A format is a variable or field property you set to define the pattern HotDocs uses to format answers or other values in assembled documents; for example, you can use the 'LIKE THIS' text format to capitalize all letters in a text string, the 'nine' number format to spell out a numeral, or the pattern 'dd/mm/yyyy' to format a date value as text.
The following tables describe the set of commonly used formats HotDocs provides you by default when you install Author. You can manage the commonly used formats in the My Formats area of the HotDocs Options dialog box and access the list of commonly used formats in both the Format drop down in the HotDocs Field Editor and the Behavior tab of Component Studio (when editing a component than you can format).
If you need formats other than the ones HotDocs provides, you can create your own.
You can use text formats to format placeholder fields that reference text variables, multi select variables, and computations in which you are working with text. HotDocs Author includes the following commonly used text formats by default:
Text Format | Template User's Answer | How Answer is Formatted in Document |
LIKE THIS | Marianne Stevens | MARIANNE STEVENS |
Like This | Marianne Stevens | Marianne Stevens |
Like this | Marianne Stevens | Marianne stevens |
like this | Marianne Stevens | marianne stevens |
Like a This | our client, Marianne Stevens, is the Plaintiff in the case | Our client, Marianne Stevens, is the Plaintiff in the case |
You can use number formats to format placeholder fields that reference number variables and computations in which you are working with numbers. HotDocs Author includes the following commonly used number formats by default:
Number Format | How Answer is Recorded During Interview | How Answer is Formatted in Document |
9999 | 1,234 | 1234 |
9,999 | 1,234 | 1,234 |
9,999.00 | 1234
1234.50 (requires decimal places property set to 2) |
1,234.00
1,234.50 |
9.9 | 87.6 | 87.6 |
09 | 4
78 |
04
78 |
9 1/8 | 2.3 | 2 1/4 |
9th | 23 | 23rd |
nine | 1,278
0 |
one thousand two hundred seventy-eight
no |
NINE | 1,278
0 |
ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY-EIGHT
NO |
ninth | 782 | seven hundred eighty-second |
Nine Dollars and Twelve Cents | 5.36 | Five Dollars and Thirty-Six Cents |
none |
1,278
0 |
one thousand two hundred seventy-eight
none |
zero |
1,278
0 |
one thousand two hundred seventy-eight
zero |
IX | 1234 | MCCXXXIV |
Many of these formats can change depending on whether you assign decimal places to the answer. How many decimal places you assign also affects the outcome.
You can use date formats to format placeholder fields that reference date variables. HotDocs Author includes the following commonly used date formats by default:
Date Format | Template User's Answer | How Answer is Formatted in Document |
Mmmm d, yyyy | nov 6, 2000 | November 6, 2000 |
d Mmmm yyyy | November 6, 2000 | 6 November 2000 |
DD MMM YYYY | November 6, 2000 | 6 NOV 2000 |
m/d/yyyy | November 6, 2000 | 11/6/2000 |
mm/dd/yyyy | November 6, 2000 | 11/06/2000 |
dth day of Mmmm, yyyy | November 6, 2000 | 6th day of November, 2000 |
Dy day of Mmmm, yyyy | November 6, 2000 | Sixth day of November, 2000 |
Mmmm Dy, Yr | November 6, 2000 | November Sixth, Two Thousand |
Mmmm dth | November 6, 2000 | November 6th |
Dddd | November 6, 2000 | Monday |
Dddd, Mmmm d, yyyy | November 6, 2000 | Monday, November 6, 2000 |
If you need a date format other than the commonly used ones listed above, see Custom Date Formats.
You can use True/False formats to format placeholder fields that reference True/False variables. HotDocs Author includes the following commonly used true/false formats by default:
True/False Format | Template User's Answer | How Answer is Formatted in Document |
true/false | Yes No |
true false |
yes/no | Yes No |
yes no |
You can use list formats to format placeholder fields that reference a multi select variable or a list of answers a repeated dialog gathers in an interview. HotDocs Author includes the following commonly used list formats by default:
List Format | How TWO Answers are formatted in Document | How THREE Answers are formatted in Document |
a, b and c | apples and bananas | apples, bananas and cherries |
a, b AND c | apples AND bananas | apples, bananas AND cherries |
a, b, and c | apples and bananas | apples, bananas, and cherries |
a, b or c | apples or bananas | apples, bananas or cherries |
a, b, or c | apples or bananas | apples, bananas, or cherries |
a; b; and c | apples and bananas | apples; bananas; and cherries |
a, b | apples, bananas | apples, bananas, cherries |
If you need to change the capitalization of a template user's answer, you can use a field-specific format and/or marker field. Individual answers in the list are placed into the assembled document as the template user types them during an interview or as you have otherwise specified for each variable.