PandaDoc Templates

PandaDoc Template Management

Overview

Templates in PandaDoc are reusable document blueprints that define the structure, layout, content, and fields of a document. MSPs use templates to standardize their business documents -- managed service agreements (MSAs), statements of work (SOWs), proposals, hardware quotes, and NDAs. Templates contain placeholders (tokens) for client-specific content, signature fields, and pricing tables that get populated when a document is created. A well-organized template library is the foundation of an efficient MSP sales process.

MCP Tools

Available Tools

Tool	Description	Key Parameters
pandadoc-list-templates	List and search templates	q (search query), count, page, tag, folder_uuid
pandadoc-get-template	Get template details	id (required)

List Templates

Call pandadoc-list-templates with optional parameters:

• Search by name: Set q to a template name or keyword (e.g., "MSA", "proposal", "quote")
• Filter by tag: Set tag to a template tag (e.g., "msp", "managed-services")
• Filter by folder: Set folder_uuid to filter by a specific folder
• Paginate: Set page (1-based) and count (up to 100)

Example: Find MSA templates:

• pandadoc-list-templates with q=Managed Services Agreement, count=100

Example: Find all proposal templates:

• pandadoc-list-templates with q=proposal, count=100

Example: List all templates:

• pandadoc-list-templates with count=100, page=1

Get Template Details

Call pandadoc-get-template with the id parameter to get full template details including fields, tokens, roles, and pricing table structure.

Example:

• pandadoc-get-template with id=tpl_abc123def456

Key Concepts

Template Structure

Component	Description	Example
Layout	Page structure and design	Header, body sections, footer
Content blocks	Static text and formatting	Terms and conditions, scope descriptions
Tokens	Dynamic text placeholders	{{Client.Company}}, {{Contract.StartDate}}
Fields	Interactive form fields	Text inputs, checkboxes, dropdowns
Signature fields	E-signature placeholders	Signature, initials, date signed
Pricing tables	Line-item pricing	Services, hardware, recurring fees
Roles	Recipient roles	Client, MSP, Approver

Common MSP Templates

Template	Purpose	Key Tokens
Managed Services Agreement (MSA)	Long-term IT management contract	Client.Company, Contract.Term, Contract.Value, MSP.Company
Statement of Work (SOW)	Project-specific scope and deliverables	Project.Name, Project.Timeline, Project.Budget
Service Proposal	Proposed managed services with pricing	Client.Company, Services.Description, Pricing
Hardware Quote	Equipment and licensing quote	Client.Company, Quote.ValidUntil, Items
NDA	Non-disclosure agreement	Client.Company, Client.Name, Effective.Date
Change Order	Modifications to existing agreements	ChangeOrder.Number, Original.Agreement, Changes
Quarterly Business Review (QBR)	Review document for client meetings	Client.Company, Review.Period, Metrics

Template Versioning

Templates in PandaDoc support versioning:

Field	Description
version	Current version number
date_created	When the template was first created
date_modified	When the template was last updated

Important: When a template is updated, existing documents created from earlier versions are not affected. New documents will use the latest version.

Template Tags

Use tags to organize templates by category:

Tag	Purpose
msp	General MSP templates
managed-services	Managed service agreements
project	Project-based templates (SOWs)
security	Security service templates
compliance	Compliance-related documents
onboarding	New client onboarding documents

Field Reference

Template Fields

Field	Type	Description
id	string	Template unique identifier
name	string	Template display name
date_created	datetime	When the template was created
date_modified	datetime	When the template was last modified
version	string	Template version number
tags	array	Template tags for organization
folder_uuid	string	Folder the template belongs to
roles	array	Recipient roles defined in the template
tokens	array	Content tokens (dynamic variables)
fields	array	Interactive form fields
pricing_tables	array	Pricing table structures

Token Fields

Field	Type	Description
name	string	Token name (e.g., "Client.Company")
value	string	Default value (if any)

Common Workflows

Find the Right Template

1. Call pandadoc-list-templates with q set to the document type (e.g., "MSA", "proposal", "SOW")
2. Review the returned templates for the best match
3. Call pandadoc-get-template with the id to review template details, tokens, and fields
4. Use the template ID to create a new document with pandadoc-create-document

List All Available Templates

1. Call pandadoc-list-templates with count=100 and page=1
2. If more than 100 templates exist, paginate through additional pages
3. Compile a list of template names, IDs, and tags

Use a Template to Create a Document

1. Find the template with pandadoc-list-templates using q
2. Get template details with pandadoc-get-template to identify required tokens and fields
3. Call pandadoc-create-document with template_uuid, name, recipients, and tokens
4. Verify the document was created with pandadoc-get-document

Audit Template Usage

1. Call pandadoc-list-documents with template_id set to a specific template UUID
2. Count the documents created from each template to identify most/least used templates
3. Review documents by status to see conversion rates (draft -> sent -> completed)

Response Examples

Template List:

{
  "results": [
    {
      "id": "tpl_abc123def456",
      "name": "Managed Services Agreement (MSA)",
      "date_created": "2025-06-15T10:00:00.000000Z",
      "date_modified": "2026-01-20T14:30:00.000000Z",
      "version": "5",
      "tags": ["msp", "managed-services"]
    },
    {
      "id": "tpl_ghi789jkl012",
      "name": "Statement of Work (SOW)",
      "date_created": "2025-08-01T09:00:00.000000Z",
      "date_modified": "2026-02-10T11:15:00.000000Z",
      "version": "3",
      "tags": ["msp", "project"]
    }
  ]
}

Template Details:

{
  "id": "tpl_abc123def456",
  "name": "Managed Services Agreement (MSA)",
  "date_created": "2025-06-15T10:00:00.000000Z",
  "date_modified": "2026-01-20T14:30:00.000000Z",
  "version": "5",
  "tags": ["msp", "managed-services"],
  "roles": [
    {"name": "Client"},
    {"name": "MSP"}
  ],
  "tokens": [
    {"name": "Client.Company", "value": ""},
    {"name": "Client.Name", "value": ""},
    {"name": "Client.Address", "value": ""},
    {"name": "Contract.StartDate", "value": ""},
    {"name": "Contract.Term", "value": "12 months"},
    {"name": "MSP.Company", "value": "TechForce IT Solutions"}
  ]
}

Error Handling

Common Errors

Error	Cause	Resolution
Template not found	Invalid template ID	Verify the ID with pandadoc-list-templates
No results	Search term too specific	Try a shorter or broader search term
Folder not found	Invalid folder UUID	Verify the folder exists in PandaDoc

Best Practices

1. Standardize naming - Use consistent naming for templates (e.g., "MSA - Managed Services Agreement")
2. Use tags - Tag every template for easy filtering and organization
3. Use folders - Organize templates into folders by category (Agreements, Proposals, Quotes)
4. Define all tokens - Include tokens for every variable field to avoid manual editing
5. Set default values - Pre-fill tokens with sensible defaults (e.g., your MSP company name)
6. Include pricing tables - Use structured pricing tables rather than static text for pricing
7. Define roles - Set up recipient roles (Client, MSP, Approver) in templates for consistent workflows
8. Version templates - Update templates when terms change rather than creating new ones
9. Review regularly - Audit template usage quarterly and archive unused templates
10. Test before using - Create a test document from any new or updated template before using with real clients

Related Skills

• PandaDoc API Patterns - MCP tools reference and connection info
• PandaDoc Documents - Creating documents from templates
• PandaDoc Recipients - Managing recipients in documents
• PandaDoc Proposals - MSP proposal workflows