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To start generating documents with Box Doc Gen API you will need a platform application and a developer token to authenticate your calls. You also need a Doc Gen template that will serve as an input source for your document.

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Enable Box Doc Gen

To use Box Doc Gen, make sure it is enabled by an admin in the Admin Console. If you are a Box Admin, you will find the necessary information in Enterprise Settings: Content & Sharing Tab documentation.

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Create and upload a Box Doc Gen template

To use Box Doc Gen API to generate documents, a Box Doc Gen template must already exist in Box. You have the following options to create a template:

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Create a platform application

First you need to create a platform application you will use to make calls. To create an application, follow the guide on .

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Generate a developer token

You need a developer token to authenticate your app when sending requests. To generate a token:
  1. Go to Developer Console > My Platform Apps.
  2. Click the Options menu button (…) on the right.
  3. Select Generate Developer Token. The token will be automatically generated and saved to clipboard.
generate token
You can also open your app, go to Configuration > Developer Token and generate the token.
A developer token is only valid for one hour.
For additional details, see . After you generate the token, you can use it in cURL or other clients, such as , to make calls.

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Use webhooks

You can create webhooks to monitor Doc Gen events and automate your business process or workflow. Follow the instructions for . Your content type is your Doc Gen template file or folder. The supported are:
  • DOCGEN_DOCUMENT_GENERATION_STARTED
  • DOCGEN_DOCUMENT_GENERATION_SUCCEEDED
  • DOCGEN_DOCUMENT_GENERATION_FAILED
Doc Gen event triggers
Information that is posted in a notification:
  • Trigger name.
  • Webhook trigger timestamp.
  • Template file ID.
  • Template file version ID.
  • Template file name.
  • Destination folder.
  • Generated file ID (if the document generation process succeeds).
  • Output type (DOCX or PDF).
  • Reason (if the document generation process fails).