What are the differences between native EA document generation and eaDocX?
A summary of the key differences between EA and eaDocX generated documents, including usability, document formatting and control, content customization, maintenance and re-usability, automation and integration.
User Interface and Ease of Use
Feature |
Native EA Document Generator |
eaDocX |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| UI Design | Dialog-based, not very intuitive | Word add-in with a familiar UI | |
| Learning Curve | Steeper; requires knowledge of templates, fragments, RTF/HTML tags | Lower; more intuitive with WYSIWYG controls. Extend with scripting if required | |
| Template Creation | Manual and technical | Easily created or modified in Word |
Document Formatting and Control
Feature |
Native EA Generator |
eaDocX |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Formatting Flexibility | RTF/DOCX outputs – limited controls and tagged templates | Full Word formatting (styles, tables, etc.) | |
| Live Preview | Not available | Available — edit and see output in Word immediately | |
| Table Control | Rigid layout; hard to customize | Dynamic Word tables, easy to configure |
Content Customization
Feature |
Native EA Generator |
eaDocX |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| What Gets Printed | Controlled via Document Template and Model Document; limited fine-grained control | Fine-grained: include/exclude elements, filter by stereotype, tag, or status | |
| Conditional Logic | Very limited | Powerful filters and scripting options for dynamic content | |
| Cross-Model Documents | Complex to configure | Easily pulls in elements from across packages and models |
Maintenance and Reusability
Feature |
Native EA Generator |
eaDocX |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Reusable Templates | Requires exporting/importing template files | Word-based templates easy to reuse, share, and edit | |
| Document Updates | Manual regeneration | Update documents dynamically with changes in EA | |
| Batch Generation | Requires scripting | Built-in |
Licensing and Cost
Feature |
Native EA Generator |
eaDocX |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Included with EA | Yes (free) | No, standalone licences or included with eaTeamWorks. The more you buy, the more you save. See Pricing | |
| Ongoing Support | Provided by Sparx | Separate support from eaDocX team |
Document Reviews and Model updates don't have to slow you down...
When you add Revision Manager to eaDocX document reviews and model updates are streamlined and simplified. Saving you time and effort and providing a clear audit trail.
Feature |
Native EA |
eaDocX with Revision Manager |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Word Review Integration | No | Yes | |
| Track Changes Support | No | Yes | |
| Inline Comments Mapped to EA | No | Yes | |
| Automatic Update of EA Elements | No | Yes | |
| Multiple Reviewer Support | Manual merge | Built-in with reviewer name/date | |
| Round-Trip Editing | No | Yes | |
| Element-Level Change Tracking | No | Yes | |
| Feedback Linked to Model Elements | No | Yes | |
| Audit Trail of Comments | Manual | Automatic | |
| Review Without EA Access | No | Yes | |
| Usability for Non-Technical Users | Low | High | |
| Ideal for Regulated Environments | No | Yes |
More Insights
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Take a free, no obligation, 30-day trial of eaDocX and ea Revision Manager. Discover for yourself why eaDocX is the world’s best-selling Enterprise Architect extension. eaDocX and eaRevision Manager are part of eaTeamWorks, so you can also trial eaSheets, Model Expert and PortfolioManager. Plus free for life features.
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