Introduction: Create HotDocs Models

As you draft documents for your clients, you frequently modify existing documents by replacing the changeable text in the document (such as names, dates, and figures) with the current client’s information. This process can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially because you must go through this process for each new client or matter.

One way you can solve this problem is to create a HotDocs template from the document. This process requires someone with HotDocs knowledge to replace changeable text with variables, conditions, and scripts. Depending on how complex the template is, sometimes the automated template can be difficult for non-HotDocs developers to read and understand.

Another option is to instead create a HotDocs Model. HotDocs Models are ideal for subject matter experts who want to review a template without having to learn or install HotDocs on their local machine. The variable and instructions are clearly visible in the document text and can be color-coded to differentiate between types (see Apply Color to Markup). This makes the entire template process easily accessible for the non-HotDocs user and allows them to edit the HotDocs Model before passing it back to their HotDocs developer.

Once you have a HotDocs Model, you can use it with HotDocs to generate documents for your clients. If you are using HotDocs Developer, you can also convert your HotDocs Models to HotDocs template format so they can be added to your collection of templates.

For example, say you have a will that could include different provisions for different inheritance scenarios. Some provisions should be included if you're drafting a will for one type of client, but those same provisions should be left out for other types of clients. With a HotDocs Model, you keep all of the different text variations in a single document, rather than storing the text in separate documents. Then you can mark up the document so that only the correct versions are used, depending on answers the user gives.

As you mark up the HotDocs Model directly in Microsoft Word, your documents must be in DOCX, DOC or RTF format.