Document Templates - Ask An Expert Webinar – Actionstep

Overview:

This is an article that contains information from our Ask An Expert Webinar on "Document Templates" utilizing Actionstep's Document Templates to improve the quality and accuracy of your legal documents, plus save your valuable time!

Watch the Ask An Expert Session here:

Click here for a copy of the presentation slides: Ask an Expert May 2022 .pdf

Click here for an example Template: Engagement Document-[[FirstNameLastName-pt-Client]]-[[system_date]]-2[50][11].docx

Helpful User Guide Articles:

For more information on how to -

FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions during the sessions)

Q. We would like to have the Logo/Letterhead on Settlement Statements Im not sure how to do this ?

A. Quite often you want to include the company logo in the letterhead or have different logos for each division.

[[DivisionLogo|pt=div__action|width=328|height=73]] will insert the logo for the division associated with the current action.

You can adjust the size of your logo using width= and hight= as shown in the example.

As demonstrated in the attached template that was used in the webinar you can see the merge field by toggling the <Logo> found at the top of the right hand side of the template and you will see that this template uses DivisionLogo|pt=Div__action|width=250.

Q. Can you show how to edit, update and use email templates?

A. There is some information on creating email templates here: https://actionstep.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360022855814-Creating-Email-Templates and here: https://actionstep.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360056381834-A-step-by-step-how-to-build-document-and-email-templates

However I think your feedback is correct and it would be good to have a webinar and an Ask An Expert devoted entirely to Email Templates so will be sure to add this to our roadmap! Watch this space!

Q. Is it possible for a document merge fields to discern between matter types or be governed by them? ex. a template generates fine in one matter type; but not a similar matter type.

A. Yes – when you upload a document template it is usually associated with a Matter Type. For example, let’s say you have a Will Template that pulls custom data from your Will Matter Type than you load it to your Will template however you can still access this template form other matter types but if the template has specific merge fields that refer to custom data in the Will Matter Type than these will be blank fields as you generating from a different Matter Type.

You can also create a matter type for global templates that you can access from any Matter type and as long as it does not have custom data belonging to any particular matter type then it will work across all of them examples of these are letterheads, etc.

Q. Can you please explain how to link calendar appointments to a template?

A. To link calendar appointments – you need to create the calendar appointment as a custom data field on the matter and then you would need to use this merge field format to show both the date and the time of the appointment. E.g. [[Appointments_InitialAppointment|fm=%nth_of_%B_%Y_at_%l_%p]]

Screen_Shot_2022-05-19_at_11.07.25_AM.png

For more information on merge field options please see here: https://actionstep.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360027272254-Merge-Field-Options

Q. Can we draw information from a relationship for a contact? e.g If I had a company contact and linked a director contact via a relationship and I wanted to pull the directors name in templates.

A. No Unfortunately not, the only way is to add that Director to the matter as a party type and then pull in data from there. For example, using pt=Director, where that contact has been added as a Director on the matter.

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