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Inserting a clause and resolving undefined terms: the full Definely workflow

In this article we'll walk through the full workflow of inserting a clause from Definely Vault and using the interoperability between Definely's tools to catch any undefined terms you might inadvertently introduce.

See how Definely Vault, Draft/Read and Proof work together so you can insert a clause, plug any missing definitions, and quality-check the result, all in a single workflow.

Top Tip: This workflow assumes you're already comfortable with searching Vault. If you'd like a refresher, see Searching for clauses and definitions in Definely Vault.


Step 1: Find and review your clause

Start by searching for the clause you want to insert, in this example, an Interest clause.

  1. Open Definely Vault from the Definely ribbon in Word.

  2. Search for your clause (e.g. "Interest") and apply any filters you need.

  3. Before inserting, double-check the clause details, contract type, author and date created, to make sure it's the right fit for your document.


Step 2: Scan the document for undefined terms

When you choose to insert a clause, Definely automatically runs a scan on the document you're working in to check whether inserting that clause would introduce any undefined terms.

You'll see a list of any terms that would be undefined after the clause is inserted, so you can fix them before they become a problem.


Step 3: Surface and insert missing definitions from Vault

You can take the workflow a step further by using Vault to find definitions for the undefined terms, without leaving the flow.

For example, if Definely flags that Zero Break Cost Date would be undefined once the Interest clause is inserted, you can search Vault for a definition of Zero Break Cost Date and insert it straight into your document.

Because of the interoperability between Definely tools, when you insert a definition from Vault, it's automatically placed in the correct location, with the right formatting, and in alphabetical order within your definitions section. No manual tidy-up required.


Step 4: Insert your clause

With your definitions sorted, you can now insert the clause itself. You have two options to make the inserted content easy to identify and consistent with the rest of your document:

  • Auto-formatting: Definely will do its best to match the formatting of the surrounding document (numbering, indentation, fonts, etc.).

  • Highlight text in yellow: newly inserted content can be added in yellow highlighting so you can quickly see what you've added and review it at a glance.

Note: You can turn on Track Changes so you can easily review any new clauses or definitions you've inserted.


Step 5: Review and update definitions in Draft

Once your clause has been inserted, you can double-click any highlighted defined term to open it in the side panel using Definely Draft/Definely Read. This makes it easy to check your definitions and keep them consistent across the document. You may want to quickly tidy up or update some of the definitions you've just inserted, and you can do this without losing your place in the document.


Step 6: Run a final check with Proof

For a final quality check, run Definely Proof over your document.

If you're working in track changes, you can filter Proof to review just the bits you've added by using the Changes only view. This is particularly helpful for:

  • Updating any cross-references affected by the new clause

  • Spotting any remaining undefined or unused terms

  • Catching capitalisation, numbering or formatting inconsistencies introduced by the insertion


The big picture: why interoperability matters

Each step above is powered by the interoperability between Vault, Draft/Read and Proof:

  • Vault surfaces clauses and definitions and inserts them cleanly into the right place.

  • Draft/Read lets you manage and update defined terms without breaking your flow.

  • Proof gives you a final, focused sweep of just the changes you've made.

Together, they turn what would otherwise be a manual, error-prone process into a smooth, joined-up workflow.

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