Insert Fragments and Clauses in a Precedent

Overview

In OneLaw, you can manually insert fragments and clauses while creating a precedent or editing an assembled document. Manual insertion places the content from the fragment or clause into the document immediately and runs any automation attached to the fragment or clause, including Fragment Infosheets, Clause Infosheets, and OA tags.

• When inserting into a precedent: the content becomes part of the precedent’s fixed wording and will appear in every document assembled from it.
• When inserting into an assembled document: the content applies only to that one document and does not affect the underlying precedent or any library content.

Manual insertion is one of several ways OneLaw includes content in documents, alongside conditional inclusion, user choice, and Infosheet-driven selection.

Fragments and clauses are inserted from the Home tab in Word, using the Fragments menu in the OneLaw section. You can choose from the fragment categories and clause libraries maintained by your firm.

Who can do this

• Template Administrators creating or updating precedents
• Any user editing an assembled document

How this article fits into the wider clause and fragment system

OneLaw includes fragments and clauses in documents in different ways. This article covers manual insertion only. 
For automated or conditional inclusion, see:

• Include Clauses Automatically Using OA INCLUDE Tags
• Remove Clauses or Lines Using OA REMOVE Tags
• Use Inline Clause Pickers
• Use Fragment Selector Fields in Infosheets

Use these articles together to decide whether content should be fixed or dynamic in your precedent.

 Before you start

• Make sure the document you are working in is either:
  • a precedent you are creating or updating, or
  • an assembled document opened from a Party or Matter.
• Confirm you have access to the relevant fragment categories or clause libraries.

Steps

1. Open the Fragments menu

   • From the Word Home tab, place your cursor where you want the fragment or clause to be inserted, then open the Fragments dropdown.
     

   • A drop-down list displays your available fragment categories and clause libraries.
     
2. Select the fragment or clause you want to insert
   • Expand the relevant category or library.
   • Select the item you want to use.
   • Click Insert.
     
     
     Result: The content is inserted at the current cursor position in the document.
3. Review and position the inserted content
   • Check the placement of the inserted content in your document.
   • Adjust surrounding spacing, numbering, or paragraph formatting as needed.
     
     Note: When you insert a fragment or clause, Word merges the styles from the fragment or clause with the styles in your document, with the formatting in your current document taking precedence. Numbering and bullets follow Word’s normal behaviour after insertion, which may continue or restart based on where the content is placed. You can adjust the formatting of the inserted content if needed.
4. Continue drafting or editing
   • Insert additional fragments or clauses as needed.
   • You can mix manually inserted content with automated content included by your precedent design.
   • All manually inserted content remains part of the precedent or assembled document until you edit or remove it.

Result

You have manually inserted one or more fragments or clauses into the document.

• In a precedent, each inserted fragment or clause becomes part of the fixed content used in every assembled document.
• In an assembled document, the insertion applies only to the current version and does not affect future documents or the underlying precedent.

Reference

The table below summarises when to use manual insertion, and when to use an alternative method that includes content during assembly.

Recommended articles

• Insert Merge Fields and Map Content Controls
• Use Inline Clause Pickers
• Include Clauses Automatically Using OA INCLUDE Tags
• Remove Clauses or Lines Using OA REMOVE Tags