Tip #227 - How to Use the Force User Input andMulti-Select Options in Your Document Templates

Document Templates are used to generate finished documents in SmartAdvocate. These are created in Microsoft Word and the documents they generate will also be in Word by default. Depending on the type of document you are creating or the information you want to include in it, you’ll often need to choose from a number of options. These may be: which party to insert in the document, which medical provider, insurance company, adjuster, attorney, etc. In a case involving multiple defendants, you may want to select which of the defendants to include or list in that part of your document.

When there are “multiple” options, SmartAdvocate allows the user to select which option to include. This is done using the “Force User Input” or “Multi-Select” option when creating the template that will be used to generate the desired document.

For example, if there are three defendants in a case, but you want to choose which of the three you want to send a letter to. Or, you may want to send the letter to two of the defendants, but not the third.

• The Force User Input option will allow you choose one of the three

• The Multi-Select option will allow you to choose any combination of the three

Let’s take a look at a sample template to see how these options are used. In the first example below, we will use the Force User Input to select one of the defendants.

Here’s How To Use Force User Input Option:

• First, navigate to the location in your template where you want to insert the defendant’s name

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• Next, locate and click on the appropriate merge code you want to use
   

• Click the check box in the lower left corner of the page for “Force User Input”. In this example, we will locate the merge code for defendant’s name and address (this is a “block” merge code, i.e., it will have the name and address in one merge code. Generally, those merge codes will have the word ‘block’ in the name). This will insert the merge code into the template with the features as described above.

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Here’s How To Use Multi-Select Option:

In this example, we want to be able to choose multiple defendants from the list of defendants in the case. The Multi-Select option will allow you to chose one or more defendant (and will also allow you to choose how the names are listed when the document merges, i.e., on separate lines, horizontally separated by commas, etc.).

• First, we will locate the position in our template where we want the information (defendant’s name in this example) to be printed
   

• Next, we will locate the appropriate merge code (defendant’s address block). After selecting the merge code, we will check the box in the bottom left corner of the page for “Multi Select”

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• Finish editing your template and then save it

For the Force User Input option, when the template merges, it will pause and let you choose one of the defendants in this example.

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For the Multi Select option, when the document merges, it will pause and let you select one or more defendant(s) and also let you select how you want the items listed (i.e., on a separate line, separated by commas, etc.)

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Here’s the Finished Document

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