---
title: "Manage document templates in Salesforce"
canonical_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/manage-document-templates-in-salesforce/"
md_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/manage-document-templates-in-salesforce.md"
last_updated: "2026-06-05T20:16:40.286Z"
description: "Create, import, organize, and maintain Nutrient document templates in Salesforce using Template Manager and Template Editor."
---

# Manage document templates in Salesforce

Use this guide to understand how Nutrient document templates are stored and how to manage them in Salesforce.

## Who should use this guide

This guide is for developers and administrators who create, import, or maintain templates in Nutrient Documents for Salesforce.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, confirm that:

- The basic Nutrient Documents for Salesforce setup is complete

- Your user has the **Nutrient Manage Templates** permission

- You can open the **Template Manager** tab in the Nutrient Documents app

If your organization still needs the initial setup, refer to the [set up Nutrient Documents for Salesforce](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/set-up-documents-for-salesforce.md) guide.

## Understand how templates work

Templates are custom records in your Salesforce organization. Each template includes:

- A template document

- A dataset that defines the data used during document generation

- A root Salesforce record type that the template uses to merge Salesforce data

Nutrient Documents for Salesforce supports two template types:

- **Editable templates** — You create these in Salesforce or import them, and then edit them in Template Manager.

- **Locked templates** — You import these from Microsoft Word and use them when you need the document layout to remain unchanged in Template Manager.

Template storage depends on the template type:

- Editable templates can be created in Salesforce or imported from `.docx`, and their template documents are stored as `.json`

- Locked templates are imported from `.docx`

- Datasets are stored as `.json`

Salesforce stores template files and datasets as Content Document records and versions them. If needed, you can restore an earlier version by uploading a new file version to the Content Document and updating the template record to point to it.

## Open Template Manager

Use Template Manager to browse and maintain the templates in your organization.

1. Open the **Nutrient Documents** app from the App Launcher.

2. Open the **Template Manager** tab.

In Template Manager, the sidebar shows all available templates in your Salesforce organization. From the sidebar, you can:

- Browse templates

- Filter templates by root Salesforce record type

- Open a template by clicking its name or the arrow icon

- Delete a template by clicking the delete icon and confirming

## Import an existing template

Use the import flow when you already have a `.docx` or `.json` template file.

1. In Template Manager, click **Import**.

2. Enter a template name.

3. Select the Salesforce record type that the template should use.

4. Choose the template type:
   - **Editable**
   - **Locked**

5. Upload the template file.

6. Click **Import**.

Use editable imports when you plan to continue editing the document in Salesforce. Use locked imports when Word layout fidelity matters more than in-app editing.

## Work in Template Manager

Open a template in Template Manager when you need to work on the document and its dataset together.

Template Manager combines:

- The dataset sidebar for data configuration

- The document editor for the template document

The document editor is available only for editable templates. You can view locked templates, but you can’t edit them in Template Manager.

You can adjust the layout while you work:

- Drag the sidebar border to resize it

- Hide the sidebar when you need more room for document editing

## Change template settings

Use the template configuration controls when you need to update the basic template details.

You can update:

- Template name

- Template description

- Root Salesforce record type

If merge fields are defined, you can’t change the Salesforce record until you delete those merge fields first.

Changing the root Salesforce record invalidates the current dataset and usually means you need to rebuild the template data configuration.

## Related guides

Refer to the following guides for related tasks:

- [Set up Nutrient Documents for Salesforce](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/set-up-documents-for-salesforce.md)

- [Build document templates in Salesforce](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/build-document-templates-in-salesforce.md)

- [Create documents in Salesforce](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/salesforce-documents/end-user-guide/create-documents.md)
---

## Related pages

- [Build document templates in Salesforce](/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/build-document-templates-in-salesforce.md)
- [Set up document generation in Salesforce](/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/set-up-document-generation-in-salesforce.md)
- [Set up Nutrient Documents for Salesforce](/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/set-up-documents-for-salesforce.md)
- [Set up digital signing in Salesforce](/guides/salesforce-documents/admin-guide/setup-signing-integration-with-dws.md)