This guide covers how to format a legal document and upload it to Pulley as a usable template bundle, from file preparation through preview and save. It also covers updating an existing template when your legal documents change.
For conceptual background on what templates are, how field rendering works, and the difference between standard and custom fields, see Understanding Templates before proceeding.
Before you begin
Custom Templates (also known as Custom Documents) are available to Growth and Custom plan customers. You can check your Pulley plan by navigating to the Pulley dashboard and reviewing the badge to the right of your company name.
You need admin access to create or manage templates in Pulley
Your document must be in .docx format. Pulley does not accept .doc or .pdf files. If you're working from a Google Doc, export it first: File → Download → Microsoft Word (.docx)
Review the full field reference before inserting any fields. The authoritative list of all available field codes, descriptions, and compatible document types lives at pulley.com/template-fields. Have it open before you start Step 2
Pulley provides standard templates out of the box for Stock Options, RSAs, and SAFEs. You only need this guide if you're uploading a custom document or replacing a Pulley-provided template
Notice of Exercise and Employment Contract templates go in different locations. See the callout in Step 5 before uploading those document types
👉 Interested in utilizing Custom Templates? Please reach out to your Customer Success Manager!
Step 1: Prepare your document
Open the .docx file in Microsoft Word (recommended; other editors may introduce formatting issues that cause fields to render incorrectly)
Read through the document and identify every piece of data that should be dynamic: stakeholder name, share quantity, exercise price, grant date, vesting schedule, and so on. These are the locations where you'll insert template fields in Step 2
If your document contains Word field codes (visible as
{REF__Ref 1234XXXX}or similar tags), convert them to plain text before proceeding. Select all with ⌘A / Ctrl+A, then press ⌘⇧F9 / Ctrl+Shift+F9 to convertWord field codes will break template rendering if left in place. If you see curly-bracket reference tags anywhere in your document, complete the conversion step above before adding any Pulley fields.
Before uploading, also check for the following:
Remove any comments from the document. Word comments (inserted via Review > New Comment) can interfere with rendering. Clear all comments before uploading.
Remove or replace hyperlinked cross-references. Internal hyperlinks that reference other sections of the document (for example, "see Section 3(b) above") are not supported and may not render correctly in generated documents. Replace them with plain text references before uploading.
Step 2: Add standard template fields
Replace each piece of dynamic data with the corresponding Pulley field code using double curly braces.
Before inserting any fields, open pulley.com/template-fields and copy field codes directly from that page. Do not type field names manually. A single typo or extra space will cause a field to fail silently, meaning the raw placeholder text will appear in the generated document instead of the actual value.
Common fields for equity documents:
Field code | What it inserts |
| Recipient's full name |
| Number of shares or options |
| Per-share exercise price |
| Date of grant |
| Vesting commencement date |
| Name of the vesting schedule |
| Your company's legal name |
Two things to check for every field you insert:
Avoid spaces inside the curly braces.
{{stakeholder_name}}is correct.{{ stakeholder_name }}may not render as intendedEach field is document-type specific. Check the Contract Type column at pulley.com/template-fields to confirm a field is valid for your document type. Some fields are Options-only; others are labeled "All"
Step 3: Add signature fields
Signature fields are required for Pulley's e-signature workflow to function. Without them, the document cannot be sent for signing.
Insert these where signatures should appear in the document:
Field code | What it inserts |
| Company signatory's e-signature |
| Recipient's e-signature |
| Spouse's e-signature (if spousal consent is required) |
| Spouse's printed name |
Font styling carries through to the generated document. If you want signatures to render in a cursive style, apply a cursive font (such as Homemade Apple) to the signature field placeholder in Word. That styling will appear in the final document.
If your document requires spousal consent, add {{spouse_signature}} and {{spouse_signature_name}} where the spouse's signature should appear. Pulley will automatically prompt the stakeholder to enter their spouse's email during the signing process.
Avoid side-by-side column layouts for signature blocks. Multi-column layouts can render incorrectly in generated documents. Use a borderless table instead if you need signatures to appear side by side.
Step 4: Add custom fields (if needed)
Skip this step if your document can be fully populated using standard fields from pulley.com/template-fields.
Use custom fields when your document includes data points that Pulley doesn't track natively, such as company-specific terms, performance milestones, or non-standard conditions.
Format: {{custom_field_your_field_name}}
The name must start with
custom_field_and contain only letters, numbers, underscores, or hyphens. No spaces, no special characters.
Examples:
{{custom_field_performance_milestone}}{{custom_field_token_lockup_period}}
A few things to know about custom fields:
Custom fields are not listed at pulley.com/template-fields. You define them yourself, and they are unique per security. There are no global custom fields.
When issuing a security that uses this template, you'll enter custom field values manually in the Custom Fields section of the issuance form. This section only appears in form view, not in spreadsheet or bulk mode
Keep a record of every custom field name used in each template. Anyone issuing grants from this template later will need to know which fields to fill in
Step 5: Upload your template to Pulley
For standard equity templates (Options, RSAs, Shares, etc.):
Go to Company → Templates
Select the tab for the relevant security type (for example, Options or RSAs)
Click + Add Template or Create template bundle
Give the bundle a descriptive name (for example, "ISO Agreement — US Employees")
Click Upload Templates and select your formatted .docx file
You can upload multiple documents into the same bundle before saving. For example, an option agreement, equity plan, and notice of grant. Click Upload Templates again to add each additional file
Special cases: these go in different locations
Notice of Exercise templates must be uploaded to Hire and Retain > Exercise Requests > Edit Settings > Notices of Exercise, not to the main Templates page.
Uploading a Notice of Exercise to the standard templates area will not make it available in the exercise request workflow, and the fields available on the main Templates page are not the same as those used in Notice of Exercise documents.
If your option grant document includes a Notice of Exercise section, separate it into its own .docx file and upload it to the correct location. See Configure exercise requests for the full setup.
Employment contract templates are uploaded under the Employment Contracts section on the Templates page. These use candidate-specific fields ({{candidate_name}}, {{candidate_signature}}), not stakeholder fields. Stakeholder fields will not populate correctly in employment contract templates.
Step 6: Preview and validate
After uploading, use the Preview function to review the template with sample data. This shows how the generated document will look with real values populated.
Check that:
All fields render correctly. No raw
{{field_name}}text should be visibleSignature fields appear in the correct location and in the expected font
Custom fields show placeholder text (they'll be filled in at issuance)
Document layout and formatting look correct throughout
If a field isn't rendering, return to pulley.com/template-fields and verify: the exact field name, whether it's compatible with your document type, and that there are no spaces inside the curly braces.
Step 7: Save the template bundle
Click Save to store the bundle. It will now be available for selection when issuing securities of that type. You may complete this step for additional security types as needed.
💡 You can create multiple bundles for the same security type. For example, one for US employees and one for international employees. During issuance, you choose which bundle applies to the current grant.
Updating an existing template
When your legal documents change (a new equity plan version, updated agreement language, or a signatory change), update the template bundle rather than creating a new one from scratch.
Go to Company → Templates and click the name of the template bundle to open the version management view. The pencil icon edits the bundle name only. It does not give you access to the template files
Download the current template file
Make your edits in Word
Click + Add to upload the revised version
Remove the old version by clicking Delete next to it
Click Create Version to save. Pulley will prompt you to select which existing grants should be updated to use the new version
Check the boxes for the grants you want to update and confirm
Two things to note:
Stakeholders are not prompted to re-sign when a template is updated. Existing signatures are preserved
Pulley-provided standard template bundles cannot be edited directly. To customize one, download the files from the bundle, make your edits, and upload them as a new custom bundle
Common errors and fixes
Issue | Likely cause | Fix |
Field renders as raw text ( | Spaces inside curly braces, or typo in field name | Copy the field directly from pulley.com/template-fields; check for spaces |
Signature doesn't look like a signature | Signature field not styled with a cursive font | Apply a cursive font (such as Homemade Apple) to the |
Extra $ appearing in document | Dollar sign hardcoded before a currency field | Remove the $ from the document. The field already inserts it |
"Create Version" button not selectable | File format issue or upload error | Re-download, re-edit in Word, and re-upload the .docx |
Notice of Exercise not appearing in exercise workflow | Uploaded to wrong location | Move to Hire and Retain → Exercise Requests → Edit Settings |
Template upload rejected | File is .doc or .pdf, not .docx | Convert to .docx before uploading |
Signature block renders misaligned | Side-by-side column layout | Replace with a borderless table |
| Word field codes present | Select all, then ⌘⇧F9 / Ctrl+Shift+F9 to convert to plain text |
Field not populating for my document type | Field is restricted to a different security type | Check the Contract Type column at pulley.com/template-fields |
Hyperlinked cross-references not rendering correctly | Internal hyperlinks not supported | Replace with plain text references before uploading |
Related
Understanding Templates Introduction to templates and how they work
pulley.com/template-fields full reference: all available fields, descriptions, and compatible document types
Configure exercise requests for Notice of Exercise template setup
Grant options using your template during issuance