Category: HotDocs Templates

ASSEMBLE

One of the cooler instructions is the ASSEMBLE command, which allows you to queue up a template for assembly in HotDocs.  When it comes to assembling individual documents in packages/batches (as opposed to a template package in a single document output), assemble is the only way to fly.

The syntax is easy enough:

ASSEMBLE "FileName.ext"

The true power comes from being able to conditionalize the ASSEMBLY command, as well as apply command switches to the ASSEMBLE command.  Imagine that you are drafting a Will or similar document for a client.  You could have a multi-select multiple choice variable (WILL Docs Additional MS) that asks what additional documents you wish to draft after the will.  You could then have something like:

IF WILL Docs Additional MS = "Cover Letter"
ASSEMBLE "WillCoverLetter.rtf"
END IF

IF WILL Docs Additional MS = “Trust Deed”

IF ANSWERED ( WILL DEED Exec to Trustee TF ) AND WILL DEED Exec to Trustee TF

WILL POA Exec to Trustee Duplicator CO //duplicates data from executors in will to deed trustees – run before assembling
ASSEMBLE “POA.rtf /ni” //no interview – Trustees uses same Will executors!

ELSE

ASSEMBLE “DeedOfTrust.rtf” //use interview as the trustees are different

END IF
END IF

Between optional use of command line switches, and optional additions of templates to be assembled, the ASSEMBLE command offers a very flexible way to build packages of documents on the fly, based on interview choices.  Many times, this is far more flexible and easier to build than master templates that actually contains 10 or so templates inside it.  Certainly, where a firm wishes to individually profile each document in their DMS, ASSEMBLE is nearly always the right answer.

Final note: you can use the ASSEMBLE instruction directly in templates, inside or outside IF statements – it works the same way you would use INSERT, but with the difference of assembling a separate document, not an ‘in-line’ document.  For basic ASSEMBLE usage, this is fine.  But if you’re writing conditions around them, it is nearly always more elegant and easier to work with in a computation (and quicker for HotDocs to process!).

Reduce Size of Embedded Pictures in RTF Templates

In Microsoft Word there can often be a major size discrepancy between Word files and Rich Text Formatted versions of the same file. This is most often due to how Word RTF handles embedded picture files (such as logos, watermarks, illustrations, etc.) When saved to RTF, the space allocated for the picture can be as much as 20 times the size of the combined size of the document and picture. According to Microsoft, this discrepancy is actually a feature. When a document is exported to RTF, the process creates two files for each image, one is the original image and the other is a Windows Meta File (WMF). The WMF format is designed to describe resizable vector-type drawings – line drawings – and is very efficient for those. However, it is horribly inefficient for storing photographic images pixel by pixel.

There is a registry tweak that can turn off this feature.

Take the following steps:

  • Close all instances of Word
  • Use the Windows key to START -> RUN
  • Type REGEDIT and click OK
  • In OfficeXP – Find the following Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Office/10.0/Word/Options
  • In Office2003 – Find the following Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Office/11.0/Word/Options
  • Right-click in the right-hand pane and choose New -> String Value
  • Enter the name “ExportPictureWithMetaFile” as the new key and click OK
  • Then double-click on the ExportPictureWithMetaFile and type 0 (zero) for its value and click enter
  • Close up the registry

    • After this, there will be no more expanding files. To deal with existing RTF files, simply open the file and save it to Word format. Then reopen the file and save it back to RTF format. These changes are machine specific and should be made on all machines where the templates are maintained.

    Basha Systems releases Wealth Transfer Planning on HotDocs

    It has been over a year of hard work, but the new Wealth Transfer Planning, SmartContent Practice System(tm) has been released.  Basha Systems has ported the SmartWord’s based estate planning templates over to HotDocs.  The system features a unique custom interface to HotDocs that supports Firm Preferences, a separate Client and Matter Interview, Profile settings, customizable Templates and customizable Stylesheets.  It represents a “revolution” in the way to handle document assembly.  The efforts of myself, Ian Burrows and Rose Rowland are to thanks.  Basha Systems will be providing ongoing support for the templates as well as extensive customization services.

    Well … we are done.  The product has shipped.  Be sure to look through the training videos.

    This is an “opus” for which we retain major bragging rights.  We have pushed the envellope for what HotDocs can do, using a number of innovations in data transfer and contextual help.  The system is at once complex and simple.  For those users of SmartWords based system, we have consolidated interviews that often went on for 50 dialogs into coherent single interview of less than 15 dialogs to handle even the most complex estate planning documents.

    It has been over a year of hard work, but the new Wealth Transfer Planning, SmartContent Practice System(tm) has been released.  Basha Systems has ported the SmartWord’s based estate planning templates over to HotDocs.  The system features a unique custom interface to HotDocs that supports Firm Preferences, a separate Client and Matter Interview, Profile settings, customizable Templates and customizable Stylesheets.  It represents a “revolution” in the way to handle document assembly.

    There are a number of people to thank.  The efforts of myself, Ian Burrows and Rose Rowland at Basha Systems; and the efforts and vision of Trish McLelland and Mike Graham at Interactive Legal Systems who had the confidence, the wherewithal, the stamina and the vision to see the project through.

    Basha Systems will be providing ongoing support for the templates as well as extensive customization services. Please feel free to contact us for a demo of the system.  Whether you are considering purchasing the system, or using a system just like it, please give me a call.

    QC Techniques for HotDocs

    Some thoughts you might consider in providing QC for your templates.

    Related Link: Basha Systems CoDev Board

    Test, test, test … That is is the only way to fully debug your templates.  There is no replacement for having someone else test your templates.  Be sure to have your testers send you their comments and their answer files.  For this purpose we have set up a private board for posting comments and issues (www.bashasys.net).

    Once you have the answer file, run the assembly and spot the issues.  Keep reassembling until all the issues are resolved.  Use Word Comments and the Reviewer toolbar to add comments and then navigate through them.

    In HotDocs, you can test portions of the template.  Just highlight (select) the port of the template you want to test, and then click on the Test button on the HotDocs Toolbar.

    Getting Past the 80/20 Rule in Building Document Assembly Applications

    Document assembly projects are subject to the 80/20 rule … the final 20% takes 80% of the time.  And for that reason, many projects don’t get perfected.  When a system is for internal use, the benefits of automation are good enough; but when turned into an saleable application, or a client-focused application, much more is required.  This blog focuses on techniques for working with the template to reduce the time to get from 80 to 100%.

    The 80/20 Rule

    It is said on any software project (make that any projects), that the first 80% of the work, takes 20% of the time, and the final 20% of the work, takes 80% of the time.  Thus, the bulk of a project will be complete, but the finishing works takes four times as long. The result is that many projects get started, but few get truly finished.

    Good ‘Nuff Document Assembly

    Most document assembly systems are for internal use.  In the hands of a capable HotDocs or GhostFill programmer, the time it takes to draft a complex lease or prepare a credit agreement can be dropped from 10-20 hours down to a 15-30 minute interview.  That still leaves several hours that can be spent “cleaning up” the document formatting and fixing the detritus left by unanswered variables or poor coding.  Such systems will give you a healthy profit, and a high ROI.

    Such systems are generally designed to enhance the legal business of the “author” of the system.  Often the questions only make complete sense to the author who created the system or a trusted assistant.  The ROI is limited to enhancing a particular practice.  When asked whether a “client” could use the system is published to a secure web server, the invariable response is “no” … too complication and the product is NOT FINAL.

    Client-Facing Systems and Commercial Applications

    When building a system that a “client” will see, the ball is in a different court.  You are off the stick-ball court and into the stadium where the expectations are much higher.  On the interview level, there is an expectation that the questions will be clear, relevant, and not contain any typos. See my article on Polish elsewhere in this blog.

    Moreover, when the document comes out, it will not come out as a Microsoft Word document that is editable; it will come out as a PDF document that is printable.  There will be no opportunity to fill in the blanks left unanswered, fix up the formatting, remove the extra carriage returns, and fix the typos.

    Rule 1: Build a Style Sheet

    If you hope to cut down the time it takes to acheive the final 20%, you need to think through all the stumbling blocks that take up time (proofing, correcting, testing etc) and systematize them.  One of the biggest time savers is a Word Style Template … this is a word document that contains sample text formats for each way you intend to format document.

    The style sheet contains a named paragraph style that exactly matches the format you are seeking in the final document.  To make this tool even more effective, you can assign hot-keys to the most commonly used styles.  To change the style of text in a document you can then either apply a different style, or open the style editor in Word and change the style’s attributes.

    Rule 2: No Duplicate Carriage Returns

    Once enforced, this convention will save hours of reformatting, because it will FORCE you to define word paragraph styles for every possible formatting convention.  Once defined, you can then make quick global changes throughout all the templates, rather than having to spot check every single document for spacing issues.

    Rule 3:  Spacing Convention following CONDITIONS

    The implementation of this convention regarding spacing following a conditional rule will differ depending on the document assembly program you us.

    • In HotDocs you should put IF/END IF and REPEAT/END REPEATS that span a whole paragraph or multiple paragraph on a separate line from the text of the paragraph.  Inside a paragraph, there should be NO SPACE if the text int the clause could begin the initial sentence of the paragraph.  If, however, it is internal to the paragraph, you should provide a singe (or in the case of a sentence) a double space immediately following the expression.
    • In GhostFill a KeepBlock or DeleteBlock should begin inside the paragraph to be kept with the EndBlock on the line immediately following the conditioned paragraph.  If you wish to have the rule outside the paragraph, use a Shreek “|” followed by a carriage return, with the closing brace at the very start of the conditioned paragraph.  The rules for clauses inside the paragraph are the same as for HotDocs.
    • In DealBuilder the conditional braces must start inside the conditioned paragraph and close at the very end of the conditioned paragraph.  By using usage computations (that are defined elsewhere) or VMM numbered notation, you can keep the code readable.  Internal to the paragraph, the same spacing conventions apply.

    Rule 4: Normal is NOT your Base

    In building a style sheet in word, take advantage of word’s cascading style sheet, that lets you build a style from a base and variations on that base.  In doing so, make sure that the base style is NOT based on Normal.  If you don’t, depending on the user’s machine, you may find your documents coming out in the wrong font, with the wrong text size … unintended consequences that are beyond your control.

    Rule 5: Beta Test

    Get someone else to do assemblies … maybe even some who doesn’t know your area of practice.  The questions need to make sense.  You will find them doing “illogical” things that will throw off errors in the text that you need to trap for.  These are either errors in conditioning variables on the dialog, or errors in the conditioning of text in the template.  Read the resulting document.  Use Word’s comment capability to have the user add comments “in situ” … and then you Review Comments to slog through them.  Be sure to have the beta tester SEND you their answer file (in the case of HotDocs, GhostFill or DealBuilder) or in the case of DealBuilder, in transaction mode, have them tell you the name of their answer file.

    CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

    These rules may seem minor in the greater scheme of things, but when the goal is 100%, every bit of planning can help.  We have found that the time spent on these matters has allows us to bring systems to 100% in less time.

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