Generating Microsoft Word reports using Document designer

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Generating Microsoft Word reports using Document designer

    ServiceNow’s Document designer with Word application provides a low-code solution for creating Microsoft Word reports directly from your ServiceNow instance. It empowers Digital Resilience Incident Reporting administrators and managers to set up and download action task reports in Word format, ensuring professional, audit-ready documentation consistent with company branding.

    Show full answer Show less

    This capability allows you to configure Word templates that embed specific record data, including tables and columns, and supports saving reports within ServiceNow or as cloud documents in Microsoft SharePoint.

    Key Features

    • Low-code template configuration: Customize or create Microsoft Word templates using a user-friendly interface without extensive technical skills.
    • Data integration: Pull metadata such as fields, related lists, and dynamic repeating content blocks from ServiceNow tables into reports.
    • Predefined and custom templates: Use ServiceNow’s brand-aligned templates or tailor templates to meet your specific company requirements.
    • Cloud and instance storage: Save generated Word reports either within ServiceNow or on Microsoft SharePoint for easy access and collaboration.
    • Business domain alignment: Reporting configurations and templates are scoped automatically to the Digital Resilience Incident (DRI) business domain, simplifying setup for incident reporting.

    Configuring and Managing Report Templates

    Setting up Microsoft Word reports involves a defined workflow:

    • Install the Document designer with Word application: Enables automated generation of Word documents with dynamic content from ServiceNow data.
    • Create Template configurations: Structure data relationships and variables to ensure accurate, report-ready output.
    • Create Reporting configurations: Manage Microsoft 365 reporting settings scoped to the Digital Resilience Incident domain. This step follows template creation and precedes data relationships setup.
    • Create Data relationships: Configure navigation and data retrieval from any ServiceNow table to feed report templates.
    • Create Content configurations: Define the report data presentation, including lists or aggregated insights drawn from multiple records.
    • Download and side-load the manifest file: Customize the Document designer with Word application and Microsoft Word templates as needed.
    • Build Microsoft Word templates: Use the Document designer add-in to develop standardized templates for consistent reporting.
    • Generate reports: Produce Microsoft Word reports across various records using predefined templates to streamline and standardize reporting processes.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging the Document designer with Word, ServiceNow customers can efficiently produce consistent, branded Microsoft Word reports that incorporate dynamic ServiceNow data. This approach reduces technical barriers, accelerates report generation, and enhances audit readiness. The integration with Microsoft 365 and SharePoint further supports collaboration and document management within enterprise environments.

    Digital resilience incident reporting administrators (sn_dri_inc_rptg.digital_resilience_incident_administrator) can now set up Microsoft Word templates and Digital resilience incident reporting managers (sn_dri_inc_rptg.digital_resilience_incident_manager) can download action task reports in Microsoft Word format​.

    Using the ServiceNow Document designer with Microsoft Word

    The ServiceNow Document designer with Word application offers a low-code solution, enabling you to configure different aspects of Microsoft Word documents without requiring extensive technical expertise. The templates offered by ServiceNow are designed to align with the company's brand guidelines, verifying consistent and professional documentation.

    Use the ServiceNow Document designer with Word application to generate intuitive and audit-ready Microsoft Word reports for action tasks directly from your ServiceNow instance. Configure the Microsoft Word templates in the application to include specific data from the records, such as tables and columns, into the reports. Options include using predefined templates, customizing them with low-code implementation, or creating your own templates to meet your company's specific guidelines.

    You can save these reports either within your ServiceNow instance or as cloud documents in Microsoft SharePoint.

    Benefits of using Document designer

    The ServiceNow Document designer with Word application enables you to pull metadata, such as fields and related lists, from ServiceNow tables. It also enables you to add content blocks that repeat for each record in a table, for example, 10 blocks for 10 issues. Apply the templates to specific records and create reports in Microsoft Word format.

    Workflow for configuring and managing the report templates

    To configure and manage the report templates, complete the following steps in the given sequence.

    1. Install Document designer to automate Microsoft Word document generation from ServiceNow table data, including dynamic repeating content blocks based on record count. For more information, see Install the Document designer with Word application
    2. Create Template configuration to enable structured configuration of data relationships and dynamic variables and confirm an accurate, report-ready document output. For more information, see Create Template configurations.
    3. Create Data relationships to navigate and fetch data from any table, enabling accurate and targeted data retrieval in report templates. For more information, see Create Data relationships.
    4. Create Content configurations to define and display targeted report data—whether record lists or aggregated insights—fetching multiple records from any table. For more information, see Create Content configurations.
    5. Download the manifest file and side-load it in the Document designer with Word application to customize reports and Microsoft Word templates according to your business needs. For more information, see Download the manifest file.
    6. Build Microsoft Word templates to generate standardized Microsoft Word reports using the Document designer add-in. For more information, see Build the Microsoft Word template using the add-in.
    7. Generate Microsoft Word reports across different records using predefined templates to streamline reporting in a standardized format. For more information, see Generate a Microsoft Word report.