Getting to Know HotDocs & A2J Author ® September 6, 2011

1. Getting to KnowHotDocs & A2J Author®September 6, 2011 Dina C. Nikitaides Program Coordinator Center for Access to Justice & Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law

2. Agenda • A2J Author & HotDocs – How They Work Together • Differences • Development Process • Introduction to A2J Author • Introduction to HotDocs • Practice Project

3. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Differences • A2J Author® • Simple authoring interface • End-user interface is graphical, friendly and intuitive for pro se litigants • Gathers information but does not generate documents • HotDocs® • Slightly complicated authoring interface • End-user interface is form-like; efficient for advocates • Generates documents

4. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Differences • HotDocs® • Slightly complicated authoring interface • Text heavy • Multiple authoring windows /components

5. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Differences • A2J Author® • Simple authoring interface • Graphic/Visual • All work done in one interface

6. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Differences • A2J Author® • Simple authoring interface • End-user interface is graphical, friendly and intuitive for pro se litigants • Gathers information but does not generate documents • HotDocs® • Slightly complicated authoring interface • End-user interface is form-like; efficient for advocates • Generates documents

7. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Differences • HotDocs® • End-user interface is plain and form-like • Can ask many questions in one screen • More efficient for advocates

8. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Differences • A2J Author® • End-user interface is graphical, friendly and intuitive for pro se litigants • Poses one question at a time • Can offer additional helpful information

9. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Differences • A2J Author® • Simple authoring interface • End-user interface is graphical, friendly and intuitive for pro se litigants • Gathers information but does not generate documents • HotDocs® • Slightly complicated authoring interface • End-user interface is form-like; efficient for advocates • Generates documents

10. Agenda • A2J Author & HotDocs – How They Work Together • Differences • Development Process • Introduction to A2J Author • Introduction to HotDocs • Practice Project

11. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Development Process Design HotDocs® template Import HotDocs® Component File (where all the variables are stored) into A2J Author®Note: you cannot import variables from A2J Author® into HotDocs® Design A2J Guided Interview with the same variables used in the HotDocs® template

12. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Child DOB DA Child county TE Child name TE Child address TE

13. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Development Process Upload HotDocs® template to LHI - LHI assigns a special ID# to the HotDocs® template Upload A2J Guided Interview to LHI and associate it with the ID# for the HotDocs® template LHI generates a hyperlink which you can paste to your website so that the interview can be accessed

14. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Store Serve Create Law Help Interactive (LHI) “National Server” HotDocs®Templates + A2J Guided Interview

15. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Development Process End users select the link and launch the interview End user completes the interview and submits answers The data collected in the A2J Guided Interview goes to LHI via an .ANX file, is compiled with the corresponding HotDocs template

16. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Child name TE Child DOB DA Child address TE Child county TE A2J Author Answer File (.anx)

17. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Development Process LHI returns a completed document to the end user

18. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Law Help Interactive (LHI) “National Server” .anx (answer file)+document template = completed document A2J Author Answer File (.anx) 01/22/2006 OurCounty John Doe 123 My Street

19. A2J Author® & HotDocs® How They Work Together Store Serve Create Petition for a Protection Order Law Help Interactive (LHI) “National Server” HotDocs®Templates + A2J Guided Interview

20. Agenda • A2J Author & HotDocs – How They Work Together • Introduction to A2J Author • Let’s look around the software • Question Design – Where all of the work happens • Introduction to HotDocs • Practice Project

21. Introduction to A2J Author® Feedback & Report Bugs Help File Controls Close Interview Navigation Tabs Work Window

22. Introduction to A2J Author® • Interview Tab • General Information & Meta Data – Title, Description, Jurisdiction, Author, Version, Language, History • Graphics – Branding Logo, End Graphic • Branding Logo: 120x120; .jpg, .png, .gif, or .swf • End Graphic: 900x250; .png or .swf; use transparency • Feedback Options – Allow end users to provide feedback and specify an email address • All feedback goes to our developers • Language – Choosing “Espanol” only changes the navigation labels, does not change questions • Avatar – Choose “blank” or “tan”

23. Introduction to A2J Author® Meta Data Graphics Feedback Options Avatar Display Language

24. Introduction to A2J Author® • Variables Tab • Track coordinating HotDocs® template • Lists variables by name • Double click name to pull up “Variable Information” window showing you which question(s) use that variable. Double click the question name and go directly to the editing window for that question. • Shows if variable has been used • Repeat – Indicates variable type and whether it has been used in a repeat dialog • Load variables from HotDocs® component file • Cannot load A2J Author® variables into HotDocs®

25. Introduction to A2J Author® List of Variables HotDocs Template Variable in a Repeat? Variable Used? Add & Delete Variables Load Variables

26. Introduction to A2J Author® • Steps Tab • Acts as the main outline for interview developer • Steps give feeling of progressing through the interview • Add new steps with “Question steps” drop down • Can have up to 12 steps • Each step can have unlimited number of questions • Click on sign to edit step name and preview path

27. Introduction to A2J Author® Add & Delete Steps Path Preview Edit Sign Titles

28. Introduction to A2J Author® • Report Tab • Full Report – Show all variables, questions, etc. • Steps Filter – Print only information for particular step • Scripts for Audio – Prints only text from the questions • Great for recording audio clips

29. Introduction to A2J Author® Full Report of all Text, Variables, etc. Limit Steps to Include Script of all Text

30. Introduction to A2J Author® • Preview Tab • See interview as the end user will see it • Use for testing • Preview Mode menu • Variables – Opens Interview Variables window for testing. • Script – Shows logic for question. • Edit This – Go to Question Design window for the current question. • Resume Edit – Go back to where you came from.

31. Introduction to A2J Author® Open Variables Window & Script Window Variables Window Edit This Q or Edit Q Where Selected Preview Script Window

32. Introduction to A2J Author® • Upload Tab • Upload interview to LHI, the national server. • “Clear all media” – removes references to all attached media files. • Use when starting with someone else’s interview or an old interview to create a new one

33. Introduction to A2J Author® Remove Image & Video References Upload to LHI Files to Upload URL of Server to Upload to

34. Agenda • A2J Author & HotDocs – How They Work Together • Introduction to A2J Author • Let’s look around the software • Question Design – Where all of the work happens • Introduction to HotDocs • Practice Project

35. Question Design Steps Filter Question Design Help Question List Copy & Paste Question Flow Chart Add & Delete Flow Chart Zoom Clone & Insert Print Flow Chart Intro & Exit Questions

36. Question Design • Questions Tab • Question List • Double click on a question to open the Question Design Window • Question Flowchart • Drag and drop question boxes to keep organized • Double click on a box to open the Question Design Window

37. Question Design Definition Pop-up Question Step & Name Link text Add Audio Bold & Italicize text Question Preview Question Design Tabs Learn More Information Full Screen Preview View Code

38. Question Design • Question Design Window – Question Tab • Identify step & name for question • Draft question • Add definition pop-ups • Add “learn more” information windows • Add graphics (.jpg, .png, .gif) and video (.flv) to learn more windows, by selecting option in drop down menu • Add audio clips (.mp3) to everything • Preview question as designed

39. Agenda • A2J Author & HotDocs – How They Work Together • Introduction to A2J Author • Introduction to HotDocs • Overview • File Formats • HotDocs Toolbar • Variables • Component Manager • Practice Project

40. What is HotDocs? HotDocsis software that allows you to automate documents. Document automation or assembly, utilizes pre-existing text or data to create a new document with input from a series of questions.

41. What is HotDocs? Use HotDocs to identify the places on a court form where data will go once collected from an end-user during an A2J Guided Interview. John Doe John Doe

42. File Formats HotDocs can automate documents that are in either Rich Txt Format (.rtf) or Portable Document Format (.pdf). We will work with .RTF files. Convert .PDF forms to .RTF forms with a converter before working in HotDocs. Recommended free online converter: PDF to Word Online Converter: http://www.pdfonline.com/pdf-to-word-converter/

43. The HotDocs Toolbar HotDocs is nicely integrated with Microsoft Word. Most work with court forms will be done in Word using the HotDocs toolbar.

44. The HotDocs Toolbar HotDocs toolbar is automatically installed with HotDocs and appears as a tab in Microsoft Word. The toolbar contains all the tools needed to turn court forms into automated documents.

45. The HotDocs Toolbar Test and preview a completed document using the “Test Assemble” Button.

46. The HotDocs Toolbar Make sure to use the “Save” button on the HotDocs toolbar to save your work.

47. Variables Variable creation is found on the toolbar.

48. Variables Highlight text to turn into a variable in an existing document or create a variable within a text field.

49. Variables For “fill in the blank” fields, create variables within transparent text boxes so you can place them in the proper place on the form without disrupting lines and tables. Make a text box transparent by selecting No Fill & No Outline under Shape Fill and Shape Outline in the Format tab in Word.

50. Variables Once you create a variable, access it again by double clicking on it or right-clicking and selecting “Edit Field”. Select how variable is displayed from the “Default format” drop-down menu.