Document drafting in Agile EP is an interactive process that begins with template selection and continues through interview completion, document preview, and document assembly. The system is designed so that client information can be saved, reused, and applied across multiple documents.
This article provides a high-level overview of the drafting process. Additional articles in this section explain specific parts of the workflow in more detail.
The Basic Drafting Workflow
If you prefer a visual walkthrough of the drafting process, you can watch this short overview video:
In most cases, drafting follows these general steps:
Select a drafting template from the Library
Load an existing Answer File (if one exists for the client) or begin a new interview
Work through the interview questions that drive document content
Preview documents during drafting if needed
Save an Answer File to preserve your work
Assemble documents to generate the final files
Each of these steps is explained in more detail below.
Step 1: Select a Drafting Template
Drafting in Agile EP always begins by selecting a drafting template from the Library.
To start drafting:
Go to the Library
Select the appropriate product (for example, an Estate Planning product for a specific jurisdiction)
Open the appropriate folder
Select the drafting template or package
If the template is a package, you may be prompted to select which documents in the package you want to draft. You may select all documents in a package or select only one or a few.
Once the template is selected, the drafting interview will begin, showing the tabs necessary for you to complete to draft the documents you've selected in the package.
Step 2: Load an Existing Answer File (Optional)
If you already have client data saved in an Answer File, you can load it at the beginning of the interview. This allows you to reuse previously entered information instead of starting from scratch.
This is commonly done when:
Returning to a previously started draft
Drafting additional documents for the same client
Loading answers generated from a client questionnaire
Reusing client information across related templates
If you’re unfamiliar with how answer files work or where they come from, our article here explains the role they play in storing client information and connecting drafting sessions across documents.
If you'd like a step-by-step walkthrough of how to load and reuse client data during drafting, see this article, which covers the full workflow.
Step 3: Complete the Drafting Interview
After selecting a template (and optionally loading an Answer File), you will work through the interview questions that determine how the documents are generated.
Best practices when completing the interview:
Work through questions in order
Avoid skipping ahead when possible
Make key planning decisions early so later questions adjust appropriately
Save answers periodically during longer interviews
The answers provided during this step form the basis of the Answer File, which is used to generate documents.
Step 4: Preview Documents During Drafting
Agile EP allows you to preview documents while drafting. Using the Preview button allows you to:
See how your answers affect document language
Confirm that planning decisions appear correctly
Identify missing or incomplete information before assembly
Preview documents are read-only and do not replace formal document assembly.
If previews do not open, check your browser’s pop-up settings.
If you'd like to experiment with document language or explore how different planning decisions affect the final documents, this article shows how to safely test templates without using real client data.
Step 5: Save the Answer File
Before assembling documents, the system must save an Answer File containing all interview responses.
The Answer File:
Stores the data used to generate documents
Allows you to return to the draft later
Enables reuse of client information for future documents
If you're curious about how answer files store information and why they are central to the drafting process, this article explains how Agile EP captures and applies client data across documents.
Agile EP also gives you several ways to save and manage client data, including saving files to the cloud, downloading them to your computer, or organizing them across drafting sessions. If you'd like a clearer picture of how those options work and when to use each one, this article walks through the available storage and management approaches.
Taking a moment to understand these options can make it much easier to reuse client information and maintain organized drafting workflows over time.
Step 6: Assemble Documents
Document assembly is the step where Agile EP generates the final documents using the saved Answer File.
To assemble documents:
Save the Answer File
Click Assemble Your Documents
Wait while Agile EP generates the selected documents
After assembly:
Documents appear on the Assembled Documents screen
Files may be downloaded individually or as a full set
If revisions are needed, return to the interview, update answers, and assemble again
If you'd like a more detailed walkthrough of the assembly screen and the available options for downloading and managing generated documents, this article explains the process step by step.
If documents do not open or download, check your browser permissions. For additional details about troubleshooting this, review this article.