The dotloop Document Editor is where flat PDFs/non-interactive documents can be made into interactive documents that you use in a loop. There are many features offered in the document editor including font settings, field labels, and signature/initial assignments that make your document autofill.
Click HERE to learn about Hot Keys
Click HERE to learn about Field Calculations
Open a PDF document by clicking the document title in the Documents Templates section. Follow the steps below- be sure to click on each step to read more.
The document editor toolbar contains many options for making modifications to your interactive fields.
Document Title
By clicking on the document title, you can change the name of the document while it is open.
File Dropdown Menu
- Save
- Download
- Split document (must be done before any interactive fields are applied)
- Rotate a document (must be done before any interactive fields are applied)
- Template options
- Opens a window with more specific options for the document
- Apply template
- Save as a template
Add Dropdown Menu
From the Add dropdown list you can select different interactive fields to add to the document.
Save
Add to Loop
From the document editor you can add a document to a specific and active loop.
There are two methods to adding interactive fields
1. Using the hotkeys (See more on that here)
2. Using the Add dropdown list found at the top right of the document editor page.
After making a field selection, find the location on the document you would like to place the field and click. From the Add dropdown list, you can add the following interactive fields:
Signature
Signature fields are used to indicate consent. They are legally binding and carefully recorded with time stamps and dates.
- Signatures must be assigned to a specific role or person to prompt the signer to sign once the document is shared.
Initial
Initial fields are used to indicate consent. They are legally binding and carefully recorded with time stamps and dates.
- Initials must be assigned to a specific role or person to prompt the signer to sign once the document is shared.
Text
A text field is the most commonly used field because it is a blank slate to which almost all applications/tools can be applied
- Can label to autofill using the Autofill window in a loop – including dates and names
- Can be assigned to a specific role
- Can change font type, size, alignment, color, highlight, and transparency
Date
Date fields are used when a calendar selection can be made
- Formatted as MM/DD/YYYY
- Can only be labeled for Autofill with labels specific to dates
- Can change font type, size, alignment, color, highlight, and transparency
Name
A name field can be used in a place where a name should appear that perhaps does not have a label because it can pull from the contacts in a loop.
- Can only be labeled with labels specific to names
- Can change font type, size, alignment, color, highlight, and transparency
Checkbox
Checkboxes are used to indicate a selection where more than one option can apply.
- Can be assigned to a specific role
- Can be labeled
Radio Button
Radio buttons are used to indicate a selection where only one option can apply.
- Can be assigned to a specific role
- Must be in a grouped pair of no fewer than two radio buttons
Strikethrough
Strikethrough is used to cross out a selection on a form.
- Can be assigned to a specific role
Document Logo
A document logo field can add a logo to a document. For more information See this article.
Note: when working in document editor, you should save often to avoid losing any progress.
Note: some fields like radio buttons have to be grouped in a pair before the document can be saved. Other fields like signatures and initials can be grouped as well.
Upon adding a new field to a document, you can see another line of options appear in the Doc Editor toolbar. Hover over each symbol to see its meaning. These options vary depending on the field, and which options are applicable (if the second toolbar has disappeared, simply click on a field to make it appear):
Label Dropdown Menu
Choose a label to which you can apply to an interactive field. Fields with labels will populate with information added to the Autofill window in a loop.
'Assigned To' Dropdown Menu
Choose who has permission to make modifications to a field. This is important for assigning signatures and initials.
Font Style
Font Size
Left Align, Center, or Right Align text
Bold, Italics, or Strikethrough Font
Font Color
Highlight text in a field
Field Transparency
Font still visible, outline of interactive field is not when a document is downloaded or printed.
Field History
Indicates what modifications were made to the document when and by whom.
Delete an interactive field
Select a field, then click this option to delete it.
Group Interactive Fields
More…
Opens Advanced Options window: change the size of an interactive field by the pixel make an interactive field non-editable once in an active loop
Save These Styles as My Default
If you have created a new font preference in the field selected, you can choose to make that your default font style for document creation in the future.
Using the label tool from the document editor toolbar, you can add standard labels to a document.
Begin by clicking on a desired field. Hover the mouse over the label dropdown button to see a list of the most commonly and previously used labels.
To apply a different or more specific label, select (click) the label dropdown button to open the list in a new window
From the label list window, you can:
- Search for a label using the search bar at the top of the window
- Scroll through the complete list of labels
Labels are split into categories based on the information they will pull. The types of labels are divided into folders – the bold blue font – by role or type of information. Once you have found the appropriate label, click the radio button next to it. Then, click the Apply button.
Note: when selecting a text field and opening the label window, you will see all label options. These options will be limited for date, name, and check box fields. Some labels, like Seller Name, have the option of being split up therefore there can be five variations of the same label:
Seller name can become
- Name – Seller 1 (default)
- Name – Seller 2
- Name – Seller 3
- Name – Seller 4
- Name – All Sellers
Once selected, a label with multiple options will have a blue and bold dropdown list appear to the right of the label where you can select the appropriate option.
The label dropdown in the toolbar shows the applied label when selected.
To assign a role, hover over the Assigned to dropdown menu to open the list of assignment options. Signature and Initial fields are the most common fields to which you will assign a role, because this is what prompts that person to sign when the document is in a loop.
By default, a signature or initial field will assign to the role of Anyone while a text, date, check box, or radio button will assign to the role of No One.
- Anyone: means that any person at any time can sign in this place regardless of role
- No One: means that no one can sign in this place at any time regardless of role
Note: Roles can be changed on a document later by those in a loop with Can Edit in Private Permissions (see an explanation of permissions in step 4 of this article).
To group interactive fields together:
1. select the fields that you would like grouped together so that both are highlighted in blue.
2. use the Group button on the Toolbar.
Signatures and Initials
When multiple users are required to sign a section only once, signature and initial fields can be grouped to prevent a double signing. For example, at the bottom of an addendum, two sellers need to sign:
- If both signatures are assigned to the role of the seller, but ungrouped, the first seller will be prompted to sign in both places.
- If both signatures are assigned to role of the seller and grouped together, the first seller will only be prompted to sign in the first signature field.
Text Wrapping in Text Fields
Where large text boxes in place of multiple lines of text can have the font-size modified and additional lines of text can be added, text wrapping maintains the integrity of the form for legal compliance.
Radio Buttons
Radio buttons are intended for either/or, or yes/no answers
- They must be grouped in pairs of no fewer than 2 before the document will save