This article explains how to set up the HotDocs Advance integration with Salesforce by using the CaseCloud HotDocs package.
After you complete the setup, users can launch a HotDocs interview directly from a Salesforce record. HotDocs then uses data from Salesforce to generate documents.
Before you begin
Before you start the setup, make sure you meet the following requirements.
Required roles
You must have access to both Salesforce and HotDocs Advance.
Salesforce System Administrator
You need this role to complete the following tasks:
- Install the HotDocs Salesforce package
- Configure Remote Site Settings
- Configure the HotDocs Setup record
- Assign permission sets
- Modify object page layouts
HotDocs Site Administrator
You need this role to complete the following tasks:
- Create API credentials
- Configure the HotDocs API client
- Create a service principal
Required information
Before you begin, make sure you have the following information available.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| HotDocs Advance site URL | The URL for your HotDocs Advance site. Example: https://[your-site].hotdocsadvance.com |
| HotDocs package installation link | The Salesforce package installation link provided by your account manager or CaseCloud Support. |
Integration workflow
The integration connects Salesforce to HotDocs Advance by using HotDocs APIs. Administrators create API credentials in HotDocs Advance, which Salesforce uses to authenticate and exchange data securely.
Once connected, Salesforce sends record data to HotDocs Advance to populate interviews and generate documents.
The following steps describe how the integration works end to end:
Salesforce uses API credentials to authenticate with HotDocs Advance. You create these credentials in the HotDocs Auth application.
Follow these instructions to set up API credentials in HotDocs Advance.
Install the HotDocs managed package in Salesforce to add the required components for the integration.
Install the package
- Open the HotDocs package installation link provided by your account manager or CaseCloud Support.
- Follow the Salesforce installation wizard.
- When prompted, select the users who should have access to the HotDocs components.
- Complete the installation.
After the installation completes, Salesforce adds the following components:
- HotDocs Setup
- HotDocs Document Templates
- HotDocs Interview object
- HotDocs permission sets
These components enable administrators to configure the integration and allow users to launch HotDocs interviews from Salesforce records.
Users must have the appropriate permission set to access HotDocs features in Salesforce.
Available permission sets
The HotDocs package includes the following permission sets:
| Permission set | Description |
|---|---|
| HotDocs Admin | Provides full access to configure and manage the HotDocs integration |
| HotDocs User | Allows users to run interviews and generate documents |
Assign a permission set
- In Salesforce, open Setup.
- Navigate to Users.
- Select a user record.
- Select Permission Set Assignments.
- Select Edit Assignments.
- Assign one of the following permission sets:
- HotDocs Admin
- HotDocs User
- Select Save.
Use a Permission Set Group to manage HotDocs permissions for multiple users more efficiently and consistently. For more details, follow this article.
Salesforce must allow outbound API calls to HotDocs Advance. You do this by creating a Remote Site Setting.
Create the Remote Site Setting
- In Salesforce, open Setup.
- In the Quick Find box, search for Remote Site Settings.
- Select New Remote Site.
- Enter the following values:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Remote Site Name | HotDocs |
| Remote Site URL | https://[your-site].hotdocsadvance.com |
| Active | Enabled |
- Select Save.
Make sure the Remote Site URL exactly matches your HotDocs Advance site URL. An incorrect URL can prevent Salesforce from connecting to HotDocs.
Configure the Salesforce connection from the HotDocs Setup tab by entering the HotDocs API credentials.
Configure HotDocs settings
- In Salesforce, open the App Launcher.
- Search for HotDocs Setup.
- Open HotDocs Configuration.
- Select Edit.
- Enter the following API credential values:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| HotDocs Base URL | https://[your-site].hotdocsadvance.com |
| API Client Name | The DisplayName from the HotDocs API client |
| Principal Name | The service principal name |
| Principal Password | The service principal password |
- Select Save.
A HotDocs document template mapping links a published HotDocs template to a Salesforce object. This mapping defines how Salesforce data populates the HotDocs interview.
Create a template mapping
- In Salesforce, open the HotDocs Document Templates tab.
- Select New.
- Complete the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name for the template mapping |
| Object | The Salesforce object that provides data |
| Record Type | Optional. Select a record type if applicable |
| Active | Enabled |
| Select HotDocs Template | The published HotDocs template |
- Select Save.
Map template variables
After you save the template mapping, map Salesforce fields to HotDocs variables.
- Under Template Variable Mapping, select the Salesforce field that corresponds to each HotDocs variable.
- Configure related object mappings if the template requires data from related records.
- Select Save.
Make sure the HotDocs template is published and active before creating the mapping. Unpublished templates do not appear in the selection list.
Extend HotDocs to additional objects
You can enable HotDocs on any standard or custom Salesforce object. For more details, follow this article.
Configure HotDocs for a new object:
To support an additional object, complete the following tasks:
- Add a Lookup field on the HotDocs Interview object that references the new Salesforce object.
- Create a Launch Interview action for the object.
- Add the HotDocs Interview related list to the object’s page layout.
- Create a document template mapping for the object.
Users generate documents by selecting the Launch Interview action from a Salesforce record.
Create the action
- In Salesforce, open Setup.
- Go to Object Manager.
- Select the Salesforce object that you mapped to the HotDocs template.
- Open Buttons, Links, and Actions.
- Select New Action.
- Enter the following values:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Action Type | Lightning Web Component |
| Lightning Web Component | hotdocsInterviewRunAction |
| Subtype | Screen Action |
| Label | Launch Interview |
- Select Save.
Add the action to the page layout
After you create the action, add it to the object’s page layout so users can access it.
- In Object Manager, open Page Layouts.
- Select the page layout used by your target users.
- In the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section, locate Launch Interview.
- Drag Launch Interview onto the page layout.
- Select Save.
Verify that the integration works by generating a document from Salesforce.
Generate a test document
- Open a record for the Salesforce object that you configured.
- Select Launch Interview.
- Choose a document template.
- Complete the HotDocs interview.
- Generate the document.
The document is generated successfully, and an interview record appears in the HotDocs Interviews related list on the Salesforce record.
If the interview does not launch or the document fails to generate, verify that:
- The user has the HotDocs User or HotDocs Admin permission set.
- The document template mapping is active.
- The HotDocs connection is configured correctly.
Upon successful configuration, users can launch HotDocs interviews and generate documents from records on the new Salesforce object.