# Creating Documents

> Transform your calls and data into structured documents with AI

BuildBetter's document generation feature transforms your recordings, signals, and datasets into professional documents—from meeting minutes to product requirements, user stories to strategic reports.

## Getting Started

Access document creation through:

- **Quick Action**: Click "Create a Document" from your dashboard
- **Documents Tab**: Navigate to Documents and click "Create Document"
- **From Chat**: Generate documents directly from AI assistant responses
- **From Calls**: Use the "Generate Document" action on any recording

## Document Creation Workflow

Creating a document follows a simple 3-step process:

### Step 1: Choose Your Template

Select from preset templates or create custom ones for your specific needs:

- Preset Templates

  System-provided templates for common document types like PRDs, meeting minutes, user stories, and more. Each includes optimized instructions for best results.
- Custom Templates

  Create your own templates with specific instructions, formatting, and structure. Perfect for company-specific documents or recurring reports.

> **Tip:** Preview any template before selecting to see example output and understand what the final document will look like.

### Step 2: Select Your Data Sources

Choose what content to analyze for your document:

### Recordings

Select individual call recordings to include. Best for:

- Meeting minutes from specific calls
- Interview summaries
- Decision documentation
- Action item extraction

### Folders

Choose entire folders of related content. Perfect for:

- Project retrospectives
- Quarterly reviews
- Theme analysis across multiple calls
- Comprehensive reports

### Datasets

Use signal collections for analysis. Ideal for:

- Feature request compilations
- Bug report summaries
- Customer feedback analysis
- Trend identification

> **Note:** For best results with recordings, ensure they have completed transcription and summaries before including them in document generation.

### Step 3: Configure Generation Settings

Fine-tune how your document is created:

### Document Details

- **Title**: Give your document a meaningful name (optional - AI will suggest one)
- **Focus**: Add specific instructions or areas to emphasize
- **Example**: "Focus on technical requirements and implementation details"

### Generation Strategy

Choose based on your data volume:

**Focused Analysis** (Default)

- Best for: Less than 100 signals or fewer than 10 calls
- Simple, direct processing
- Faster generation

**Theme Discovery**

- Best for: More than 100 signals or more than 10 calls
- Advanced pattern recognition
- Identifies hidden themes and trends

### Data Format

Select how data is processed:

**Full Context**

- Uses complete transcripts
- Best for narrative documents
- Preserves conversation flow

**Key Insights**

- Uses pre-extracted signals only
- Best for summaries and reports
- Focuses on highlights

### Visibility Settings

Control who can access your document:

- **Private**: Only you can view and edit
- **Workspace**: All team members have access
- **Shared**: Invite specific individuals

## Document Templates

### Using Preset Templates

BuildBetter provides optimized templates for common use cases:

- **Meeting Minutes**: Structured notes with attendees, agenda, decisions, and action items
- **Product Requirements (PRD)**: Comprehensive product specifications with user stories
- **User Stories**: Formatted stories with acceptance criteria
- **Interview Summary**: Key insights from user interviews
- **Strategy Document**: High-level analysis and recommendations
- **Q\&A Extract**: Questions and answers from recordings
- **Status Update**: Progress reports and blockers
- **Sales Call Summary**: Opportunity details and next steps

### Creating Custom Templates

Build templates tailored to your organization:

1. Navigate to **Settings → Organization → Custom Document Templates**
2. Click **Create New Template**
3. Define your template:
   - **Name & Description**: Clear identification
   - **Instructions**: Detailed AI guidance for structure and content
   - **Example Output**: Sample of expected results
   - **Color Coding**: Visual organization
   - **Default Settings**: Preferred generation strategy and data format

> **Info:** Well-crafted template instructions lead to better documents. Be specific about structure, tone, and required sections.

## Understanding Generation Options

### When to Use Each Strategy

| Strategy             | Use When                                            | Benefits                                       |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| **Focused Analysis** | Working with smaller datasets or need quick results | Faster processing, straightforward output      |
| **Theme Discovery**  | Analyzing large volumes for patterns and insights   | Uncovers hidden themes, comprehensive analysis |

### Choosing Your Data Format

- **Full Context**: Includes complete conversations, maintaining narrative flow and context
- **Key Insights**: Focuses on extracted signals, removing redundancy and highlighting important points

## Monitoring Document Generation

After starting generation, track progress in real-time:

### Generation States

- 🟡 **Waiting**: Queued for processing
- 🔵 **Processing**: AI is generating content (view live logs)
- 🟢 **Completed**: Ready for viewing and editing
- 🔴 **Error**: Generation failed (can retry)

### Processing Logs

Watch the AI work in real-time:

- See each analysis step
- Understand what data is being processed
- Monitor for any issues
- Estimated completion time

> **Tip:** Large documents may take several minutes. You can navigate away and return later—generation continues in the background.

## Best Practices

> **Success:** **Select relevant data**: More isn't always better. Choose recordings and datasets directly related to your document's purpose.

> **Success:** **Use appropriate templates**: Match the template to your intended output for best results.

> **Success:** **Provide clear focus**: Specific instructions in the focus field lead to more targeted documents.

> **Success:** **Review data readiness**: Ensure recordings have completed processing before including them.

> **Success:** **Start with presets**: Use preset templates as starting points, then create custom versions as needed.

## Common Use Cases

### Product Management

- Generate PRDs from customer interview recordings
- Create feature requirement docs from feedback signals
- Compile user research reports from interview folders

### Sales & Customer Success

- Transform sales calls into opportunity summaries
- Create account reviews from customer meeting folders
- Generate renewal preparation documents

### Team Collaboration

- Convert team meetings into actionable minutes
- Create project status updates from standup recordings
- Generate retrospective reports from sprint folders

### Strategic Planning

- Compile market research from analyst calls
- Create competitive analysis from industry interviews
- Generate executive briefings from leadership meetings

## Troubleshooting

> **Warning:** If document generation fails:
>
> 1. Check that all selected recordings have completed processing
> 2. Ensure you have sufficient permissions for selected data
> 3. Try reducing the amount of data or using Focused Analysis
> 4. Contact support if issues persist

The document generation feature continuously improves through usage, learning from your templates and feedback to create increasingly valuable documents for your team.