How To Topic

Setting the Default Unanswered Text Property for a Template

You can set the text you want HotDocs to replace a placeholder field with during document assembly if (during the interview) your template user leaves the corresponding question unanswered.

During document assembly, for each unanswered question, HotDocs first checks to see if you set the placeholder field's unanswered text property. If you did not, HotDocs then looks at the component level property. If you left both properties empty, HotDocs then displays the value in the default unanswered text in the Template Properties Dialog.

To edit the default unanswered text for the template

1. In Workspace Explorer, open the Template Properties dialog.
2. Click on the Assembly Behavior tab.
3. From the Unanswered variable placeholder drop-down, select the value you want HotDocs to place into the assembled document if the user leaves any question unanswered during the interview:
   • ***Variable*** – places the unanswered variable name surrounded by three asterisks. For example, ***EmployeeName***.
   • [Variable] – places the unanswered variable name surrounded by square brackets. For example, [EmployeeName].
   • Underscores – places seven underscores in a line, like this  _______.
   • Asterisks – places three asterisks in a line, like this ***.
   • Nothing – places nothing in place of the unanswered component.