Document templates

Document Templates can be used to automatically generate customised documents and letters on a matter.

Include Data Markers in your templates to recall Matter and Stakeholder information automatically into the document.

Learn how to generate a template on a matter.

Manage your templates from Settings > Documents. You need the Can edit document templates staff permission. Your templates are listed in folders on the left. Select one to open its settings, with a preview of the document.

Creating a new document template

1. Navigate to Settings > Documents
2. Select the ’…’ icon next to the folder you would like the template to be stored in, then Add document template
   To add a new folder, select the + icon at the top of the folder list. Name your folders the same as your matter templates to automatically direct users to the corresponding folder when they create documents on their matters.
3. Select Choose file… and choose the template file
   Templates must be a Word (.docx) or PDF file.
4. Complete the template settings
5. Select Create

Nothing is saved until you select Create. To start again, select Discard changes.

You can also select New document template and choose a file, or drag and drop a file onto the page, one file at a time. The template’s name is filled in from the file name. The new template goes into the folder of the template you last opened, so check the folder shown under the template’s name before you select Create.

If the folder already has a template with the same name and file type, InTouch asks what to do:

• Replace file — opens the existing template with the new file ready to replace its file. Select Save to replace it.
• Rename — asks for a new name, then opens the file as a new template. Select Continue once you have entered a name that is not in use in that folder.
• Cancel — drops the file.

Dropping a Word letterhead (.dotx) onto the page opens the Letterheads window instead, ready to create a letterhead from it.

Template settings

• Name: The name used when selecting the template on a matter. Names can contain only letters, numbers, dashes and spaces.
• Description: Optional: information that will help users understand what the template should be used for
• Followed by: Optional: a second document template that opens, ready to produce, after this one is generated on a matter
• Default letterhead: Optional: the letterhead selected when the document is generated on a matter. Word templates only.
• Document generation default setting: Word templates only. Choose Microsoft Word to open the document in Word, giving you a chance to make further edits; you will need to attach the document back to the matter. Choose PDF to save a PDF document back to the matter.
• Record time automatically when this document is produced: Turn on to record time for the matter’s Fee Earner when the document is generated on a matter, then choose the Type, Time Recording Units (6 minutes) and Rate. This is only applicable if you have time recording functionality included on your account.
• File: The template’s Word or PDF file. Select Choose file…, or Replace file… on an existing template.

When you choose a file, InTouch checks it for errors in its data markers. If it finds one, it asks you to confirm before saving.

A Preview of the document is shown with the settings once its file has been saved.

Editing a document template

1. Select the template in the folder list on the left
2. Amend the required settings
3. Save

To change the template’s content:

1. Select Download to save a copy of the template to your device
2. Open the template within Word, make the required changes and save the document
3. Within InTouch, select Replace file… and choose the amended file
4. Save, and confirm that you want to replace the stored file
   Replacing the file cannot be undone.

Replacing a file keeps the template’s settings in InTouch; it does not apply any settings stored in the file. Replacing a Word template’s file with a PDF removes its letterhead and Word or PDF setting.

Settings in downloaded templates

A template downloaded with Download or Download all carries its description, followed-by template and automatic time recording settings in the file’s document properties. Word templates also carry their default letterhead and whether they produce a Word document or PDF.

When you create a new template from a downloaded file, these settings fill in the form for you, so a template edited in Word comes back with its settings intact. Check them before you select Create. If InTouch can’t find the letterhead, followed-by template or time recording type the file names, or finds more than one with that name, it tells you and leaves that setting for you to choose.

To inspect a downloaded Word template’s settings, open File > Info > Properties > Advanced Properties > Custom in Word. These properties use names for the letterhead, followed-by template and time recording type.

The settings are removed from the file when it is uploaded, so they do not appear in documents produced for clients.

Managing your document templates

• Use the search bar above the folder list to find a folder or document template
• Drag and drop a template onto another folder to move it
• Select the ’…’ icon next to a folder to Add document template, Rename folder or Delete folder. You can only delete an empty folder.
• Select Download all to download all the templates to your device as a zip file

Document actions

With a template open:

• Add labels: Assign up to three labels, which will automatically be applied to the document when it is generated on a matter. Label changes save immediately.
• Clone: Create a copy of the template with a new name
• Move: Move the template to another folder
• Download: Download a copy of the template to your device
• Delete: Permanently remove the template from InTouch. Any tasks associated with the document become standard tasks. This cannot be undone. A template that another template is followed by can’t be deleted until you remove that link.

Data Markers

Select Data markers at the top of the page for a list of all the Data Markers associated with your account. These are either built in, or have been created within your Matter Templates.

To add data markers to Word Documents, copy the marker from InTouch and paste it into the required place on your template.

To add data markers to PDF documents, see adding data markers to a PDF document.