Generating a Word document from code does not have to mean recreating every margin, table, and branded heading in C#. When the layout already exists as an approved DOCX, keep it there and bind only the changing data.

OfficeIMO.Word supports ordinary {{Name}} placeholders, repeated Word blocks, Boolean sections, embedded images, and external hyperlinks. It runs in-process and does not require Microsoft Word or COM automation.

1. Prepare the Word template

Type scalar placeholders where values should appear:

Service summary for {{Client.Name}}

Put repeated and conditional markers on their own paragraphs. The content between them can be a paragraph, list, table, or a combination of Word blocks:

{{#each Services}}
{{Name}} — {{Hours}} hours
{{#Priority}}
Priority delivery
{{/Priority}}
{{/each Services}}

Word may split visible text across several formatting runs. The binder recognizes a placeholder across those runs and uses the first marker run as the replacement formatting source.

2. Bind application data

The dictionary overload is explicit and safe for trimmed or NativeAOT applications:

using OfficeIMO.Word;

using WordDocument document = WordDocument.Load("service-template.docx");

var values = new Dictionary<string, object?> {
    ["Client"] = new Dictionary<string, object?> {
        ["Name"] = "Northwind Traders"
    },
    ["Services"] = new object[] {
        new Dictionary<string, object?> {
            ["Name"] = "Assessment",
            ["Hours"] = 8,
            ["Priority"] = true
        },
        new Dictionary<string, object?> {
            ["Name"] = "Implementation",
            ["Hours"] = 24,
            ["Priority"] = false
        }
    },
    ["Portal"] = new WordTemplateHyperlink(
        "Open customer portal",
        new Uri("https://example.com/customer")),
    ["Logo"] = new WordTemplateImage(
        File.ReadAllBytes("logo.png"),
        "logo.png",
        width: 96,
        height: 32,
        description: "Company logo")
};

WordTemplateResult result = WordTemplate.Apply(document, values);
result.EnsureComplete();
document.Save("service-summary.docx");

A POCO overload is available when reflection over public properties is acceptable. The API marks that overload for trimming analysis instead of pretending arbitrary reflection is NativeAOT safe.

3. Treat missing values as a document defect

By default, an unresolved scalar marker remains visible and its name appears in MissingValueNames. That is useful in batch jobs: a missing customer field should not quietly become a blank contract.

WordTemplateResult result = WordTemplate.Apply(document, values);

if (!result.IsComplete) {
    throw new InvalidOperationException(
        "Template data is incomplete: " + string.Join(", ", result.MissingValueNames));
}

Missing repeated collections and conditions fail immediately because partially expanding document structure would produce a misleading result.

4. Validate the artifact users receive

A successful method call proves that the binding pass completed. It does not prove that a font available on one machine exists in production, or that every target Word viewer lays out the document identically.

For production templates:

reopen the generated DOCX and validate its Open XML package
inspect representative outputs in the viewers your users rely on
keep the approved template immutable and write to a new destination
capture binding counts and missing-value diagnostics in job evidence
validate PDF output separately if PDF is part of delivery

The OfficeIMO repository includes an executable proof scenario that writes the template, bound DOCX, binding-result summary, and Open XML validation results:

dotnet run --project OfficeIMO.Examples -- --word-market-readiness

Read the complete template guide, review the template-driven generation use case, or inspect the proof source.