I-Deal Docs is a powerful software tool to assist with automating document assembly in Microsoft Word and email creation in Microsoft Outlook. It contains a number of modules that work together to assemble a new document or email by combining segments of pre-existing text with answers from software-driven interview questions. Using the collected answers it automates all of the variable and rules-based conditional text within the document. For Word documents, the information collected is automatically saved and can then be used to generate follow-on documents. This minimises the data entry time, reduces the time spent proof-reading, and reduces the risks associated with human error.
Your template administration persons would create the interview questions and setup the rules for the conditional text. The process does not involve macros or need the involvement of specialist programming staff.
The major components of I-Deal Docs are:
Variable Prompt to replace manual search-and-replace/cut-and-paste ways of generating documents with a set of interview-like questions. The information collected then populates the document, including the rules-based removal and inclusion of conditional text
Related Documents to reuse the transaction-specific information collected by the Variable Prompt process to generate follow-on related documents
Clause Library to centrally store and quickly insert text, graphics, Fields, Tables, and other frequently used items into a document or email. Clauses can be saved as either corporate-wide or personal
Common Address to centrally store and quickly insert commonly used addresses
Outlook integration to start new emails from templates, including using the clause library and prompting for variables
Keyboard Prompting to set “stop” points in document text at locations where manual action is required because rules-based removal or insertion of conditional text is not possible or feasible
Ribbon Builder to modify the Word and Outlook ribbons, including the creation of additional tabs and the creation of new groups on built-in tabs
Cross-referencing to insert new cross-references, to check existing cross-references, and to scan for hard-typed text that fits the pattern of a cross-reference
Rename Comments and Revisions Author to change the name attached to comments and to revisions
Issues Check to check the content of a document for issues such as broken cross-reference fields or the presence of proprietary content
Compare Styles to compare all settings of all Styles in the current document with those in another document of your choosing
Exhibits Helper to simplify working with the uniquely numbered or lettered exhibit marks in court submissions and affidavits, etc
Plain English to check the content of a document against a list of words, phrases, and formatting that have been defined as things to be avoided
To-Do Markers to flag an area or issue in a document that you cannot resolve immediately, such as the need to confirm some wording with a higher authority
Background Generation environment to allow long-running tasks such as the assembly of large complex documents to be done on dedicated backroom computers.