Create Advice Documents

This guide explains how to create advice documents from file notes, client files, and the client record. Claras pulls what it already knows about the client so you do not re-enter the same facts.

This page covers:

Document types you can create.
The Template Library.
How to create a document.
How to create a presentation.

Document types

Claras can create any kind of advice document. Here's some common ones:

Letter of Engagement – from a discovery file note and superannuation statement.
Paraplanner Request – from fact finds and product recommendations.
Reverse Fact Find – consolidated from file notes, emails and client PDF's.
Record of Advice (ROA) – from strategy meeting notes and supporting emails.
Annual Review – combine previous file notes and updated statements.
Fee Disclosure Statement (FDS) – from service history, engagement letter and fee details.
Statement of Advice (SOA) - draft an SOA from file notes, strategies and recommendations.
Presentation – generate a presentation from your documents and files to share with clients or your team.

All documents are saved on the client page for reference, creating a complete history of advice.

The Template Library

Claras includes a library of ready-to-use document templates, each designed to slot into a common point in the advice process. You can use these as they are, customise or create your own to match your practice standards.

To use a document template:

Go to Templates → Document → Browse library.
Click into a template to preview it.
Click Use template to copy it to your account.
Click the template name to open it in the editor.
Make any needed changes.
Click Save changes to apply.

If your licensee has provided a code for their official template, paste that code into the search bar and the template will appear.

Create a document

Once you have a template available, whether copied from the Template Library or created from scratch, you're ready to create documents. Let's use the example of a Paraplanner Request form.

Prepare client data

Go to the Clients page and open a client.
On the Attachments tab, upload relevant files (e.g. Product recommendations, strategies, insurance quotes). These files will be used as references when generating your document.
Claras will process the files and display a green tick once complete.

Create new document

Open the client, select the Documents tab, and click Document in the tab toolbar (or the compact + control on narrower layouts). Empty states and footers on that tab point at the same control.
Select the Paraplanner Request template.

Add your brief

Click Generate brief, and review and refine the output. You can also dictate or type your instructions.
These notes help shape the document, so mention your strategies, product recommendations and timeframes. Example: “SOA required by September 5. Model two scenarios – one with increased contributions to super, one without”.

Reference material

Select the References you want Claras to use to create the document.
Include finalised meeting file notes, documents, and uploaded client attachments.
Claras will also use information from the client record, your practice profile, and any reference material uploaded to the Knowledge Base.

Generate the document

Select your preference for verbose or concise output.
Click Start generating. Claras will build each section of the document by extracting information from your reference material and combining it with your instructions. By default, you need to stay on the page while generation runs.
The Start generating button includes a dropdown arrow with a Generate in background option. Selecting this option lets you navigate away, start other documents, or keep using Claras without waiting for generation to finish. Background generation is particularly useful for larger documents like Annual Reviews, which can take longer to produce due to the volume of reference material involved.
A single section can be generated by selecting Generate just this section from the 3-dot menu in the section header.

Regenerate and refine sections

Stop document generation at any time to add more instructions.
Click the Regenerate just this section icon to update a single section, using the new instructions.
Click Resume generating sections to continue the process.

Review the document

Review each section to check the content is accurate and reflects your brief.
Edit any content directly on the page, or highlight it and use the Refine selection function to correct wording, tone or detail. Use the Image control in the editor toolbar to insert images into a section. Images stay with the document when you reload or export to DOCX. Client files that belong on the record still go under Attachments, not only as inline images.
Each section shows a suggested review level: light, standard, or careful. Claras explains what came directly from your materials versus what required interpretation, so you know where to focus your attention. Mark sections as resolved to create an audit trail of who checked what.
Use the 3-dot menu on a section to regenerate it with new instructions if the output needs more work.

Finalise and export

Click Finalise to update the client record and make the document available as a reference when creating other documents in Claras.
Click Download DOCX to edit in Word and apply your branding.

Create a presentation

Presentations let you turn an existing document or attachment into slides you can walk through with clients or your team. Unlike other document types, presentations are created from items already on the client profile rather than through the Document control on the Documents tab.

To create a presentation:

Go to the client profile and find the document or attachment you want to present.
Click the ⋮ menu and select Create Presentation.
Claras will generate the slides. Once complete, click Present to open the presentation in full screen.

To save the presentation as a PDF, use your browser's print function while viewing in full screen and select "Save as PDF" as the destination.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a presentation from an uploaded SOA?

First, upload the SOA to the client profile as an attachment. Claras needs to process the file before you can use it, so wait for the green tick to appear next to the file. Once processing is complete, click the ⋮ menu on the SOA file and select Create Presentation. The generated presentation will appear under the "Presentations" section on the client profile.

Why can't I do anything else in Claras while the document is generating?

By default, Claras generates documents live so you can watch each section appear and stop generation if you want to add more instructions. This is useful when you are testing a new template or working on a document that needs close review as it is created.

You can also choose Generate in background from the dropdown on the generate button. Background generation lets you leave the page and keep working elsewhere in Claras while the document is created.

After you choose Generate in background, Claras remembers that preference for your account. The main generate button will continue using background generation until you choose Generate live from the dropdown.

Where to next?

To make the most of documents in Claras, learn how to create your own document templates.

Last updated 23rd July 2026 by Connor