How to use Auto-template

Convert your existing Templates to Advanced Document Automation Templates

Ben Q avatar
Written by Ben Q
Updated over a week ago
Advanced.png

Auto-Template features are the easiest and fastest way to convert your already existing MyCase Word templates into Advanced templates. It is also a great solution if you have markups in your Word documents and want to convert them into Advanced Templates.

To start using the Auto-template feature of Advanced Document Automation, follow these instructions:

  1. Open up a document and launch the add-in in Microsoft Word.

  2. On the Dashboard of the add-in, click Build a New Template.

  3. Click the Auto Scan for Potential Fields button. Note that this option is only available if you DO NOT have any existing add-in fields in your document

  4. You’ll be presented with a list of field suggestions that were found in your document.

    1. You may want to see where the suggested fields will be placed in the document before accepting them. The number next to the suggested field name shows how many types the suggested field name appears in the document.

      Auto-template will show you how many instances you have for the suggested field

    2. Click the arrow next to the Abc icon to change the field type ( Auto-template supports Single line text, Rich text, Date, and Number fields. Any other field types can be created manually after completing the auto-template process.

    3. Click the "trash can" icon to reject a suggestion

  5. Select "Create these fields" to convert your document into a template

Tips & tricks for converting existing MyCase Templates

The auto-template feature will name your fields automatically with the markup, and you can easily edit these if you click on the field name:

Custom fields will be assigned a number e.g. {{case|776462}}, and auto-template will name the fields accordingly. You can always access your Field's key from MyCase: Documents > Word Templates > View Merge Fields and edit the fields' names in your template.

Tips & tricks for converting any other Word documents

  1. If you want Auto-template to analyze an existing template, make sure that the placeholders are surrounded by brackets like this: [Client Name] or <Client Name> instead of this: Client Name

  2. Among many other things, Auto-template will identify all words & phrases that are bracketed, so surrounding text with brackets will help ensure that all of your fields are identified

  3. Auto-template can also identify highlighted words and phrases so if you haven't surrounded placeholders with brackets, highlights will work just as well!

  4. Avoid documents where the placeholders are simple blank lines and if possible use a document that has been previously prepared for a recipient and has information already filled in like a person's name, their address, or the date for example.

Did this answer your question?