Introduction

 

The dotloop document editor is a powerful tool that allows you to easily set up your documents. With any document you have uploaded into dotloop, you have the ability to add many field types. The document editor is also capable of many other great features to give you full customization over your documents. This article will focus mainly on PDF documents. What is the difference between a PDF and an Interactive Form you ask? A PDF is a flat form that typically has no fields on it, usually uploaded from your computer or email, whereas an Interactive Form is a document template that has been set up for you by your brokerage or association.

 

Using This Guide

 

Scroll down the page in order to review all sections of this tutorial. Or, if you're looking for something specific you can skip to a particular section by clicking on its name. BACK TO TOP links which will bring you back to the top of this page can be found in-between the sections.

 

Article Sections

 

Adding and removing fields on a document


Adding a field onto your document can be achieved in just a few clicks! Navigate to the top menu bar and under the ADD menu, you will see all the fields available to be added to your PDF. Let's click on the ADD TEXT option. When you click, you will notice the field appears on the document and will follow your mouse around.


 

Once you have lined up the field where you would like to place it on the document, click on your mouse button and the field will be placed on the document. Once placed, you can resize or move the field where you need it. This works with every field type! To resize, hover your mouse over the bottom right corner and you will see a diagonal arrow appear. Click on this arrow and you can drag to re-size the field. Alternatively, if you hover your mouse around the outer edge of the field, you will see a four way arrow appear. Clicking and dragging this will allow you to move the field around your document.


 

The ADD menu can add more than text fields. You can add any field to fully complete many tasks and functions.

  • Signature: a signature field is an assignable field to allow a person to eSign.
  • Initials: this field functions the same as a signature field, allowing the person to initial 
  • Text: text fields allow you to type information within them.
  • Date: a date field functions similar to a text field, only they have the option to pull up a calendar to place a date within the field.
  • Name: the name field functions exactly as a text box, only when you begin to type a name it will suggest names from your contacts in a drop down.
  • Checkbox: a checkbox is a square box that when placed can be clicked into, placing a checkmark inside. 
  • Radio button: these function similar to a checkbox, except they are made to only allow a person to select one option from each radio button placed.
  • Strikethrough: a strikethrough is used to mark a line through a line of text.

 

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Assigning fields to be filled or signed


All fields in dotloop can be assigned to anyone in your loop. By effectively assigning these fields, this will allow the person assigned to either fill out, check mark, or sign the field. Let's focus on assigning signature fields, as this is how to ensure this field can be signed when shared.


Note: assigning initial fields will work this same way too!

 

As before, under the ADD menu, choose to ADD SIGNATURE and place the field on the document. Now, we can assign the field one of two ways. The first way (which only works for signature and initial fields) is to hover your mouse over the newly placed field and choose the ASSIGN FIELD option.


 

This will now open up the assigning tab, which will allow you to assign the field to either a specific person in your loop or a specific role.


 

The second way to assign the field (this method works for all field types) is to simply click on the field, and hover your mouse over the assign field drop down at the top left. Choose the name of the person you want to assign the field to from the drop down and the field will successfully be assigned to them.


 

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Text Options


Text fields have many options. You can easily adjust the font size, color, highlight color, and indentation. Adjust the indentation from left justified, centered, and right justified. Choose from bold and italics font styles, or use both. 


 

Select between blue and black font colors.


 

Draw attention to items on your document with the highlight option selecting between yellow, green, and light red.


 

Choose between 8 font sizes, ranging from 8 to 15pt. 


 

Three new font types are available to choose from.


 

All of these options can also be set as global defaults for all of your documents. Adjust your default settings in the settings section of the My Account page to set your document preferences for the entire account. 


Note: Any of your created documents will adhere to your global settings, however, if the template you are using comes from an association or your brokerage, the font settings (color, style) will adhere to the settings used when it was created.


 

You can also set your global font defaults while in a document.


 

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Split Document


Within dotloop you have the ability to split your uploaded PDF's into multiple documents. This can be done through the document editor in the File menu. Click on File and choose the option Split Document from the drop down menu.


 

After selecting Split Document users have the option to (step 1) select the number of files to split the PDF into. Here we're splitting a single PDF into 2 individual PDFs. After selecting the number of files, we'll need to select which pages of the PDF each file should contain (step 2) and then name each file (step 3). When finished, click on the bar at the bottom that reads Split document (step 4). Once split, the 2 PDFs will be automatically available in the same loop, named the names you have chosen. 


 

Note:

  • This can only be accomplished with uploaded PDF's.
  • Once a field is placed on a document, or the document is shared, you will not longer be able to split the document.
  • Ensure to first select the proper number of documents you wish to result in before selecting the pages of each document.
  • You can scroll through the document and the split document window will stay with you as you scroll, allowing you to note the proper page numbers.
  • If you have made a mistake, no worries! Click Show Archived in the loop and you will be able to unarchive the original document.

 

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Rotate PDF


If you've uploaded a document and need to rotate it counter clockwise or clockwise you can now rotate individual pages or the entire PDF all at once. 


Keep in mind, once editable fields are place on the document and saved, you can no longer rotate the PDF.


 

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Apply template


The apply template feature allows you to take a flat PDF you have uploaded and apply the interactive fields from one of your template documents onto the PDF. To accomplish this, let's first open the PDF and from the FILE menu choose APPLY TEMPLATE.


 

You will now see a window appear, displaying your templates. Choose the appropriate document from the list here and click APPLY.


 

Now the fields from that template will be placed onto your PDF! Unlike your template documents though, these fields are editable and customizable! 


 

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Save As Template


If you have uploaded your own document into a loop and fully set up the document, you can save it to your templates. This will allow you to have the document you created available for use at any time. To accomplish this, open your document, and from the FILE menu, select SAVE AS TEMPLATE.


 

You will now be shown your personal template folders. Choose the folder you wish to save the document in and choose COPY.


 

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Task List Within A Document


While within a document you can access your task lists. From the MORE menu click SHOW TASKS. 


 

Your task list will now appear in a separate window. Here you can move the list around, resize it, and check off the tasks as you complete them!


 

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Printing/Downloading


While within your documents, you have the ability to print or download the document. This will allow you to either print a physical copy or save a PDF version onto your computer. Accessing these options can be accomplished via the FILE menu inside of the document. 


 

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