Tip #309 -When and How To Use the Force User Input and Multiple 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 and the information you want to include in it, you’ll often need to choose from a number of options. These may be things like : 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 “Multiple Select” option when creating the template that will be used to generate the desired document. With some forethought, you can design your templates to give the user the option to select either the Force User Input or the Multiple Select option.

For example, if there are three defendants in a case, you may 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.

• In the above hypothetical, the Force User Input option will allow you to choose one of the three.

• The Multiple Select option will allow you to choose any combination of the three, or all three.

Let’s 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:

Let’s use the ‘three defendants’ scenario described above.

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

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

• Click the check box in the lower left corner of the page for “Force User Input.” This will insert the merge code into the template with the features as described above.

(Tip– when the Force User Input option is used, you will see the characters<*> as part of the merge code)

See highlighted examples below of the merge codes with the Force User Input option.

Here’s How To Use Multiple Select Option:
In this example, we want to be able to choose multiple defendants from the list of defendants in the case.

The Multiple Select option will allow you to choose one or more defendant(s) (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 and address 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 “Multiple Select.”

Here’s an example of the merge code shown in the template with the Multiple Select option.

(Tip – When the Multiple Select option is used you will see the characters <#> as part of the merge code).

• 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.

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.).

Here Are Examples Of The Finished Documents With Each Option