REQUIRE ALL; REQUIRE VAR

The REQUIRE instructionA command in a script or template that performs a special task, such as inserting a template or asking a dialog at a specific place in the interview. requires users to answer questions in a dialog before they can advance to the next dialog in the interviewA series of dialogs, each containing one or more questions which HotDocs generates from the variables you add to your template. The template's user must answer the questions in the interview before HotDocs can assemble a custom document. You can view the interview by clicking the Interview tab of the assembly window. The left pane of the assembly window displays an outline of the interview. As the user answers questions, the outline tracks the user's progress through the interview..

REQUIRE instructions ensure that important information is not left out of the assembled documentThe file that is created after a template has been assembled.. For example, a certain document requires the userThe customer, client, or person who assembles documents from templates. (See also template developer.) to enter the date when a legal filing was first made. Later in the templateA word processor or form document that has been converted to HotDocs format so that it can be automated. When in template format, changeable text in the template can be replaced with variables. Other instructions can be added as well, such as instructions that create lists, condition text, and insert other templates., this date is used to calculate a deadline for subsequent filings. Many users, however, may not take the time to look up the initial filing date, which creates problems for calculating the deadline. Using the REQUIRE instruction in a dialog scriptOne or more instructions and/or expressions that generate a value or execute some kind of procedure., as shown in this example script, can help resolve this problem:

REQUIRE Initial Filing Date

When a dialog script contains a REQUIRE instruction, a red mark appears on the dialog icon in the interview outlineSee interview outline.. The question in the dialog is also marked. This mark remains until the required variable is answered. If a user tries to move to another dialog, HotDocs displays an error message, then moves the cursor to the first required answer fieldA place in the template that denotes where users' answers should be merged, or where a specific instruction should be executed. In a text template, a field is denoted by chevrons. In a form template, a field is denoted by a colored box that is overlaid on the form's static text. in the dialog. Users cannot advance to the next dialog without first providing the required answers.

It may be helpful to include text in the dialog that provides users with information about which fields are mandatory and why. See Add Text to Your Dialogs for details.

You can customize the marks used in the dialog by specifying your options at HotDocs OptionsA section of the software where template developers and end users can set their preferences for working with HotDocs.. See Customize the Look of the Dialog Pane.

Although current and past versions of HotDocs Developer allow the user to click Finish on an Interview Template than contains unanswered required variables or ERRORTEXT variables which have an incorrect answer in them, this behavior will be changed in the future so your templates should not rely on it.