Add a Precedent created in Microsoft Word

Learn how to add a Microsoft Word Precedent to Smokeball. 

Word Precedents can be automated and you will have greater flexibility over the style and formatting of Word Precedents. In addition to Word, you can also create precedents from a PDF.

How to create a precedent

1. Open a matter file and select Precedent from the Matter Action Bar.

   

2. Navigate to the folder where you would like to add the Precedent to.
3. Select Add a precedent.
   
4. Select either Create from a blank document to create a precedent from scratch, or select Browse for an existing document to add an existing Word, PDF, or Excel document.
   • For the majority of cases, we recommend selecting Create from a blank document, even if you are importing templates from another software. This helps to reduce automation errors in a coded document exported from another software at the outset.
5. Enter a name for your precedent.
6. Select the type of precedent from the Container drop-down menu.
   • Letter, No Footer is used for documents where there is no sign-off at the end of the Precedent.
7. If applicable, select the Addressee from the drop-down menu.
   • If the type of Addressee is not available, add them to the Matter using Matter Settings and then return to the 'Add a Precedent' screen.
   • The addressee drop-down menu will not show up for None and Ask containers.
8. Select Create.
   
9. Your Precedent will now open in Microsoft Word.

Modifying the precedent in Word

We recommend creating a precedent from a new document if you are importing templates from another automation software. This method helps to reduce automation errors in a coded document exported from another software at the outset.

1. In the blank Word document, enter your text and format your precedent.
   • If you are creating a precedent from an existing document, highlight the body of the document and copy it (the keyboard shortcut is CTRL + C). Then paste(keyboard shortcut is CTRL + V) the body of the document into the blank precedent.
2. If the document's body contains automation fields from other document automation systems, remove them from the precedent. Use the keyboard shortcut ALT + F9 to view the fields and remove them.
3. Add any Smokeball Automation Fields, Asks or If/Then/Elses to the document, if using. Learn more about automating documents.
   
4. Select Save & Close in the top left-hand corner.
   
5. Test out the precedent by double-clicking on it from the Precedent Library screen. This will open your precedent along with the document container it is linked to.

Additional tips

• To amend a precedent, right-click on it from the Precedent Library and select Modify.
• Select the 'None' Container if the type of Precedent you are adding does not require your letterhead.
• To change the Document Container, open the precedent in Modify mode and expand the 'Details' section.