HotDocs Tips & Tricks

This tip covered the expression models: ANSWERED(VAR) and ANSWERED(DIALOG).  Most often these are used in templates, but they are also used in computations to test whether a variable or a dialog has been answered.  Hotdocs scripts will be interrupted if the value of any required variable is not known.  For this reason, the use of the"answered" function gives a value where no value is known.

This tip covers the instruction model: AGE(DATE).  Use this expression if you want to know the age in terms of years as of the current date.  If you want to know the age as of a specific date, other than today, then you will need to use YEARS FROM( DATE , DATE )

This tip covers the instruction model: ABSOLUTE VALUE(NUM). This model returns the positive (or absolute) value of a number variable.  In some accounting formulas, the result of the formula will be a negative number.  You may want to not the value as a negative, but still be able to treat and format the number based on its positive value

This tip covers the use of the instruction model: ZERO(NUM).  When is a number not a number?  When it has no value.  That doesn’t present an issue unless you start running calculations based on an unanswered number.  The solution is ZERO(NUM).

This tip covers when to use and how to use the HotDocs Instruction Model: ADD TEXT TO MULT_CHOICE.  HotDocs supports dynamic multiple choice variables.  A list of options (and their associated prompts) for a multiple choice variable can be seen in the definition of a particular component. However, this restricts the user to options known at the time that a component file is authored. This instruction model lets the developer dynamically change the option values and their associated prompts based on answers given by the user during an assembly.