ContractWriter Checklist Menu

This feature is very helpful for navigating around the Checklist when you are trying to edit specific Sections.

We do not recommend using the GoTo function when first writing the Contract, simply because we believe that you should start at the top and work your way down through the entire Checklist so as to prevent forgetting a Section.

The biggest difference between the Checklist and the GoTo list is that the Checklist is in a logical sequence, and the Goto list is in alphabetical order, which makes it easier to find a specific Section.

To find a specific Section in the GoTo list, you may scroll down the list, or you may enter the first letter of the Section and the cursor will move to that portion of the GoTo list.

To actually activate the GoTo function, you may select the Section from the GoTo list and then select the OK button, OR you may simply double-click the Section from the list.

The GoTo dialog box will close automatically when you activate the GoTo function.

The Listings in the GoTo list have been written into the programming, and thus will not include any new Sections you may add to the Checklist.

In other words, you can memorize how you’ve checked off the Checklist, and save it under a Template name, which allows you to reuse it again.

Templates can be a great time saver for repetitive contracts.  For example, many ContractWriter users create two or three standard contracts, which they save as Templates.

ContractWriter includes 10 Contract Templates to get you started.  These Templates are “Bare Bones” contracts, so we strongly suggest you generate, review and augment them to your own requirements.

No matter what Template you use (if any), you can always modify the Template selections as you continue the process of proceeding down the Checklist and writing a Contract for a specific project.

We’ve included the 10 Contract Templates just to give you an idea how they work.  The “All Entries Selected” and “All Entries Unselected” are only there for us to test the program to it’s max.  You may delete them if you desire.

The dialog box provides detailed instructions on saving, renaming, using and deleting the Templates.  The buttons and caution messages will also guide you in using the function.

The only thing you need to remember about using the Templates is that when you use a Template, it will copy over (replace) your existing Checklist settings.  The program will remind you of this with a caution message that will allow you to change your mind.

To familiarize yourself with the Template function, we suggest that you play with it in a ContractWriter file that you specifically intend not to save.

The function will insert the new row by pushing the row currently under the cursor down, with the new row then inserted directly above it.

If you use the mouse to drag a range of several several rows, the function will insert as many rows as you’ve included in your range.

This function is used to add new wording to the Checklist, either for a specific contract, or as permanent additions to your ContractWriter Master File.

Of course, when adding specifications for a specific project, it’s usually easier to simply over-write or edit existing wording that you don’t need for that project.

Before actually inserting the rows, ContractWriter will highlight them in their entirety and ask you to confirm the insertion.

When you insert one or several Checklist rows, ContractWriter assumes the new rows are to be included in the same section and paragraph of the Contract as the row directly above the 1st row.

If you are unsure if the new row or rows are included in the correct Section and/or paragraph of the Contract, use Settings | Program Settings | Display | Show Format Column to unhide the Format Column and reveal the Format Code, which you may change as needed.

This is only an issue because sometimes ContractWriter users have added a new contract clause to the Checklist, tagged it, but then it didn’t show up on the contract where they wanted it to be.

If you use the mouse to drag multiple rows, the function will delete all the rows in your range.

This function is used to permanently delete wording, clauses or entire Sections from the Checklist, typically because you are eliminating contract clauses you never expect to use in your business.

This function is not needed when writing a Contract for a project because in that situation you should simply skip unneeded specifications on the Checklist.

Before actually deleting the rows, ContractWriter will highlight them in their entirety and ask you to confirm the deletion.

This function is different from the Insert Line function is that it always adds the new Checklist Section below the existing Section, not where the cursor is.

ContractWriter will prompt you to confirm your intent before actually adding the new Checklist Section.

When you insert a new blank Checklist Section, the program will insert new rows and thus will not copy over any existing specifications.

The new Checklist Section is 32 rows long, and includes the header and several paragraphs.

The layout of the new Section is identical to the other Sections of the Checklist.

The idea is to allow you to add a new Section anywhere in the the Checklist where you may need one.

Once you’ve inserted the new Section, you will obviously need to enter the Section specifications.

If you need more rows in the Section, use Insert Line.

If you inadvertently inserted a new Section, you may use Delete Line(s) to remove it.

The Groups are indicated in the grey column plainly visible on the far left side of the Checklist.

Next to each Section of the Checklist you can observe the vertical bar with the minus sign in the small box at the bottom.

To Collapse the Section, simply click on the small minus sign.  The rows included in the group will collapse (hide) and the minus sign will turn into a plus sign.

To Expand the Section, click on the plus sign and the rows within the Group will be revealed.

We’ve grouped the rows so that the Section’s top header is always visible.

The purpose of the Group function is to allow you to Collapse Sections that you way not need to utilize often, thus allowing you to physically shorten the Checklist without losing any Sections.

We ship ContractWriter with all the Sections expanded because we don’t want to presume what Sections are important to your business.

You may Collapse and then Expand a Group as many times as you wish without any effect on the operation of the program.

Even if you collapse a Section, any Clauses you tagged will still be copied to the Contract page.

The commands in the sub menu allow you to collapse and expand all the Sections in the Checklist, and to create or remove your own groups, but we doubt you’ll need these functions.

In other words, you can use the Group function without actually using any of the commands under the Group Menu.