Organize the Final Template Library

Once all of your templates are automated, you can organize them within the library. How you organize the library depends on the template set. (See Introduction: Use HotDocs Libraries.)

One way you can organize the library is to create folders for storing the templates. Frequently, you can group similar templates in these folders. For example, wills can be organized in one group or a series of subgroups, depending on the number and types of wills you have automated. (See Organize the Contents of a Library.)

If you have a large set of templates, it may make more sense to create individual libraries for the template types. Real estate templates can be stored in one library, while family law templates could be saved in a different library.

Because the items in the library work like shortcuts to the actual files, you must be cautious when working with the actual files. Moving an actual file without updating the reference in the library will make the file inaccessible from the library. If you need to move the files in the library, use either the Move command or the Copy command (both commands found in the Template menu). If you need to update references, choose Properties or Multiple (Edit menu). (See Move Items to New Locations on Disk, Change the Properties of a Single Library Item, and Change the Properties for Multiple Items in a Library.)

When you created the templates, you may have added template titles and descriptions for each template you added to the library. If you did not, this is a good time to do this. Template titles and descriptions are an easy way to help the user identify the template. You do this by editing the template properties. (See Change the Properties of a Single Library Item.)