------------------
EDIT
------------------
A lot has changed over the years.
Be sure to check here first:
https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do#!/reference/api/quebec/server/sn_pdfgeneratorutils-namespace/CellBothAPI?navFilter=pdf
Have also enjoyed repurposing Webkit HTML to PDF plugin:
https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/geneva-performance-analytics-and-reporting/page/use/performance_analytics/task/t_ActivateWHTP.html
------------------
ORIGINAL
------------------
PDF Document Generator is used by the ServiceNow, Inc. sales organization and is a generic HTML form creation and PDF Document generation framework. The framework supports creating HTML forms and PDF files using any UI Form in the instance as a template.
The PDF Document Generator will replicate how that standard UI Form looks but then provides the functionality to change it easily as a front-end user without requiring development.
A PDF feature exists today in the standard platform but it is not customizable. The PDF Document Generator allows for rapid deployment of multiple templates and making changes on the fly to every component visible on the screen very quickly and easily.
Previously, the Sales organization was challenged with the ability to produce Quotes and Sales Orders from a CRM environment. With this custom ServiceNow, Inc. app in place, it is now possible for the front-end business users (sales operations, systems managers, administrators, power users, non-developers) to access configuration tools that put control of the following features directly into their hands:
- Add/remove fields as needed
- Change any fields placement and the field's label, orientation, or value
- Change any section/grouping or fields / Table of information (E.g. "Section 1", "Section 2", etc.)
- Add/remove new sections present in the form
- Manage an entire section's placement, splits, annotations, and headers
- Re arrange the placement of components in the form (E.g. one component relative to the next)
- Change the look and feel (color, border, padding, alignment, etc.) via common HTML and CSS style attributes.
- A scripting API to create dynamic conditions to change any aspect of the form and data (style, value, label, section, etc.).
- Save templates of form layouts
- Preview and print to PDF
The functionality of this PDF Document Generator was made possible by leveraging the ability to write custom scripts in the standard ServiceNow platform, and by having access to the backend table structure and data where forms are stored in the instance (standard UI page, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript). A single developer, in a time frame of one business quarter, built the PDF Document Generator.
