Tip #167 - Create Your Own Merge Codes For UDFs (User Defined Fields)

Did you know that you have the ability to create merge codes for your own User Defined Fields (UDFs)? Although SmartAdvocate has an unprecedented number of predefined “regular” merge codes (parties’ names, incident date, medical provider, treatment date, insurance company, etc.), it is possible that you may develop a need to have data entered in UDFs and merged into your finished documents.
 
Let’s say that you have created a UDF for the tire manufacture on the Case UDF page, and wanted to have the data entered in those fields merged into your finished documents, you could do so by using Dynamic Merge Codes.
Here’s how:

1. Click on the Admin tab on the top tool bar in SmartAdvocate.

2. Select UDF Editor from the dropdown list.

3. Select the Case Type that you want to work with. You will see a displayed list of the UDFs that have been created for that Case Type.

4. Select the Edit function for the UDF that you want to work with (Edit will be available in the far right column).

5. In the displayed dialogue box, enter a name in the “Short Name” field. The “Short Name” entered here will be your merge code for this field.

  
Figure 1

Now, when creating or editing your template, when you select Merge Codes from the SmartAdvocate tool bar, and select the “Dynamic Merge Codes” option, your list of UDF based merge codes will display.

Figure 2

Insert your Dynamic Merge Codes into your Templates the same way that you insert any other regular merge code.