Setting Up Document Templates to Fill With Client Information from the Database Using Mail Merge Codes (Document Automation 101) Follow

Tutorial for Setting Up Word, PDF, and Excel Documents to Fill with Client Information from the Database (Document Automation 101)

Table of Contents

What are Mail Merge Codes?

Where Do I Find/How Do I Use Mail Merge Codes?

How to Use Contacts as Mail Merge Fields in Document Templates

Using Event/Appointment Mail Merge Fields in Document Templates

Using Modifiers for Mail Merge Fields in Document Templates

Using Special Fields in PDF Document Templates

Mail Merge of Fragments - Parts of SSN/Phone Number Blocks/Middle Initials

Support/Assistance

What are Mail Merge Codes?

Where Do I Find/How Do I Use Mail Merge Codes?

⭐ Recommended: Click "Documents" on the left menu > then click on the "Document Templates" tab and there will be a floating dropdown picker that allows you to keyword search mail merge codes and copy/paste them into any document template that you are editing.   

💡 This is the easy button for setting up document templates and is highly recommended.

Click on the dropdown field to keyword search > click the green checkmark to copy to clipboard
> then, you will paste the mail merge code into your document template in the appropriate place for each field. Rinse and repeat with the next field, etc.  <<Do not remove the brackets>>

NOTE: Contact and event mail merge fields are within the context of each lead/case so they are not displayed in our field search tool. Please review the article below for the codes for those features.

How to Use Contacts as Mail Merge Fields in Document Templates

Using Event/Appointment Mail Merge Fields in Document Templates

Hearing dates, consultations, mediations, litigation, and other appointment-type events require their own mail merge fields.  Appointment mail merge fields are based on the "Event Type" of each appointment/event.  

The default appointment/event mail merge code is Appointment, so you would want to add Event Type (if any), then the expected "Output,"  e.g., Date, Time, Date & Time, and finally add any modifiers at the end.

Event-type mail merge fields will always follow this format:

<<Event.EventType(or No Type).Output|Modifier(if any)>>

Example: 

For 05/02/2021, <<Event.Hearing Date.Date|fulldateordinal>> would output as: 
2nd day of May 2021 (this is popular for official documents)
(The 'nd' would not be added after the day if an Ordinal modifier was not used)

• Event Date - No Event Type <<Event.No Type.Date>>
• Event Date <<Event.Event Type.Date>>
• Event Time <<Event.Event Type.Time>>
• Event Date and Time <<Event.Event Type.DateTime>>

For example, the mail merge code for an event without an Event Type could be:

<<Event.No Type.DateTime>>

For example, the mail merge code for a "Hearing Date" Event Type could be used in these ways:

• Hearing Date, as a Date
  • example: <<Event.Hearing Date.Date>> would output as:
    05/02/2021
    (only the date, not the time, was requested, if it was scheduled for May 2, 2021)
    
    
• Hearing Date, as a Time
  • example: <<Event.Hearing Date.Time>> would output as:
    11:00 AM
    (only the time was requested if it was scheduled for 11 AM)
    
    
• Hearing Date, as a Date & Time
  • example: <<Event.Hearing Date.DateTime>> would output as:
    05/02/2021 11:00 AM
    (the system defaults to slashes as separators, unless modifiers are used)
    
    
• Hearing Date as a Date (Ordinal Dates append 'nd' 'th' 'st' 'rd' to the day)
  • example:
    For 05/02/2021, <<Event.Hearing Date.Date|FullDateOrdinal>> would output as: 
    2nd day of May 2021 (this is popular for official documents)
    (The 'nd' would not be added after the day if an Ordinal modifier was not used)

As shown in the last example above, there are modifiers available for expressing Appointment/Event Dates differently. You must place modifiers immediately after the field name at the end of the mail merge codes. 

Use a pipe symbol | (without spaces) to use the modifiers:

⚠️ If you run into an occasion where you have multiple events/appointments in the same lead/case that all have the same Event Type you will need to make a choice as to which appointment to fill in your document each time that you use the document template.  For example, you may have two hearing dates.  When your document templates run across this scenario, the system will ask you to make a choice. 

However, If you use a document template in automation, then there is no human intervention involved in that process so the system will log the conflict but will not fill the data for you since manual intervention is required.  It is recommended not to do so for that reason and to keep your automated templates straightforward.

Using Modifiers for Mail Merge Fields in Document Templates

Date Fields

You may use modifiers with any date fields in Legal CRM. An example of a modifier is FullDate or FullDateOrdinal.  Modifiers are separated from the mail merge code name with a "|" pipe symbol.

Address Fields

Modifiers can also be used with address fields. By default, the mail merge codes for addresses will insert the complete address in one line. However, the mail merge codes can be modified so that the address is merged into the document in a block format instead.

Example:

The mail merge code <<Full Address>> without any modifiers would output as:
1234 N State Road 5, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33321

By adding the Block modifier, the mail merge code would change to <<Full Address|Block>> and would output as:
1234 N State Road 5
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33321

The Block modifier is supported with the following address mail merge codes:
<<Full Address>>
<<Referral Firm Address>>
<<Contact.Role.Full Address>>
<<Office Location Address>>

State Fields

The mail merge code for state fields can also be modified, allowing you to choose whether you'd like to merge the full state name or only the abbreviation.

Example:

The mail merge code <<State>> without any modifiers would output as:  FL

By adding the Full State Name modifier, the mail merge code would change to <<State|FullStateName>> and would output as:  Florida

The Full State Name modifier is supported with the following state mail merge codes:
<<State>>
<<Firm State>>
<<Contact.Role.State>>
<<State of Filing>>

Using Special Fields in PDF Document Templates

Yes/No Fields

• For Yes/No questions in a PDF document, you can use either radio buttons or checkboxes.
• You must add the same Legal CRM mail merge code inside of three places:
  • The "Yes" field
  • The "No" field
  • Also, add to "Name" under the General tab in the field properties in the PDF document

• Click on the "Options" tab in the PDF document and then set the value for each.
  • For "Yes" set the "Radio Button Choice" to "Yes"
  • For "No" set the "Radio Button Choice" to "No"

for Yes checkbox:

Name: <<Custom123>>

Radio Button Choice or Export Value: Yes

for No checkbox (optional):

Name: <<Custom123>>

Radio Button Choice or Export Value: No

Pick List Fields

Name: <<Custom124|=First Option Value>>

Export Value: any

Name: <<Custom124|=Second Option Value>>

Export Value: any

Name: <<Custom124|=Third Option Value>>

Export Value: any

Radio Buttons

Name: <<Custom125>>

Radio Button Choice or Export Value: First Option Value

Name: <<Custom125>>

Radio Button Choice or Export Value: Second Option Value

Name: <<Custom125>>

Radio Button Choice or Export Value: Third Option Value

Drop-Down Fields

Name: <<Custom126>>

Radio Button Choice or Export Value: First Option Value

Name: <<Custom126>>

Radio Button Choice or Export Value: Second Option Value

Name: <<Custom126>>

Radio Button Choice or Export Value: Third Option Value

Mail Merge of Fragments - Parts of SSN/Phone Number Blocks/Middle Initials

Name: <<Custom127|[01,3]>>

Sample input: 123-45-6789

Result: 123

Name: <<Custom127|[04,2]>>

Result: 45

Name: <<Custom127|[06,4]>>

Result: 6789

If you need to reference the last 4 digits of a social security number, you can use this modifier as well:

<<SSN|last4>>

Parts of a phone number

Name: <<Custom128|areacode>>

Sample input: (123) 456-7890 or +11234567890

Result: 123

Name: <<Custom128|phone>>

Result: 456-7890

The first letter of Middle Name (Initial)