Overview
Word Merge is a powerful tool that enables you to create fully customized, editable documents that clients can complete. It is an efficient way to collect client information and signatures on forms such as Release of Information, Intake paperwork, Consent forms, and more.
Required Permissions and Prerequisites
- This article is in reference to our Desktop application and Client Portal
- Microsoft Word
- PIMSY Word 18 - Please reach out to PIMSY Support for a download link
- Please assign the Create, Modify, View, and Delete permissions for the following rule(s):
- Public Documents
- Public Document Threads
- Client Documents
- Client Document Threads
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Initial Set Up
To begin setting up a word merge document, open Microsoft Word and create a new blank page.
Go to the Layout tab and set margins to Narrow.
Next, go to the paragraph style icon under the Home tab and open the Line Spacing Options…
From the options window, set the following parameters under the Spacing section:
- Before: 0 pt
- After: 0 pt
- Line Spacing: Single
- Check the Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style box
Click OK to save the changes and exit the window.
Step 2: Header and Footer
If your document requires a header and footer, double click on the space at the top or bottom of the page. This makes the header or footer area active where you can make edits. Go to the Header & Footer options at the top and make the following changes:
- Header from Top: 0.2"
- Footer from Bottom: 0.2"
This will save more space and allow more items to fit on the page.
If the header should only appear on the first page, make sure to check Different First Page.
Now you can add a logo or the title of the header in the Header or Footer section of the page.
If add an image, there are a few layout options that can be utilized such as left, middle, right alignments, as well as text wrapping.
Step 3: Creating Different Types of Tables
It is important to structure word merge documents with tables. This will help PIMSY recognize which fillable areas are editable fields in the final steps. There are different methods for creating various types of questions:
- Section Headers / Text boxes
- Initial lines / Fill in the blank
- Form Questions
- Check boxes
-
Signature lines
Step 4: Section Headers and Text Boxes
From the Insert tab, click Table and select 1x1 to apply a 1x1 table.
Enter your text in the table and adjust the font and text size as needed.
Creating a table for paragraphs and simple text can be done the same way. Ensure there is a space between each newly created table.
To remove the borders, select the table and click the border options. Select No Border to remove border. If you wish to add a border back, simply click either Bottom Border, Top Border, Left Border, and/or Right Border. This can also be done from the popup menu that appears when making edits to the table.
Step 5: Fill in the Blank / Initials
Some forms may require fields for entering information or a line for initials. Here’s how to add those elements:
Select a 3x1 from the Table icon.
First, let's move the border of the first cell to create space. Highlight the first cell and then hover over the border line until the icon changes like shown in the GIFs below:
Next, enter the text in the cells. Ensure at least two characters worth of space is left between the last letter and the border line. This will prevent the line from expanding when importing the document into PIMSY.
Creating 1x1 for the rest of the text will allow room for expansion, especially if there is more text than a single line can fit.
Here’s how the form will appear once the borders are removed and the Fill in the Blank line border added. At this point, you can also remove any extra spacing between rows for a cleaner, more cohesive layout.
Additionally, using tokens is a great way to automatically populate information when the client completes the document.
More examples:
Step 6: Form Questions
Some documents may require clients to provide multiple pieces of information, such as address, phone number, email, and more. This format may include several items on the same line, so consider the layout carefully to ensure it doesn’t appear too cramped.
If you choose to remove the space between rows, you can adjust the row height by going to the Table Layout tab, where you can modify both height and alignment for a cleaner appearance. Typical table height should be 0.2" but 0.3" can be used if you want the row less condensed.
If you need to add more columns in a row, you can right-click the cell and select Split Cells… Next, select the amount of columns you wish to add.
Step 7: Check Boxes
Similar to the layout used for form questions in the previous step, checkboxes can be utilized to cover multiple items in a single row. When creating a checkbox, extend the cell border as far as Word allows to maximize space.
In PIMSY, these will not function as traditional checkboxes, since the program cannot interpret them as such. Instead, we recommend typing an “X” in the box to indicate a selection.
Sometimes, an "Other" option will be made available. In this case you can create a check box and fill in the blank combination.
Step 8: Signature Lines
The setup for signature lines is similar to that of form question lines. For best results, we recommend using a table row height of 0.3" with bottom-left alignment.
Avoid using middle or top alignment, as these will cause the signature to appear above the line rather than directly on it. If preferred, the current date token can be used to automatically insert the date the form is signed.
Step 9: Additional Styles
Encapsulated style
If you wish to achieve an outline around the contents of your questions, create a blank row and add an extra column at the beginning and end of it. You can also split the cell to create more columns.
Next copy and paste the blank row in between each line of content, as shown below. Remove the borders and then add them back in. It should look something like image below:
Next, delete the empty spaces between the cells to combine the tables into one.
Token Usage
As mentioned previously, tokens are an excellent way to automatically populate information in the form as the client completes it. When the client goes to fill out the document, the information will automatically populate when they open it. The data is pulled directly from the client’s chart, and if any information is missing, the related token will not display in the document.
Step 10: Additional Information
When creating tables, it is important to never move the beginning and end border lines. Doing so many cause formatting and alignment issues with your document.
Correct Example:
Incorrect Example:
When copying information from another document, we highly recommend pasting as Plain Text. This ensures that formatting from the original document does not carry over, preventing potential formatting issues in the new document.
Step 11: Creating Editable Fields in PIMSYWord18
Once you have built your document and saved it, it is now ready to be brought into PIMSYWord18.
PIMSYWord18 allows us to take the document we created and turn the tables into editable fields. This will allow PIMSY to recognize where data can be input and where it cannot. To begin, click the Review tab at the top, highlight the cell to be editable, and then click Range Editing Permissions.
It is very important to do the next steps in this order:
- Check Everyone
- Click Apply
- Click OK
This ensures that the range edit is properly applied.
The cell should now be bracketed and highlighted in blue just like in the image examples below:
You may see instances where the bracket drops down to the next line. This is okay as it is just an indicator that the field sits at end of the row.
Once range edits have been applied to all fields, go to the File tab and click Apply Gray Color. As the name suggests, this will apply a gray shading to all editable fields.
Finally, we will need to protect the document. This ensures the document contents cannot be changed when being filled out by the client, except for the editable fields.
Return to the Review tab and select Protect Document. There is no need to make any changes in the options and then click OK.
*Please note - We do not recommend setting a password when protecting the document, as this can create issues when trying to make edits later. If the password is lost, there is no way to unlock the document for future editing and the document would need to be rebuilt.
Save your document and now it is time to upload it into PIMSY!
Step 12: Uploading the Document into PIMSY
To upload the document into PIMSY, navigate to:
Utilities > Documents > Public Documents
Right-click the preferred folder and select Add New Document from the list of options.
Enter a brief Document Description, check Active, and then click Browse to locate the document within your directory.
Once the file has been selected, click Save to upload the document. The file should appear similar to the image below:
Next, we must test the document to ensure it is working as intended. Access the documents area within the client portal with a test client and select the document from the list.
Verify all items (especially signature lines) within the document appear normal and editable.
If all looks well, then the document is complete and ready to be utilized by your clients. To learn more about managing documents, check out our article on How to Create and Manage Documents in Document Management.