How do line items work in DocsAutomator?

Line items work by marking a row in your Google Docs table with a {{line_items_1}} placeholder. When the document is generated, that row is duplicated for each record in your linked data. The field placeholders within the row are replaced with actual data values.

How many levels of nesting are supported?

DocsAutomator supports up to 3 levels of nested line items: Level 1 ({{line_items_1}}) for the primary list, Level 2 ({{line_items_1_1}}) for items nested under level 1, and Level 3 ({{line_items_1_2}}) for items nested under level 2.

Do line items only work in tables?

Yes. Line items are designed for table rows in your Google Docs template. You mark a row with {{line_items_1}} and it repeats for each record. The table automatically expands to fit all your data while preserving formatting, borders, and alignment.

Which data sources support line items?

All data sources support line items. For Airtable and SmartSuite, line items are pulled from linked records. For Google Sheets, they work with multi-row data. For API-based sources, you include line item data in your request and DocsAutomator handles the rest.

Is there a limit to the number of line items?

No. DocsAutomator handles any number of line items. Whether your invoice has 5 items or 500, the document will generate correctly with all rows populated.

Can I combine line items with conditional logic?

Yes. You can use line deletions to automatically remove entire table rows when a field is empty. You can also configure per-placeholder conditional rendering rules to hide individual fields within rows based on conditions like equals, contains, or greater than.

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Dynamic Line Items Document Automation

Q: Can I include images in line item rows?

Yes. You can use dynamic image placeholders inside line item rows. Each row can display a different image pulled from your data source, such as product photos, logos, or QR codes.

Q: Do line items preserve table formatting?

Yes. All formatting you apply to the template row is preserved when it repeats: fonts, colors, borders, cell alignment, column widths, and merged cells. Design your table once and every generated row matches.

Dynamic Line Items & Nested Tables in Your Documents

Generate invoices, reports, and itemized documents with dynamic rows that expand based on your data — up to 3 levels of nesting.

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Invoice with dynamic line items generated by DocsAutomator

Key Benefits

Why teams choose DocsAutomator for Dynamic Line Items

Up to 3 Levels of Nesting

Support for nested line items up to 3 levels deep. Perfect for complex hierarchical data like project breakdowns, multi-level BOMs, or nested categories.

Dynamic Row Expansion

Tables automatically expand based on your data. One template handles invoices with 2 items or 200 items — no manual adjustment needed.

Linked Record Support

Pull line item data directly from linked records in Airtable, SmartSuite, or any connected data source. No manual data restructuring.

Full Formatting Control

Style your line item tables in Google Docs with fonts, colors, borders, and alignment. The formatting carries through to your generated documents.

Nesting Levels Explained

Support for up to three levels of hierarchical data in a single template

Template with nested line item placeholders

Level 1: Primary Line Items

Mark a table row with {{line_items_1}} to repeat it for each record in your linked data. Every field placeholder in that row is replaced with values from each record. This covers most use cases like invoice items, task lists, and product catalogs.

Level 2: Nested Sub-Items

Use {{line_items_1_1}} inside a level-1 row to nest a second layer of data. Each level-1 record can contain its own list of sub-items. Ideal for project phases with tasks, order groups with products, or categories with entries.

Level 3: Deep Nesting

Add a third level with {{line_items_1_2}} for deeply hierarchical data. Useful for multi-level bills of materials, nested organizational structures, or complex project breakdowns with phases, tasks, and subtasks.

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How it works

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Create a Table in Your Template

Add a table in your Google Docs template and mark the dynamic row with {{line_items_1}} followed by your field placeholders like {{product_name}} and {{price}}.

Creating a line items template in Google Docs

Map Your Data Source

Connect your data source and map line item fields. DocsAutomator automatically detects linked records and nested relationships.

Generate Documents with Dynamic Tables

Your documents are generated with tables that expand to fit your data. Each row is populated automatically from your linked records or array data.

Generated document with dynamic line items

Learn more in our Knowledge Base

Get detailed guides, field references, and further information about dynamic line items.

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Stop Building Tables by Hand

Dynamic line items replace hours of copy-paste with a single template row

Without DocsAutomator

Copy-paste rows for each line item manually
Re-format table borders and alignment every time
Manually update totals when items change
Maintain separate templates for different item counts
Risk data entry errors on every document

With Dynamic Line Items

One template row expands to fit any number of items
Formatting preserved automatically on every row
Calculated fields pull totals from your data source
One template handles 2 items or 200 items
Data flows directly from your database — zero manual entry

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Use Cases

Popular ways teams use Dynamic Line Items

Invoices & Quotes

Generate invoices with dynamic line items that pull product names, quantities, prices, and totals from your records. Tables expand automatically to fit any number of items.

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Project Reports

Create reports with nested task breakdowns, time entries, and deliverables organized by project phase. Use level-2 nesting for tasks under each phase.

Explore Report Templates

Bills of Materials

Generate multi-level BOMs with nested components, sub-assemblies, and parts lists. Three levels of nesting handle even the most complex product structures.

Purchase Orders

Create purchase orders with dynamic item tables listing products, quantities, unit prices, and line totals. Linked records from your CRM populate the order lines automatically.

Explore Order Templates

Estimates & Quotations

Build detailed cost breakdowns with line items for services, materials, and labor. Subtotals and totals update dynamically based on the data in each record.

Explore Estimate Templates

and many more...

What customers are saying about us

Read what hundreds of happy customers are saying about DocsAutomator

“

DocsAutomator have helped me creating super complex documents which I had no clue how to create these with other tools as Zapier or Make.com. I have never been helped so quickly. I'm currently recommending this tool to all of my friends.

Stefan

“

DocsAutomator has been a game-changer for our company when it comes to creating documents both internally and for our clients. The tool's ease of use has made it simple for us to design documents without the need for technical expertise.

Jesús Gazca

“

We have been using Airtable for a few years now and it has become our one source of truth. DocsAutomator has made this work for us by providing us with the ability to create documents in seconds instead of minutes or even hours. Game changer.

Jorge Peña

SVP, Delivery Operations, ZAGA.

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Advanced Table Features

Line item rows support much more than plain text

Include dynamic image placeholders inside line item rows. Each row can display a different image pulled from your data, such as product photos, company logos, or QR codes. Images are sized to fit the cell.

Configure line deletions to automatically remove entire table rows when a field is empty. Hide individual placeholders within rows using per-field conditional rendering rules with operators like equals, contains, and greater than.

All formatting you apply to the template row is preserved when it repeats: fonts, colors, borders, cell alignment, column widths, and background colors. Design your table once and every generated row matches exactly.

Map calculated or formula fields from your data source to line item placeholders. Display computed values like line totals (quantity x price), tax amounts, or running subtotals directly in each row.