Archive for category: HotDocs Training

We recommend that you mark up your documents in your Word Processor to make automating in HotDocs faster.

For this example, let’s suppose that a decision has been made to automate your firm’s standard will.  Further, you have decided to retain its qualities as a Word document and, hence, would like it transformed into a MS Word template.  Here is a copy of how your original will might start out:

I, CLARK CLIENT, a resident of 123 Some Way, Eagle Mountain, UT 84043, do make, publish and declare this to be my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT and I hereby revoke all Wills and Codicils heretofore made by me.

SECTION 1.  IDENTIFICATION

1.1.      SPOUSE – My spouse’s name is CONNIE CLIENT.  All references in this Will to my spouse are to said spouse

1.2.      CHILDREN – I have two (2) children, SAM CLIENT and CHRIS CLIENT.  All references in this Will to my children are to said named children and to children hereafter born to or adopted by me and to any child of mine in gestation at the time of my death.

To mark-up this document, start at the top of the document and work your way down through the page. The first sentence has some need of automation, as several words will change depending on the client.  The sections that will change from client to client are highlighted below.

I, CLARK CLIENT, a resident of 123 Some Way, Eagle Mountain, UT 84043, do make, publish and declare this to be my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT and I hereby revoke all Wills and Codicils heretofore made by me.

We would mark the highlighted sections for automation by replacing the highlighted text with an indicator of how this should be automated.  The same paragraph is shown below in a marked up format.  The capitalization of “NAME OF CLIENT” tells REAL to have the client’s name inserted in all capital letters.

I, [NAME OF CLIENT], a resident of [Address of Client], do make, publish and declare this to be my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT and I hereby revoke all Wills and Codicils heretofore made by me.

This paragraph is now ready for automation.  The indicators will instruct REAL to replace the Name of the Client and Address of the client with variables.  The variables will dynamically gather information from the end-user and insert the information into the document.

Now lets look at the next paragraph.

1.1.      SPOUSE – My spouse’s name is CONNIE CLIENT.  All references in this Will to my spouse are to said spouse.

One way to mark it up is:

1.1.      SPOUSE – My spouse’s name is [NAME OF SPOUSE].  All references in this Will to my spouse are to said spouse.

The problem with leaving this paragraph like this is that it does not tell REAL what to do for single clients or clients with an unmarried partner.  One way to add these instructions is to include text at the start of the paragraph with more specific instructions.  Different possible options for the paragraph’s wording can also be included in the instructions or by using slashes within the paragraph’s text to indicate different options.  In the example paragraph, the word “spouse” should become partner as needed.  For example:

[PARAGRAPH 1.1 – ONLY INCLUDE IF THE CLIENT IS MARRIED OR HAS A PARTNER]

1.1.      [SPOUSE/PARTNER]- My [spouse/partner]‘s name is [NAME OF SPOUSE].  All references in this Will to my [spouse/partner] are to said [spouse/partner].

Most of the children paragraph can be marked-up using the previous two examples as guidance:

[PARAGRAPH 1.2 – ONLY INCLUDE IF THE CLIENT HAS CHILDERN]

1.2.      [CHILD/CHILDREN] – I have [number of children:nine] ([number of children:9]) [child/children], [NAME OF CHILDREN].  All references in this Will to my [child/children] are to said named [child/children] and to children hereafter born to or adopted by me and to any child of mine in gestation at the time of my death.

Notice that the actual number of children has been replaced by the text “number of children” followed by an indicator of how the number should be formatted.   Using the number “nine” is a generic way to indicate any number in HotDocs.  For example, if a client had three children, the above formatting would tell to REAL to insert the first sentence of the paragraph into the document as: I have three (3) children ….

Although this mark-up is a good start on the children’s paragraph, the process is not quite complete, as not every client wants to include a paragraph about after-born children.  This should be made optional.  The final mark-up for the children’s paragraph considering these factors might look like this:

1.3.      [CHILD/CHILDREN] – I have [number of children:nine] ([number of children:9]) [child/children], [NAME(S) OF CHILDREN].  All references in this Will to my [child/children] are to said named [child/children] [OPTIONAL: and to children hereafter born to or adopted by me and to any child of mine in gestation at the time of my death].

The same procedure can be done to add stepchildren, grandchildren, and even a paragraph about any disinherited children.

There are 9 types of variables:

• Text
• Number
• Date
• True/False
• Multiple-choice
• Computation
• Clause – not talking about
• Dialog
• Personal Information  – not talking about – stored in registry

Text Variable – You can enter any text string in this type of variable, including letters, numbers and symbols.  Text variables include items such as names and address.  Telephone numbers, SSNs, or other “numbers” which should not be used to add, subtract, multiply, etc. are created as text variables

Number Variable – Numbers can be formatted to restrict maximum or a minimum values, as currencies, or set to show a certain number of decimal places.  Typically numbers are used to represent text that will be used in a calculation.  Because social security and telephone numbers are never used in calculations and typically require a specific format, they are considered Text variables not numbers.

Date Variable – You can use the popup calendar to enter a date, or enter in as 14 Nov 2003, 11 14 2003, or November 14, 2003.  Unless you change your options, it will require a 4-digit year.

HINT: To enter “today’s date” in a date variable, simply enter “t.”

True/False Variable – You can select from either check boxes or radio buttons.  They can be grouped together, so they resemble a multiple choice, or can require a “Yes” or “No” answer.

Multiple Choice Variable – This type of variable allows you to select from a list of options, and often included an “Other” choice where you can enter in additional information.  Depending on the variable, you can choose one, or multiple selections.  This type of variable can appear as a drop down list [CLIENT STATE] or as a list, with [SALUTATION] or without [MARITAL STATUS] columns.

HINT: Single selection multiple-choice variables are radio (circle) buttons and multiple choice variables have square buttons.

Computation – You can use a Computation variable to calculate number, date, true/false, and text values based on answers a user enters. The computed value can then be merged into the assembled document. Computation variables can also be used to group several instructions or expressions for insertion into a template, which results in quicker assembly.

Dialog – By default, when HotDocs displays variables in a HotDocs interview, each variable is shown in a dialog by itself. While this approach may be sufficient for some, you may want to group related variables and present them in a custom dialog.