Answer Questions in a Dialog Using an Answer Source
Template providers can link questions in a dialog to an answer source or an answer file that contains existing answers. When you link a dialog to one of these sources, a 
Select button appears on the dialog. Click the Select button to open the answer source and select a record or add a new record to the answers.
Each record contains answers to one or more questions. For example, the records may contain the names, addresses, and phone numbers of attorneys in an office. After selecting one attorney's record, that attorney's information will be merged into the answer fields. This saves you from having to re-enter answers you use frequently as you assemble documents.
To access an answer source
- At the HotDocs library window, select a template and begin assembling the document.
- Use any of the following commands to complete different tasks associated with an answer source:
| To | Do This |
| Use an existing set of answers | Select the desired record, then click the Select button. |
| Add a new record | Select an empty row in the spreadsheet and click  Edit Row. Then enter your answers in the pop-up interview.
You can either gradually build the list, entering a different record each time you complete an interview; or you can enter several records at once. You can delete, edit, or add new records at any time.HotDocs saves your answers as you add them to the answer source. |
| Insert a record in between other records | Select the record you want to be below the new record you are inserting and click  Insert Row. Then click Edit Row to enter your answers. |
| Edit an existing record | Select the record and click Edit Row. Make your changes in the pop-up interview. |
| Delete a record | Select the record and click  Delete Row. The answers are deleted. |
| Sort or alphabetize columns in an answer source | Click the column you want to sort, right-click and choose Sort from the shortcut menu. The Sort Spreadsheet dialog box appears. Designate your sorting preferences and click OK.
To sort on a second level, enter your preferences in the and then fields. |
An answer source may be populated in different ways. For example, the template provider can either add answers to the answer source during development, or allow you to add answers during the interview. Additionally, an answer source may be an Outlook Contacts list or a Time Matters Contacts or Matters record, which the template provider has integrated with HotDocs.
If your dialog is linked to a Time Matters Contacts or Matters answer source and you change answers once they have been retrieved, you may be prompted to write the answers back to Time Matters.