DocAssist Editor training is provided below.
Click on each tab for an overview of each feature, watch short videos and download exercises for hands on learning.
We recommend completing each topic from left to right on the tab ribbon.
Editor Training
DocAssist Editor Training
Content controlsOptional & Select ParagraphsIndexSync GroupCalculationsWriteback Guidance NotesGroups & RepeatersClauses Clippings & Insert FileBatch Process
Overview
Content Controls were introduced in Word 2007 and expanded in 2013. Content Controls are Microsoft Office’s replacement for Fields. Content Controls have more flexibility than fields, for example, more items can be added to dropdowns and more content controls can be added to a document.
Take a look at a Microsoft template from their website and download nearly any Word template to see a very basic example of content controls. The content controls are the prompts that are to be completed in the Word template.
Most Microsoft Word templates show content controls in Design mode, to view in Design mode, select the Developer ribbon in Word (if you do not see the Developer tab in Word, go to File/Options/Customise Ribbon and check the Developer box from available menus) and select the Design Mode button. Content controls will have bracket images around each prompt in Design mode. Select the Design mode button again to toggle back to standard Word view.
Types of Content Controls
The following Content Controls are in-built Microsoft Word Content Controls:
- Text – text only
- Rich Text – text and other Word features such as tables
- Dropdown – list of preset text options
- Combo – list of preset text options & blank text option
- Checkbox – yes/no toggle checkbox
- Date – calendar date in various formats
The above Content Controls are also accessible via the Word Developer ribbon tab under the Controls group.
The following Content Controls have been created/set up by DocAssist and are only available in the DocAssist Editor ribbon:
- Free Text – text only (content control deletes on selection)
- List – add a predefined data list or create a custom list
- Money – currency in various formats
- Contact Lookup – details about any contact stored in the DocAssist database
- User Lookup – details of any DocAssist user sourced from your Microsoft Active Directory
- Time – time in various formats ie 12 hr/ 24 hr
Play video to see content controls created
Create your own Content Controls
Overview
DocAssist has two options for content that is variable in a document.
Optional paragraphs
Optional paragraphs are variable paragraph/s that require a simple yes/no choice to answer if that variable text is required. These paragraph/s are not reliant nor need to be related to other text in the document.
Select paragraphs
Select paragraphs are variable paragraph/s that are inserted based on criteria and can also be linked to other select paragraphs and/or dropdown content controls. This can allow extensive auto selection of variables based on only one option being chosen.
All possible options can be displayed in the document text before selection to ensure criticial variable options are not overlooked and different layout views of the options can be displayed on the DocAssist Pane.
There are two setup types for Select Paragraphs
Single selection (default)
The Select Paragraph default option is for only one selection to be available from a list of possible options.
Multi selection (tickbox option)
By selecting a multi -select tickbox option, multiple options can be added from one Select Paragraph and formatting separators to be set up for clauses that need to be displayed in a connected format, such as clauses in deeds or agreements.
Both Optional paragraphs and Select Paragraphs automation types allow for optional guidance text to be connected and shown on the DocAssist Pane with the option is selected.
Play video to see Optional Paragraphs & Select Paragraphs created
Create your own Optional Paragraphs & Select Paragraphs
Download Creating Optional Paragraphs and Select Paragraphs Exercise
Overview
IndexSync Group can be added to Dropdown Content Controls, & Select Paragraphs by assigning an IndexSync Group name to all associated Dropdown Content Controls and Select Paragaphs.
Logic
IndexSync Group allows documents to be set up so that once one synced automation option is selected, all correspondening synced automation options are automatically selected. For example, a large agreement that inserts various clauses througout the document in relation to a guarantor being included can all be added with one click.
Conditions
There must be the same amount of options in each IndexSync Group that is set up and the options must be in same order.
For example, an IndexSync Group name called gender may have three gender types:
- Female
- Male
- Indentifies as non gender
All synced automation associated to these three gender types must be in same order and can only have three options in each automation. For example, two dropdown controls that are synced could have dropdown items of:
Notice that the items are in the same order and both lists have the same amount of options.
Play video to see IndexSync Group added – Dropdown Controls
Create your own IndexSync Group links in Dropdown Controls
Part 1 – Creating IndexSync Group links in Dropdown Content Controls Exercise
Play video to see IndexSync Group added to Select Paragraphs
Create your own IndexSync Group links for Select Paragraphs
Part 2 – Creating IndexSync Group links in Select Paragraphs Exercise
Overview
Calculations for both date and money content controls are set up in the Value option of the content control attributes available under Add Content Control button the DocAssist Editor Ribbon in Word. Calculations commonly start with an = sign and referenced content control tagnames are in square [tagname] brackets. Calculations for both date and currency content controls can also be added to DocAssist repeaters.
Date Calculations – can be made to add or subtract calendar ‘days’, ‘workingdays’, ‘months’ or ‘years’ using the wording in quotes and the number of days in digits in round brackets. Leap Years can be accounted for either a calender year or finanical year using “DaysInYear” or “DaysInFinYear” eg =DaysInYear([SaleDate]) , if [SaleDate] year was a leap year the number of days returned would be 366 otherwise 365. Standard Excel calculation operators are used eg =[Date Tagname]+workingdays(5)
Currency Calculations – can made with standard Excel calculation operators, +, -, *(multiple), / (division) etc. GST is an example of a common calculation eg =[Money Tagname]/10, or totalling an estimate of costs, or damages in a litigation matter eg =[Money Tagname1]+[Money Tagname2].
Overview
Writeback is an option available on content controls, optional paragraphs, select paragraphs and repeaters. To enable writeback, check the writeback tickbox available on those DocAssist features.
Writeback is used for data that is used more than once in a matter but not stored elsewhere.
Some examples of where writeback might be used are:
- Court matter details, such as a court file number in a text content control.
- An optional paragraph that is used over multiple documents where the answer will always be the same.
- Repeating paragraphs used over multiple documents, such as a court schedule of parties.
When writeback is enabled, data entered is stored against the matter in an extended data location. The data that is writeback can be overwritten however if that data should remain true to time of entry, ensure documents containing the writeback function are finalised using the Finalise button on the DocAssist Pane.
Writeback can be set to be instant, this means that once you select a matter and complete the DocAssist Prompt Pane, any writeback in the document will writeback to the matter once you leave the writeback option. Alternatively, writeback can be set to only writeback to a matter when a document is saved. These two options are set in the DocAssist settings.xml file.
Overview
Guidance Notes for precedents
Help notes can be added at the following levels:
Precedent – Guidance notes that appear as a separate tab on the DocAssist pane. Create by creating a new page section at beginning of precedent and add notes to Section 1 of the Precedent. Select Convert to DocAssist Notes. Can be edited by selecting Edit DocAssist Notes. Resave by selecting Convert to DocAssist Notes.
Bookmark – Use a bookmark to enclose text that requires an explanation. Create a note, highlight and select Control Notes/Bookmark name to set note.
Individual Content Control – Add individual notes to be displayed on the DocAssist Pane when content control is selected, added using the Control Notes feature. Notes can be reset to default text by clearing custom notes.
Word Style – PrecInst – A Word style can be set up in the DocAssist settings.xml file called “PrecInst” and applied to text that is instructional text directly on the document. When the Finalise button on the DocAssist Pane is used, all text in this Word style is removed from the document.
Overview
In more complex documents such as deeds and agreements repeating content such as parties is common. DocAssist allows editors to set up Groups for contacts, users or custom groups. These Groups allow repeating blocks, lists (in sentence form) or tables to be set up in a document as many times as required. You cannot have a repeating block, list or table section of text without first setting up a Group. Groups for contacts and users access the information available on those entities. Custom groups require you to set up in content controls for the information you want to group first. Selection Sync (Index) provides the ability to group select paragraphs and dropdown content controls across multiple documents. Repeater blocks, Lists and Tables can be deconstructed for editing.
Groups
You must set up a Group before creating a Repeater.
You can use the same group multiple times in your document for repeaters lists or tables.
If groups are set to writeback those repeaters can then be used over multiple documents.
You must have existing content controls set up before creating a custom group/repeater
You can set up 4 different types of Groups
- Contacts – information related to a contact
- Users – information related to a user
- Custom – other information not in contacts or users.
- Selection Sync (Index) – groups related select paragraphs and dropdown across multiple documents
Overview
Clauses are separate Word documents that can be automated with DocAssist, the clause documents must be saved into a version of iManage such as FileSite, WorkSite etc. Clauses allow users to add the text from the Word documents to documents that are open in Word or emails that are open in Outlook.
Clause Bank is available in Word and Outlook. Clause bank is linked to a specified folder (and subfolders) that are located in a version of iManage. Clause bank offers multiple ways to search and access clauses, a search dialog that can provide full text searching, a browse dialog that displays the iManage folder and subfolders, a favourties dialog to save favourite locations or specfic clauses. All options provide a preview of a clause before selection.
Clauses in DocAssist precedents all clauses stored in the iManage folder and subfolders designated for clauses are accessible via the DocAssist Editor ribbon in Word. This allows for the clauses to be integrated into DocAssist precedents while still being maintained in one location in iManage.
Clippings provide the ability to store common clauses or preferred client wording in a searchable repository in Word and Outlook. Clippings are similar to autotext entries but save as standalone Word documents (allowing you to add hyperlinks, images etc) to a folder that is retrievable from any device under your login. Clippings can contain content controls and will retain firm Word styles to save on formatting time. Clippings can be used in conjunction with the clauses or as an alternative for clients who are not using iManage as a document management system.
Personal Clippings is only available to you and so you can set up your own folder system to suit how you work.
Shared Clippings is available for a team or practice group to share and use clipppings that the group or team encourage or request members use in their correspondence.
Global Clippings is available to all DocAssist users and is usually set to be read only. Administrators can be set up to have full access to maintain global clippings. Global clippings is an alternative tool to the DocAssist Clause Bank for those clients not using iManage as a document management system.
Insert File is available in DocAssist Precedents via the DocAssist Editor ribbon. This tool is only for DocAssist editors and allows documents to be inserted currently only from versions of iManage. The document that is inserted can be inserted with DocAssist automation or the editor can choose to delete automation on insertion of the file. The file is inserted into a document where a matter is selected from the DocAssist Pane.
Video and exercises will be loaded here soon.
Overview
Batch Process
Create a bundle (ie batch) of documents by selecting a list of documents and assigning them to a batch. Currently, the source and created documents must be saved into a version of iManage. An example scenario could be initial leasing documents, acknowledging client instructions and requesting lessor/lessee information.
Process a batch of documents all at one time with a selected Matter (ie iManage Matter Workspace) and Author.
Set particular documents to run multiple times based on a DocAssist Group count (if set up in the source document).
Select documents in the batch without having to process the entire batch.
Open completed documents open directly from iManage WorkSpace or via the History tab on the DocAssist Batch Tool.
Video and exercises will be loaded here soon.