                                HotDocs! 2.0
                        Review by Jacci Howard Bear

        Where was this program when I was struggling through dozens of
"personalized" form letters, contracts, and real estate forms a few years
ago? I could have avoided hours of frustration with HotDocs templates.
        HotDocs 2.0 for Windows works with WordPerfect for Windows version
5.2 and later, Microsoft Word for Windows version 2.0 and later, and Lotus
Ami Pro for Windows version 3.0 and later. If you do a lot of documents with
variable text, and do not own one of these Windows word processors--switch,
or bug the folks at Capsoft Development to support your word processor. This
simple program will save you time and aggravation.
        Although you can use HotDocs to turn almost any document into an
interactive template, I see it as being especially useful for complex
contracts, wills, proposals, lease agreements, and other documents with
large amounts of variable text. If you employ temporary clerical help--who
may not be familiar with your particular word processing software--HotDocs
can help cut training time and ensure accuracy.  Preparing your form letters
or other documents is a breeze for anyone. Just load the appropriate HotDocs
template and you or your helpers simply answer the questions on the screen.
No complicated creating of master documents and merge data files.
        Of course the real test of any program is how well it works in the
real world. There are clear installation instructions for each supported
word processor. I use Ami Pro and the installation was painless and
brainless. The HotDocs User's Guide takes you step by step through the
process of turning an existing document into a HotDocs template. But before
creating your first template, it is best to test the sample documents
included with the program. Seeing how the program appears to the user who is
creating the custom document--what it asks, how to enter answers--helps to
understand the myriad of options available when you create your template.
        From the point of view of someone filling in a HotDocs template, one
of the best features is the "real English" names displayed for the variable
text, the help fields for each entry, and the availability of multiple
choice lists, formatting hints, and other help. For example, an apartment
lease contract might offer a list of valid floor plans to choose from such
as:
         1BR/1BA
         2BR/1BA
         2BR/2BA
         3BR/2BA
You or your employee simply marks the box that applies and you don't have to
worry about typos like 2RB/3BA or some other odd combination. In setting up
the template, you can specify whether the user can select only one or more
than one item in a list and how the program will format the list in the
document (paragraph form separated by commas, in a column, etc.). You can
also write custom help dialogs for each variable. Perhaps you have trouble
remembering that all invoices must have a date that falls on a Monday--write
a help dialog to remind yourself. All date fields also have a pop-up
calendar that makes date selection easier than ever.
        There are eight types of variables used to create custom documents:
text, date, number, multiple choice, list, computation, personal
information, and true/false. Each type of variable has a number of options
including length, format, and custom prompts that you can specify when
creating the template. The User's Guide explains how to create each type of
variable and offers examples of how to use each type of variable.
        If you spend a great deal of time doing customized forms, letters,
invoices and other similar documents, HotDocs can be a worthwhile
investment. From personal experience, I believe law offices, real estate
businesses, and any business that prepares contracts and legal documents
would love this product. It's a great automation tool for any business
involved in word processing.
 

System Requirements: PC with 386 or higher processor, Microsoft Windows 3.1
or higher, Windows word processor: Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0 or 6.0,
Microsoft Write, WordPerfect for Windows 5.2 or 6.0a, or Lotus Ami Pro 3.0,
2MB hard disk space, VGA or higher resolution monitor

Suggested Retail Price: $99.00
Upgrade Price: $39.95

                      Capsoft Development Corporation
                    732 East Utah Valley Drive Suite 400
                         American Fork, Utah 84003
                               (801) 763-3938
                            Fax: (801) 763-3999

    Send your postal name, address, city, state, zip to 2prod@supportu.com
         for product literature to be sent to you via postal mail.

