Merging Your Own Custom Variables
with LawStream Pro's Integrated Word Processor

Even more power for your data base needs, your document generation, and your own efficiency...

Other parts of this web site refer to the ways you can merge LawStream Pro's data fields into documents created in LawStream Pro's integrated word processor.
This page will show you how you can integrate your own variables into your own documents in your own copy of Lawstream Pro .

Start with a document... in RTF or text format (most word processors can create documents in that format). LawStream Pro's word processor can read some other formats, too, but RTF is a common format that permits a reasonable amount of consistency in formats among different applications.

Paste that document into LawStream Pro. You could import it instead, or you could of course create a new document within LawStream Pro's integrated word processor: the choice is yours. You could start with a completed document (with data), or you could use a precedent that you've already been using as a basis for merging in your office. The document shown at the right has been pasted into LawStream's integrated word processor, and has been saved as "motiontocompel" in the "PrecedentsGeneral" group of documents for a LawStream data file.

Be sure you have a file. Open a new file if necessary, or find a file that you've already been using in your LawStream Pro data base. You need to find a file, because each file can have its own custom variables, and those variables will form the basis of the custom data in the document you create in LawStream Pro.

Format your document, if necessary. You don't have to format the document you've imported from another application, but you might want to take advantage of the many formatting options available in SmartWeal's integrated word processor. If you don't format the document now, you can always format it at a later date.

Define variables for the file. If you are going to want to put information into your document, you will have to tell LawStream Pro what kind of information to expect. Here, you can see that the file we're using (number 31197) is going to use variables called cop1name, shield1, etc.. Note that other files can use variables with the same names, for the same documents (or for different documents). SmartWeal will look through the precedent document you create, and use the values of the variables in that document, for the file you have selected.

Give values to the variables. LawStream Pro's word processor will spot the variables in the documents you create, but you still have to tell LawStream Pro what values should be used for those variables, for each file. Here, you can see (for example) that wherever LawStream Pro's word processor sees a variable called "affirmer" in a document, it will replace that variable with the value "Allan Attorney".

Tell LawStream Pro which variables are to be used in the document. In the image at the right, we've selected a file with the variables we'll need. Those variables are being placed in the document, so their values will later replace the variable names that are shown. Of course, you won't be limited to using that document for that one file: once the document is created, you'll be able to use it with any file that has those variable names. In the document shown here, we've told LawStream Pro's word processor to use the client's familiar name where the name of the Plaintiff would appear in the document, and we've told Lawstream Pro to use one of the custom variables for the name of one of the Defendants.

Create your document... using the variables from LawStream Pro (including your own custom variables). In the document at the right, we have used the variables from our file 31197, and the document called motiontocompel, to create a new document. The new document (the result of the merge of the word processor document with the data base information) is ready to use.

What to do with the document... Once the merge document has been created, you can print it, save it, modify it within LawStream Pro, export or copy it to another application. The image at the right shows some of the formats that can be used for exporting a SmartWeal document.