Visual XSL-FO Designer and Editor
Build high-volume document templates with drag-and-drop operations. Convert XML and JSON data to PDF, Microsoft® Word, and 20+ output formats through a REST API. No manual XSL-FO coding required.
WYSIWYG Template Design • REST API • 20+ Output Formats • XML, JSON, XSL-FO Input • High-Volume Production
What the Visual XSL-FO Designer Does
The MHC Visual XSL-FO Designer is a template design tool within the MHC NorthStar Developer Toolkit. It provides a visual, WYSIWYG environment for building document templates that transform structured data (XML, JSON) into formatted documents (PDF, Microsoft® Word, HTML, and 20+ additional formats).
Software developers and business users work in an Office-style interface with drag-and-drop operations to build invoices, statements, regulatory correspondence, policy documents, and reports. The designer handles both traditional print output and responsive, interactive digital documents from the same template.
For developers who need direct control, the designer provides full access to standard-compliant XSL-FO code underneath the visual layer.
Template Design Capabilities
Drag-and-drop template builder with Office-style interface
Conditional content: show or hide sections based on data values
Dynamic repeated tables that span hundreds of pages
Dynamic barcode generation (Code 128, QR, PDF417, and more)
RGB, CMYK, and ICC color profile support for print production
Bookmarks, cross-references, and table of contents generation
Responsive interactive document output for digital delivery
Standard-compliant XSL-FO access for advanced formatting control
How High Volume Document Generation Works
The workflow has two parts: template design (done once in the Visual XSL-FO Designer) and document rendering (done at runtime through the REST API).
1.
Design a template using MHC
Open MHC Studio. Use the visual designer to place text, tables, images, barcodes, and conditional logic on the page. Map data fields from your XML or JSON schema to template placeholders. Preview the output. Save the template to the MHC server.
2.
Generate Documents via API
Your application sends a REST API call with the data payload (XML or JSON) and a reference to the stored template. The MHC rendering engine merges data with the template and returns the formatted document in the requested output format.
// XML to PDF: Send XML data, receive a rendered PDF
POST /api/v1/render
Content-Type: application/xml
<request>
<template>invoice-template-v3</template>
<outputFormat>PDF</outputFormat>
<data>
<invoice>
<number>INV-2026-4821</number>
<customer>Acme Health Systems</customer>
<lineItems>
<item sku="MED-001" qty="500" price="12.50"/>
<item sku="MED-002" qty="200" price="34.00"/>
</lineItems>
</invoice>
</data>
</request>
// Response: Binary PDF document
// JSON to PDF: Same workflow with JSON input
POST /api/v1/render
Content-Type: application/json
{
"template": "policy-notice-v2",
"outputFormat": "PDF",
"data": {
"policyholder": "Jane Rodriguez",
"policyNumber": "POL-2026-88431",
"state": "California",
"effectiveDate": "2026-07-01",
"disclosures": [
"CA Insurance Code Section 790.03",
"CA Fair Claims Settlement Practices"
]
}
}
// Response: Binary PDF with CA-specific disclosures rendered
Output Formats
Supported Output Formats
Category | Formats | Use Case |
Print-Ready | PDF, PostScript, PCL, AFP | High-volume transactional print, production printing, check printing |
Digital Documents | PDF, Microsoft® Word (DOCX), HTML | Email delivery, web portals, digital archives, customer self-service |
Images | TIFF, PNG, JPEG | Fax output, image-based archiving, thumbnail generation |
Interactive | Responsive HTML, Interactive PDF | Mobile-friendly documents, digital-first customer communications |
Data Interchange | XPS, SVG | Cross-platform document exchange, vector graphics output |
Category | Formats | Use Case |
Print-Ready | PDF, PostScript, PCL, AFP | High-volume transactional print, production printing, check printing |
Digital Documents | PDF, Microsoft® Word (DOCX), HTML | Email delivery, web portals, digital archives, customer self-service |
Images | TIFF, PNG, JPEG | Fax output, image-based archiving, thumbnail generation |
Interactive | Responsive HTML, Interactive PDF | Mobile-friendly documents, digital-first customer communications |
Data Interchange | XPS, SVG | Cross-platform document exchange, vector graphics output |
Core Users
Who Uses the Visual XSL-FO Designer
User | How They Use It |
Software Developers | Embed document generation in applications through the REST API. Build templates for insurance policy documents, healthcare EOBs, financial statements, and regulatory notices that render from XML or JSON data. |
System Integrators | Deploy MHC as the document rendering layer in enterprise solutions. Connect ERP, CRM, and claims systems to produce formatted output at scale. |
Business Users | Modify document templates (content, layout, branding) without developer involvement. The visual designer handles formatting; the API handles rendering. |
IT Teams | Manage templates centrally on the MHC server. Control versioning, access, and deployment of document templates across the organization. |
User | How They Use It |
Software Developers | Embed document generation in applications through the REST API. Build templates for insurance policy documents, healthcare EOBs, financial statements, and regulatory notices that render from XML or JSON data. |
System Integrators | Deploy MHC as the document rendering layer in enterprise solutions. Connect ERP, CRM, and claims systems to produce formatted output at scale. |
Business Users | Modify document templates (content, layout, branding) without developer involvement. The visual designer handles formatting; the API handles rendering. |
IT Teams | Manage templates centrally on the MHC server. Control versioning, access, and deployment of document templates across the organization. |
Interactive Code Samples
Try Our API Code Samples for Yourself
We’ve prepared code samples showcasing how to convert XML, JSON, and XSL-FO to PDF using stored templates, as well as how to merge multiple documents into a single PDF. Get in touch with our tech team to explore these examples and see how easily you can integrate with MHC.
Convert XML to PDF
Send an XML string to the MHC server with a stored template reference. Receive a rendered PDF back. Supports dynamic tables, conditional content, and barcode generation from XML data.
Convert JSON to PDF
Send a JSON object to the MHC server with a stored template reference. Receive a rendered PDF back. JSON properties map directly to template placeholders.
Convert XSL-FO to PDF
Send an XSL-FO string directly to the MHC rendering engine. Receive a PDF file back. For teams that generate their own XSL-FO and need a high-performance rendering engine.
Merge Multiple Documents
Combine multiple rendered documents (invoices, cover letters, attachments) into a single PDF file through a single API call. Supports documents stored on the server or generated on the fly.
What Is XSL-FO and Why It Matters
XSL-FO (Extensible Stylesheet Language Formatting Objects) is a W3C standard for describing how XML data should be formatted into paginated documents. It provides precise control over page layout, headers, footers, tables, fonts, margins, and print-ready color output.
XSL-FO matters for document generation because it separates data from presentation. The same XML data source can produce a printed invoice, an email-ready PDF, and a web-viewable HTML document, each formatted differently, from templates built in the Visual XSL-FO Designer. This separation is critical for organizations that deliver communications across multiple channels from a single data pipeline.
The MHC Visual XSL-FO Designer removes the need to write XSL-FO code manually while preserving the full power of the standard for teams that need it.
Visual XSL-FO Designer vs. Alternatives
| Capability | MHC Visual XSL-FO Designer | Manual XSL-FO Coding | Open-Source XSL-FO (Apache FOP) |
| Template Design | Visual WYSIWYG with drag-and-drop | Hand-coded XML | Hand-coded XML |
| Business User Access | Yes, Office-style interface | No, requires XSL-FO expertise | No, requires XSL-FO expertise |
| Output Formats | PDF, Microsoft® Word, HTML, and 20+ formats | Depends on rendering engine | PDF, PostScript, PNG (limited) |
| High-Volume Performance | Optimized for production scale | Depends on rendering engine | Not designed for high volume |
| REST API | Yes, built-in | Must build | Must build |
| Conditional Content | Visual configuration | XSL-FO conditionals | XSL-FO conditionals |
| Print Color (CMYK/ICC) | Full support | Depends on engine | Limited |
| Barcode Generation | Built-in, visual | Custom code required | Plugin required |
| Enterprise Support | MHC support team | None | Community only |
| Compliance Certifications | SOC 2 Type 2 | N/A | N/A |
| Capability | MHC Visual XSL-FO Designer | Manual XSL-FO Coding | Open-Source XSL-FO (Apache FOP) |
| Template Design | Visual WYSIWYG with drag-and-drop | Hand-coded XML | Hand-coded XML |
| Business User Access | Yes, Office-style interface | No, requires XSL-FO expertise | No, requires XSL-FO expertise |
| Output Formats | PDF, Microsoft® Word, HTML, and 20+ formats | Depends on rendering engine | PDF, PostScript, PNG (limited) |
| High-Volume Performance | Optimized for production scale | Depends on rendering engine | Not designed for high volume |
| REST API | Yes, built-in | Must build | Must build |
| Conditional Content | Visual configuration | XSL-FO conditionals | XSL-FO conditionals |
| Print Color (CMYK/ICC) | Full support | Depends on engine | Limited |
| Barcode Generation | Built-in, visual | Custom code required | Plugin required |
| Enterprise Support | MHC support team | None | Community only |
| Compliance Certifications | SOC 2 Type 2 | N/A | N/A |
Complete Document Generation Toolkit
MHC NorthStar Developer Toolkit
The Visual XSL-FO Designer is one component of the MHC NorthStar Developer Toolkit. Related capabilities include:
High-volume XML data to PDF rendering at production scale using stored templates and the REST API.
Convert JSON application data to formatted PDF documents through the same REST API and template infrastructure.
Document Merge
Combine multiple documents (invoices, cover letters, attachments, disclosures) into a single PDF through one API call.
AI-powered content generation, tone optimization, one-click translation across 60+ languages, and plain-language rewriting for customer-facing documents.
Why teams choose MHC
Analyst-Validated. Enterprise Compliant. Customer-Proven.
Ranked by the industry’s leading analysts, built for regulated industries, and trusted by the teams using it every day.
Real feedback from IT teams
“ MHC has been a great partner in figuring out [our issues], to understand our business, to understand what we’re trying to accomplish, to understand the things that we are doing with the tool that again may not be in documentation, that may not be something that you all planned on. We found that MHC is part of our team. ”
~ Ryan Boyd,
Senior Vice President, 2-COM 
Recognized by Leading Analysts
Enterprise-Grade Security & Compliance
Frequently Asked Questions
Visual XSL-FO Designer and Editor
What is the MHC Visual XSL-FO Designer?
The MHC Visual XSL-FO Designer is a drag-and-drop template design tool within the MHC NorthStar Developer Toolkit. It allows developers and business users to build document templates visually, without manually writing XSL-FO code, for high-volume XML to PDF conversion. The designer produces templates that convert XML, JSON, and XSL-FO data into PDF, Microsoft® Word, and 20+ output formats through a REST API.
How does the MHC XSL-FO Designer compare to manual XSL-FO coding?
Manual XSL-FO coding requires developers to write formatting objects in XML syntax, which is time-consuming and error-prone for complex document layouts. The MHC Visual XSL-FO Designer provides a WYSIWYG interface with drag-and-drop operations, conditional content logic, dynamic tables, and barcode generation without writing XSL-FO code. Advanced users still have access to the underlying standard-compliant XSL-FO when needed.
What data formats does the MHC Developer Toolkit support?
The MHC Developer Toolkit supports XML to PDF, JSON to PDF, and XSL-FO to PDF conversion through a REST API. Input data can be XML strings, JSON objects, or XSL-FO content. Output formats include PDF, Microsoft® Word, HTML, and 20+ additional formats. The toolkit also supports merging multiple documents into a single PDF.
What output formats does the MHC XSL-FO Designer support?
The MHC XSL-FO Designer supports 20+ output formats including PDF, Microsoft® Word (DOCX), HTML, PostScript, PCL, AFP, TIFF, PNG, and interactive responsive documents. Both traditional print output (with RGB, CMYK, and ICC color profile support) and digital delivery formats are supported.
Can business users design templates without coding?
Yes. The MHC Visual XSL-FO Designer uses an Office-style interface with drag-and-drop operations. Business users can build invoices, statements, correspondence, and reports without writing code. Features like conditional content, dynamic tables, and barcode generation are configured visually. Software developers who need direct access to standard-compliant XSL-FO can also work at the code level.
How does the REST API work for document generation?
Applications send XML or JSON data to the MHC server along with a stored template reference, and receive a rendered PDF (or other format) back. Code samples are available for XML to PDF, JSON to PDF, XSL-FO to PDF, and multi-document merge operations. The API integrates with Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and web services.
What types of documents can be generated?
The MHC XSL-FO Designer is used to generate invoices, account statements, policy documents, claims correspondence, explanation of benefits (EOBs), regulatory notices, compliance filings, tax documents (W2, 1099), shipping documents, purchase orders, and any high-volume transactional or regulatory document. Industries served include insurance, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and government.
What is XSL-FO and why does it matter for document generation?
XSL-FO (Extensible Stylesheet Language Formatting Objects) is a W3C standard for specifying how XML data should be formatted into paginated documents like PDF. XSL-FO provides precise control over page layout, headers, footers, tables, fonts, and print-ready output. It matters for document generation because it separates data from presentation, allowing the same XML data to produce different document layouts for different channels from a single data source.
See the Visual XSL-FO Designer in Action
Ready to see how the Visual XSL-FO Designer handles your document templates?