Map Time Matters Fields to HotDocs Variables

HotDocs Version:HD6, HD2005, HD2006, HD2007, HD2008, HD2009
Time Matters Version:TM6, TM7
Added to Knowledge Base:June 2005
Updated:September 2005

When setting up HotDocs template extensions in Time Matters, you often need to map fields in a Time Matters record to variables in the HotDocs template. Once fields are mapped, during assembly, HotDocs will automatically retrieve data from Time Matters and use it to answer questions in the interview. This is useful if the documents you are assembling require information that is already stored in Time Matters—it keeps you from re-entering the information.

Note: When mapping Time Matters fields to HotDocs variables, the mapping is done between Time Matters and the template—not the component file. However, if you are using a shared component file, you can map variables in the shared file so that all templates that point to the shared file will automatically "inherit" the mapping. See Map Time Matters Fields to HotDocs Variables in a Shared Component Filefor details.

To map variables in HotDocs to fields in Time Matters, you must first create a HotDocs template extension for each template you want to access from Time Matters. Instructions for creating these extensions can be found in Parts 1-3 of Create HotDocs Template Extensions.

To map HotDocs variables to Time Matters fields

  1. Create the HotDocs Template Extension. (See Create HotDocs Template Extensions.)
  2. At the HotDocs Template Extension Setup dialog box in Time Matters, in the Answer File Options group, select Generate Answer File.
  3. If you are using Time Matters 7.0, select Custom Matching.
  4. Click Match Fields. If you are using Time Matters 6.0, the field-matching form appears. Proceed to step 5. If you are using Time Matters 7.0, the Default Field Matching dialog box appears, where you can select one of the following options:
    • Select No default Field Matching to manually map the fields in Time Matters to variables in the template, then click OK. The field-matching form appears.
    • Select Copy Field matching from the following template to use a mapping you've already created for a similar template, and then choose the template whose mapping you want to copy from the list. Click OK when you are finished.
  5. Place your cursor in the field you want to map to HotDocs and press the F2 key. (You can also double-click in the field.) The Select Field dialog box appears, showing the variables used in the template.
  6. Choose the corresponding HotDocs variable from the list and click Select. The variable name is merged in the record's field (between braces). (You can also drag and drop variables from the component list to the record field.)
  7. Repeat this process for each field in the record you want to map. When you are finished mapping variables, click Close at the Select Field dialog box.
  8. Optionally, complete any of the following steps. (For more detailed information on each option, see the Time Matters documentation.):
    • Click the Linked Fields button to map variables to fields in records linked to the current record. (For example, if you are mapping a client record to a template but the answer you need to retrieve is actually saved in a matter record that is linked to the client record, you can click this button and have access to the fields in the matter record.)
    • Click the Custom Fields button to map variables to fields you've created in a custom form.
    • Click the Special Fields button to map a single variable in HotDocs to multiple fields in Time Matters. (For example, perhaps there is a single field in the HotDocs template that asks the client's full name. Since Time Matters stores names as individual parts (first name, middle initial, and last name), you can map the variable so that it retrieves all these different parts during the interview.)
  9. When you are finished, click OK to save your changes and close any open dialog boxes.

Once the template extension is created, you can assemble documents using the templates. See Assemble Documents from Within Time Matters for details.