Create a Simple Precedent

Overview

Create a simple, working precedent in OneLaw using a real conveyancing example.

This walkthrough guides you through the full Document Assembly process: setting up a Precedent Library, creating an InfoSheet, building a precedent in Word, and testing it before saving it into your Precedent Library. You build the precedent using the Author Templates tools on the OneLaw ribbon tab and the OneLaw Templates panel.

By the end of this process, you will have:

• A configured Conveyancing Precedent Library
• A Conveyancing InfoSheet with relevant fields
• A reusable Initial Letter to Client precedent
• A generated document created from your precedent

Note: Click any screenshot to expand it for a clearer view while following the steps.

Who can do this

Template Administrators

Before you start

• Ensure you have access to the Administration tab in OneLaw
• Ensure the OneLaw tab in Word shows the Author Templates group. It appears for Template Administrators

Steps

1. Set up your external Precedent Library location

   Create a folder structure to store your precedents, so OneLaw can access and use them when running documents.

   Before creating the Precedent Library in OneLaw:

   • Open your shared drive or SharePoint location
   • Create a folder named Precedents
   • Inside this folder, create a subfolder named Conveyancing

   You will select this folder when setting up the Precedent Library in the next step.
    

2. Create a Precedent Library in OneLaw

   Create a Precedent Library in OneLaw to link your folder, so users can access and run your precedents from within the system.

   In OneLaw, go to the Administration tab on the navigation ribbon.

   • Select Manage Libraries
   • In the Precedent Libraries section, select the green Add Precedent Library + icon
   • Enter Conveyancing as the Name
   • Leave the location set to Folder
   • Select Choose Folder..., then browse to the Conveyancing folder you created earlier
   • Update the default drive in the folder path (for example, C:) with %USERPROFILE%
   • Leave the library type set to Document
   • Under Word Files, select All Word Files (.dotm, .dotx, .docx, .docm)
   • Tick Auto-execute Word documents (.docx, .docm)
   • Under Excel Files, tick Include Excel workbooks (.xlsm, .xlsx) and Auto-execute Excel workbooks (.xlsm, .xlsx)
   • Under PDF Files, tick Include PDF documents
   • Select Save & Close

   

   Result: The Conveyancing Precedent Library is now available in OneLaw.

    

3. Create a Conveyancing InfoSheet

   Create an InfoSheet to store matter-specific details, so those details can be automatically inserted into your precedent when it is run.

   Note: If you prefer not to create the InfoSheet from scratch, you can use the example file attached to this article. Import the Conveyancing InfoSheet using the steps in Export and Import InfoSheets (JSON), then continue from Step 5, Check your InfoSheet on a Matter.

   In OneLaw, go to the Administration tab on the navigation ribbon.

   • Select InfoSheets
   • Select the green Add InfoSheet + icon
   • Enter Conveyancing as the Name
   • Leave the Field Code Prefix as default
   • Leave the InfoSheet Type as Matter
   • Under Fee Types, select Conveyancing, or your firm's equivalent
   • Decide whether to tick Automatically attach to new matching matters

   

    

4. Add fields to the InfoSheet

   Add fields to the InfoSheet to capture the details that will be automatically inserted into your precedent.

   In the Conveyancing InfoSheet, add each field in turn.

   Add the first field

   • Select the green Add a New Field + icon
   • Under Field Type, select Heading
   • Enter Agreement Details as the Field Name
   • (Optional) Add a description for user guidance
   • Select OK

   

   Add the remaining fields

   Repeat the same process to add the following fields under Agreement Details, selecting the Field Type first and then entering the Field Name exactly as shown:

   • Select Date, then enter Agreement Date
   • Select Single Line Text, then enter Property Address
   • Select Money, then enter Purchase Price

   Create a new section in the InfoSheet by adding a Heading field, then repeat the same process to add the following fields for a Conditions section, selecting the Field Type first and then entering the Field Name exactly as shown:

   • Select Heading, then enter Conditions
   • Select Date, then enter Finance Due Date
   • Select Date, then enter Insurance Due Date
   • Select Date, then enter LIM Due Date

   Once complete, select Save & Close.

   

   Resulting InfoSheet
    

5. Check your InfoSheet on a Matter

   Attach the Conveyancing InfoSheet to a Matter and enter sample values so the precedent can populate correctly when it is run.

   Open a Matter, then add the Conveyancing InfoSheet.

   To do this:

   • Select the InfoSheets tab in the Matter
   • Select the Select… button
   • In the Edit Matter window, select the Conveyancing InfoSheet
   • Select Save & Close

   

   Use the screenshot below to check:

   • The Agreement Details section is visible
   • The Conditions section appears below
   • All fields are listed as expected

   

   Enter sample values into the fields to confirm they behave as expected. These values will be used to populate your precedent when it is run.

   

    

6. Create a Precedent

   Create a new precedent set to Full automation, so it can use merge fields.

   Note: If you prefer not to create the precedent from scratch, you can use the example Precedent (.dotx) attached to this article, then continue from Step 9, Test the Precedent.

   In Microsoft Word, go to the OneLaw tab.

   • In the Author Templates group, select New

   

   Result: The New window opens.

   • Under What do you want to create?, select Precedent
   • Leave Based on as None
   • Under Precedent automation, select Full. This precedent uses merge fields, and merge fields need Full automation
   • Enter Initial Letter to Client in the Name field
   • Select Create

   
   Result: A blank document opens with the OneLaw Templates panel alongside it, on the Overview (house) tab.

   Tip: As you build, Save progress on the Overview (house) tab saves your changes locally at any point, so you do not have to finish the precedent in one sitting.

    

7. Configure the precedent

   Attach the Conveyancing InfoSheet

   Attach the Conveyancing InfoSheet so its fields are available to insert into the precedent.

   • On the Overview (house) tab, under InfoSheets, select Manage...

   

   Result: The InfoSheets window opens, with an empty list.

   • Select Add...
   • Select Conveyancing
   • Select OK

   

   Result: Conveyancing is added to the list and embedded, and its fields are now available on the Fields tab.

   • Select Close

   Apply stationery

   Apply the firm's default stationery so documents assembled from this precedent use your firm's standard formatting.

   • In the OneLaw Templates panel, select the Settings (cog) tab
   • Under Default headers and footers, tick Auto-apply default stationery

   

   Result: The firm's default letterhead and footer are applied automatically when a document is assembled from this precedent. Changes to the firm's default then flow through automatically.
    

8.  Write the letter and insert the fields

   Insert the document date

   Insert the document date as a merge field so it is populated when the document is assembled.

   • Place the cursor where the field belongs
   • In the OneLaw Templates panel, select the Fields tab
   • Leave the source dropdown set to Base Fields
   • In the field tree, select the + beside DocumentDate

   

   Result: The insert options for DocumentDate open.

   • Under Bind as, select Merge field
   • Under Format, select the date format you want, for example d MMMM yyyy. The Sample: line below shows how the date will look
   • Select Insert at cursor

   Note: Selecting Merge field also shows Preserve formatting during updates, If NULL, and Advanced formatting. Leave them as they are. This precedent does not need them.

   

   Result: The merge field is inserted, shown as «OP.DocumentDate». It populates when the document is assembled.

   Insert recipient and matter details

   Insert merge fields for the recipient and Matter details so the document pulls that data from OneLaw when it is assembled.

   These are the fields to insert, and where each one goes in the letter.

   

   Refer to the screenshot as you go to confirm layout and spacing.

   Under Recipient:

   • MailingName, at the top of the letter
   • Under PostalAddress: MultiLine, then PostCode, below the name
   • Salutation, after the address block

   Under Matter:

   • Name in the subject line

   On the Fields tab, with the source dropdown still set to Base Fields, insert each one. For each field:

   • Place the cursor where the field belongs
   • Select the + beside the field
   • Under Bind as, select Merge field
   • Select Insert at cursor

   The subject line is bold, so bold the matter name once it is in place:

   • Select the inserted Name field in the document
   • On the Word Home tab, select Bold

   Insert the letter content and fields

   Type the letter content and insert the Conveyancing InfoSheet fields, so the document is populated with InfoSheet and OneLaw data when the precedent is run.

   Type the body of the letter as shown in the screenshot.

   

   Refer to the screenshot as you go to confirm the wording, layout, and spacing.

   On the Fields tab, from the source dropdown, select Conveyancing.

   

   Result: The field tree shows the Conveyancing InfoSheet's fields.

   These are the fields to insert. Set a date Format on each of the four date fields.

   Insert as merge fields:

   • Property Address
   • Purchase Price
   • Agreement Date
   • Finance Due Date
   • Insurance Due Date
   • LIM Due Date

   Insert each one the same way as before. For each field:

   • Place the cursor where the field belongs
   • Select the + beside the field
   • Under Bind as, select Merge field
   • For a date field, under Format, select the date format you want
   • Select Insert at cursor

   Confirm your document matches the example before saving.

    

9. Test the Precedent

   Check the precedent produces what you expect before you save it into the Precedent Library.

   Review the Overview

   • On the Overview (house) tab, review the summary of what the precedent contains, and resolve anything it flags. The Overview lists the merge fields you have placed, and warns about problems such as automation being set to Partial, or a missing InfoSheet. Each warning names what to fix.

   

   Test appears only once the Overview reports no issues, so work through anything flagged before you continue.

   Note: If you are using the example Precedent (.dotx) attached to this article, the Overview flags three things, because the file was built at another firm. Fix these first:

   • Select Attach to this firm
   • Under InfoSheets, select Manage..., select Conveyancing, then select Remove. Removing it is how you remap it: when you are asked whether to remap the mapped merge fields, select Yes, choose your own Conveyancing InfoSheet, then select OK
   • On the Settings (cog) tab, tick Execute on new document creation

   Test the precedent

   • Select Test

   Result: OneLaw opens the New Document window, the same one used to run a precedent.

   • Select the Party and the Matter you attached the Conveyancing InfoSheet to in Step 5, then select OK

   Result: OneLaw assembles a document from the precedent.

   • Check the stationery, the recipient and matter details, and the InfoSheet values all come through as expected. The dates should show the sample values you entered
   • If anything is missing, close the test document, update the precedent, and test again
   • When you are happy with it, close the test document to return to the precedent
      

10.  Save the Precedent

    Save the precedent into your Conveyancing Precedent Library so it becomes available to run in OneLaw.

    • On the Overview (house) tab, select Save as

    Result: The Save window opens on Precedent Library.

    • In Save to:, confirm Precedent Library is selected
    • Select the Conveyancing library
    • Check Location: to confirm where the precedent will be saved
    • Confirm the Name is Initial Letter to Client
    • Leave Save as macro-enabled (.dotm) clear, so the precedent is saved as a .dotx
    • Select Save

    

    Result: The precedent is saved into the Conveyancing Precedent Library and is available to run from within OneLaw.

    Note: Now that the precedent has a home, Save to source on the Overview (house) tab commits any later changes straight back to it, without going through the Save window again.

Result

You have created a Conveyancing InfoSheet and a working precedent, and generated a document using both InfoSheet and OneLaw data, demonstrating the full Document Assembly process.

You can now:

• Capture structured data using InfoSheets for your own matters
• Insert that data into precedents
• Generate complete Word documents from within a matter

This is the core Document Assembly workflow in OneLaw.

Recommended articles

• Create a Precedent
• Create an InfoSheet