[alligator]

I write a lot of contracts at work, and I hate creating them from scratch. Is there some piece of software I could use where I could just check a box and have a paragraph of text inserted into my document?

In other words, I'd like to write the whole contract just by checking a series of check-boxes - and have it automatically dump the clauses or paragraphs into a Word document.

Anyone know if this is possible? How?

[cpac]

very possible.

You could write a Word macro to do this, or an Applescript, or if you don't know/want to learn how to use those, you could always just create a "master" contract with all possible paragraphs: then you'd just have to go through and delete what you don't want/need.

[osxisfun]

if you have filemaker, it would take a just a little bit of effort, but you could build really powerful stuff with it. it might be a little overkill but FM would allow you keep stuff in your database and perform calculations that would result in a big text field copied to the clipboard.

like.

you could click on a checkbox for

"plumbers"
"return visit"
"release form"

and hit a button and FM would spit out the info with the person's name and address etc and make labels and save it for later reference.

the are other apps that would do this but the FM interface is so damn easy.

[alligator]

Oh good, I have FM (but it is a Windows version 5). Of course, I could use VPC too. I've never used FM, but I do have it sitting here. Any chance I could get someone to explain how I'd set it up in a little more detail? Could I start with one of their templates, or do I have to make my own?

[Krusty]

How many possible different paragraphs do you have ?? This could be easily accomplished with HTML/JavaScript as well. I can whip up the code and send it to you (err .. post it as a webpage that you can copy the source from).... all you would have to do is change the text values in the HTML to what you want and it should work fine.

[f1000]

Laziness is the mother of invention.

You might be automating yourself out of a job, though, alligator.

[osxisfun]

defiantly pick of a "Visual Quickstart Guide" book for filemaker (peachpit press?)

they will step you thru dozens of examples.