Stephen Bird wrote: "Once you see how
Pathagoras works with folders, standard clauses, and so on, its elegance
becomes apparent. If you're considering a document assembly program,
I strongly recommend you read the two short pages "For Busy People"
at http://www.pathagoras.com/busypeople.html
download the free demo, install, and then start using Pathagoras based
on the Busy People suggestions."
Pathagoras is, as Stephen Bird writes, a good introduction to the
world of "clause-based" document assembly. It is an easy
and functional tool that works the way many lawyers think in blocks
and clauses. If you are the type of lawyer who is used to pulling
up old forms and agreements and "data-mining" for the
perfect clause, Pathagoras is a good tool to shorten that process
and build a knowledge base.
To some degree, the HotDocs Clause Library was designed to serve
a similar function. It allows you to create groupings of clause
in folders and subfolders and sub subfolders that can be called on
both during a document assembly and following a document assembly.
Lexis/Nexis is working on a more powerful clause utility that will
dramatically increase the power of the clause libraries. Till then
Pathagoras may just be easier.
The GhostFill clause library tool also has much of the same functionality
of the Pathagoras tool, including access to clauses post-assembly.
It is integrated into the GhostFill application development environment
which allows you to move easily from clauses, to dialogs, to variables
and databases.
However, clause-based document assembly is inherently limited in
the marginal returns on investment. You still need to review each
clause and determine the appropriateness. There is limited ability
to apply complex logic to either the selection of the clauses or
the input of data into the text of the clauses. The reliance on
Word merge fields is inherently limiting.
If you are truly serious about efficiency gains and an ROI in the
multiples, you should look at a more expensive and robust document
assembly tool such as HotDocs or GhostFill. The learning curve will
be steeper, but the gains will be in the multiples, not the percentages.
