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Pathagoras: The Newsletter |
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The Smart way to create, find, save and organize your Microsoft® Word documents. |
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It just doesn't get any easier than this. |
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Instant Database I. Insert Documents by Reference. I have added a new feature to the Instant Database module (the two column screen which displays the documents variables at the left and the personalized text which should replace each variable at the right). This new feature allows you to link a variable (at the left) to a specified document named at the 'right.' When the replacement text is long or perhaps requires special formatting, the text can be called from an existing document or glossary term. (Reminder: text in the right hand field of the IDB screen typically is unformatted text. Except when this new feature is invoke, the right side ‘replacement’ text takes on the characteristics of the text it is replacing) Example of Insert Documents by Reference: Let’s say you have a document variable called “[PropDescription]” (for ‘property description’). You probably don’t want to type the 500 word, 30 line, description of the property into the short ‘replace with’ line at the right. In addition, let’s assume you already have a document called “C:\data\clients\Doe, John\propertydescription.doc” which you previously created for other aspects of the transaction. With the new and improved Instant Database, you can call in the contents of that (or any other) document by reference. Simply type the document’s full name onto the corresponding ‘Replacement Text line, surrounded by "<<" and ">>" markers. E.g.: Variable Replacement text [Client Name] John Doe . . . etc. Note: This is a potentially very powerful tool for your document assembly arsenal. That is because the document your reference can contain text, pictures, anything. Or it can be a simple property description. Please read the side panel for a bit more information on this feature. The new Instant Database feature described at the right can be a very powerful tool for document assembly. It essentially is document assembly within document assembly. So thoughtful arrangement of your folders and directories will make referencing the external document a bit easier. In the example above, if the ‘property description’ document is always called ‘propdescr.doc’, the mask can be prefilled with the text <<C:\data\clients\___\propdesc.doc>> (assuming that client documents are saved in the model suggested by the example) and all the user need to do is add “Doe, John” (the client’s personal folder) in place of the underline. On the other hand, maybe all property descriptions are saved in a folder called “<<c:\data\propertydescriptions\______>>” (or the like). Pre-fill the mask as shown and then just add the client’s name to complete the call. Other naming styles can be used. There is no limit here.
———————————————- II. Double Click to Transfer Text from Left to Right. If you double-click the variable in the left column of an Instant Database screen, the contents of the variable will be transferred over to the right (replacement text) column. (If the variable is a [bracketed variable], the brackets are removed.) This device is helpful when the mask (or scanned document) contains an optional word or phrase that you wish to keep if appropriate (double click it) or discard (don’t click it and the replacement text line remains empty, essentially saying ‘delete it). |
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SaveSmart AutoNaming of Documents Many law firms and business enterprises have adopted document naming conventions to promote the naming and saving of documents in a uniform style. SaveSmart now makes applying those conventions much easier. The SaveSmart module allow the user to assign up to 5 (more later) ‘types’ of documents that Pathagoras will automatically recognize and provide a name for. It also provides for 2 date styles (plus 'None' ) which may be appended to the beginning of the document name to comply with many currently used file naming conventions. The Details: This is the newest version of the SaveSmart screen. It looks almost like the old one, but a button and a checkbox have been added at the very bottom at the left.
When you click the button at the far left, a new Settings screen pops up: On this screen you would put in (in the first column) up to 5 'kinds' of documents. Letters, contracts, wills, trusts, motions, orders, etc. In the second column, insert 'key words' that, if those particular words exist in a certain location in the document, Pathagoras could determine the kind of document is being composed. (For example, the word "Dear" at the beginning of a line near the top of a document suggests a letter. Likewise, the words "Last Will" at the very top of a document suggests a Will; etc. In the third & fourth columns, tell Pathagoras the (relatively narrow) range in the document the key words must be found in order for them to 'count'. ("Last Will and Testament" appearing in the first or second paragraph of a document suggests a Will, but the same words appearing in the 30th paragraph of a long brief certainly does not.) The last column is simply the term (an abbreviation or elaboration) that you want to use in the proposed document name on the SaveSmart screen. At the very top of the page is the date style (20050128 (full year) or 052801 (2 digit year). ‘No date’ is an option as well. Here is how a completed form might look: Complete the form and you are done. The data is saved out. When you begin to save a new document via SaveSmart, Pathagoras looks for the patters suggested by the above form. If it finds one, it suggests a name for the document using what it found. If it finds nothing, no name is suggested (just like now). If two possible document 'types' are encountered (a letter has the word 'complaint' within the appropriate range, the first 'type' found always controls. (Pathagoras will go from top to bottom in the list and stop when a 'match' is found.) |
