Regular bold defines a term or common reference. An italicized entry denotes a command.
Alias An informal name for a variable, used in DealBuilder, that appears in the document in lieu of an unanswered variable. In HotDocs, you can assign a Title to a variable that serves the same function. In GhostFill the equivalent can be achieved by use of a Default Text property of a field on a dialog.
Application An Application in GhostFill is a common storage area for all Lists, Clauses, Dialogs, databases, Profiles, Scripts, documents, and templates that have been specifically created to work together. In HotDocs, the closest equivalent is a library. In DealBuilder, the closest equivalent is a Master template that controls numerous sub templates that are either attached or included.
Ask In HotDocs, this command forces a dialog to appear. In GhostFill the dialogs are governed by a Dialog.Capture command or Dialogs.Execute command. In DealBuilder, there is no Ask, as the appearance of a page is solely determined by the relevance (or lack thereof) of the variables that appear on that page.
Assembly The actual processing of a template or template set operating to produce finished documents. In GhostFill the preferred term is to “Fill”. In DealBuilder a template is processed and then presented to the user upon clicking “FINISH” at the end of the interview.
Attachments From the main template, will cue up another template for assembly after completion of the first template. In HotDocs, you have the option to ASSEMBLE or INSERT a template. In DealBuilder, you may ATTACH or INCLUDE a sub template. In GhostFill, the command is Templates.Select to Insert a sub template or Templates.Run to run a template successively.
Automation The development process of designing and structuring intelligent document assembly systems.
Automation Elements Whole collection of variables, markup, usage statements, etc. In GhostFill these items form part of the Application. In DealBuilder, there items are part and parcel of the unified template and Data Dictionary. In HotDocs, these items include the Library, the Templates and their individual component files.
Basha Systems One of the leading document assembly and case management consultancies in United States. We have been providing custom expert systems and tailored case management solutions since 1996.
Boolean Variable A field type that is either 1 (TRUE) or 0 (FALSE). Typically represented as Yes/No, True/False, or as a Checkbox. In DealBuilder, you have the added option of choosing to Defer an answer, or to enter an Uncertain.
Caffeine Considered by Ian Burrows, the Geek of Basha Systems, to be a critical component of complex programming. Considered by others to be . well, a necessary evil.
Clauses Clauses allow you to create complex agreements and contracts quickly and accurately, and they can be updated and maintained with ease.
Collection A collection is a group of objects. It is created for the purpose of treating these separate objects as a set instead of as independent entities. The objects in a collection are indexed, which means you can iterate over them and access an object based on its position (index) in the collection.
Compulsory Indicates whether or not an answer is required. In DealBuilder, compulsory is a property of the variable. In HotDocs, you have the option, through dialog scripting, to REQUIRE a variable be answered. In GhostFill, requirement can be handled either by data validation or through event scripting.
Conditional expression If an expression is conditional, it means that the action will only take place if the condition is met. In HotDocs, all conditional statements are preceded by an IF and end with an END IF. In GhostFill, conditional statements consist of a Function and An Argument, such a KeepBlockIf( …), DeleteBlockIf(…), RepeatBlock(), ForEachBlock(…), or RepeatWhile(…). In DealBuilder (VMM), the expression preceded by a bracket, and is set off in superscript, followed by an “=”. Other forms of DealBuilder notation use footnotes to store usage statements.
Conditional Text As the name implies, this is text that may or may not appear in a document. One of the key goals for an adequate document assembly system is to identify every piece of conditional text in every template, so that multiple versions of the same document are not required.
Computation Computations can be used in all programs as a shortcut to complex conditional expressions. In HotDocs, the computation variable must resolve to a True or False value. GhostFill uses Scripts. In GhostFill, you can set a variable to the value of a script computation, and then use it in an expression, or set the expression to test the value of a script. In DealBuilder, usage statements and computations are used to handle complex conditions.
Confidential Indicates whether or not the value of a variable will be printed in any derived document. DealBuilder is the only system that allows you to designate a field to be confidential, visible only based on user login.
CSV String A CSV (comma separated values) string is a list of values stored as plain text. Each value in the list is usually surrounded by quotation marks, and is separated from other values in the list by a comma. Each row in the list may be separated by a character or a return. Often the first row of the list contains the names of the columns (fields) of the list.
Data Link A DataLink allows the document assembly templates to communicate with databases. In GhostFill, the datalink is an object in the application that can be used by any template or script. In HotDocs, the datalink is a component of a templates component file. In DealBuilder, the datalink is accessed through a linking table to an query or table in the programs underlying server-side database.
Data source A data source defines the type and location of a database. A GhostFill data source is actually an ODBC data source. Defined data sources can be viewed and configured via the Windows Control Panel.
Data Variables Variables for data entry. In GhostFill there is a distinction between variables and fields. Much like Visual Basic and Delphi, a variable can hold a data value or can be a reference to another object in the system.
Date Variable A date object including a year (1900-3999), a month (1-12) and a day (1-31) part.
DealBuilder A high-end server-based document assembly platform developed by Business Integrity.
DealBuilder Author A desktop application that allows you to develop and analyze templates, identify errors, develop questionnaires and build complex systems, and then post them to a test web-server environment.
DealBuilder Express A Microsoft Word plugin that analyses the Data Dictionary in the current document, and allows you to drag and drop variables and conditions into the active Word documents via an intuitive wizard.
DealBuilder Server A Web-server developed by Business Integrity, sitting on top of IIS and SQL, which serves up dynamic interviews, guided by complex relevancy rules in the selected document templates.
Dialog Editor GhostFill Dialogs Editor allows you to create sophisticated capture forms, that include standard Windows user interface elements like option buttons, drop-down lists, check boxes, and text entry fields. Dialogs objects can also be linked to multiple parent dialogs to avoid repetitive dialogs. In DealBuilder, the order of fields on a dialog is determined by the questionnaire, the properties of such fields by the data dictionary, and the display by the relevance of such variables in the template. In HotDocs, the dialog editor is integrated into the component manager.
Dialogs We fill in different types of forms on a daily basis, prompted by questions or labels to fill in the information required. HotDocs presents a single master interview for each document, determining relevance based on scripting and/or usage of fields in the template. DealBuilder presents a series of “pages” in a web-interview, based on questionnaire and relevance in the selected templates.
Document The end product. A document may also refer to an email attachment, pdf, or may be a generic reference to a file.
Document Assembly The “industry name” for creating simple and complex templates and blending them together to form a cohesive and truly intelligent document production system.
Document Modeling In Canada, document assembly is referred to a document modeling, the process of taking a master document or series of precedent type documents, and creating a model markup for how the document would be automated as a manual process of “cut/paste” and fillins.
Document Automation Automation goes beyond assembly of individual documents. It is the design of systems and workflow that aids in the selection of the appropriate document and the assembly of those documents using file data or case data that covers the entire family of documents.
Documents Documents can be created, stored, and managed in the Documents tab of the GhostFill Explorer. Your documents can be organized in folders, Applications, and mappings. Alternatively, the files can be saved through scripting into DMS applications like Hummingbird and Interwoven. HotDocs and DealBuilder provide no independent document management system, but do include the ability to integrate with existing DMS applications through ODMA.
Drafting Notes Means of annotating the master template in a way that will not be present in the assembled document. DealBuilder includes an express Notes object for storing notes in context in the templates. GhostFill relies on fillpoints with a “|” to designate the “note” portion. HotDocs relies on variables or expressions with a “//” to designate the note portion.
ELSE A common operator used in programming, it is used in conjunction with an “IF” statement. When read in “english”, it is something like “IF this happens, do something, ELSE, do something different”. HotDocs supports ELSE and ELSE IF expressions. DealBuilder supports use of ELSE in calculation, but relies on NOT for conditional expressions. GhostFill has no ELSE construct, but uses a DeleteBlockIf function or an IfTrue(condition,true result,false result).
Field Commonly used in document assembly and database platforms, a field “should” refer to a database. It is a “cell” or “holding area” for data, most times user entered data is stored in a field. Sometimes misused to refer to a variable in a document assembly system.
Fill The filling process takes place when you choose to run a GhostFill template to generate a new document. On selection of one of the Run, Save As and Run, And Then… Run, And Then… Save As and Run, FastFill or Fill commands GhostFill evaluates the FillPoints that appear in the document, filling each with a result. In HotDocs, the operative term is “Assemble”.
Fillpoint A FillPoint is a text string in a GhostFill Template that starts with the characters %[ (percent + open square bracket) and ends with a ] (close square bracket). FillPoints contain GhostFill instructions in the form of variables and tasks. GhostFill processes these instructions when it encounters a FillPoint.
Fillpoint Data The Data tab allows you to create FillPoints using the data stored in your plug-ins.
Fillpoint Tasks The Tasks tab lists all the tasks that make up the GhostFill Scripting Language. The tasks have been grouped together according to their functionality. They offer an assortment of powerful functions to enhance your templates. See the GhostFill Scripting Language Guide for a detailed description of each task.
Fillpoint Variables The Variables tab shows all the variables available in your open templates and in the editing area in the FillPoint Editor.
GhostFill A document assembly product by Korbitec Holdings, known primarily for its massive document assembly toolset, and ability to natively connect with most data sources commonly in use.
GhostFill User A version of GhostFill that is locked down. The user can select the applications and documents for assembly, but cannot edit the templates or the dialogs.
GhostFill Developer Developer version of GhostFill allows complete access to templates and other development objects. Can be used to “publish” applications either to GhostFill Server or to encrypt applications for use by others with GhostFill.
GhostFill Server Web server version of GhostFill that plugs in as a document automation server. Includes dynamic HTML interviews for assembly of individual documents. Automation servers supports multiple simultaneous assemblies and can take data from all data sources, not just GhostFill rendered interviews.
Guidance In DealBuilder, guidance can be added for every field. It will appear to the right of the prompt. In HotDocs, guidance is called resource text, and can appear in the Resource pane at the bottom of the interview, as a popup tip, or via a button in a separate window. In GhostFill, help text can be a popup tip or via a button into a separate window.
HotDocs A document assembly product originally produced by Capsoft and now owned by Lexis-Nexis, known for quick and easy production of templates and document assembly systems. Not widely known is that it may be used to build extremely complex and intricate expert systems, with careful programming, structure and design.
IF One of the most common commands used in document assembly, IF marks the start of conditional content, or a conditional operation. For example: IF a child is under 18, insert the text “(a minor)”, ELSE, do nothing.
Inclusions From the main template, will insert text from the included template
Inter-paragraph Conditionals Conditionals that have paragraphs embedded within them.
Intra-paragraph Conditionals Conditionals that are embedded within a paragraph.
Irrelevant Irrelevant variables never contribute to a derived document and behave as if they had never been asked.
Jargon Lingo, tech speak, geek speak. This glossary is an attempt to explain the “jargon” in plain english.
Korbitec Holdings The parent company of GhostFill, an extremely powerful and complex document assembly system.
Library A library is usually a collection of templates within a document assembly system, or a general collection of documents. GhostFill organizes templates into “Applications.” DealBuilder allows you to manage applications on the webserver. However, you can make use of Master templates and sub masters to handle the creation of multiple documents simultaneously.
Lists A GhostFill list presents a group of options to choose from. Because the options are predetermined, you can control the choices that are made. Lists can be created dynamically. The equivalent in Dealbuilder is the use of Lookup tables. In HotDocs, there are Multiple Choice type variables with related merge text. In all three programs, lists can be created dynamically through scripting.
Logic Tree Refers to a decision making tree, or sequence of decisions to be made. An attorney for example makes multitudes of decisions for each matter. Should this company be incorporated in Delaware? If yes, what type of Delaware corporation should it be? If no, what state and why? The “tree” is represented visually in GhostFill to allow you to navigate to any particular dialog or field on any given dialog. In DealBuilder, the tree is represented as a dropdown list of relevant “pages”. In HotDocs, the tree is an “Interview Outline, which displays relevant and scripted dialogs, but not the variables on those dialogs.
Lookup Table Supports multiple merge text options for a lookup table.
Mapping A mapping is a path to a shared storage location on a network. The name of a mapping usually describes what is stored in the location without giving any reference to the actual path. GhostFill supports dynamic mapping at the application level, including the use of profile variables to make the mapping adjust to individual practitioner preferences. HotDocs uses “reference paths” to allow for flexibility in location of shared network templates.
Multiple Choice Variable A multiple choice variable is a type of document assembly variable, which allows a developer to specify a list of options for a user to choose from.
Name A formal name for a variable.
Number Variable Numeric characters only, usable in mathematic operations. The strict definition is that a “number” relates to an integer. One should note that not all “numbers” are really “numbers”. Numbers are those pieces of data which need to be dealt with mathematically, or in some way ordered or indexed. For example, a zip code is comprised of all digits, but in document assembly terms, it is not a “number” per se.
Numeric Variable A number, including positive and negative whole numbers and decimal numbers. In HotDocs, there is a single “number” type. It is treated as an Integer or Decimal, depending on the number of decimal spaces allowed in the variable definition. In GhostFill and Dealbuilder there is a distinction between Integers and Decimal numbers, each representing a separate data type.
Other A useful operator in HotDocs, it is used to access a Multiple Choice variable, to test whether a user entered their own data, instead of choosing a pre-set option.
Pattern Answer File In HotDocs, any answer file can be saved as a pattern answer file for reused in future assemblies. Care must be made, in creating a pattern answer file, not to complete client or transaction specific data.
Personal Information variable Internal HotDocs variables – basically a mini flat-file database which stores core values such as the firm name and phone number. Makes moving offices very simple.
Preamble DealBuilder allows you to put text above a field that explains in more detail the usage of that field. In HotDocs this can be handled by use of “Additional Text”. In GhostFill, there is support for a Label data type and an RTF data type.
Proconsystematic A word created or coined by Basha Systems to reflect our modus operandi. Proactive, consistent, systematic. Used in a variety of contexts, such as: “Has this project been proconsystematicated?” and “Your proconsystematication is outstanding!”
Profile A Profile is a group of variables that store related information. For example, a Profile could store information about an individual or company. This is especially useful for details that you repeat in your correspondence, e.g., Name, Address, E-mail address.
Quit A common command in many languages, it is used to terminate code “quit” and “end” serve generally the same purpose across many languages.
REPEAT “Repeats” a dialog. In HotDocs, the REPEAT command forces the interview to continually ask a dialog until no further answers are provided. In GhostFill, the use of RepeatBlock in a template will repeat the contents of the block until there is no more data. Preferred coding is to use a ForEachBlock construct.
RESULT In a HotDocs computation, RESULT returns the current value of the computation. In a GhostFill list, Result is the text that will be inserted into your document based on the item you have chosen from your List. The result can differ from the item displayed in the List.
Screentip A ScreenTip is an on-screen note in a small rectangular pop-up window. It gives a brief description of, for example, a toolbar button’s functions.
Scripts GhostFill Scripts are executable blocks of the GhostFill Scripting Language that can be reused over and over again in your templates. They are a neat way of storing complicated FillPoints externally, i.e., without cluttering up your templates.
Select Variable In Dealbuilder, a Select type variable is a list of selection texts from which one or many, depending upon its form (sub-type), can be chosen. The equivalent in GhostFill is a List type field. The equivalent in HotDocs is a multiple choice variable.
SET Used in HotDocs to set a variable to a specific value. Usable in conjunction with RESULT to SET a variable to the resultant value of a computation. In GhostFill, one need only include a fillpoint or script in the format %[x = VarName] or %[x = Scripts.Select(Application,Script). DealBuilder contains no explicit SET command but does support compound calculations.
Size Constraint The value of a variable attribute or the name of an object exceeds a size constraint imposed by the database.
Static Text As the term suggests, refers to standard text in a document or template that will not change. Quite often, companies will have several versions of the same document, the only difference between them being that some of the static text content is different.
String Variable Any text, including multi-line texts and null (blank) texts. GhostFill makes a distinction between single-line text fields and multi-line or memo fields as separate data types. HotDocs and Dealbuilder handle this by allowing you to specify the number of lines for the text variable.
Style In word processing, a style is a named set of formatting specifications. To apply these specifications, simply select a section of text and apply the style name. In GhostFill, you can dynamically set the styles applicable to a given template at runtime.
Syntax Validation DealBuilder Author will analyze a template and highlight all instances of erroneous syntax – errors in either logic or repeat statements associated with conditional text, or in a calculation statement. GhostFill includes a function that will check the syntax of an entire application and produce a report identifying the error, and the templates or object. HotDocs evaluates syntax during test assemblies which will display the “first” syntax error and as part of the expression, computation and dialog script editors.
Tasks Tasks are the GhostFill Scripting Language contained within your FillPoints. They are pre-defined instructions which GhostFill will carry out during a fill operation. A task is made up of a task name describing the instruction.
Template A “master” version of a document, which is used as a base to create documents. Document blueprint that can be set up with specific formatting and content.
Text Variable In HotDocs, text variables are limited to 255 characters for data entry; any ansii character permissible. When a text variable is set in a computation, however, they may be able to hold substantially more characters. We are not aware of similar limits in GhostFill and DealBuilder
Time Variable A time object including an hour (0-23), a minute (0-59) and a second (0-59) part.
TODAY Returns the current date.
True/False variable “Switch” variable – yes/no type result. In GhostFill they are referred to as “yes/no” variables and represented as a checkbox. In DealBuilder, they are referred to a boolean variables, and can display as a checkbox, yes/no, or true/false.
Unanswered An industry term to denote the state of a variable when a user has not provided data to same. Occurs due to users skipping a given variable, or it not being asked by the document assembly system, or the variable not being relevant. In HotDocs and GhostFill the status of a variable as unanswered can be set via scripting. In HotDocs, GhostFill, and DealBuilder, the status of a variable as unanswered can be tested for. DealBuilder adds an additional state of “Certain/Uncertain” or “Defer” to a variable answer.
Value The value assigned to the variable either by the host system, during the DealBuilder input pages or downloaded from a DealBuilder database as part of a transaction. Similar meanings in HotDocs and GhostFill.
Variable A variable is a container for a numeric or text value, or for the result of an expression, script, or task, or a reference linked to the referenced object. The value stored in a variable will change each time a template is run. HotDocs refers to most components as variable data types. GhostFill uses the term “fields” or the more generic term “FillPoints.” A variable is what document assembly systems use to store data or objects containing data. There are many types of variables, to store different types of data and they form the core of all document assembly projects.
While Used in most programming languages, this commences a “loop”. Most document assembly software contain developers tools to activate these easily. HotDocs has recently provided a mechanism for a developer to operate a While loop and simultaneously Repeat a dialog to collect information. GhostFill has RepeatBlockWhile( … ) function.
XML XML stands for Extensible Markup Language. XML is a uniform method for describing and exchanging structured data in an open, text-based format, and delivering this information over the Web. HotDocs, GhostFill and DealBuilder store answer data, optionally, in XML, albeit using very different data type definitions.
XSL XSL stands for Extensible Style Language. XSL is a specification set by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for defining the layout (style sheet) of XML data.
Yellow and Blue The standard header colors used by Basha Systems in its Excel-based document assembly analysis templates. Ian opts for pastels and less offensive shades than the vibrance that Seth invariably chooses.
Youwannawhaaa?! A common response to a request for some excessively difficult and intricate programming that is doubtless going to result in hair loss.
Y+Control Key together This is the converse to Control-Z. It is the second most important HotKey in any Windows program. It will ReDo the last action. Combined with Control-Z, you can redo typing or some other action if you have accidentally undone. Neat huh? .
Z test A function in Microsoft Excel that returns the one-tailed probability-value of a z-test. For a given hypothesized population mean, µ0, ZTEST returns the probability that the sample mean would be greater than the average of observations in the data set (array)- that is, the observed sample mean. Are you sorry you asked?
Z+Control Key together The most important HotKey in any windows program. It will Undo the last action in the particular program. It works in HotDocs, GhostFill and DealBuilder. You can do Control-Z in sequence to undo several actions until you restore the template or script to the state you need it to be restored to. Aren’t you glad you read this far?