The 'Ask Table' |
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The 'Ask Table' |
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The 'Ask Table'
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The 'Ask Table' |
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The 'Ask Table' |
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As suggested in the previous section, you can easily move references to all Options and Optional text blocks that reside in a source document to the top of the document. The goal is to enable the user to answer 'up front' all of the important document assembly questions.
Prerequisites:
| • | The document must contain at least one <<*Optional*>> or <<*Options*>> text block. (As a practical matter, your document would likely have many such text blocks. If it has only a few, there would not be much of a benefit to the table.) |
| • | Each <<*Optional*>> or <<*Options*>> text block in the document that you want to be reflected in the Ask Table must contain a !GroupName! This is true of even for text blocks that are not paired with other members of the group. (and which, therefore, do not otherwise require a !group!). <<*Optional*>> or <<*Options*>> text blocks can still exist in a document without a group designator, but they will not be brought up into the Ask Table. |
| • | Typically, the name assigned to a !Group! could be anything. But when used with 'Ask Tables' the !GroupName! should be meaningful. |
How to Create the Ask Table:
Display the document for which you wish to create the Ask Table.
Click the Pathagoras Features List. Select Authoring Tools and the Create <<*Ask Table*>> element.
Follow the prompts.
Using the Ask Table
The Ask Table typically sits at the top of a source document. When the end user brings a document to the editing screen from either the Clause Selection Screen or a DropDown list, document processing immediately begins. Pathagoras will read each element of the table from top to bottom and present the appropriate question for a response onto an 'Interview' form. The user checks (or leaves unchecked if the option is not desired). Once all choices are made, the end user clicks the Next button. The various responses are recorded and processed throughout the document. If there were more questions in the Table then there was room in the Interview, Pathagoras will present the remaining questions onto a new (continuation) Interview.
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Once you have created your Ask Table, you can expand and refine its functionality by using the Logic Assistant. As the name implies, the Logic Assistant can add 'logic' to the table. Certain decisions can automatically be made for the end user based on answers and values provided or set in previous answers. Please note that the Ask Table is entirely functional at this stage. The application of further 'logic' to the Table is entirely optional. If you want to stop right here and take a 'breath,' please do.
The Ask Table is plain Word text. You can edit it to suit your office's needs. Just highlight, cut and paste until you have the order of questions you wish to present to the end user.