How to Make the Most of Artlogic Document Templates
Artlogic’s document templates are one of the most powerful — and often underused — parts of the system. When set up properly, they can save hours of repetitive work, ensure consistency across your paperwork, and quietly elevate how professional your studio or gallery appears.
Whether you’re generating invoices, condition reports, inventory lists, or presentation documents, templates allow Artlogic to do the heavy lifting — pulling live data from your database and formatting it in a way that reflects how you actually work.
This guide walks through how to set up, customise and use Artlogic document templates effectively, with practical tips you can apply straight away.
1. Think of Templates as Part of Your Workflow, Not an Add-On
Document templates work best when they’re designed around your workflow, not added at the end as an afterthought.
Before opening Word or Artlogic, take a moment to ask:
• What documents do I create most often?
• Which ones go to clients, collectors, lenders or institutions?
• Where do I currently waste time reformatting, copying, or correcting details?
Common examples include:
• Invoices and statements
• Condition reports
• Consignment and loan documents
• Inventory or price lists
• Presentation documents for collectors or curators
Each of these is an opportunity to create a template once — and reuse it cleanly, consistently, and accurately.
2. Build Your Templates in Word First
Artlogic uses Word (.docx) templates, so all design and layout happens outside the system.
In Word, you should:
• Set up page size, margins, headers and footers first
• Add your logo, name, address and contact details if required
• Choose your typefaces and text styles (headings, body text, captions)
• Leave space for dynamic content like artwork details, tables or totals
Keep the design clear and restrained. Artlogic will populate these documents with live data, so simplicity usually works better than overly complex layouts.
💡 Tip: It’s often useful to create more than one version — for example, a clean internal document with no footer, and a branded version for sending externally.
3. Upload and Assign Templates in Artlogic
Once your templates are ready:
1. Go to Other → Admin → Preferences → Core preferences
2. Scroll to the Docx templates section
3. Upload your Word files using Attach documents
4. Assign templates to specific document types using the dropdown menus
5. Save your changes
From this point on, your templates will appear as options whenever you generate documents such as invoices, reports, or lists.
This is where Artlogic begins to feel less like software — and more like a system that adapts to you.
4. Use the Template Library for Repeated Text
Artlogic includes a Template Library, which lets you store commonly used blocks of text — things like:
• Standard introductions or sign-offs
• Payment terms
• Courtesy messages
• Studio or gallery details
Instead of retyping the same wording across documents, you can insert this text consistently wherever it’s needed.
This is especially helpful for teams or studios where more than one person generates documents — it keeps language aligned and reduces small but costly errors.
5. Make Documents Dynamic with Placeholders
One of the most powerful features in Artlogic documents is the use of placeholders.
Placeholders automatically pull information from your database into documents — such as:
• Contact names and addresses
• Artwork titles, dates and prices
• Totals, dates, and reference numbers
Rather than manually typing this information each time, placeholders ensure your documents are always accurate and up to date, based on the records you select.
This is invaluable for invoices, letters, condition reports and presentation documents, where personalisation and accuracy matter.
6. Test, Refine, Repeat
Once your templates are live:
• Generate test documents using real records
• Check spacing, alignment and image behaviour
• Adjust your Word template if needed
• Update your Template Library text as your needs evolve
Templates aren’t static — they grow with your practice. A well-maintained set of document templates can quietly support every exhibition, sale, loan and conversation you have.
Why This Matters
Good document templates don’t just save time. They create consistency, reduce friction, and help your admin work feel as considered as the art itself.
When your documents are clear, accurate and well-designed, you spend less time fixing details — and more time focusing on what actually matters.
✨ Need Help Setting This Up?
If you want your Artlogic documents to feel clean, consistent, and genuinely useful across your practice, I can help you set them up — from template design and field mapping to full workflow optimisation. Get in touch and let’s build a document system that works beautifully for you.
