Work Items Overview

To download an assembled document, you must first create a work item.

A work item is a named location in HotDocs Advance where you choose a template, enter and edit answer data, and assemble documents from that template and answer data.

For example, if a lawyer needs to create a will for a client, they would create a new work item for their client using their will template. The choice of template, answer data from the interview, and the assembled will document are stored together as a work item. From the work item, the lawyer can change the answers used to assemble the document or download the assembled document.

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Overview

Depending on the sector in which you work, you may know a work item as a "matter", "claim", "document request" or another term. Regardless, the idea of a distinct piece of work for a client remains the same.

In Advance, a work item stores:

• Information on the last editor of the work item and when they edited it.
• Information on the work item creator and when they created it.
• The owner of the work item.
• The privacy status of the work item.
• The choice of template used to generate the assemble document.
• Any assembled documents generated.

Common tasks

Among others, the work items feature enables you to perform the following common tasks:

• Create a new work item
• Download a work item's assembled documents
• Open a work item interview
• Rename a work item
• Collaborate on a work item
• Delete a work item

Workflow

Before you open an interview for a template you first create and name a work item. This groups the data and the assembled documents together, enabling you to access the work as a whole if you need to revisit it. Once you have completed the interview, you can download the assembled document. If required, you can later access the work item, open the interview, edit the data and download an updated document.

Using work items

When you log into Advance, you see Work groups in the Work groups pane on the home page. Click on a work group to access the work items area. From there you can create a new work item and view a table containing existing work items in that work group, sorted by the most recently updated. You can also view the work item and download any assembled documents created for the work item. You can collaborate on work items with other members of your work group.

If you are a Site Administrator you can see all of the work items created by your template users.

Work item detail pane

Each work item has a detail pane that contains the following information:

• A list of documents assembled for the work item
• The date and time a user last updated the work item
• The date and time a user created the work item
• The name of the user that created the work item
• The template used by the work item

You access the detail pane by selecting a work group from the menu and clicking the work item name in the work items list.

Template titles in work items

Each work item displays the title of the HotDocs template used to create the work item, under the Template heading in the work items list and work item detail pane. This title reflects the title of the template as it appeared when the work item was last updated.

If the title of the template changes, the work item will not display the new template title until the work item is updated.

Template Title Update Example

The following example sequence of steps explains when Advance updates a work item template title:

1. A Template User creates a new work item using a template titled Employment Contract.
2. The work item detail pane displays the template title Employment Contract.
3. An Author uploads an updated version of the template, with a changed title: Employee Agreement.
4. The work item detail pane still displays the Employment Contract template title.
5. A Template User updates the work item, e.g. by reloading and completing an interview for the work item.
6. The work item detail pane now displays the new template title, Employee Agreement.