Introduction
UPLAWD is a productivity tool designed for legal professionals who work with annex-heavy documents in Microsoft Word.
It combines a lightweight Word add-in with a powerful desktop companion app to help you:
- Insert and manage annex references effortlessly
- Link annexes and footnotes automatically
- Export fully formatted, court-ready PDFs in seconds
Whether you're preparing contracts, reports, or regulatory documents, UPLAWD ensures your annexes are always consistent, up to date, and perfectly formatted — without wasting time on manual edits.
All your data stays local, and setup takes less than two minutes.
Installation
UPLAWD is composed of two components:
- A Microsoft Word add-in (available via the Microsoft AppSource store)
- A desktop application (Windows and macOS)
You'll need both to generate your final document, but you'll start by working entirely within Microsoft Word.
1. Install the UPLAWD Add-in (Word)
Get the UPLAWD add-in from Microsoft's AppSource store.
- Open Microsoft Word on your computer
- Go to Insert → Get Add-ins
- Search for "UPLAWD" and click Add
- The UPLAWD sidebar will appear on the right side of your Word window
The add-in works with Microsoft Word for Windows and macOS (Office 365 or Office 2019+).
2. Install the UPLAWD Desktop App
Download and install the companion desktop application.
- Visit uplawd.eu/downloads
- Download the version for your operating system (Windows or macOS)
- Run the installer and follow the setup instructions
3. Typical Workflow
In Microsoft Word
Using the add-in:
- • Create and manage your documents
- • Add footnotes and link them to annexes
- • Export as PDF when ready
In Desktop App
To:
- • Import your PDF and metadata
- • Upload annex files
- • Generate the final merged document
The entire process typically takes less than 5 minutes once you're familiar with both tools.
Features – In Microsoft Word
Once UPLAWD is installed, everything starts from within Microsoft Word using the UPLAWD sidebar.
1. Add and Manage Documents
Documents in UPLAWD represent the annexes you want to reference in your main Word document.
From the UPLAWD sidebar, you can:
Create new documents
Click "Add Document" and give it a descriptive name
Edit existing documents
Rename documents or update their properties as needed
Archive documents
Archive documents instead of deleting them (linked footnotes are archived automatically)
View document references
See which footnotes link to each document
Export metadata
Generate the data file for the desktop app
Documents are just references at this stage. You'll upload the actual PDF files later in the desktop app.
2. Link Footnotes to Documents
After creating documents, you can link any footnote in your Word document to one of these annexes.
Steps:
- Select some text in your Word document
- In the UPLAWD sidebar, click on the document you want to reference
- Click "Link Footnote" - this creates a footnote and associates it with the selected document
The footnote number will be inserted at your cursor position, and the selected text will be saved as the footnote content.
3. Manage Footnotes
Available Actions
Footnotes Table Display
Customize which columns are visible in the footnotes table:
- • Heading column: Show/hide the heading where the footnote appears
- • Paragraph column: Show/hide the paragraph reference
Both columns are displayed by default and can be toggled from the table view options.
Export Settings
- • Document name only
- • Footnote text only
- • Both document name and footnote text
All footnote and document data is automatically saved and synced between Word sessions.
4. Archive System
Instead of permanently deleting documents and footnotes, UPLAWD now uses an archive system to help you manage your data safely.
How Archiving Works
- • When you archive a document, all linked footnotes are automatically archived too (cascade archiving)
- • Archived items are hidden by default but can be viewed by enabling "Show archived items" in the sidebar
- • Archived footnotes linked to archived documents remain hidden even when viewing archived items
- • You can restore items individually at any time
Archive Items
Instead of "Delete", click "Archive" on any document or footnote. It will be hidden but recoverable.
View Archived Items
Toggle "Show archived" in the UPLAWD sidebar to display all archived documents and footnotes.
Restore Items
Click "Restore" on any archived item to bring it back to active status.
Bulk Restore by Date
From Options, restore all items archived after a specific date and time.
⚠️ Warning: Bulk Restore by Date
The "Restore all after date/time" feature is a sensitive operation that can cause data inconsistencies if not used carefully.
Risk: Restoring footnotes without their linked documents (or vice versa) can corrupt your data structure and make the document unusable. Use this feature only if you understand the implications.
5. Data Management & Privacy Options
UPLAWD provides full control over your data with advanced management options accessible from the Settings panel.
Permanent Data Deletion
From the Options menu, you can permanently delete all data associated with the current Word document from UPLAWD servers.
This includes:
- All documents and their metadata
- All footnotes and their associations
- All archived items
- Export settings and preferences
⚠️ THIS ACTION IS IRREVERSIBLE
Once deleted, this data cannot be recovered. Use this option to completely remove all traces of your work from our servers.
Features – In the Desktop App
Once your document and footnotes are prepared in Word, the UPLAWD desktop app allows you to generate the final PDF with all annexes merged and properly formatted.
1. Import the Main Document (PDF)
Begin by exporting your Word file as a PDF.
Then, in the UPLAWD desktop app:
- Click "Import Main Document"
- Select the PDF you exported from Word
- The document will be loaded and ready for processing
2. Load Footnote & Document Metadata
You must now import the data generated by the Word extension.
How to get the metadata file:
- Go back to Microsoft Word with your document open
- In the UPLAWD sidebar, click "Export Metadata"
- Save the generated JSON file to your computer
- Return to the desktop app and import this file
This file contains:
- The list of all documents you created
- All footnotes and their associated document references
- Formatting preferences and export settings
3. Import Annex PDFs
Upload the actual annex files referenced in your Word document.
- Click "Import Annexes" or drag and drop PDF files into the app
- The app will attempt to match filenames with document names
- You can manually assign PDFs to documents if needed
- Preview each annex to ensure correct matching
Make sure all referenced documents have corresponding PDF files before proceeding to export.
4. Configure Export Options
You can fine-tune how the final PDF is structured using the Additional Settings panel:
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Document order | Order annexes by first appearance or alphabetically | First appearance |
| Page numbering | Continuous throughout or restart for each annex | Continuous |
| Table of Contents | Include a TOC listing all annexes | Yes |
| Annex separators | Insert blank pages between annexes | No |
These settings will be remembered for future exports from the same project.
5. Export the Final Documents
Once everything is configured:
- Click "Export PDF" to generate the final merged document
- Choose where to save the output file
- The app will combine your main document with all annexes
- Footnote references will be properly formatted and linked
- A table of contents will be generated (if enabled)
- Page numbers will be updated throughout the document
- You'll get a single, court-ready PDF file
Troubleshooting & Risks
Common Issues
Add-in not appearing in Word
Make sure you have Office 365 or Office 2019+. Restart Word after installation. Check if your admin has blocked add-ins.
Footnotes not syncing properly
Use the "Sync" button in the UPLAWD sidebar to restore consistency. Avoid manually editing footnote numbers in Word.
⚠️ Important Warning: Footnote corruption
Microsoft Word footnotes can become corrupted if the document is heavily edited, especially when footnotes are inserted or deleted manually.
This is a known limitation of Word's footnote system and is not specific to UPLAWD.
If this happens:
- Save a backup of your Word document before using UPLAWD
- Use the "Sync" button frequently to maintain consistency
- Contact support if you encounter persistent issues
Privacy & Data Handling
Your documents and files never leave your computer.
The only data stored remotely (temporarily and securely) includes:
- The name of each defined document
- The selected text for each footnote
- The association between footnotes and documents
This minimal data enables better compatibility between the Word extension and the desktop app.
Updates
- The Word add-in is automatically updated through Microsoft AppSource
- The desktop app updates itself when launched, if a new version is available
We release updates regularly with bug fixes and new features. No action required on your part.
Get in Touch
Ready to revolutionize your document workflow? Let's discuss how UPLAWD can save you hours every week.