Preparing your Word document before starting the contract template insertion process is not mandatory and so you are free to skip this step, but will usually prove helpful. Here, you will find some advice that is particularly useful when doing an automated import (generally the easiest and most efficient way of inserting the basic text of your model contract). For basic tips on marking your document to facilitate the creation of a questionnaire, click here.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. Remove redundant text
B. Insert party tags
C. Apply Weagree styling
A. REMOVE REDUNDANT TEXT
The automated import will automatically filter out certain parts of your document, either because the Weagree Wizard will autogenerate them or because they cannot be automatically imported. Nevertheless, for a clean import it is recommended that you delete the following:
- the cover page;
- the table of contents;
- manual numbering (either convert them to automatically numbered lists, or delete the numbers)
- images (those in headers or footers excepted);
- text colours and highlights;
- footnotes.
You may also choose to delete the parties block and signature block, as usually these will need to be replaced by global building blocks (i.e. preconfigured, universal elements from your clause library).
B. INSERT PARTY TAGS
The Weagree Wizard uses in-line ‘tags’ – special bracketed variables – to insert various types of content, such as the user’s input during the questionnaire. Among these is the ‘party tag’, which takes the format [gq.Party[number]]. It is replaced either by a party’s ‘functional reference’ or shortened name. For example, if a Sales agreement will involve a ‘Seller’ (party 1) and a ‘Buyer’ (party 2), and Weagree is selected as the Buyer, then:
- the tag “[gq.Party2]” will refer to Weagree, being the Buyer; and
- it acts as a placeholder for “Buyer” if party tags are configured to be replaced by the functional reference; or
- it acts as a placeholder for “Weagree” if party tags are configured to be replaced by the shortened party name.
This replacement is automatically performed during the questionnaire and upon document generation.
The use of party tags is always needed if parties’ shortened names must be used throughout a document. Moreover, party tags are always essential in ‘global building blocks’ or ‘global contract clauses’. These are part of the clause library, a collection of standardised provisions for use in multiple contract templates – and which therefore must always be able to insert the correct functional reference or shortened party name.
It is recommended that you substitute every mention of any party to a model contract with the appropriate party tag before you begin work on the contract template.
C. APPLY WEAGREE STYLING
The automated import will recognise the Microsoft Word style names used by the Weagree Wizard, such as “WW_1” and “WW_Body_text”. These styles are part of the dotx-file(s) uploaded to the Weagree Wizard, which determine how documents generated in Weagree will be formatted.
If the text in the source Word document (your model contract) has these Weagree style names, upon uploading the document the matching styles will be automatically selected by the Weagree Wizard. This will speed up the importing process. Otherwise, you will have to manually select the correct styling for each building block and contract clause during import. Even if your Word document was not created with the appropriate dotx-file, you may still apply that file – and therefore Weagree’s styles – to that document before importing it:
1. Locate the required dotx-file on your network. If it is not present, or you are unsure where to find it, you can always download it from the Weagree Wizard to a personal folder. Go to the Administrator page, navigate to Contract creation > Contract house styles > Dotx-files and WYSIWYG view and click on the dotx-file’s Word icon.
2. Open your Word document and select the Developer tab. Click the Document template button on the Ribbon.
Note: if you do not see the Developer tab or Document template button, right-click anywhere on the Ribbon (i.e. the bar at the top with the tabs and buttons) and select Customise the Ribbon from the mouse menu. You can enable/add the tab/button from the subsequent pop-up menu. They are located under Main tab.
3. Tick Automatically update document styles.
4. Click Attach and select the previously located or downloaded dotx-file.
5. Click OK.
6. Return to the Home tab and open the Styles window.
7. In the Styles window, find any style currently used in the document, right-click on it and choose Select All [X] instance(s).
8. Again in the Styles window, select the Weagree style which should replace the style selected for step 7.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 until all Weagree styles are applied to all text in your Word document and then save.
