Edit Document Text at the Document Preview Tab
The ability to edit the text of an assembled document is available to Microsoft Word users only. Additionally, this option is available only if the template provider has allowed it. (You can tell if the developer has made text editable by the color of the document text. By default, editable text is green.)
After you finish answering questions in an interview and before you send the document to the word processor or save it, you should review it. As you do, you may see that you need to change the language of a particular paragraph, or you may need to change a word or phrase to fit your particular needs. If the template developer has allowed it, you can edit the document text while viewing the Document Preview tab. Changes you make can be saved in an answer file so that if you reassemble the document, those changes will be reapplied. (You can always send the document to the word processor and make the changes there. However, those changes are specific to the word processor and will not be saved to HotDocs.)
When you edit the text of the assembled document, the text appears in a pop-up window called the Document Text Editor. This editor provides many of the text-editing tools you need, including font options, spell checking, printing, and copying and pasting. As you edit, you can add new text or remove existing text. You can also change the formatting of text.
You cannot edit variable (or answer) fields at the Document Text Editor. To edit answers, return to the assembly window and make the change at the Interview tab.
To edit the text of the document
- At the HotDocs library window, select a Microsoft Word template and begin assembling the document. (See Assemble a Text or Form Document.)
- After providing the required answers, click the Document Preview tab. The assembly window changes to show a preview of the document.
- Click the
Highlight Fields button. Text in the document that can be edited changes color. - Place your cursor in an editable section of text and click the
Edit Document Text button (or double-click on the text). The Document Text Editor appears. (If there are multiple sections of text you can edit, HotDocs may ask you which section you want to edit.) - Edit the text using the commands in the Document Text Editor toolbar. (See Document Text Editor Toolbar for a description of each command.)
- When you are finished making your changes, click
Save and Close. The editor closes and your changes are merged in the assembled document.
When you are finished reviewing the document, you can save your answers and the changes you made to the document are saved to the answer file. Then, if you reassemble the document using that answer file, the document will update with the changes you made.
To move between sections of editable text, click the 
Next Editable Text or the 
Previous Editable Text buttons in the navigation bar.
You can choose specific colors for marking editable and edited text in the document. See Set Properties for Viewing Answers and Editable Text in the Assembled Document.
When viewing the document in the Document Text Editor, if you click the 
Show Codes button, you will see an extra paragraph mark at the end of the document. This paragraph mark is merged by the text editor and will be deleted when you save your changes and the text is inserted back into the document. Because of this, do not modify the paragraph mark.