Adding different file engines to template lines

  • 24/09/2025
  • 5 minutes to read

With Continia Document Output, you can select different file engines for different email template lines. This allows you to send the same type of document in up to three different formats – Excel, Word, or PDF – depending on which of these variants you've selected for each template line.

File engines generate and format the attachments that you send with your emails from Document Output. Each engine does so based on data from your selected report, which is a sort of predefined blueprint that determines the look and format of each attachment, using the report layout. As the file engine is closely tied to report selection, you essentially select what file engine to use when you select and set up a report for a template line.

Note

The file engine(s) you select at line level will override the file engine that's selected for the whole template on the Email Template Card (on the General FastTab under Advanced > Engine).

You can use the feature to select different file formats based on different document attributes within the same email template. The feature generally offers great flexibility and customizability in your document delivery, as you can set it up according to your exact preferences and use your own custom report layout – such as an Excel layout tailored to your business needs.

To add a file engine to a template line

In order to add your preferred file engine to a template line, follow these steps:

  1. Search Search for and select Email templates.
  2. In the list of templates, select the one whose lines you want to edit. The Email Template Card opens.
  3. On the Email Template Lines FastTab, add (or go to) the line that you want to add a file engine to, and then select the Reports field to open the Template line reports page.
  4. In the action bar, select New to create a new report line.
  5. In the Report-ID column of the new line, enter or select the ID of the report that you want to apply.
  6. In the File Name column, enter a name for the selected report, ideally with the appropriate file extension to make it easier to open – for example name.docx for Word reports.
  7. In the Report Layout column, select the field to open the corresponding page, and then select the layout that you want to use for the report. Select OK to return to the Template line reports page.
  8. In the Output Format column, select a format that matches the format of the layout you selected in step 7 above. If the two formats don't match, creating and applying the report will fail at a later stage.

    Tip

    For example, if you selected a layout with (Word) in its name in step 7 – such as Standard Sales Invoice Email (Word) – you must select Word under Output Format. This determines what file engine to use.

  9. Close the Template line reports page to return to the Email Template Card.
  10. Make any additional edits to the email template line. For more information, see Working with Email Templates. Be sure to select the checkbox in the Enabled column on the left to enable the template line.
  11. Repeat steps 3-10 for any additional email template lines you want to add file engines to.

Document Output will now use your selected file engine(s) to generate and format attachments for the selected template line(s).