Abstract: A method for extracting document elements for use in generating and populating message templates includes importing, by an analysis engine executing on a computing device, a first document including computer code. The analysis engine generates a hierarchical data structure including the computer code and identifies at least one candidate element of the hierarchical data structure for extraction. An extraction engine executing on the computing device automatically extracts a first portion of the computer code associated with the at least one candidate. The extraction engine associates the extracted first portion of the computer code and the at least one candidate element with a first template. A template builder receives a request for generation of a second document using the first template. The template builder populates a copy of the first template with the extracted first portion of the computer code and generates the second document from the template.