Understanding the Difference Between Multiple Choice Options and Merge Text

Problem

What is the difference between a Multiple Choice option and merge text?

Solution

There are actually three parts to a Multiple Choice variable:

• Options: Multiple Choice options are the actual possible answers to the variable. When an option is selected, it is the value that is saved in the answer file.
• Prompts: Prompts are the text used to describe the options. For example, if your option text isn't descriptive enough, you can enter a prompt for the option and the prompt will be used in the interview. (If you don't enter a prompt, HotDocs will use the Option text.)
• Merge Text: Merge text is the text that gets merged in the document, based on the options the user selects. (If you don't enter Merge Text, HotDocs will merge the Option text in the document.)

See Customize a Multiple Choice Variable for details.

If you are using merge text in a computation variable, make sure you remember to use quotations around the multiple choice variable name otherwise you will be using the option text. For example using «MCVariable» will use the option text in the assembled document but using "«MCVariable»" will use the merge text.