: Complete onboarding document Time: <1 minute Accuracy: All 28 fields filled correctly

Benefits:

  • 95% time reduction (60 min → 2 min)
  • Zero missed fields
  • Consistent format for all new hires
  • Easy template updates benefit all future documents

Summary

Doc Maker capabilities:

  1. ✅ Markdown-first - Natural content creation with proper Word formatting
  2. ✅ Template reuse - Design once, generate hundreds of documents
  3. ✅ Smart analysis - Automatic placeholder detection and structure understanding
  4. ✅ Safe filling - Context-aware replacement with multi-match protection
  5. ✅ Flexible strategies - Multiple approaches for different document types
  6. ✅ Stateless - Full file streaming for multi-step serverless workflows

Focus on content and data, let the system handle formatting and safety.

Agent Interaction Examples

Create document: “Create a document with heading ‘Project Overview’, add three sections for background, objectives, and timeline”

Analyze template: “Analyze this template and show me what fields need to be filled”

Fill template: “Fill this proposal template using the client data from the attached file”

Specific field: “Update the company name field to TechVenture Solutions”

Check remaining: “What fields in the template still need values?”

Restart: “Reset and reload the original template”

The agent understands natural language instructions while handling all technical implementation details.