With Clio Work, you can use document templates to create standardized documents, such as engagement letters, trust agreements, and contracts that pull in unique contact and matter information. This streamlined approach improves consistency and accuracy across documents and saves time.
Convert a document to a template
Clio Work can quickly convert your existing Word (.docx) documents into templates.
- Open the document in the Document Editor.
- In the right-hand conversation pane with Vincent, click the four-square icon, then select Convert to template, or prompt Vincent to turn this document into a template.
- In the Convert to a template dialog box, click Continue.
- Enter a name for the template and select Convert.
- Navigate to Vincent.
- Below the prompt text box, select Draft > Create a template from an existing document, then select the document to convert.
- Enter a name for the template and select Convert.
Vincent analyzes the document and detects fields (e.g., party names, dates, case numbers) and rules (e.g., conditional sections that depend on a fact being true or false). Next, you can review and edit the template.
Review and edit the template
After you convert a document to a template, Vincent works through it to scan for:
- text that should be placeholder fields, and
- text that should appear or update under certain conditions.
Depending on the document and Vincent's analysis of it, Vincent then guides you through the process of turning the document into a template. It may present potential fields and rules for you to review, or offer certain prompts for you to select from — for example, skipping rules because it appears the document may not need them. Refer to the options below for how to review and edit your template.
Tip: Review how fields and conditions are created for the Clio for Word Template Builder to understand the concept of fields and conditions for your templates.
Review fields card
If Vincent finds text in your document that should be turned into a field, it will present you with a Review fields card. Click this card to view the fields Vincent added to the document.
Tip: For a full list of Clio fields available for use, go to Documents > Settings > Documents template merge fields. For a list of the custom fields you create, go to Settings > Custom fields.
Fields are organized into logical categories. For example, fields like a first name, last name, date of birth, and address may be organized into a "Client" category.
Tip: If Vincent found nothing in the document to suggest fields should be added, you can still reach the fields by clicking the list icon (with tooltip "Template structure") at the top of the conversation pane with Vincent.
You can add, edit, or delete fields and/or categories manually.
- Click Add > New field. You can also click the add icon (plus) next to a field group name.
- Create the new field.
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Field group: Select the field group from the existing options.
Note: If needed, you can type a name into the field group, then click Add new field group to create it. - Field name: Enter a field name.
- Hint for Vincent: You can enter a hint or description of your field to provide more information to other firm users who create a new document from your template.
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Field type: Select the data type for the field.
Note: Depending on your field type selection, you may need to select additional options related to the field type — for example, if you select a date field, you can choose the date format.
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Field group: Select the field group from the existing options.
- Click the submit arrow.
- Click the edit icon (pencil) for a field or field group.
- Make the necessary edits.
- Click the submit arrow.
- Click the delete icon (trash can) for a field or field group.
- Click Delete.
Review rules card
If Vincent finds text in your document that should be turned into a rule, it will present you with a Review rules card. For example, when setting up a contract for a service agreement, you may want the contract to stipulate fees for out-of-state travel. If the company you represent is based in Michigan, but their client is not, you want a specific paragraph to appear that covers this topic.
Tip: If Vincent found nothing in the document to suggest rules should be added, you can still reach the rules by clicking the list icon (with tooltip "Template structure") at the top of the conversation pane with Vincent, then selecting the Rules tab.
You can add, edit, or delete rules manually.
- In your document, select the text or paragraph to which the rule needs to apply.
- Click Add > New rule.
- Click Set criteria.
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Specify the condition.
- Select the field group and the relevant field in it.
- Select the condition (e.g., equals, exists, etc.).
In our example, you may choose the field "US state," then choose the condition "does not equal" and add the value "MI."
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Optional: Click Add condition, then specify another condition to create a compound condition.
- Choose AND or OR depending on your scenario.
AND: Requires all conditions to be true before text is inserted.
OR: Requires at least one condition to be true before text is inserted. - In our example, you may ensure another variant of the state name is tested by clicking OR, choosing "US state" again, setting the condition to "does not equal," and adding the value "Michigan."
- Choose AND or OR depending on your scenario.
- Click the submit arrow.
Once your condition is created, the conditional text is encapsulated in a conditional box, with the IF condition and THEN result displayed in the document.
- Click the edit icon (pencil) for a rule.
- Make the necessary edits.
- Click the submit arrow.
- Click the delete icon (trash can) for a rule.
- Click Remove rule.
Once you have added all your fields and rules, click Back to conversation > Done reviewing. The document template is saved as you modify it. Once it is ready, you can click Generate documents from the AI panel to use it immediately. To return to the template later, find it in Editor > Custom templates, or from Vincent > Draft > Draft documents from forms and templates > Custom templates.
Up next
- Generate documents from your templates: see Draft Documents from Forms and Templates in Clio Work
- Build templates in Word instead: see Clio for Word Template Builder, or Clio Draft: Manage, Import, and Update Word Templates