The goal here is to create a master template for each and every precedent which contains all the optional language and content that may appear in that precedent document. This is the point where you should start renaming precedents and documents so that they automatically group themselves according to topic, use and/or order in which they are used. The naming schema (for now) needs to visually distinguish between a master template that contains all the language for the document and the "documents" that relate to the master. For example, lets say we have a letter to the client confirming instructions.

We might have the "official" precedent and 6 documents that were copied from client files which contain differing content. These may be named:

• 0010 - Letter to Client Confirming Instructions.rtf (master template which will contain all optional language of all related documents)
• 0011 - Letter to Client Confirming Instructions.doc
• 0012 - Letter to Client Confirming Instructions.doc
• 0013 - Letter to Client Confirming Instructions.doc
• 0020 - Next precedent name in the system

You may use alpha-numeric instead of pure numbers to sort the documents (0010, 0010a, 0010b etc...). The naming formula doesn't matter, so long as it auto-sorts our files for us and groups them appropriately. What this will achieve for us is a list in our project folder listing every master template we intend to create, along with a sub-list of all document variations that need to be incorporated into the master template.

This marks the end of the steps you would take if you planning to outsource your document assembly works. If you have taken these steps in-house, you have avoided the need to pay for a consultant to:

• Dig through precedent sets and confirming which templates are current and which are outdated
• Come into the office for a day or two and consult with staff to get document variations of the templates
• Collate, list and index all the templates and related documents
• Present collated index for approval and confirmation

This is all work that was more than capable of being done in-house. Just as importantly, it was preparation work better done by your firm than a consultant. Why? Because you are familiar with your precedent locations, your staff who do the most documents day to day, the location of your saved documents and other such things. Congratulations on saving money, saving time and quite possibly doing a better job.

Certainly, a consultant would likely have more experience in undertaking this work however, most of the process is just common sense in tracking down your firm's intellectual property: something anyone can do. It also alleviates the possibility that your consultant may have missed the secret cache of documents guarded by "Super Secretary02", or the sub-folder of precedents that has been misnamed for years, but no one has gotten around to renaming.

Where to go From Here

If you are outsourcing, its time to instruct your chosen consultant. You should plan on sending them a zip file of all the softcopies of documents you have accumulated. They may or may not ask for hardcopies (personally, I hate hardcopies...they become my note & draft paper - I work almost exclusively with softcopies). Either way, you should plan on spending an hour or so with your consultant going over how you put together the list of templates and documents, as well as any relevant information that may be useful (such as "you will have more statements of claim arriving when Louis Lawyer gets back, so hold off on doing that one for now").

If you do not plan to outsource, it is time to start working down your list of templates and documents. The following steps are:

• Combine all document variations into the template to which they correspond (marking up)
• Identify large sections of re-usable template "bits" - signing clauses, court headers, letterheads - template "pieces" that can be used for more than one template
• Replace all the moving parts of each template & document with mark up code - these will be where variables insert data
• Write distinctive mark up code around each of the inclusions that outlines the rule(s) or decision(s) under which that variation appears (or disappears) from the final document
• While writing the mark-up code, ensure you list every mark up and rule in your spreadsheet
• Once all the templates have been marked up, look at your spreadsheet, check for duplicates or mistakes
• Program the system, which would more accurately be "do the clerical edits to make your markup work"