Using Templates

Templates in HeyDonna provide pre-formatted document structures for different types of legal proceedings. They ensure your transcripts meet court formatting requirements.

What Are Templates?

Templates define:

• Document structure - Cover page, certification, exhibits index
• Formatting rules - Speaker labels, Q/A format, indentation
• Placeholders - Case name, date, court reporter name
• Page layout - Margins, line spacing, headers/footers

Available Templates

Standard Deposition

For depositions and witness examinations:

• Q/A formatting with proper indentation
• EXAMINATION / FURTHER EXAMINATION headers
• Witness certification section
• Exhibit index
• Reporter certification

Court Hearing

For court proceedings and hearings:

• DIRECT/CROSS/REDIRECT examination headers
• Judge and court official labels
• Case caption formatting
• Court certification

Custom

Start with a blank slate and build your own format.

Applying a Template

During Project Creation

1. Create a new Legal project
2. Select a template from the dropdown
3. The template structure is applied to your transcript

Changing Templates

To apply a different template:

1. Go to Project Settings
2. Select a new template
3. Confirm the change

Note: Changing templates may affect existing formatting.

Template Sections

Cover Page

The cover page includes:

• Case caption (parties, case number)
• Court information
• Date and location
• Volume number

Appearances

Lists all parties and their counsel:

• Attorney names and bar numbers
• Party representation
• Contact information

Proceedings Section

The main transcript content:

• Examination headers
• Q/A formatting
• Speaker identification
• Colloquy sections

Certification

Reporter certification includes:

• Reporter name and credentials
• Date of proceeding
• Certification statements
• Signature block

Exhibits Index

Lists all exhibits:

• Exhibit number/letter
• Description
• Page marked
• Page received (if applicable)

Placeholders

Templates use placeholders that are filled automatically:

How Placeholders Work

1. Enter project details when creating the project
2. Placeholders are automatically filled
3. You can edit filled values in the document
4. Values sync across all occurrences

Template Formatting

Q/A Format

Templates apply proper Q/A formatting:

     Q    Did you see the defendant?
     A    Yes, I did.

Speaker Labels

Legal templates format speaker labels:

               MR. SMITH:  Objection, your Honor.
               THE COURT:  Overruled.

Examination Headers

Headers are formatted based on proceeding type:

Depositions:

                    EXAMINATION
          BY MR. JONES:

Hearings:

                DIRECT EXAMINATION
          BY MS. SMITH:

Uploading Your Own DOCX Template

You can upload your firm's own Word document as a template. HeyDonna will use it to shape how your DOCX export looks — preserving your cover page, fonts, margins, and formatting styles.

Step 1: Prepare Your DOCX

Open your existing template in Word (or create a new one) and make sure it contains:

1. A {{TRANSCRIPT}} placeholder in the proceedings section — this tells HeyDonna exactly where to insert the transcript content. Place it on its own paragraph where you want the transcript body to begin.

2. Standard section structure (optional but recommended):

   • Cover page (case caption, court, date, reporter)
   • Appearances section
   • Proceedings body (where {{TRANSCRIPT}} lives)
   • Certification page
   • Exhibit index

Sections without {{TRANSCRIPT}} are preserved as-is and will appear in your exports unchanged.

Step 2: Upload the Template

1. Open the project in HeyDonna
2. Go to Project Settings → Template tab
3. Click Upload Template
4. Select your DOCX file
5. HeyDonna validates the file and shows a section preview

Step 3: Verify Section Detection

After upload, HeyDonna shows which sections were detected. Common detections:

If a section shows as "Not detected", that section will be omitted from exports using this template.

Formatting Tips

For best results in the proceedings section:

• Use Normal paragraph style for body text
• Set tab stops at 0.5in, 1.0in, and 1.5in (standard for Q/A and colloquy)
• Use double line spacing (504 twips / 28pt) to maintain 25 lines per page
• Don't use absolute line heights or fixed-size text boxes — these interfere with dynamic content

Best Practices

Choose the Right Template

• Deposition - For single witness questioning
• Hearing - For court proceedings with multiple parties
• Custom - When standard templates don't fit

Fill Out Project Details

Complete all project information:

• This enables automatic placeholder filling
• Saves time on repetitive entry
• Ensures consistency throughout

Review Template Sections

Before exporting:

1. Check all placeholders are filled
2. Verify section order is correct
3. Review formatting in each section

Troubleshooting

Template Not Applying

If formatting doesn't appear:

1. Ensure project type is Legal
2. Check a template is selected
3. Try re-selecting the template

Wrong Placeholders

If placeholders show incorrect values:

1. Go to Project Settings
2. Update the project details
3. Placeholders update automatically

Missing Sections

If template sections are missing:

1. The section may be optional
2. Check template documentation
3. Add sections manually if needed