Constructing templates

Data stored in Legal Enterprise can be merged into letters, spreadsheets, emails and forms. Pre-defined templates are the basis for this mechanism. You can create templates from within the application associated with the type of template you want to create, e.g. Microsoft Word. However, form templates (i.e. definitions) can only be created using the Forms Maintenance facility in Legal Enterprises.

In terms of the others, you should layout your template in the normal way as if you were writing a letter, building a spreadsheet, etc. In the places you want to include data from Legal Enterprise you then insert the appropriate variables and format them as required. When you are happy with your template, it needs to be compiled so that all the elements are packaged ready for use

Finally, when a template is saved you are then given the opportunity to enter various details to identify it in Document Management such as name, description, keywords, etc. All templates are stored in logical folders and you may view or amend previously created versions.

Note: When constructing Word templates they can be saved as .doc or .docx files. The .doc format uses a compiled document for merging. These are compiled versions of the Word templates, which store a list of all the variables used in the document. The .docx format uses XML technology introduced in Microsoft Word 2007 and removes the need for a compiled document, making it faster and more robust. It is particularly useful for documents that contain several document commands, e.g. IF statements.