> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docsautomator.co/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Document Previews

> Generate unlimited previews without using credits

Generate an unlimited amount of previews without wasting credits. Document preview generation is a critical testing feature in DocsAutomator, allowing you to verify templates and integration functionality before deploying to production.

## Preview Methods

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="From Automation Interface">
    After selecting a data source and template, a preview area appears on the right side of the interface.

    **For Airtable and ClickUp integrations:**

    * Map specific records or tasks from your selected bases, tables, spaces, or lists

    **For other integrations:**

    * Use the mapping interface to associate data with placeholders in your template
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Preview Mode for Entire Automation">
    Enable preview mode for the complete automation workflow:

    * Applies a watermark to generated PDFs
    * Consumes zero document credits
    * If "Save Google Doc" is enabled, preserves the Google Doc with a "PREVIEW — NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION" header
    * If "Save PDFs in Google Drive" is enabled, saves the watermarked PDF to your Drive folder
    * If URL writeback fields are configured, writes Google Doc URL and PDF Drive URL back to your data source
    * Document names are prefixed with `[PREVIEW]` for easy identification
    * Emails are not sent

    <Tip>
      Use this mode to test your full automation pipeline end-to-end — including Drive saves and data source writebacks — before going live.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Key Benefits

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Unlimited Testing" icon="infinity">
    Test as many times as needed without using credits
  </Card>

  <Card title="Template Validation" icon="check-circle">
    Verify placeholder mapping and formatting
  </Card>

  <Card title="Integration Testing" icon="plug">
    Test data source connections before production
  </Card>

  <Card title="Risk-Free Development" icon="shield">
    Iterate on designs without cost concerns
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Preview vs Production

| Feature                      | Preview Mode                     | Production Mode     |
| ---------------------------- | -------------------------------- | ------------------- |
| PDF Watermark                | Yes                              | No                  |
| Google Doc Header            | "PREVIEW — NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION" | None                |
| Document Name Prefix         | `[PREVIEW]`                      | None                |
| Credit Usage                 | None                             | 1 per document      |
| PDF Quality                  | Full                             | Full                |
| Save PDF to Google Drive     | Yes (if configured)              | Yes (if configured) |
| Save Google Doc              | Yes (if configured)              | Yes (if configured) |
| URL Writeback to Data Source | Yes (if configured)              | Yes (if configured) |
| Emails Sent                  | No                               | Yes (if configured) |

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Test all placeholder variations">
    Try different data values to ensure your template handles various scenarios correctly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Check conditional sections">
    Verify that conditional show/hide and sections work with different data combinations.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Review line items">
    Test with different numbers of line items to ensure tables expand correctly.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Validate formatting">
    Check dates, numbers, and currency formatting match your expectations.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>