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HotDocs by CARET

HotDocs by CARET

Overview

What is HotDocs by CARET?

HotDocs is a document automation and assembly software product, acquired and now supported by AbacusNext since 2017.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

HotDocs is a versatile document generation tool that is widely used across various departments in organizations, including legal, human …
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HotDocs Review

8 out of 10
March 20, 2018
Incentivized
We are a managed services company that installs, configure and supports HotDocs for our clients. HotDocs is a document automation program …
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Pricing

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Basic

$25

Cloud
per user/per month

Enterprise

Contact sales team

Cloud

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Product Demos

FinovateSpring 2017 / HotDocs

YouTube
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Product Details

What is HotDocs by CARET?

HotDocs by CARET Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(13)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

HotDocs is a versatile document generation tool that is widely used across various departments in organizations, including legal, human resources, and marketing. Its primary purpose is to automate the process of generating frequently used documents, saving both time and money while ensuring accuracy. Companies with a large number of documents that are needed repeatedly find HotDocs particularly useful.

One of the key use cases of HotDocs is transactional drafting. Users can create templates and a master questionnaire to automate the drafting process. This feature is especially beneficial for tasks like drafting multiple documents with the same information for government-insured construction loans, where it saves an impressive six to seven hours of manual document drafting every day. Real estate professionals also rely on HotDocs to quickly generate group forms for the same transaction, streamlining their workflow.

Another significant use case for HotDocs is its ability to produce letters and standard documents consistently across multiple locations. Users can easily create templates and customize them based on specific requirements. Paralegals utilize HotDocs to draft estate planning documents by conducting an interview with clients and then editing the generated documents in Microsoft Word before presenting them to clients. This powerful document generation application ensures proper formatting and includes all necessary information, making it a valuable asset in an estate planning practice.

Furthermore, managed services companies specialize in installing, configuring, and providing support for HotDocs on behalf of their clients. This enables organizations to leverage the benefits of HotDocs without the burden of managing the software themselves. Overall, HotDocs is user-friendly and seamlessly integrates with other software platforms, making it an indispensable tool for automating document assembly across various industries and departments.

Users commonly recommend the following:

  1. Get proper training and support: Many users advise booking training sessions and doing tutorials to learn how to use HotDocs effectively and efficiently. They recommend taking as much training as possible to save time in the future and suggest paying for training with a third-party consultant. Users also emphasize the importance of having a solid relationship with the salesperson and architecting a plan for implementation and roll-out.

  2. Invest time in learning the software: Users recommend taking the time to learn HotDocs thoroughly, as it speeds up the template building process once known. They also suggest automating several forms to get a feel for the software and recommend using cheat sheets and practicing with it. Users advise ensuring that the developer receives training as well.

  3. Consider overall costs and alternatives: It is recommended to do due diligence when looking at alternatives and testing them thoroughly. Users advise considering the overall cost, not just the licensing, and having a plan for return on investment. Additionally, they suggest consulting someone who has used HotDocs before and keeping in touch with them. Some users also recommend comparing HotDocs to Acrobat's similar features to assess ease of use.

Overall, users find HotDocs to be a great tool that can streamline document creation, but they stress the importance of investing time in learning the product properly and considering all aspects of its implementation.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-1 of 1)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
April 24, 2020

How Hot is HotDocs

Riva Schwartz | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Hot Docs is the engine. We use it for real estate forms. It makes it easy to generate a group [form] based on the same transaction.
  • It allows you to fill a form OR to use the Q&A approach.
  • It takes a particular fact pattern and applies it over several forms.
  • It does not allow an edit to a form to be saved. If you edit a form and close out, you have to start all over again.
  • It should fill in certain items that are usually the same , with an allowance for revising if necessary.
  • Lender credit cannot be shown as a "minus" on the closing disclosure , even though it is supposed to be.
  • There needs to be a signature line on the Seller Closing Disclosure.
  • It is not compatible with the newest version of WordPerfect (X9).
I use it for bank closings, used to use the HUD-1, now the closing disclosure and the seller closing disclosure.
  • It makes it easy to fill out the form.
  • I really only use it for the one form, it doesn't do as well with the other forms.
There used to be a product called Easysoft but I didn't like it as much - I might look at it again.
The support is fine, but make no mistake it is PAID support because you have to purchase it each year in order to keep the updates.
No
  • Vendor Reputation
I would evaluate all similar software.
  • Implemented in-house
No
Change management was minimal
  • Doesn't interface with WordPerfect X9, our word-processing software.
If you use WordPerfect X9 - choose"no word-processing software."
  • no training
Easy to learn.
Yes
It comes with the package - you have to pay for a "subscription" annually.
Yes
A long time ago I assisted the developer with debugging.
Twice. Once, right before a real estate closing, I had left the form open on my computer, the computer shut down and the program wouldn't launch - I called product support, in a panic, and they got me up and running before the clients showed up.
Second time - right after purchasing new Windows 10 computers, we couldn't install the software because it was not compatible with our new WordPerfect X9 software so they had to do a work-around.
No
Could be more intuitive - could even "suggest" fill-ins with the option to take or not take the suggestion.
Yes
Must upgrade every year.
  • None.
No
No
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