Converting Templates from HotDocs^© to

TheFormTool^® Products

By Bill Cutchin

DocAssembly Guru, Expert Form Author and Consultant

www.DocAssembly.Guru

850.980.4365

While there is no direct conversion method for translating a HotDocs (“HD”) template into a template for TheFormTool PRO, Doxserá, Doxserá DB,or Aurora webData (“TheFormTool”),I have found these steps to be a simple and useful way to handle the conversion:

1.   Open the HD template.

2.   Save the HD template as either a .DOTX or .DOCX file in the folder in which you are going to put TheFormTool templates.

a.      You will use this file later as the basis for your TheFormTool template.

3.    On the HD template screen,open the Field Appearance dialog (click on Field Appearance in the upper left of the HD Author screen).

4.   Be sure to: a.      Abbreviate Placeholders box is NOT checked. b.     Show placeholder types in addition to names/expressions is checked. c.      Show Formats box is checked.  d.      Abbreviate instruction fields box is NOT checked. e.      Show list formats on REPEATS box is checked. f.       Comments box is checked.

5.  Complete the HD interview using any real or dummy answers. Be sure to open all the dialogs and answer all the questions in each one, particularly when an answer opens another part of a dialog.

6.  Open the Answer Summary page and print (or copy) all of the answers.

You now have most, if not all, the information you need to convert to a TheFormTool template.

1.   Open the copy of the template you saved in the folder in which you are putting TheFormTool templates.

2.  This will now be TheFormTool template, so create a Questionnaire in this template.

3.    Use the HD answer summary page you printed to create the labels and questions and Smart Answers in the Questionnaire.

4.    Using the HD variables in the template as a guide, insert TheFormTool variables next to the HD variables in TheFormTool template using the appropriate labels from the questionnaire and format properly.

5.  Verify you have formatted TheFormTool variables properly.

6.   Finally, delete the HD variable.

7.   Continue to the next HD variable.

a.     Notice the HD REPEAT command is the same as the TheFormTool List command, so be sure you have the possibility of multiple answers by using a serial text or grid.

b.     If you have multiple choice items in HD interview, you may need to look at that interview to copy the choices available into TheFormTool Questionnaire.

c.     The conditional parts of a HD template may need to be changed in TheFormTool template so that the logic is properly interpreted.