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!).