This article covers how to create a new Client File in the MM App. When you create a Client File you will also create the first Matter for that client.
1. Create Client
The quickest way to create a new Client File is to click the Shortcuts button in the top right hand corner of the App and then select "Create New Client"
You can also go to Home > Clients > New Client File > Create New Client File
2. Select the Type of Client to create
The Add New Client File wizard will now appear. On the first page of the wizard you can select whether to create a client based on an existing client file (duplication) or create a brand new Client File. At this point you must select whether the client is a Person or a Business / Organisation. For the purposes of this article a new Client File will be created for a person.
Click Next on the wizard when you are ready to proceed.
3. Search for or create a new Contact to use as the Client
Next you will be asked whether you want to search for an existing Contact to turn in to a Client, or whether this is a new person to be added.
Note: We do recommend that you perform a search to check whether this person has already been added to the system to avoid creating a duplicate
4. Add/Edit Contact Details
The next screen will depend on whether you are using an existing Contact or creating a new one.
- If you have searched for and found a Contact who is to be the client, the next screen will ask you to review and edit their details.
- If you are creating a new Contact, the next screen will require you to enter in details about this person
The only mandatory details which are required to be entered are either a Family Name or Given Name and a Contact Tag. You can however at this point in time enter additional information about the person.
The Contact Tags field allows you to add keywords/tags about this Contact to help you with searching at a later time. If a tag / keyword you want to use doesn't exist you can click the ... button to add a new tag / keyword for this Contact.
5. Set the Main Contact
The set up wizard will now ask you whether you want to assign someone other than the Client as the main contact person.
If you select Yes then click Next, you will be asked to enter this Contact person's details by first either searching for an existing Contact or creating a new Contact
As with creating the Client, you will enter or update the Contact person's details
6. Permissions and Settings
Next you will be asked to set the Permissions and Settings of this Client File:
- Client File ID - this is the reference number for this Client File. You can manually change this ID at this point if you want.
- Client File Folder location - this field tells you where the physical documents folder for this Client File will be created on your computer
- Team / Office - if you have created multiple Offices / Teams, you can assign this Client File to that Office / Team. The selected Office / Team can result in a change to various settings for this client file depending on what defaults have been specified for that Office / Team.
- Client File Access Permission - If you have set up different Client File access security groups, you can specify which of those groups have access to this Client File. If a user is not a member of a security group that has access to this Client File, then that user will not be able to open the Client File.
- Set Portal/Expiry Notifications and File Note/Progress Item Responsibility to just me - If this is set to Yes, you will be set as the default person for these reminders and responsibilities. If you set it No you can assign others users to be set by default to these values when creating things like File Notes, Progress items etc.
7. First Matter Details
Now you will be required to specify the details of the first Matter for this client.
7.1. Matter Details
In this section you are required to specify:
- Jurisdiction - select which Country / Jurisdiction this Matter will relate to. Note that in Settings > Preferences you can specify a default Jurisdiction
- Category - all of the Matter types are grouped by Category. Note that in Settings > Preferences you can specify a default Category for new Matters
- Type / Stream - select the Matter type and if applicable, the sub type / stream
- Name/Re-Line - this will generate based on the Matter Type you have selected but can be updated.
- Description - this will also be generated based on the Matter Type and can be edited. It should be used for adding a longer description about the Matter.
- Tags - this field allows you to specify Tags / Keywords to help you search for this Matter in the future. You can create new Tags at this stage if required.
- Use Default Folders and Sections - this allows you to either go with the default document folders and sections, or change them to suit your particular situation.
The User Roles section allows you to specify which Roles a User has in the Matter. For example you can set a user to be the Responsible Lawyer / Agent , the Manager, Assistant etc. To add additional users to this Matter, click the Add button.
If you set Use Default Folders and Sections to No, you can manually set the Sections (and their fields) for this Matter by using the Add button. Changing the Sections allows you to control some of the fields which can be available for entering data for this Matter. Note that the Sections in bold are mandatory for the Matter Type that has been selected. Non bold items can be removed.
Clicking the Add button will display the Add Matter Sections window from which you can select other Section options
Tip: View All Sections to see every Section available
If you set Use Default Folders and Sections to No, you can manually set the document folders which will be created for this Matter using the Add button. Note that the Attachments, In and Out folders must be added
The Fees & Expenses Budget section lets the user specify details about the budget for the Matter including:
- The professional fees estimated for this Matter
- The expenses/disbursements
- The estimated time
- The amount for any first deposit
The amounts can either be entered manually or pulled from the Fees and Expenses Templates for this type of Matter (go to Settings > Matters > Fees and Expenses Templates) by setting Use Fees & Expenses Template to On or Off.
8. Summary Page
The final page of the New Client wizard will ask you to review the details of the Client and Matter you are about to create. Click the Finish button to create this Client and its first Matter.
The new Client File will proceed to be created and when done will open to the Cover Page tab of that new matter file.
