Generating precedent letters addressed to multiple recipients

Learn how to generate one precedent letter per addressee or generate one precedent letter listing all addressees.

How to generate one letter per addressee

In a matter where there is more than one of the same type of addressee, you may wish to generate the same precedent to each addressee.

1. Double-click on the precedent in the Precedent Library.
   
2. The Select a party window will open. Tick the contacts in the Matter Contacts section.
3. Under Layout Options on the left menu, select One document per addressee.
4. Select Create (X) Documents. X is the number of matter contacts you have ticked.
5. Microsoft Word will open one precedent, addressed to one of the contacts. In this example, the precedent addressed to Ella will open.
   
6. Make any necessary amendments to the Word document and once you are ready to move to the next addressee, select Save & Next on the Smokeball toolbar. 
   
7. The document will close and the next precedent letter will open. In this example, the letter addressed to Ella will close and the letter addressed to Libby will open.
   
8. Make any necessary amendments to the Word document. When there are no more precedent letters to generate, the Smokeball toolbar shows Save & Close instead of Save & Next.
   

How to generate one letter that lists all addressees

In a matter where there is more than one of the same type of addressee, you may wish to generate one precedent letter that is addressed to all addressees.

1. Double-click on the precedent in the Precedent Library.
   
2. The Select a party window will open. Tick the contacts in the Matter Contacts section.
3. Under Layout Options on the left menu, select One document with all addressees listed.
   • If the contacts share the same address, like in our example, the option to Merge people residing at the same address will appear. 
     
4. Select Create 1 Document.
5. Microsoft Word will open one precedent, addressed to all contacts.
   • If Merge people residing at the same address was ticked, the contacts' names will display on one line above the address.
     
   • If Merge people residing at the same address was unticked, the contacts will display in separate address blocks, one after the other.
     
   • If the addressees do not live in the same address, the option to merge addresses will not be available. They will also display in separate address blocks, one after the other.
     
     
6. Make any necessary amendments to the Word document, then select Save & Close from the Smokeball toolbar when finished.