Creating and Editing Matters

Create/Edit Matter

From the Matter table, you can create a new matter by clicking the "Add Matter" button in the top-right corner.  You can also edit any matter by clicking on the edit icon to the right of the table. 

Matters can also be edited from the matter screen by clicking the "Edit Matter" button in the top-right

Once you're in the edit matter dialogue you have access to a basic form that let's you select a few important details:

The only field that is required to create a matter is the "Matter Title."  We designed it this way so you can create a project board for abstract purposes.  But the more you fill in the more you can do.  Changing the status from open to closed will help you track what projects you're working on, and will be clearly indicated on your matter table:

This is not permanent, so if you get it wrong, just change it back. 

If you attach a client to the matter, their information will appear on the matter page and can be used to generate documents.  When you navigate to a contact's information, you'll also be able to see all matters that contact is associated with.  So, if you have a referral source or an advertising pipeline, you can quickly see all the matters that contact helped you open.  Or, if a client has a number of projects going, you can identify them all from this screen.  We'll discuss this more in contacts

You can also select the managing attorney, which will allow for default notification actions (if you're not a law firm, pick the project owner).  Types and Sub-types will be discussed in settings, but the selection of the right types will populate custom statuses on the matter page.  Board type let's you select a pre-defined kanban set.  Depending on your "type" selections, this may be pre-defined.  Finally, in this section, "status" let's you select an initial status for the matter based on the custom statuses associated with this type of project. 

The Dates are all general process related dates.  You can use them however you want, but they were designed with the idea that intake date would be the date the file was opened, onset date would be the date of an injury, cause of action, project started or other beginning detail, close date would be the date the file was closed, and deadline date is the primary deadline for the project. 

We are planning to add an additional text box by deadline date to explain what the particular deadline is, which should give context.  This will, when launched, also add this text on the calendar to provide information about what kind of deadline you're looking at.  since deadlines can change over the course of the project this context may be very helpful.  Let us know if this is an important feature! 

Related contacts are everybody associated with this project.  These can also be added on the matter page.  These can be referral sources, family members, co-workers, opposing counsel, or any other type needed.  When adding the relationship you can select from existing options or create a new relationship type if not available. 

This is separate from the type of contact associated with the contact.  So when you add a contact who is a doctor, it will populate as "doctor" but you can change it for a particular matter if that doctor is a referral source.  This won't change the setting for the doctor's contact information.  

Finally "Notes" are just general matter notes, including any custom information your team might need that's not otherwise accounted for.  These will also appear on the matter screen scratchpad.