Creating your first document

This walkthrough takes you from an empty account to a finished PDF. You'll create a Product Data Sheet, but the steps are the same for any document type.

1. Start a new document

1. In the sidebar, click New document (or + New document on the Dashboard).
2. Browse or search the document types. The Start here row holds a Blank document; the most popular types are in the row just below it.
3. Click a type to see its looks and layouts, then click Use template on the layout you want. DataSheets Pro creates the document and opens the editor. (Controlled document types ask you to confirm first. Click I understand, create.)

2. Set it up (Step 1)

The editor opens on Step 1: Design & Setup. Here you choose the brand kit, the overall Look (the visual style) and the page size, orientation and margins. Sensible defaults are already in place, so you can move on whenever you like.

1. Pick a brand kit under Applied brand kit if you have one (Starter and up), or leave it on the default. On the Free plan this card is Brand colors & fonts instead.
2. Choose a Look. Modern Technical is a safe everyday default.
3. Confirm the page size (US Letter or A4 for most people).
4. Click Build the Document →.

3. Add your information (Step 2)

Step 2: Build the Document is where you fill things in. The document is made of sections and blocks, and a template arrives filled with a sample product so you can see how the layout reads. Click a block's name to expand it, click into any field and type; the preview on the right updates as you go.

1. Expand the Cover / hero band block at the top and replace the sample Title and Subtitle with your product's name and one-line description. The headline metrics beneath them are optional.
2. Work down the sections (the Overview text, the Key features list and the Specifications & ratings table), replacing the sample text with yours.
3. Add anything else you need with + Block, or a whole new group with + Add Section. See Adding, reordering, duplicating and deleting content.

4. Review and export (Step 3)

1. Click Review & Export →.
2. Set the document status to Draft or Final.
3. Click Export searchable PDF (or use the Export PDF button in the top bar at any time).

That's it: you have a print-ready PDF. Next, learn how the three-step builder is organized, or how to export images.