Mail Merge Apps

Conga vs Drawloop

Both Conga and Drawloop are similarly priced, and do similar things for mail merge. 

With Drawloop, you can quickly and easily include files that are attached to the record (eg the opportunity record), into the document that you are going to send out, and those attachments can either combine with the newly created merged document, or be sent as separate attachments. Many of my clients store files about the opportunity on the opportunity record, then need to email those attachments off to the client or off to a third party. 

With Conga, you need to include the Attachment in a query in the button URL, so you have to have a way to query the attachment, so that would mean you have to correctly name the attachment. Much more limiting. https://www.congasphere.com/FuzeExtract/Using_a_Salesforce_Attachment.htm?Highlight=attach%20from%20attachments 

Drawloop is missing the email functionality, so you create documents in drawloop and then emails in standard email templates in Salesforce - Conga is a nicer option for that. (ooh, newsflash: Drawloop may be including this in a new release - can't wait! Nope. 2 releases later and it's still not there. Very sad, it would be a great feature). It's here! Testing NOW! 

Conga feels old and outdated now, even with Version 8 - the compose screen is quite cumbersome with buttons everywhere. The user experience using drawloop is much nicer. (the new Conga logo makes a difference somehow). 

Drawloop has chatter post integration - eg add a chatter post to say that a document has been sent. Nice feature.

Drawloop has the ability to fully automate the creation and sending of documents - including via workflows, and it is easy to set up. You can even create a chatter post on a related record (eg Contact from Campaign Member - you can't even do that in Process Builder). 

Drawloop can submit records for approval on creating a DDP. Cool! 

Conga can do one thing way better than Drawloop - you can test a Conga document without uploading it to Salesforce - it saves a LOT of time when creating your documents. 

Even with the improvements in Version 8, Drawloop is just much nicer and easier to use. Drawloop wins for me. 

Similarities

  • Both can send out emails via Sendgrid, to get over the 500 emails per day limit. (I would like to see one of them using Mandril though). 
  • Both use the Standard Salesforce email letterhead which is shitty. 

See More

Drawloop - (formerly Nintex Document Generation)

Conga

Rough Comparison

FeatureCongaDrawloop
Quickly test documents without uploading(tick)(error)
Easy setup of document data(question)(depends on your POV)(tick)
Easy field tags in Word(tick) Newer versions(tick)
Send Email(tick)(tick) Just new
Multiple document types in one package (error)
Make up a document by combining snippets of text (tick) Just new
Merge a doc, edit it, then send it (tick) Paus to Edit
Auto send docs(tick)$$$(tick)$$$
Submit records for approval (tick)
Post to Chatter (tick) Including on related record
Post documents to chatter (tick)
Button setup(thumbs down)(thumbs up)
Multiple documents from one button(tick)(tick) can be conditional too
Send files attached to the record(thumbs down) difficult(tick)