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How to add/edit a clause?

Clause management provides a specialized library for reusable text snippets (tax clauses, liability limitations, etc.) separate from full document templates, with auto-scroll interface and category organization for quick insertion during deed drafting.

Written by Magali @Nora
Updated over 4 months ago

Step-by-step instructions

Add New Clause:

  1. From Templates or Smart Drafting, click "Manage My Clauses" button

  2. ClauseManager modal opens showing all existing clauses organized by category

  3. Scroll through list to review current clauses (optional)

  4. Click "Add New Clause" button at bottom of list

  5. Single create form appears at bottom of modal

  6. Auto-scroll: Form automatically scrolls into view with focus on name input

  7. Fill in required fields:

    • Name: Descriptive clause name (e.g., "Tax Optimization - Donation - Flanders")

    • Category: Select or create:

      • Tax

      • Liability

      • Confidentiality

      • GDPR Compliance

      • Property

      • Inheritance

      • Custom categories

    • Content: Enter clause text (e.g., full paragraph with legal language)

    • Alternatives (optional): List alternative phrasings or variations

  8. Click "Submit" or "Create Clause"

  9. New clause appears immediately in list

  10. Clause ready for insertion in current or future drafting sessions

Edit Existing Clause:

  1. Open "Manage My Clauses" modal

  2. Locate clause in list (use search if many clauses)

  3. Click edit icon (pencil) on clause row

  4. Modify any field:

    • Change name for clarity

    • Update content (fix typos, add detail, update for legal changes)

    • Reassign category

    • Add or modify alternatives

  5. Click "Save" or "Update"

  6. Changes reflected immediately in library

  7. All workspace members see updated clause

Delete Clause:

  1. Click delete icon (trash) on clause row

  2. Confirmation dialog: "Are you sure? This cannot be undone."

  3. Click "Confirm Deletion"

  4. Clause removed from database

  5. Clause no longer available for insertion (existing documents using it are unaffected)

Practical example

During deed drafting, notary Vincent Mercier realizes he needs a new tax optimization clause specific to property donations in the Flanders region that isn't in the existing library. He clicks "Manage My Clauses" in Smart Drafting, modal opens showing 87 existing clauses. He scrolls to bottom, clicks "Add New Clause", form appears and auto-scrolls into view. He enters Name: "Tax Optimization - Donation - Flanders", Category: "Tax", Content: "In accordance with Article 2.8.4.0.5 of the Flemish Tax Code, the parties elect for preferential treatment under the regional donation tax regime, resulting in a reduced rate of 3% for direct line donations under €250,000, provided registration occurs within 4 months of deed execution." He submits. The new clause appears immediately in the Tax category list. He closes the modal, positions his cursor in the donation deed he's drafting, clicks "Insert Clause", searches "Flanders", selects his new clause, and inserts it into the current deed - entire process takes 2 minutes.

Notes and limitations

  • Workspace sharing: Clauses are shared workspace-wide - all team members can use

  • Real-time sync: External subscriptions keep clause list updated when colleagues create or modify clauses

  • No version history: Editing clause overwrites previous content (no rollback)

  • Delete is permanent: No trash/undo - deleted clauses are immediately removed

  • Alternatives field: Alternatives stored but not actively used in most UI implementations yet

  • No approval workflow: Clauses available immediately after creation

  • Category management: Can create new categories on-the-fly during clause creation

  • Search within modal: Can search clauses by name or content

  • No export/import: Cannot export clause library to share with other workspaces

  • No multiple clause building: you cannot load a document full of clauses directly in the system.

FAQ

Q: Can I organize clauses into categories or are they all in one list?

A: Yes, clauses are organized by category (Tax, Liability, Confidentiality, GDPR, Property, Inheritance, etc.). When creating or editing a clause, select the appropriate category from the dropdown. You can also create custom categories if the predefined ones don't fit. In the clause management modal, clauses are typically displayed grouped by category for easy navigation.

Q: Can clauses contain variables like templates do?

A: Yes, clauses can contain variables using the same {{variable_name}} syntax as templates. For example, a tax clause might include {{property_value}} or {{donation_date}}. When you insert a clause with variables into a draft, those variables will be highlighted and can be filled like any other template variable. This makes clauses flexible for different specific scenarios.

Q: How do I delete a clause I no longer use?

A: Open "Manage My Clauses", find the clause in the list, click the delete icon (trash can), confirm deletion when prompted. Warning: Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. The clause is immediately removed from the library. However, documents that already used this clause are not affected - the clause text remains in those documents. Only future insertions are prevented.

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