Matters are the core of FluentCase. Each matter represents a case or client file and contains all related documents, messages, events, tasks, and contacts.

Creating a New Matter

Related Cases

Some matters should remain separate but still be reviewed together. Use Related Cases for companion matters, consolidated litigation, related injuries, or matters that share important context. See Related Cases for examples and best practices.

Required Fields

Staff Assignments

Matter-Specific Fields

Workers’ Compensation Matters

See Workers’ Compensation Matters for detailed information on WC-specific fields including:

• EAMS case number
• Injury date and body parts
• Employer and insurance information
• Permanent & Stationary date
• DWC integration

Personal Injury Matters

See Personal Injury Matters for PI-specific fields including:

• Accident date and type
• Liability information
• Insurance policy limits
• Medical treatment providers
• Settlement information

Employment Law Matters

See Employment Law Matters for employment-specific fields including:

• Employer information
• Complaint type (discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, etc.)
• Termination type and date
• EEOC/DFEH case numbers

Managing Existing Matters

Closing, Archiving, and Deleting Matters

To change a matter’s status, click Edit on the Summary & Dates widget and update Matter Status. For closing, reopening, archiving, un-archiving, and deleting matters, see Closing, Archiving, and Deleting Matters.

Matter Permissions

Access to matters is controlled by:

1. User Role - Your role determines base permissions
2. Staff Assignment - Being assigned to a matter grants access
3. Firm Settings - Firm-wide permission policies

Searching and Filtering Matters

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Use consistent naming for matters:

• Format: [Client Last Name] v. [Defendant/Employer] for litigation
• Format: [Client Last Name] - [Matter Type] for transactional work
• Example: Smith v. ABC Company or Johnson - Estate Planning

Staff Assignments

• Always assign at least one attorney to each matter
• Assign support staff to ensure proper access
• Update assignments when staff changes

Regular Updates

To update matter status or key details, click the Edit button on the Summary & Dates widget on the matter dashboard. From there you can:

• Keep matter status current
• Update key dates as they occur
• Add notes for important developments

Document Organization

• Upload documents promptly
• Use descriptive file names
• Tag documents for easy retrieval

When a case wraps up, you can close it, archive it, or delete it. Closing and archiving change the matter’s status and keep all of its data. Deleting removes the matter from FluentCase.

Note: This article covers archiving a matter (changing its status). To download a zip file of a matter’s documents, see Archiving Matter Documents.

How Matter Statuses Work

Every matter status your firm uses is classified as Open, Closed, or Archived. The classification controls where matters with that status appear:

• Open - Available everywhere in FluentCase
• Closed - Available in the Matters list, but hidden everywhere else
• Archived - Hidden everywhere except the archived matters list. Time tracking is not allowed on archived matters.

Your firm can create several status labels (for example, “Settled” or “Referred Out”) and assign each one of these classifications.

Firm administrators manage these labels in Firm Settings → Matter Status Labels. See Firm Settings.

Tip: The Archive button on the Matters list is only available when at least one status uses the Archived treatment.

Closing a Matter

1. Open the matter
2. Go to the Overview tab if not already there
3. Locate the Summary & Dates widget and click its Edit button
4. Under Details, set Matter Status to a status your firm treats as Closed
5. Under Dates, set the Closed date
6. Click Save

The Closed date appears in the Summary & Dates widget.

Reopening a Matter

1. Open the matter and click Edit on the Summary & Dates widget
2. Set Matter Status to a status your firm treats as Open
3. Under Dates, set the Reopened date
4. Click Save

Archiving a Matter

From the Matters List

1. Click Matters in the left sidebar
2. Find the matter, then hover over its row to show the row actions (on touch devices, tap the ellipsis on the row)
3. Click Archive

The message Matter archived. appears and the matter is removed from the list.

From Inside the Matter

1. Open the matter
2. Click Edit on the Summary & Dates widget
3. Set Matter Status to Archived (or another status your firm treats as Archived)
4. Click Save

Viewing Archived Matters

1. Click Matters in the left sidebar
2. Click Show Archives in the table header

The Archived Matters list opens. To return to active matters, click Back to Matters.

Tip: If a matter doesn’t appear in the Matters list (for example, it appears on a task but not in the list), check the archived matters list. Any status your firm treats as Archived, such as a “Declined” label, moves the matter there. If the matter isn’t archived, check your list filters. See Missing Matters.

Un-archiving a Matter

1. Open the archived matters list (see Viewing Archived Matters)
2. Hover over the matter’s row
3. Click Un-archive

The message Matter un-archived. appears, followed by the status the matter was moved to. FluentCase picks a non-archived status automatically, preferring a Closed status. To choose a different status, open the matter and update Matter Status in the Summary & Dates widget.

Deleting a Matter

Warning: Deleting removes the matter from FluentCase. If you may need the matter later, archive it instead.

1. Click Matters in the left sidebar
2. Find the matter and hover over its row
3. Click Delete
4. In the Please confirm dialog (Are you sure you want to delete this matter?), click Yes, or click Cancel to keep the matter

The matter is removed from the list.

Tip: On a desktop, holding Shift while clicking Delete skips the confirmation dialog. Use this with care.

Permissions

• Archiving and un-archiving require permission to edit the matter.
• Deleting requires permission to delete matters.
• If your role doesn’t allow an action, the button appears unavailable. Contact your firm administrator for access.

See User Roles and Permissions for details.

Related Topics

• Creating and Managing Matters
• Archiving Matter Documents
• User Roles and Permissions
• Related Cases

FluentCase provides powerful document management capabilities with automatic OCR processing, version control, Fluent AI options when enabled, and cloud storage integration.

Uploading Documents

Supported File Formats

Documents

• PDF (.pdf) - Recommended format
• Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
• Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx)
• Rich Text Format (.rtf)
• Text Files (.txt)

Images

• JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg)
• PNG (.png)
• TIFF (.tif, .tiff) - Including multi-page TIFF
• GIF (.gif)
• BMP (.bmp)

Audio and Video

• Video (.mp4, .mov, .avi, .wmv)
• Audio (.mp3, .wav, .m4a, .wma)

Audio and video files open in an inline player on the document page. Playback depends on your browser’s support for the format; you can always download the file instead.

After upload, documents may be processed by OCR and, if enabled for your firm, Fluent AI document processing. See OCR Processing and Fluent AI Document Intelligence.

File Size Limits

• Maximum file size: 384 MB per file
• Multiple file upload: Up to 20 files at once
• Total storage: Based on your subscription plan

Automatic OCR Processing

All uploaded documents are processed with OCR as needed so scanned text becomes searchable and selectable.

FluentCase downsamples images to 200 dpi before OCR for speed. OCR itself typically runs at about 1 second per page, not including the built-in overhead required for file transfer and document processing.

See OCR Processing for detailed information.

Document Naming

Automatic Naming

FluentCase automatically names documents based on:

• Original filename
• Document type (if detected)
• Upload date

Renaming Documents

To rename a document:

1. Open the document
2. Click Rename
3. Change the File Name
4. Click Save

Best Practices:

• Use descriptive names: Medical Report - Dr. Smith - 2024-01-15
• Include dates in YYYY-MM-DD format for sorting
• Include document type: Deposition - John Doe
• Avoid special characters: / \ : * ? " < > |

Document Date

Each document has a Document Date that is separate from the date it was uploaded. The upload date appears on the document page next to Uploaded and cannot be changed.

When you upload a file, FluentCase sets the Document Date from the file’s last-modified date on your computer. To change it (for example, to the date a letter was mailed or scanned):

1. Open the document
2. Click Rename
3. Set the Document Date
4. If the document is attached to a matter, optionally check Update activity date to match document date and choose a Time
5. Click Save

Attaching Unsorted Documents to a Matter

Documents uploaded outside a matter go to Unsorted Documents. To attach one:

1. Open the document
2. Click Rename
3. Under Attach to Matter, search for and select the matter
4. Optionally add tags and an Activity Description in the same form
5. Click Save

Adding tags here saves them with the new activity, so you do not need to reopen the document afterward.

Staff notifications: After you select a matter, the Notify Staff about this document (via Internal Memo) switch appears. Turn it off to attach without sending a memo. When it is on, choose Notify All or check individual assigned staff. FluentCase remembers your choice for the next document. The switch is disabled when no staff are assigned to the matter.

Archived matters: Archived matters do not appear in the Attach to Matter search. To add a document to an archived matter, open that matter and upload the file there directly.

Document Organization

Tags

Tag documents for easy organization and retrieval:

1. Open a document
2. Click Add Tags
3. Select existing tags or create new ones
4. Common tags:
   • Medical Records
   • Correspondence
   • Court Filings
   • Discovery
   • Pleadings
   • Contracts

Folders (via Tags)

While FluentCase doesn’t use traditional folders, you can organize documents using tags:

• Create tags like “Medical”, “Legal”, “Financial”
• Filter documents by tag
• Multiple tags per document

Document Types

FluentCase automatically detects common document types:

• Medical records
• Legal pleadings
• Correspondence
• Court filings
• Contracts
• Discovery documents

Document Versions

FluentCase maintains version history for documents:

Uploading a New Version

1. Open the original document
2. Click Upload New Version
3. Select the updated file
4. Add version notes (optional)
5. Click Upload

Viewing Version History

1. Open a document
2. Click History
3. Review the list of changes, including earlier file revisions
4. Click the download icon (Download this revision) to download an earlier version

Reverting to a Previous Version

If a document was overwritten, you can restore an earlier revision:

1. Open the document
2. Click History
3. Find the version you want to restore
4. Click the history icon (Make this version the current version)

Read Only users cannot revert documents.

Document Metadata

Each document stores metadata:

• File Name - Display name
• Original Filename - Original file name
• File Size - Size in MB
• Upload Date - When uploaded
• Uploaded By - User who uploaded
• Matter - Associated matter
• Description - User-provided description
• Tags - Applied tags
• Version - Version number

Document Permissions

Access to documents is controlled by:

1. Matter Access - You must have access to the matter
2. User Role - Your role determines what you can do
3. Document Permissions - Some documents may have restricted access

Permission Levels

• View - Can view and download documents
• Upload - Can upload new documents
• Edit - Can rename and edit metadata
• Delete - Can delete documents (soft delete)

See User Roles and Permissions for details.

Downloading Documents

Single Document

1. Open the document
2. Click the Download button
3. File downloads to your default download folder

Opening PDFs in a New Browser Tab

By default, PDFs download for opening in your system viewer (e.g., Acrobat Reader). To open them in a new browser tab instead:

1. Open the user menu and click Personal Preferences
2. Under Documents, find When opening a PDF, image, or plain text attachment
3. Select Attempt to open in a new browser tab

Office documents (Word, Excel, etc.) always download regardless of this setting.

Multiple Documents

1. Select multiple documents (checkboxes)
2. Click Download Selected
3. Documents download as a ZIP file

PDF Version

For non-PDF documents, FluentCase can generate a PDF version:

1. Open the document
2. Click Download as PDF
3. PDF version downloads

Emailing a PDF Version

To send a Word document (including macro-enabled .docm files) as a PDF instead of the original file:

1. Open the document
2. Click E-mail as an Attachment
3. In the draft, check Use PDF Version next to the attachment
4. Send the message

Moving Documents Between Matters

To move a document to a different matter:

1. Open the document
2. Click Move to Matter
3. Search for and select the destination matter
4. Click Move
5. Document is moved and an activity is created in both matters

Deleting Documents

Warning: Deleted documents can be recovered within 30 days, after which they are permanently deleted.

To delete a document:

1. Open the document
2. Click the Delete button
3. Confirm the deletion
4. Document is soft-deleted

Who Can Delete Documents

• Power User and higher roles can delete any document.
• General Staff and similar roles can delete only documents they uploaded within the last 72 hours.
• Document Digitization Coordinator users can also delete any unsorted document (one not yet attached to a matter).
• Read Only users cannot delete documents.

These rules apply to each document whether you delete from the document page or from a document list. A dimmed Delete button means you are not allowed to delete that document. See User Roles and Permissions.

Recovering Deleted Documents

Administrators can recover deleted documents:

1. Go to Settings → Deleted Items
2. Find the document
3. Click Restore

Document Search

Quick Search

Use the search box to find documents by:

• File name
• Description
• Tags
• OCR text content
• Matter name

Advanced Search

Click Advanced Search to filter by:

• Date Range - Upload date
• Document Type - File type (PDF, Word, etc.)
• Tags - Specific tags
• Uploaded By - User who uploaded
• Matter - Specific matter
• File Size - Size range

Best Practices

File Naming

• Use descriptive names before uploading
• Include dates in filenames
• Use consistent naming conventions

Organization

• Tag documents immediately after upload
• Use consistent tag names across your firm
• Create a tagging guide for your team

OCR Optimization

• Scan at 150-200 dpi
• Do not exceed 200 dpi
• Use black and white or grayscale for text documents
• Ensure documents are straight and clear
• See Optimizing PDF Files

Storage Management

• Delete duplicate documents
• Archive old matters to free up space
• Use cloud storage integration for large files

FluentCase includes specialized features for Workers’ Compensation (WC) attorneys, particularly those practicing in California with EAMS integration.

Creating a Workers’ Compensation Matter

1. Click adjacent to Matters in the left navigation panel
2. Select Workers’ Compensation from the matter type dropdown
3. Fill in the required fields (see below)
4. Click Save

Workers’ Compensation Specific Fields

Case Identification

• EAMS Case Number - Electronic Adjudication Management System case number
• File Number - Your firm’s internal file number
• Matter Name - Typically: [Applicant Name] v. [Employer/Defendant]

Injury Information

• Date of Injury (DOI) - When the injury occurred
• Body Parts Injured - Specific body parts affected
• Injury Description - Detailed description of the injury
• Injury Type - Specific injury, cumulative trauma, etc.

Injury Case Numbers

Each injury has an EAMS No. field (Court Case No. outside California). JetFile filings take their case number from the injury selected when the filing is created, so an injury without an EAMS No. produces a filing without a case number.

• New cases filed through JetFile: When DWC assigns the case number to a filing linked to an injury, FluentCase saves it to that injury’s EAMS No. if the field is blank.
• Existing cases or injuries added without a number: Enter the number manually. Click Injuries in the matter’s left panel, select the injury, click Edit, enter the EAMS No., and click Save.

Changing an injury’s EAMS No. does not update filings that already exist. See Setting the Case Number.

Employment Information

• Employer - Employer at time of injury (select from contacts)
• Employer Address - Work location
• Occupation - Job title/position
• Date Hired - When applicant was hired
• Date Employment Ended - If applicable

Insurance and Defense Rolodex Entries

• Insurance Carrier - Workers’ compensation insurance carrier
• Claims Administrator - Third-party administrator (if applicable)
• Adjuster - Assigned claims adjuster (select from contacts)
• Defense Attorney - Opposing counsel (select from contacts)
• Defense Firm - Defense law firm

Medical Information

• Primary Treating Physician (PTP) - Current treating doctor
• Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME) - If applicable
• Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) - If applicable
• Medical Treatment Facilities - Hospitals, clinics, etc.

Permanent & Stationary Status

• Permanent & Stationary Date (P&S) - Date applicant reached maximum medical improvement
• Permanent Disability Rating - Percentage of permanent disability
• Future Medical Treatment - Ongoing treatment needs

Dates and Deadlines

Important dates and deadlines for your Workers’ Compensation case are managed in the Summary and Dates section of the matter dashboard. To update these dates:

1. Open the matter
2. Go to the Overview tab
3. Locate the Summary & Dates widget
4. Click the Edit button
5. Update the relevant dates:
   • Date Opened - When you opened the case
   • Date Claim Filed - When the claim was filed with WCAB
   • Statute of Limitations - Deadline for filing the claim
   • Date MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement) - When treatment is complete
   • Date Settled - Settlement date (if applicable)
   • Date Closed - When case was closed
6. Click Save

Keeping these dates current is essential for tracking deadlines, generating accurate reports, and ensuring timely follow-up on important case milestones.

Financial Information

• Settlement Amount - Total settlement value
• Attorney Fees - Your fee amount
• Time Entries - Billable hours and time tracking
• Damages - Claimed and awarded damages
• Payments - Payment records and disbursements
• Expenses - Case expenses and costs

EAMS Integration

FluentCase integrates with California’s Electronic Adjudication Management System (EAMS) for Workers’ Compensation cases.

EAMS Lookup

The EAMS Lookup feature allows you to search for contacts in the EAMS database:

1. When adding a contact to a WC matter, click EAMS Lookup
2. Search by:
   • Name
   • Organization
   • EAMS ID
3. Select the contact from search results
4. Contact information is automatically populated

Available Contact Types:

• Attorneys
• Law Firms
• Insurance Carriers
• Claims Administrators
• Medical Providers
• Lien Claimants

See EAMS Lookup and Integration for detailed instructions.

Workers’ Compensation Court Forms

FluentCase is tightly integrated with the California DWC and supports all common Workers’ Compensation court forms out of box.

Common WC Abbreviations

• WCAB - Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board
• DWC - Division of Workers’ Compensation
• EAMS - Electronic Adjudication Management System
• PTP - Primary Treating Physician
• AME - Agreed Medical Evaluator
• QME - Qualified Medical Evaluator
• P&S - Permanent and Stationary
• MMI - Maximum Medical Improvement
• C&R - Compromise and Release
• Stips - Stipulations with Request for Award
• DOR - Declaration of Readiness to Proceed
• UR - Utilization Review
• IMR - Independent Medical Review
• PD - Permanent Disability
• TD - Temporary Disability

Parties are Rolodex entries (individuals or companies) linked to a specific matter. Each party carries a Party Type that describes its role on that matter, such as Applicant, Employer, or Carrier. This article covers the matter-side workflow. For creating and maintaining the underlying Rolodex entries, see Managing Rolodex Entries.

Table of Contents

• Viewing a Matter’s Parties
• Adding a Party
• Adding a New Contact or Company as a Party
• Party Type vs. Default People Type
• Editing Party Details
• Hiding a Party
• Adding the Same Entry More Than Once
• Detaching a Party

Viewing a Matter’s Parties

1. Open a matter
2. Click Parties in the left navigation panel
3. Review the party cards. Each card shows the party’s name, Party Type, and primary contact details

The Parties heading shows the total number of parties on the matter, with the number of hidden parties listed below it. The matter dashboard also displays the party count (for example, 2 Parties).

Helpful Tip: When you create a matter, the applicant and employer you enter are added as parties automatically with the Applicant and Employer party types. See Creating Matters.

Party History

1. On the Parties page, click History
2. Review the User, Description, Party, and When columns
3. Click Close to hide the history

Adding a Party

1. Open a matter
2. Click Parties in the left navigation panel
3. Click Add Party. You can also click the + button next to Parties in the left navigation panel
4. On the Add a Party page, enter a name in the search field, select a type from Filter by People Type, or both. The search covers both contacts and companies across your entire Rolodex
5. Review the results. Each result is labeled Individual or Company
6. Click one of the following buttons next to the correct result:
   • Add - Links the entry and returns to the Parties page
   • Add & Search Again - Links the entry and keeps you on the search page so you can add another party
   • Add & View Details - Links the entry and opens the party’s details so you can set its Party Type right away

Click Cancel to return to the Parties page without adding a party.

How Party Search Works

• Whole-word matching - Each word you enter is matched as a whole word
• Any word can match - Words are combined with an implied “or”. Searching Acme Insurance Group returns entries that match Acme, Insurance, or Group
• People type filter - Select one or more types to narrow the results

Adding a New Contact or Company as a Party

If the entry is not in your Rolodex, create it from the search page:

1. Search for the name as described in Adding a Party
2. Click the Didn’t find what you were looking for? Add … link below the search field
3. Check the contact / company switch at the top of the form. The page heading shows Create Contact for an individual or Create Company for a company. Change the switch before entering other details if the entry type is wrong
4. Review the pre-filled form and complete any additional fields
5. Click Save

The new Rolodex entry is created and linked to the matter as a party in one step.

How Search Text Is Pre-filled

• Company names - Text containing company terms such as Inc, Corp, LLC, LLP, APC, Company, or Insurance is treated as a company. For example, Acme Insurance becomes a company
• Single name - One word without a company term is entered as a contact’s last name
• Multiple names - Words are split into first, middle, and last name
• Salutations - A leading word that matches a salutation option, such as Mr., is entered as the salutation. Otherwise, it is entered as the first name

Party Type vs. Default People Type

A Rolodex entry has a Default People Type (or Default Company Type for companies) that applies everywhere. A party’s Party Type applies only to the matter where it is set.

• The same entry can be an Employer on one matter and a different type on another
• Changing a Party Type does not change the entry’s Default People Type in the Rolodex
• The Party Type section appears only when you open an entry from inside a matter. It does not appear when you open the entry from Rolodex
• A party without a type shows (No Party Type Set) on its card

Editing Party Details

1. On the Parties page, click the party card
2. Review the summary, which shows the Party Type on this matter and the party’s Rolodex details
3. Click Edit Party Details
4. Update the fields:
   • Party Type - The party’s role on this matter
   • Party Type Details - Optional description shown under the party type
   • Hidden - See Hiding a Party
   • Notes - Matter-specific notes about this party
5. Click Save

Note: On matters other than workers’ compensation matters, the form also includes Testimony, plus Insurance and Alternate Insurance sections with Policy Number, Claim Number, Claim Status, and Policy Notes.

Hiding a Party

Hidden parties remain attached to the matter but are not displayed by default in the party list. Use this for entries you want to keep for reference that are no longer active on the matter.

1. Open the party and click Edit Party Details
2. Select the Hidden checkbox
3. Click Save

To view hidden parties:

1. On the Parties page, click Show All
2. Hidden parties appear with an eye-slash icon () on their cards
3. Click Hide to remove them from view again

Note: The Show All button appears only when the matter has at least one hidden party. Hidden parties are not shown in the matter dashboard’s party list.

Adding the Same Entry More Than Once

You can link the same Rolodex entry to a matter more than once, with a different Party Type each time. For example, a self-insured employer can be both the Employer and the Carrier, and a party may also be added later as a lien claimant.

1. Add the entry again using the steps in Adding a Party
2. Click Add & View Details to go straight to its details
3. Click Edit Party Details and select the new Party Type
4. Click Save

Detaching a Party

1. On the Parties page, click the party card
2. Click Detach

The party is removed from the matter, and the Rolodex entry remains in your system. For more detail, see Linking Rolodex Entries to Matters.

Helpful Tip: On California workers’ compensation matters, the Parties page includes a Court Lookup button for importing injuries, events, and parties. See EAMS Lookup Integration.

Related Topics

• Managing Rolodex Entries
• Creating Matters
• Workers’ Compensation Matters
• EAMS Lookup Integration

Activities are the running record of work on a matter. Every activity belongs to a matter and can carry one or more tags that categorize it.

Viewing Recent Activity

1. Click Recent Activity in the left navigation panel
2. The Firmwide Activities list opens, showing activities across all matters with their tags, matter, staff member, and date
3. The number next to Firmwide Activities shows how many activities are listed

Creating an Activity

1. Click adjacent to Recent Activity in the left navigation panel
2. The New Activity form opens
3. Fill in the activity details:
   • Matter - The matter this activity belongs to (required)
   • Tags - One or more activity tags (optional)
   • Activity Date - Defaults to now. Adjusting to a future date makes the activity “Sticky”
   • Description - Enter the activity text in the editor (required)
4. Click Save

After saving, the Activity Detail preview opens and shows the attached matter, the description, and any tags.

If the selected matter has related cases, a Share this activity with related cases toggle is also shown. See Related Cases.

To discard the form, click Cancel. The form closes without creating an activity.

Editing an Activity

1. Open the activity from the Firmwide Activities list
2. In Activity Detail, click Edit Activity Details
3. Update the description
4. Click Save

Deleting an Activity

1. Open the activity to view Activity Detail
2. Click Delete Activity
3. Confirm the deletion

If the activity is shared with related cases, deleting it removes it from all related matters.

General Staff users can edit and delete only activities they created within the last 72 hours. For older activities, or activities created by someone else, the Delete Activity button is disabled. Power Users and higher roles can delete any activity. See User Roles and Permissions.

Adding or Changing Tags on an Activity

1. Open the activity to view Activity Detail
2. Click Add Tags (or Edit Tags if the activity already has tags)
3. Select one or more tags from the list
4. Click Save

The updated tags appear in the preview and in the Firmwide Activities list.

Setting a Default Tag

After you select a tag, an Always add link appears below the tag list. Click it to make that tag your default. Your default tag is filled in automatically when you add tags to an activity that has none. When your default tag is the last tag selected, the link changes to Clear … as default tag; click it to remove the default. The default tag is a personal setting and does not affect other users.

Searching Activities

1. Click Recent Activity in the left navigation panel
2. Type part of the activity description in the search box at the top of the Firmwide Activities column
3. Matching activities are listed with their tags and matter

If nothing matches, the list shows No Items Available and the count shows 0.

Filtering Activities

Each column header in the activity list has a filter menu. Filters can be combined with each other and with the search box:

• Activities - Filter by one or more tags. Click Pin next to a tag to keep it as a shortcut above the list
• Staff - Filter by the staff member shown on the activity (shown on wider screens)
• Date - Filter by a date range

For example, select a staff member under Staff, a range under Date, and a tag under Activities to find a document that person uploaded during that period.

Printing the Activity List

To save the activity list as a PDF, press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) and choose Save as PDF in the browser’s print dialog. The printout includes the activities currently listed, so apply any search or filters first. There is no Excel or CSV export for the activity list.

Managing Activity Tags

Activity tags are managed on the Activity Tags & Sharing page. Open the user menu in the top-right corner, click Firm Settings, then click Activity Tags & Sharing in the left navigation panel.

The page lists every tag. Drag and drop tags to set the default order shown in drop-down menus, or click Alphabetize. Tags marked Built-in are system generated, cannot be edited or deleted, and are not available when creating an activity manually.

Creating a Tag

1. Click adjacent to Activity Tags & Sharing in the left navigation panel
2. The Create Activity Tag form opens
3. Enter the tag details:
   • Name/Label - The tag name (required, up to 128 characters, must be unique in your firm)
   • Description - Optional notes about the tag (up to 255 characters)
4. Click Save

The tag’s detail page opens after saving.

Editing a Tag

1. On the Activity Tags & Sharing page, click View Details on the tag
2. Click Edit
3. Update the Name/Label or Description
4. Click Save, or click Cancel to keep the tag unchanged

Deleting a Tag

1. Click View Details on the tag
2. Click Delete
3. Confirm the deletion

Only tags that are not in use can be deleted.

Tags and Automations

Automations can run when an activity is tagged with a specific tag. For example, tagging an activity “Settlement Demand” can automatically create follow-up items. See Automation Overview.

Who Can Manage Tags

Adding tags to activities is available to users who can edit activities. Creating Activity Tags requires additional permissions. General Staff users who click next to Activity Tags & Sharing see the message “Sorry, your account does not have sufficient privileges.” See User Roles and Permissions.

Troubleshooting

• The activity will not save - Select a Matter and enter a description. An empty description shows “Nothing to say?”
• “A tag with this name already exists.” - Tag names must be unique within your firm. Choose a different Name/Label
• Name or description error on save - Name/Label is limited to 128 characters and Description to 255 characters
• No Delete button on a tag - The tag is in use (“Tags in use cannot be deleted”). Remove it from its activities with Untag, or use Merge to combine it with another tag
• A tag is missing from the New Activity form - Built-in tags cannot be selected when creating an activity manually

Related Topics

• Creating Matters
• Related Cases
• Task Management
• Automation Overview
• User Roles and Permissions

Related Cases help staff see when two or more matters are connected. Use them for companion claims, related injuries, consolidated litigation, or matters that should be reviewed together.

When to Link Matters

Link matters when staff need context that is not obvious from a single case file, such as:

• Multiple claims involving the same incident
• Related workers’ compensation and civil matters
• Companion employment matters
• Consolidated or coordinated cases
• Matters that share important contacts, documents, or deadlines

Adding a Related Matter

1. Navigate to a matter.
2. Locate the Related Matters widget on the Matter Dashboard.
3. Click the Add button on the widget.
4. In Select Related Matter, enter a matter name.
5. Select the matter name from the results.
6. Click Save.

The Add button appears only for users with permission to edit matter details.

Good Related-Case Notes

When linking matters, add enough context that another user understands why the relationship exists. Include the practical reason, not just the other matter number.

Example notes:

• Same accident; civil PI case tracks third-party recovery.
• Companion employment matter for same client.
• Consolidated for discovery only.

Related Cases vs. Matter Merge

Related Cases keep matters separate while making the relationship visible. Matter merge combines records and should be used only when duplicate or overlapping matter records need to become one matter.

Related Topics

• Creating and Managing Matters
• Personal Injury Matters
• Employment Law Matters

FluentCase can package a matter’s documents into a single zip file. Use an archive to hand a complete file to a client or co-counsel, keep an offline copy when a matter closes, or download a group of related documents at once.

Archive All Documents in a Matter

1. Open the matter and go to Documents.
2. Make sure no documents are selected.
3. Click Archive All in the toolbar.
4. FluentCase builds the archive in the background. A confirmation appears: Archive processing. You will receive a memo when it is ready.
5. When the archive is ready, a memo titled Matter Archive arrives in your inbox with the zip file attached. Open the memo and download the attachment.

Archive Selected Documents

1. Open the matter and go to Documents.
2. Select two or more documents.
3. Click Archive in the toolbar.
4. Smaller selections (under 25 MB total) download right away. Larger selections are built in the background and delivered as a Matter Archive memo, just like Archive All.

An archive requires at least two documents. To download a single file, open the document and download it directly.

What’s in the Archive

• Documents - Every document in the matter, or only the documents you selected
• Folders - Documents are organized into folders that match their tags. Untagged documents appear at the top level of the zip file.
• Duplicate names - If two files share a name, FluentCase adds a number, such as (2), so nothing is overwritten
• Long names - File names are shortened to 100 characters to help keep paths within Windows limits

Email messages, email attachments, and earlier archive files are not included.

Including Email Correspondence

To share a matter’s emails along with the archive, open each message from the matter’s Messages list and use Forward, Print, or Download Message Transcript as PDF (when available).

Good to Know

• Archiving doesn’t close the matter. The matter and its documents stay exactly as they are. Change the matter status separately if needed.
• Only the latest archive is kept. When you build a new archive for the same matter, the previous Matter Archive memo and its zip file are removed.
• Unchanged matters reuse the last archive. If no documents have changed since the last full archive, FluentCase delivers it again instead of rebuilding it.
• Permissions apply. If the archive button is disabled, ask your firm administrator for access. See User Roles and Permissions.

Troubleshooting

I didn’t receive the memo

Large matters can take several minutes to archive. Check your inbox for a Matter Archive memo. If you receive a Matter Archive Failed memo instead, try again. If the problem continues, contact support.

The archive won’t open after download

On Windows, extraction can fail when the full path of an extracted file is too long. Extract the zip file to a folder with a short path, such as a folder directly on your drive.

The Archive button is disabled

Your role does not include permission to create archives. Contact your firm administrator.

Related Topics

• Document File Management
• Uploading Documents
• Creating and Managing Matters
• User Roles and Permissions

FluentCase provides features for managing employment law cases, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour disputes, and other employment-related matters.

Creating an Employment Matter

Basic Setup

1. Click adjacent to Matters in the left navigation panel
2. Select Employment from the Case Type dropdown, then click Let’s Get Started
3. Fill in the matter fields:
   • Case Status
   • Court/Venue
   • File Number - Leave blank to auto-generate
   • Matter Has Parties - When on, enter the employee and the employer in the two party sections; the matter name is generated from the parties. Turn off the Matter Has toggle above the second party to create the matter without it. When Matter Has Parties is off, enter a Display Name instead.
4. Click Save

Employment-specific information such as hire date, separation, wages, and wage claims is entered after the matter is created, in Employment Details.

Employment Details

Matters whose case type includes the Employment module show an Employment item in the matter’s left panel. Click it to open Employment Details, then click Edit to update them.

Employment Details sections:

• Court Case Number
• Employment Status - Still Working for Employer, Date of Hire, Work Hours and/or Days of Work Were Irregular, 72 Hours Notice Was Given Before Quitting, Separation Type, Separation Date
• Wage Information - Final Rate of Pay, Received Final Payment of Wages, Date of Final Pay Received, Method of Wages Paid, Bounced Paycheck(s)
• Wage Claims - Regular Wages, Overtime Wages, Meal Period Wages, Rest Period Wages, Split Shift Premium, Reporting Time Pay, Commissions, Vacation Wages, Business Expenses, Unlawful Deductions, and Other, each with a start date, end date, and amount
• Retaliation/Discrimination Complaint - Type of Employment Change, Date of Employment Change, Circumstance of Employment Change, Reason for Complaint, How Employer Learned About the Reason
• Remedies

Statutes

Once a Separation Date is set, click Add Statute next to it. Choose a Duration to calculate the statute date from the separation date, or enter a date directly. Check Add linked event to calendar to create a calendar event assigned to the staff on the matter. Statutes appear as badges next to the Separation Date and under Employment in the left panel.

FluentCase provides specialized features for managing personal injury (PI) cases, from initial intake through settlement or trial.

Creating a PI Matter

Basic Setup

1. Click adjacent to Matters in the left navigation panel
2. Select Matter Type: Personal Injury
3. Fill in required fields:
   • Matter Name - Client name or case description
   • Client - Select or create client contact
   • Date of Incident - When injury occurred
   • Case Status - Current status
4. Click Save

PI-Specific Fields

Incident Information:

• Date of Incident - When accident/injury occurred
• Incident Type - Type of accident (see below)
• Incident Location - Where it happened
• Incident Description - Detailed description

Injury Information:

• Injury Type - Type of injuries sustained
• Body Parts Injured - Specific body parts
• Injury Severity - Minor, moderate, severe, catastrophic
• Permanent Injury - Whether injuries are permanent

Liability Information:

• Liability Assessment - Clear, disputed, comparative
• Percentage of Fault - If comparative negligence
• Statute of Limitations - Deadline for filing suit

Damages:

• Medical Expenses - Past and future medical costs
• Lost Wages - Income lost due to injury
• Property Damage - Damage to vehicle or property
• Pain and Suffering - Non-economic damages

Incident Types

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Car Accidents:

• Rear-end collisions
• T-bone/side-impact
• Head-on collisions
• Multi-vehicle accidents

Motorcycle Accidents:

• Single vehicle
• Multi-vehicle
• Road hazard

Truck Accidents:

• Commercial truck
• 18-wheeler
• Delivery vehicle

Other Vehicle:

• Bicycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)

Premises Liability

Slip and Fall:

• Wet floors
• Uneven surfaces
• Poor lighting
• Debris/obstacles

Trip and Fall:

• Broken sidewalks
• Potholes
• Stairs/steps
• Parking lots

Other Premises:

• Inadequate security
• Swimming pool accidents
• Dog bites
• Negligent maintenance

Product Liability

• Defective products
• Dangerous products
• Failure to warn
• Manufacturing defects
• Design defects

Medical Malpractice

• Surgical errors
• Misdiagnosis
• Medication errors
• Birth injuries
• Delayed treatment

Other PI Types

• Assault and battery
• Wrongful death
• Nursing home abuse
• Construction accidents
• Toxic exposure

FluentCase provides powerful document management capabilities with automatic OCR processing, version control, Fluent AI options when enabled, and cloud storage integration.

Uploading Documents

Supported File Formats

Documents

• PDF (.pdf) - Recommended format
• Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
• Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx)
• Rich Text Format (.rtf)
• Text Files (.txt)

Images

• JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg)
• PNG (.png)
• TIFF (.tif, .tiff) - Including multi-page TIFF
• GIF (.gif)
• BMP (.bmp)

Audio and Video

• Video (.mp4, .mov, .avi, .wmv)
• Audio (.mp3, .wav, .m4a, .wma)

Audio and video files open in an inline player on the document page. Playback depends on your browser’s support for the format; you can always download the file instead.

After upload, documents may be processed by OCR and, if enabled for your firm, Fluent AI document processing. See OCR Processing and Fluent AI Document Intelligence.

File Size Limits

• Maximum file size: 384 MB per file
• Multiple file upload: Up to 20 files at once
• Total storage: Based on your subscription plan

Automatic OCR Processing

All uploaded documents are processed with OCR as needed so scanned text becomes searchable and selectable.

FluentCase downsamples images to 200 dpi before OCR for speed. OCR itself typically runs at about 1 second per page, not including the built-in overhead required for file transfer and document processing.

See OCR Processing for detailed information.

Document Naming

Automatic Naming

FluentCase automatically names documents based on:

• Original filename
• Document type (if detected)
• Upload date

Renaming Documents

To rename a document:

1. Open the document
2. Click Rename
3. Change the File Name
4. Click Save

Best Practices:

• Use descriptive names: Medical Report - Dr. Smith - 2024-01-15
• Include dates in YYYY-MM-DD format for sorting
• Include document type: Deposition - John Doe
• Avoid special characters: / \ : * ? " < > |

Document Date

Each document has a Document Date that is separate from the date it was uploaded. The upload date appears on the document page next to Uploaded and cannot be changed.

When you upload a file, FluentCase sets the Document Date from the file’s last-modified date on your computer. To change it (for example, to the date a letter was mailed or scanned):

1. Open the document
2. Click Rename
3. Set the Document Date
4. If the document is attached to a matter, optionally check Update activity date to match document date and choose a Time
5. Click Save

Attaching Unsorted Documents to a Matter

Documents uploaded outside a matter go to Unsorted Documents. To attach one:

1. Open the document
2. Click Rename
3. Under Attach to Matter, search for and select the matter
4. Optionally add tags and an Activity Description in the same form
5. Click Save

Adding tags here saves them with the new activity, so you do not need to reopen the document afterward.

Staff notifications: After you select a matter, the Notify Staff about this document (via Internal Memo) switch appears. Turn it off to attach without sending a memo. When it is on, choose Notify All or check individual assigned staff. FluentCase remembers your choice for the next document. The switch is disabled when no staff are assigned to the matter.

Archived matters: Archived matters do not appear in the Attach to Matter search. To add a document to an archived matter, open that matter and upload the file there directly.

Document Organization

Tags

Tag documents for easy organization and retrieval:

1. Open a document
2. Click Add Tags
3. Select existing tags or create new ones
4. Common tags:
   • Medical Records
   • Correspondence
   • Court Filings
   • Discovery
   • Pleadings
   • Contracts

Folders (via Tags)

While FluentCase doesn’t use traditional folders, you can organize documents using tags:

• Create tags like “Medical”, “Legal”, “Financial”
• Filter documents by tag
• Multiple tags per document

Document Types

FluentCase automatically detects common document types:

• Medical records
• Legal pleadings
• Correspondence
• Court filings
• Contracts
• Discovery documents

Document Versions

FluentCase maintains version history for documents:

Uploading a New Version

1. Open the original document
2. Click Upload New Version
3. Select the updated file
4. Add version notes (optional)
5. Click Upload

Viewing Version History

1. Open a document
2. Click History
3. Review the list of changes, including earlier file revisions
4. Click the download icon (Download this revision) to download an earlier version

Reverting to a Previous Version

If a document was overwritten, you can restore an earlier revision:

1. Open the document
2. Click History
3. Find the version you want to restore
4. Click the history icon (Make this version the current version)

Read Only users cannot revert documents.

Document Metadata

Each document stores metadata:

• File Name - Display name
• Original Filename - Original file name
• File Size - Size in MB
• Upload Date - When uploaded
• Uploaded By - User who uploaded
• Matter - Associated matter
• Description - User-provided description
• Tags - Applied tags
• Version - Version number

Document Permissions

Access to documents is controlled by:

1. Matter Access - You must have access to the matter
2. User Role - Your role determines what you can do
3. Document Permissions - Some documents may have restricted access

Permission Levels

• View - Can view and download documents
• Upload - Can upload new documents
• Edit - Can rename and edit metadata
• Delete - Can delete documents (soft delete)

See User Roles and Permissions for details.

Downloading Documents

Single Document

1. Open the document
2. Click the Download button
3. File downloads to your default download folder

Opening PDFs in a New Browser Tab

By default, PDFs download for opening in your system viewer (e.g., Acrobat Reader). To open them in a new browser tab instead:

1. Open the user menu and click Personal Preferences
2. Under Documents, find When opening a PDF, image, or plain text attachment
3. Select Attempt to open in a new browser tab

Office documents (Word, Excel, etc.) always download regardless of this setting.

Multiple Documents

1. Select multiple documents (checkboxes)
2. Click Download Selected
3. Documents download as a ZIP file

PDF Version

For non-PDF documents, FluentCase can generate a PDF version:

1. Open the document
2. Click Download as PDF
3. PDF version downloads

Emailing a PDF Version

To send a Word document (including macro-enabled .docm files) as a PDF instead of the original file:

1. Open the document
2. Click E-mail as an Attachment
3. In the draft, check Use PDF Version next to the attachment
4. Send the message

Moving Documents Between Matters

To move a document to a different matter:

1. Open the document
2. Click Move to Matter
3. Search for and select the destination matter
4. Click Move
5. Document is moved and an activity is created in both matters

Deleting Documents

Warning: Deleted documents can be recovered within 30 days, after which they are permanently deleted.

To delete a document:

1. Open the document
2. Click the Delete button
3. Confirm the deletion
4. Document is soft-deleted

Who Can Delete Documents

• Power User and higher roles can delete any document.
• General Staff and similar roles can delete only documents they uploaded within the last 72 hours.
• Document Digitization Coordinator users can also delete any unsorted document (one not yet attached to a matter).
• Read Only users cannot delete documents.

These rules apply to each document whether you delete from the document page or from a document list. A dimmed Delete button means you are not allowed to delete that document. See User Roles and Permissions.

Recovering Deleted Documents

Administrators can recover deleted documents:

1. Go to Settings → Deleted Items
2. Find the document
3. Click Restore

Document Search

Quick Search

Use the search box to find documents by:

• File name
• Description
• Tags
• OCR text content
• Matter name

Advanced Search

Click Advanced Search to filter by:

• Date Range - Upload date
• Document Type - File type (PDF, Word, etc.)
• Tags - Specific tags
• Uploaded By - User who uploaded
• Matter - Specific matter
• File Size - Size range

Best Practices

File Naming

• Use descriptive names before uploading
• Include dates in filenames
• Use consistent naming conventions

Organization

• Tag documents immediately after upload
• Use consistent tag names across your firm
• Create a tagging guide for your team

OCR Optimization

• Scan at 150-200 dpi
• Do not exceed 200 dpi
• Use black and white or grayscale for text documents
• Ensure documents are straight and clear
• See Optimizing PDF Files

Storage Management

• Delete duplicate documents
• Archive old matters to free up space
• Use cloud storage integration for large files

Matter file lists can grow quickly. FluentCase includes selection and folder tools to help staff manage large document sets without opening each file individually.

Bulk Selection

Use available selection controls to select many files at once. Depending on the view, you may be able to:

• Select all files in a folder
• Shift-select a range of files
• Clear a selection
• Bulk delete selected files when permissions allow

Always review the selected count before taking a bulk action.

Folder Controls

Use folder expand and collapse controls to focus on the section you are working in. This is especially helpful for matters with many file folders or imported document sets.

Search and Filtering

Use the file search bar to narrow the list before selecting files. If the search bar is fixed at the top of the file area, you can refine the search even after scrolling.

Finding a Matter by Document Content

If you only have an identifier from correspondence, such as a claim number, search document contents instead of matter names:

1. From outside a matter, click the Search Matters bar at the top of the page
2. Choose Search case documents instead
3. Type the identifier in Search Document Contents (firmwide)
4. Open a result to view the document and the matter it belongs to

Inside a matter, document content search is limited to that matter’s documents.

Deletion Notes

Some documents cannot be deleted because they are connected to audit records, messages, activities, or Print & Mail requests. If deletion is blocked, read the message carefully before changing related records.

Related Topics

• Uploading Documents
• Combining PDF Documents
• Sending Documents with Print & Mail

FluentCase automatically processes uploaded documents with OCR so scanned text becomes searchable and selectable.

What OCR Does

OCR converts text in scanned documents and images into searchable, selectable text. In FluentCase, that means you can:

• Search within uploaded documents
• Copy text from scanned pages
• Improve accessibility for screen readers

How OCR Works in FluentCase

1. You upload a document
2. FluentCase prepares the file for OCR
3. Images are downsampled to 200 dpi before OCR for speed
4. Text is extracted and indexed for search

OCR itself typically runs at about 1 second per page, not including the built-in overhead required for file transfer and document processing.

Scan Recommendations

For best results:

• Scan at 150-200 dpi
• Do not exceed 200 dpi
• Use black and white or grayscale for text-heavy documents
• Keep pages straight, clear, and high-contrast
• Use PDF for multi-page scans

Improving OCR Accuracy

OCR works best when documents are:

• Properly aligned
• Free of blur and heavy background noise
• Printed clearly with readable text

Very poor image quality, handwriting, and heavily marked-up pages may reduce OCR accuracy.

Using OCR Text

Once OCR completes, you can search document text and copy text from scanned pages. For critical content, always proofread the extracted text.

See Batch Scanning and How to Reduce the File Size of a PDF for related guidance.

Manually Processing a Document

If an unsorted PDF was not split or processed as expected, open it and click the pink Document Processing button (). The menu offers:

• Process Batch Scan - Splits the PDF into separate documents at each separator sheet (PDFs with at least 3 pages)
• Apply OCR and AI - Straightens and rotates pages as needed, then applies Fluent AI based on your firm’s preferences (shown if OCR has not run yet)
• Force AI Reprocessing - Re-runs Fluent AI operations, applying OCR if necessary (shown after OCR has run)

The button appears only on unsorted PDFs. The AI options are available when Fluent AI linking or summarizing is enabled for your firm. For the Fluent AI processing levels, see Enabling Fluent AI.

Related Topics

• Uploading Documents
• Batch Scanning
• Fluent AI Document Intelligence

Batch scanning in FluentCase allows the segmentation of scanning paper documents from the organization and analysis of said documents. This allows all incoming paper to be scanned en masse for later classification and review.

Recommendations

• Ensure Barcode Quality: The barcode on the FluentCase Separator Sheet is crucial for document separation. Make sure it is printed clearly and remains intact.

• Scanner Settings: Set your scanner to:

  • Resolution: 150-200 dpi (do not exceed 200 dpi)
  • Non-Dithered
  • Black and White (1-bit or Non-Grayscale)

Troubleshooting

A batch scan stalls or fails to split

If processing stalls or the status reports a failure, you can re-run the batch without uploading the file again:

1. Open the batch scan document in Unsorted Documents
2. In the status panel, click Revert to Normal Document
3. Check that a separator sheet is placed between each document and that the barcodes are clear
4. Click the Document Processing button and choose Process Batch Scan again

Related Topics

• Uploading Documents
• OCR Processing
• Fluent AI Document Intelligence

FluentCase allows you to combine multiple PDF documents into a single PDF file, perfect for creating document packages, exhibits, or consolidated filings. Where supported, image files can also be prepared for combined document packets.

When to Combine PDFs

Common use cases for combining PDFs:

• Court Filings - Combine pleading with exhibits
• Discovery Responses - Package multiple documents together
• Client Packages - Create comprehensive document sets
• Medical Records - Consolidate multiple medical reports
• Settlement Packages - Combine all settlement documents
• Exhibit Preparation - Create numbered exhibits

Combine Options

Depending on the documents selected, you may be able to configure:

• Document order - Arrange documents before creating the final PDF.
• Document date sorting - Sort by document date when chronology matters.
• Table of contents - Generate a table of contents for the combined PDF.

For large matter file lists, see Document File Management before selecting documents.

Supported Documents

You can combine PDFs, documents that have been converted to PDF (such as Word files), and image files (PNG, JPEG, TIFF). To turn several photos or scanned images into one PDF, select the image files and combine them the same way you would combine PDFs.

Documents without a PDF version and password-protected PDFs are listed under Some items cannot be included and are left out of the combined file. At least two documents are required.

When the combined file is ready, it is saved to the matter’s Activities and sent to you in a memo titled Combined PDF: [file name].

Troubleshooting

“PDFs Could Not be Combined” memo

If you receive a memo titled PDFs Could Not be Combined, one of the selected files is likely not a valid PDF or is corrupted, even if it has a .pdf extension. To resolve it:

1. Open each selected document and confirm it previews correctly
2. Download any file that does not preview, re-save it as a PDF, and upload it again
3. Combine the documents again, using the re-uploaded file

Use Cases and Examples

Court Filing with Exhibits

Scenario: Filing a motion with 3 exhibits

1. Select documents:
   • Motion to Compel (main pleading)
   • Exhibit A - Email correspondence
   • Exhibit B - Medical records
   • Exhibit C - Expert report
2. Arrange in order
3. Enable the table of contents option, if desired
4. Name: Motion to Compel with Exhibits - Smith v. ABC
5. Combine

Result: Single combined PDF ready to review or file.

Medical Records Package

Scenario: Sending all medical records to opposing counsel

1. Select all medical record documents
2. Sort by date (oldest to newest)
3. Enable the table of contents option, if desired
4. Name: Medical Records Complete - Smith - 2024-01-15
5. Combine

Result: Medical records combined into a single PDF package.

Settlement Package

Scenario: Creating a complete settlement package

1. Select documents:
   • Settlement agreement
   • Release of all claims
   • W-9 form
   • Payment instructions
2. Arrange the documents in the desired order
3. Enable the table of contents option, if desired
4. Name: Settlement Package Complete - 2024-01-15
5. Combine

Result: Complete settlement package ready for client review.

Best Practices

Before Combining

1. Review Documents - Ensure all documents are correct
2. Allow OCR Processing Time - Wait for OCR to finish on all documents before combining
3. Verify Order - Double-check document order
4. Remove Duplicates - Don’t include the same document twice

Naming Conventions

• Use descriptive names
• Include matter name or case number
• Add date if relevant
• Follow firm standards
• Avoid special characters

Organization

• Tag combined documents appropriately
• Add description explaining what’s included
• Link to related activities
• Note in matter timeline

Quality Control

• Preview - Review the combined PDF before finalizing
• Page Count - Verify total page count is correct
• Table of contents - If generated, confirm it matches the included documents
• OCR - Ensure combined PDF is searchable

FluentCase can package a matter’s documents into a single zip file. Use an archive to hand a complete file to a client or co-counsel, keep an offline copy when a matter closes, or download a group of related documents at once.

Archive All Documents in a Matter

1. Open the matter and go to Documents.
2. Make sure no documents are selected.
3. Click Archive All in the toolbar.
4. FluentCase builds the archive in the background. A confirmation appears: Archive processing. You will receive a memo when it is ready.
5. When the archive is ready, a memo titled Matter Archive arrives in your inbox with the zip file attached. Open the memo and download the attachment.

Archive Selected Documents

1. Open the matter and go to Documents.
2. Select two or more documents.
3. Click Archive in the toolbar.
4. Smaller selections (under 25 MB total) download right away. Larger selections are built in the background and delivered as a Matter Archive memo, just like Archive All.

An archive requires at least two documents. To download a single file, open the document and download it directly.

What’s in the Archive

• Documents - Every document in the matter, or only the documents you selected
• Folders - Documents are organized into folders that match their tags. Untagged documents appear at the top level of the zip file.
• Duplicate names - If two files share a name, FluentCase adds a number, such as (2), so nothing is overwritten
• Long names - File names are shortened to 100 characters to help keep paths within Windows limits

Email messages, email attachments, and earlier archive files are not included.

Including Email Correspondence

To share a matter’s emails along with the archive, open each message from the matter’s Messages list and use Forward, Print, or Download Message Transcript as PDF (when available).

Good to Know

• Archiving doesn’t close the matter. The matter and its documents stay exactly as they are. Change the matter status separately if needed.
• Only the latest archive is kept. When you build a new archive for the same matter, the previous Matter Archive memo and its zip file are removed.
• Unchanged matters reuse the last archive. If no documents have changed since the last full archive, FluentCase delivers it again instead of rebuilding it.
• Permissions apply. If the archive button is disabled, ask your firm administrator for access. See User Roles and Permissions.

Troubleshooting

I didn’t receive the memo

Large matters can take several minutes to archive. Check your inbox for a Matter Archive memo. If you receive a Matter Archive Failed memo instead, try again. If the problem continues, contact support.

The archive won’t open after download

On Windows, extraction can fail when the full path of an extracted file is too long. Extract the zip file to a folder with a short path, such as a folder directly on your drive.

The Archive button is disabled

Your role does not include permission to create archives. Contact your firm administrator.

Related Topics

• Document File Management
• Uploading Documents
• Creating and Managing Matters
• User Roles and Permissions

Reducing the file size of a PDF can make it easier to share and store. Here are some methods using tools typically installed on Windows and Mac OS, including an online tool from Adobe:

For Windows:

1. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC:
   • Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
   • Click on the “File” menu.
   • Select “Save As Other” and choose “Reduced Size PDF”.
   • Adjust the compression settings as needed and save the file.
2. Microsoft Edge:
   • Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge.
   • Click on the “Print” button.
   • Select “Save as PDF” instead of printing.
   • Adjust the settings to reduce the file size and save the new PDF.

For Mac OS:

1. Preview:
   • Open the PDF in Preview.
   • Click on “File” > “Export”.
   • Choose “Reduce File Size” from the Quartz Filter options.
   • Save the new PDF.
2. Pages:
   • Copy the content of the PDF into Pages.
   • Adjust the image quality and other settings.
   • Export the document as a PDF.

FluentCase allows you to create and manage reusable document templates for your firm.

Important: All Word templates must be uploaded through the Firm Settings section of FluentCase. Only administrators can upload and manage templates for your firm.

Creating Templates

Upload Template Document

1. Go to Firm Settings → Word Templates
2. Click Upload
3. Drop your template files or select them

Templates must be Word documents (.docx or .docm). Older .doc files are rejected with “Invalid file type. Templates must be Word Documents (docx).”

Create a Template from an Existing One

1. Open an existing template in Word (see Editing Templates)
2. Make your changes
3. In the FluentCase Template Editor ribbon tab, click Save As New Template

The original template is not changed. To start from a blank document, create it in Word and upload it.

Using Templates

Generate Document from Template

1. Open a matter
2. Click Forms and Word Templates
3. Select a template
4. Click Merge to create a document with matter data in Word
5. On Select Data to Merge, confirm the parties and other details to use, enter a Document Name, and click Merge
6. Document opens in Word with matter information populated
7. Click Save to Fluent

Merge vs. Start: Word templates use Merge. PDF forms use Start, which prepares a new PDF with matter data.

Choosing Parties During a Merge

For each party role in the template, Select Data to Merge preselects a party when one is available. If the role is empty (for example, no claims adjuster is assigned) or the wrong party is selected, choose the correct party from that role’s dropdown. The party’s address, phone, and fax come from the party you select.

Party Names and Captions

The matter’s Caption field is free text entered by hand, so it may not match the party records. To pull names from the parties themselves, insert party fields from the Parties group of the FluentCase Template Editor ribbon (for example, the applicant’s and employer’s names) instead of typing names or relying on Caption.

Template Management

Editing Templates

Templates can be edited from within a matter or from Firm Settings. Follow the instructions below for selecting, editing, and saving template changes:

Editing a template from Firm Settings:

1. Go to Firm Settings
2. Select Word Templates
3. Select a template
4. Click the Edit pen icon
5. Template opens in Word
6. In the FluentCase Template Editor ribbon tab, click Save Template to replace the template in Fluent

Editing a template from within a matter:

1. Open a matter
2. Select Forms and Word Templates
3. Select a template
4. Click the Edit pen icon
5. Template opens in Word
6. In the FluentCase Template Editor ribbon tab, click Save Template to replace the template in Fluent

Changes are not used in merges until you click Save Template. To keep the original, click Save As New Template instead.

Deleting Templates

1. Go to Firm Settings → Word Templates
2. Select a template
3. Click Delete
4. Confirm the deletion

Letterheads

Instead of hardcoding a letterhead into each template, insert the FIRM:letterhead merge field where the letterhead should appear. When the template is merged, FluentCase inserts the letterhead uploaded to the matter’s Branch Office, including its headers and footers.

• The matter’s Office field (in the matter’s details) determines which Branch Office letterhead is used. If the field is empty, no letterhead is inserted.
• To change the letterhead, such as updating the attorney list, go to Firm Settings → Branch Offices → View Details, download the current letterhead, edit it in Word, then click Replace and upload the new file. Every template that uses the field picks up the change on its next merge.
• Each Branch Office has its own letterhead. Update each office separately.

See Uploading Office Templates.

Best Practices

Creating Templates

• Test thoroughly - Generate test documents
• Standard formatting - Consistent fonts and styles
• Clear naming - Descriptive template names

Using Templates

• Review before sending - Always review generated documents
• Customize as needed - Edit generated documents
• Update templates - Keep templates current
• Version control - Track template versions

Maintenance

• Regular review - Review templates quarterly
• Update for law changes - Keep legally current
• Remove obsolete - Delete unused templates
• Gather feedback - Ask team for improvements

Troubleshooting

Formatting Issues

Causes:

• Complex Word formatting
• Incompatible fonts
• Tables or images

Solutions:

1. Simplify formatting
2. Use standard fonts
3. Test with simple template first

Merge Fields Not Populating

1. Confirm the template changes were saved with Save Template
2. In the FluentCase Template Editor ribbon tab, click Toggle Merge Fields to show field codes
3. Working fields appear as { MERGEFIELD ... }. Text that only looks like a field, for example after copying and pasting, does not merge. Delete it and insert the field again from the ribbon.
4. Click Save Template

If a field is empty because a party role has no party assigned, choose a party on Select Data to Merge. See Choosing Parties During a Merge.

Field Codes Showing Instead of Text

If you see codes such as { MERGEFIELD ... } or { HYPERLINK ... } instead of text, field codes are turned on. Click Toggle Merge Fields again, or press Alt+F9 in Word for Windows.

Template Rejected on Upload

Only .docx and .docm files can be uploaded. If Word saved the file in an older format, open it in Word, use File → Save As to save it as a Word Document (.docx), and upload the new file. Some older formatting may be lost when converting.

When working with documents containing macros or from various sources, you may need to adjust Microsoft Word’s security settings. This guide explains how to enable macros, disable Protected View, and trust specific locations across different versions of Word on both Windows and Mac.

⚠️ Security Warning: These changes reduce Word’s security protections. FluentCase will never deliver harmful macros to your computer, but please remain vigilant, especially when opening email attachments. Play it safe by synchronizing your Gmail or Outlook account to your FluentCase inbox!

Why Downloaded Documents Trigger Security Warnings

Documents merged from FluentCase templates download as macro-enabled Word files (.docm). The macro powers the Save and Save As buttons in the FluentCase ribbon, which upload your edits back to the matter.

Email providers, antivirus software, and Word itself often flag any macro-enabled file as a potential risk, so you may see a virus alert, a blocked attachment, or a Protected View banner. This is expected for FluentCase-merged documents.

To work with these files:

1. Download the document from FluentCase and open it in Word.
2. Make your edits.
3. Click Save in the FluentCase ribbon to upload the changes to the matter.

To stop the warnings on your computer, follow the steps below to enable macros and trust your Downloads folder. Avoid emailing .docm files to yourself; download them directly from FluentCase instead.

Disabling Protected View

For Windows (Word 2010-2019, Office 365)

1. Open Microsoft Word
2. Click the File tab
3. Select Options
4. In the Word Options dialog, click Trust Center on the left sidebar
5. Click the Trust Center Settings button

6. Select Protected View from the left sidebar

   Protected View settings appear with checkboxes for different options

7. Uncheck all three options:
   • Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet
   • Enable Protected View for files located in potentially unsafe locations
   • Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments
8. Click OK to close the Trust Center
9. Click OK again to close Word Options

For Mac (Word 2011-2019, Office 365)

1. Open Microsoft Word
2. Click Word in the menu bar and select Preferences
3. In the Preferences dialog, under Personal Settings, click Security & Privacy
4. Uncheck the option for Protected View
5. Click OK to save changes

Adding the Downloads Folder as a Trusted Location

For Windows (Word 2007-2019, Office 365)

1. Open Microsoft Word
2. Click the File tab (or Office Button in Word 2007)
3. Select Options
4. In the Word Options dialog, click Trust Center on the left sidebar
5. Click the Trust Center Settings button

6. Select Trusted Locations from the left sidebar

   A list of currently trusted locations appears

7. Click the Add new location button

   A dialog for adding a trusted location appears

8. Click Browse to locate your Downloads folder
   • Typically located at C:\Users\[YourUsername]\Downloads
9. Select the Downloads folder and click OK
10. Check the option for Subfolders of this location are also trusted if desired
11. Click OK to add the location
12. Click OK to close the Trust Center
13. Click OK again to close Word Options

For Mac (Word 2011-2019, Office 365)

1. Open Microsoft Word
2. Click Word in the menu bar and select Preferences
3. In the Preferences dialog, click Security & Privacy

4. Click the Trusted Locations button

   A dialog showing trusted file locations appears

5. Click the Add button (+ symbol)
6. Navigate to your Downloads folder
   • Typically located at /Users/[YourUsername]/Downloads
7. Select the Downloads folder and click Select
8. Check Subfolders of this location are also trusted if desired
9. Click OK to save and close the Trusted Locations dialog
10. Click OK to close Preferences

Version-Specific Notes

Word 2007 (Windows)

• Instead of the File tab, look for the round Office Button in the top-left corner
• Trust Center options are organized slightly differently but contain the same settings

Word 2011 (Mac)

• Security options are found under Word > Preferences > Security
• Macro settings may be under a separate tab called “Security”

Office 365 (Subscription)

• Settings remain largely consistent with Word 2019, but UI details may change with updates
• Some users may need administrator permissions to change certain security settings

Confirming Your Changes

After making these changes, you can confirm they’re working by:

1. Merge a FluentCase template.
2. Opening the merged, macro-enabled document in Microsoft Word. You can set your browser to “always open files of this type” with a right-click in the Downloads menu.
3. If successful, the document should open without security warnings, and macros should be enabled automatically.
4. Verify that the “Save” and “Save As” buttons in the FluentCase ribbon are working as expected, saving your document to your FluentCase Matter with a single click, by altering the document and clicking “Save”. If the above steps have been performed correctly, a confirmation message is displayed.

Save Button Missing or Not Working

The FluentCase Save and Save As buttons run on macros. If macros are disabled, the buttons are missing or do nothing, and only Word’s own save options are available.

1. If Word shows a Protected View or macros-disabled banner, close the document.
2. Disable Protected View.
3. Add your Downloads folder as a Trusted Location, or enable all macros as described above.
4. Download the document from FluentCase again and open it.

If the settings are locked, your IT administrator may need to change them.

FluentCase includes a comprehensive calendar system to track court dates, appointments, deadlines, and other important events.

Creating Events

Quick Event Creation

1. Click Calendar in the left sidebar
2. Click on a date
3. Enter event title
4. Press Enter
5. Event is created with default settings

Detailed Event Creation

1. Click Calendar → New Event
2. Fill in event details:
   • Title - Event name (required)
   • Calendar Category - Category of event
   • Date - Event date (required)
   • Start Time - When event starts
   • End Time - When event ends
   • All Day - Check if all-day event
   • Matter - Associated matter
   • Location - Where event takes place
   • Notes - Additional event notes
   • Attendees - Who should attend
3. Click Save

Note: Administrators can add custom calendar categories in Firm Settings by clicking on Calendar Categories. This allows you to customize the calendar categories available for your firm.

Creating Events from Matters

1. Open a matter
2. Click the Calendar tab
3. Click New Event
4. Event is automatically associated with the matter
5. Fill in details and save

Conflict and Adjacent Schedule Warnings

When creating or reviewing events, FluentCase may show conflict or adjacent-schedule indicators for assigned users. The indicators answer two questions:

• Does this item overlap another event or task?
• Is another scheduled item close enough in time that staff should be aware of it?

Adjacent items are not always conflicts. They are warnings that the schedule may require travel time, preparation time, or reassignment.

These indicators may appear while editing or reviewing calendar events, tasks with due dates or times, items assigned to one or more users, and matter-specific scheduling screens. When a warning appears:

1. Review the nearby or overlapping items.
2. Check assigned staff.
3. Consider travel, hearing, or preparation time.
4. Adjust the time, date, or assignee if needed.

Creating Recurring Events

For events that repeat:

1. Create an event
2. In the Repeats field, select a pattern:
   • Daily
   • Weekly (select days)
   • Monthly (select date or day)
   • Yearly
3. Set end date or number of occurrences
4. Click Save

Tip: To block off several consecutive days (for example, a two-week trial), create an All Day Event, set Repeats to daily, and end it after the number of days you need (for example, 14 occurrences). The event then appears on each of those days.

Calendar Categories

Note: Additional calendar categories can be added in Firm Settings by clicking on Calendar Categories. This allows you to create custom categories tailored to your firm’s needs.

Court Events

• Hearing - Court hearing
• Trial - Trial date
• Conference - Settlement conference, status conference
• Mediation - Mediation session
• Arbitration - Arbitration hearing

Appointments

• Client Meeting - Meeting with client
• Deposition - Deposition of witness or party
• Medical Exam - QME, AME, IME appointments
• Site Inspection - Property or accident site visit

Deadlines

• Filing Deadline - Court filing due date
• Discovery Deadline - Discovery cutoff
• Response Due - Response to motion, discovery, etc.
• Statute of Limitations - Filing deadline

Tip: Update deadline date fields in the matter’s Summary and Dates section to keep all important dates synchronized across the system.

Workers’ Compensation Specific

• WCAB Hearing - Workers’ Comp Appeals Board hearing
• MSC - Mandatory Settlement Conference
• Lien Conference - Lien resolution conference
• PQME - Panel QME appointment
• Rating - Permanent disability rating appointment

Note: These are examples of calendar categories that can be added in Firm Settings by clicking on Calendar Categories. You can customize these categories to match your firm’s specific needs and practice areas.

Event Fields

Required Fields

• Title - Event name
• Date - Event date
• Calendar Category - Category of event
• Assignee - Person responsible for the event

Optional Fields

• Start Time - When event starts
• End Time - When event ends (or duration)
• All Day - Check for all-day events
• Matter - Associated case
• Location - Address or place name
• Notes - Additional event notes
• Attendees - People who should attend

Viewing Events

Calendar View

View events in calendar format:

1. Click Calendar in the left sidebar
2. Choose view:
   • Agenda - List view of events
   • Day - Daily agenda
   • Week - Weekly schedule
   • Month - Monthly calendar
   • List - Detailed list view
3. Navigate with arrows or date picker

Matter Events

View events for a specific matter:

1. Open a matter
2. Click the Calendar tab
3. See all events for this matter
4. Filter by calendar category or date range

The calendar inside a matter shows only that matter’s events. To see events across all matters, click Calendar in the left sidebar to open the firmwide calendar.

Viewing All Events in a Month View Day

In Month view, each day shows as many events as fit. To see the rest:

• Click the event count in the corner of the day to open that day in Day view.
• Click the ellipsis (…) to open a popup listing every event for that day. Click an event title to open its details, or click Edit to edit it.

Filtering by Assignee

The Filter by Assignee button in the bottom-left corner of the Agenda, Day, Week, and Month views controls whose events are shown:

1. Click Filter by Assignee (or the initials of the currently selected users)
2. Check the users whose events you want to see
3. Click Close

• With no users checked, the calendar shows events for all users.
• Click Clear All to uncheck every user.
• Click Set Default Assignee Filter to save the current selection as the filter applied when you open the calendar.
• A Filter Active badge appears while an assignee or calendar category filter is applied.
• Only active users are listed. Events assigned to a deactivated user remain on the calendar, but that user cannot be selected in the filter.

Troubleshooting: If an event you created or expected to see is missing, check for the Filter Active badge. Your default assignee filter may be limiting the calendar to your own events. Click Clear All in the assignee filter to show events for all users.

Editing and Deleting Events

Opening and Editing Events

In Day, Week, and Month views:

• Single-click an event to open its details
• Double-click an event to open the edit form
• Drag an event to a new time, or drag its edge to change its duration (Day and Week views only; not available on touch devices)

The Agenda view does not support double-click or drag editing. Click the event title to open its details, then click Edit Event Details.

Opening the Linked Matter

Open the event’s details. The linked matter name and file number appear as a link; click it to open the matter.

Changing an Event’s Matter

The Matter field cannot be changed when editing an event that is already linked to a matter. To move the event to a different matter:

1. Open the event’s details
2. Click Switch Case Matter
3. Select the correct matter
4. Click Save

Deleting Events

• In Day, Week, Month, or Agenda view, click the × icon on the event and confirm
• Or open the event’s details and click Delete Calendar Event

When you delete one occurrence of a recurring event, FluentCase asks whether to delete only that occurrence or the whole series. Either way, the change applies to everyone who sees the event, not just your calendar.

Who Can Edit and Delete Events

• Read Only users cannot create, edit, or delete events.
• General Staff users can create and edit events, but can delete only events they created within the last 72 hours.
• Calendar Administrator, Power User, and higher roles can delete any event.

See User Roles and Permissions.

Event Attendees

Adding Attendees

1. Create or edit an event
2. Click Add Attendees
3. Select users:
   • Firm users
   • Matter staff (attorney, paralegal, etc.)
4. Click Save

Attendee Notifications

When you add attendees:

• They receive a memo notification
• Event appears on their calendar

Calendar Sync

iCal/CalDAV Sync

Sync FluentCase calendar with external calendars:

• Google Calendar
• Outlook Calendar
• Apple Calendar
• Other iCal-compatible calendars

See iCalendar Setup Guide for instructions.

Event Colors

Color Coding

Organize events with colors:

• By Calendar Category - Different color for each calendar category
• Custom - Choose your own colors

Setting Colors

1. Go to Settings \u2192 Calendar
2. Configure color scheme
3. Choose colors for each category
4. Click Save

Note: Color settings are only available in Firm Settings under Calendar Categories. Administrators can customize colors for each calendar category to help organize and visually distinguish different types of events.

Best Practices

Event Creation

• Be specific - Clear, descriptive titles
• Include location - Always add location/address
• Add details - Include case number, judge, etc. in description
• Invite attendees - Ensure everyone knows about the event

Calendar Management

• Review weekly - Check upcoming events every Monday
• Update promptly - Change or cancel events as soon as you know
• Confirm attendance - Respond to event invitations
• Check conflicts - Avoid double-booking
• Sync calendars - Keep all calendars in sync

Court Dates

• Verify dates - Confirm court dates with court clerk
• Add travel time - Account for travel to courthouse
• Prepare early - Set reminder tasks for preparation
• Notify client - Ensure client knows about court dates
• Update if continued - Update event if hearing is continued

Print & Mail lets authorized firms queue matter documents for physical mailing from within FluentCase. The feature is sometimes referred to as Snailmail in older screens and documentation; both names refer to the same workflow.

What Print & Mail Does Today

Use Print & Mail when you need a physical mailing packet tied to a matter and its document history.

Current workflow:

1. Open a PDF document attached to a matter.
2. Click the Print & Mail mailbox button.
3. Choose whether to include a cover page.
4. Confirm the return address and addressee.
5. Add any additional matter documents that should be mailed in the same packet.
6. Submit the mailing request.

After submission, FluentCase records the request, links it to the matter, and keeps the attached documents tied to the mailing record for audit purposes.

Where to Find Print & Mail

From a document view, look for the mailbox button in the document toolbar. If Print & Mail is not enabled for your firm, the button may still appear and show an upgrade message when clicked.

If a document has already been attached to one or more mailing requests, the button changes to a history dropdown so you can review prior mailings and queue another one.

Mailing Records and Audit History

Print & Mail requests become part of the matter record. FluentCase may create a matter activity for the mailing and document history entries for the documents included in the request.

Documents attached to a Print & Mail mailing cannot be deleted while the mailing exists. If the mailing has not yet been printed, delete the mailing first, then retry the document deletion. Once a mailing has been printed, it becomes a permanent audit record and neither the mailing nor its attached documents can be removed.

Cover Pages and Addresses

When a cover page is used, FluentCase stores:

• Return address
• Addressee
• Optional contact link for the addressee
• Validation override choice, if used
• Document order and document-specific layout options

See Address Validation for details on ZIP validation and override behavior.

The cover page is blank except for the return address and addressee, which are positioned to show through the windows of a windowed envelope.

Page Limit and Layout Options

Each mailing is limited to 12 physical pages (printed sheets). The limit counts sheets, not document pages:

• 2-sided (on by default) prints on both sides of each sheet, so two document pages use one sheet.
• 2-up prints two document pages side by side on one landscape sheet. It applies only to additional documents; the first document always prints full-page. This is useful for secondary documents such as notices.
• A cover page adds one sheet.

If the mailing would exceed the limit, the request form shows Exceeds 12-page maximum and the request cannot be submitted.

After a mailing is processed, its record shows the Printed and Mailed dates.

Current Limitations

Print & Mail is designed around PDF documents. Encrypted PDFs must be decrypted before they can be printed and mailed.

Pricing, postage, delivery confirmation, and carrier tracking are not documented here because they depend on the firm’s enabled workflow and fulfillment process. If you need billing or fulfillment details, contact your firm administrator or FluentCase support.

Related Topics

• Sending Documents with Print & Mail
• Address Validation
• Uploading Documents
• Combining PDF Documents

FluentCase provides comprehensive task management to help you track work, meet deadlines, and stay organized across all your matters.

Creating Tasks

Quick Task Creation

1. Click adjacent to Tasks in the left navigation panel
2. Enter task title
3. Press Enter
4. Task is created with default settings

Detailed Task Creation

1. Click adjacent to Tasks in the left navigation panel
2. Fill in task details:
   • Title - Task name (required)
   • Description - Detailed information
   • Matter - Associated matter (optional)
   • Assigned To - User responsible
   • Due Date - When task is due
   • Priority - High, Medium, Low
   • Tags - Categorization tags
3. Click Save

Creating Tasks from Matters

1. Open a matter
2. Click adjacent to Tasks in the left navigation panel
3. Task is automatically associated with the matter
4. Fill in details and click Save

Task Fields

• Description - Detailed information, notes, instructions
• Assigned To - User responsible for completing the task
• Due Date - Deadline for completion
• Priority - High, Medium, Low, or None
• Estimated Hours - How long task will take
• Matter - Associated case or matter (only visible when creating tasks outside of a matter)

Tasks do not have to start on a matter. You can create a general task first and link it to a matter later when the case context is known.

Scheduling Cues

When a task has date or time information, FluentCase may show conflict or adjacent-schedule indicators for the assigned user. These indicators are warnings, not automatic blockers. Review them before saving to avoid missed deadlines or unrealistic back-to-back scheduling.

See Conflict and Adjacent Schedule Warnings for more detail.

Viewing Tasks

Task Lists

Click Tasks in the left sidebar. The task page has four lists:

• All - Every incomplete task in the firm
• Assigned to Me - Incomplete tasks assigned to you
• Delegated - Incomplete tasks you created and assigned to someone else
• Completed - Tasks completed in the last 90 days

If a task you expect is missing from your view, click Assigned to Me to see only your own incomplete tasks. FluentCase remembers the list you last used.

Tasks are sorted by Date Due, oldest first. Completed tasks do not appear in the All, Assigned to Me, or Delegated lists; open the Completed list to see them.

Quick Filters

The buttons above the list narrow it by due date or priority:

• Overdue, Today, This Week, Next Week, This Month, Next Month, Upcoming, High Priority

In the Completed list, the buttons filter by Ahead of Schedule, On Time, and Late. Click an active button again to clear it.

Matter Tasks

View tasks for a specific matter:

1. Open a matter
2. Click Tasks tab
3. See all tasks for this matter
4. Filter by status, assignee, or date

Task Organization

Priorities

Set task priority to indicate urgency:

• High - Urgent, critical tasks (red flag)
• Medium - Important tasks (yellow flag)
• Low - Can wait if needed (blue flag)

Due Dates

Set due dates to track deadlines:

• Specific date - Exact due date
• Date and time - Specific deadline
• No due date - Open-ended tasks

Completing Tasks

Mark as Complete

1. Open the task
2. Check the Completed checkbox
3. Task is marked as done
4. Completion date is recorded

Quick complete:

• In task list, click the checkbox next to the task
• Task is immediately marked complete

Incomplete Tasks

To reopen a completed task:

1. Open the task
2. Click Mark Incomplete
3. Task returns to active status

Task Assignment

Assigning to Users

Assign or reassign a task to a different user:

1. Open the task
2. Click (Edit Task)
3. Select a user in the Assignee field
4. Click Save

Completed tasks cannot be edited. Click Mark Task Incomplete first if you need to reassign one.

Self-Assignment

Assign a task to yourself:

1. Open an unassigned task
2. Click Assign to Me
3. Task is assigned to you

Task Notifications

Memo Notifications

Receive memo notifications for:

• New assignment - When a task is assigned to you
• Due soon - Tasks due in 24 hours
• Overdue - Tasks past due date
• Completed - When someone completes a task you created

In-App Notifications

All tasks spawn a notification to the assigned staff member. Each individual may “snooze” these notifications via the top-right Tasks button. Tasks with a due date on or before the current day are indicated with a small number highlighted in red.

The number on the top-right Tasks button counts incomplete tasks assigned to you. When the count is over 99, it shows 99+. Click the gear icon on the button to choose which tasks the count includes under Count Indicator Includes: Overdue & Due Today, Overdue only, Due Today only, or All tasks.

Task Filters and Search

Filtering Tasks

Filter tasks by:

• Search Text Field - Search by task title or description
• Priority - High, Medium, Low
• Created By - Filter by task creator
• Assignee - Specific user or unassigned
• Date Due - Today, This Week, Overdue, Custom range

Best Practices

Task Creation

• Be specific - Clear, actionable titles
• Add context - Include relevant details in description
• Set due dates - Always set realistic deadlines
• Assign appropriately - Assign to the right person
• Use tags - Categorize for easy filtering

Task Management

• Review daily - Check tasks every morning
• Prioritize - Focus on high-priority and overdue tasks
• Update status - Mark tasks complete promptly
• Communicate - Add comments for updates
• Clean up - Archive or delete obsolete tasks

Team Coordination

• Clear assignments - Ensure everyone knows their tasks
• Realistic deadlines - Don’t overcommit
• Regular check-ins - Review team tasks weekly
• Use descriptions - Provide context for assigned tasks
• Follow up - Check on overdue tasks

This guide explains how to queue a Print & Mail request from a document. Older screens may call this feature Snailmail.

Before You Start

You need:

• A PDF document attached to a matter
• Permission to create Print & Mail requests
• A return address and addressee if you are using a cover page
• Any additional matter documents you want included in the same packet

Encrypted PDFs cannot be printed and mailed until they are decrypted. If you need to combine several documents first, see Combining PDF Documents.

Queue a Mailing

1. Open the matter document you want to mail.
2. Click the mailbox Print & Mail button in the document toolbar.
3. To add a cover page, check Cover Page Needed. The Return Address, Addressee Contact (Optional), and Addressee fields appear only when this box is checked.
4. Confirm the return address.
5. Select or type the addressee.
6. Add additional matter documents if needed.
7. Review the page count and the 2-sided and 2-up options.
8. Click Submit Mailing Request.

If your firm does not have Print & Mail enabled, clicking the button displays an upgrade message instead of opening the request form.

Each mailing is limited to 12 physical pages. See Page Limit and Layout Options.

Editing the Cover Page After Submission

Until a mailing is printed, you can change its cover page from the mailing’s details:

• Next to Cover Page, click Edit to change the return address or addressee, then click Save Changes.
• Click Remove to drop the cover page, or Add to add one to a mailing that was submitted without it.

Once the mailing is printed, the cover page can no longer be changed.

Addressee Selection

The addressee can be typed manually or selected from available contacts. If you select a contact, FluentCase can preserve the contact link on the mailing record while still storing the free-text addressee exactly as it will appear on the cover page.

Address Validation and Overrides

When a cover page is required, FluentCase checks the ZIP code in the return address and addressee. This confirms the ZIP code against FluentCase’s ZIP-code reference data; it does not confirm full postal deliverability. A warning means the ZIP code could not be validated or could not be extracted from the address block.

If you are confident the address is correct, check Override Validation to continue despite the warning. For more detail, see Address Validation.

Mailing History from the Document

If the document has prior Print & Mail requests, the toolbar button opens a dropdown with the mailing history. Use it to:

• See previous mailing statuses
• Open a linked mailing activity when available
• Queue another mailing for the same document

Document Deletion Rules

Documents attached to a Print & Mail mailing cannot be deleted while that mailing exists. If the mailing has not been printed, delete the mailing first and then retry the document deletion. Printed mailings are permanent audit records.

Related Topics

• Print & Mail Overview
• Address Validation
• Uploading Documents
• Combining PDF Documents

FluentCase provides comprehensive Rolodex management to organize all the people and organizations involved in your cases.

Table of Contents

• What are Rolodex Entries?
• Creating Rolodex Entries
• Deleting a Rolodex Entry
• Rolodex Entry Types
• Viewing Rolodex Entries
• Linking Rolodex Entries to Matters
• Rolodex Entry Search
• Merging Rolodex Entries
• Best Practices

What are Rolodex Entries?

Creating Rolodex Entries

Creating a Rolodex Entry

1. Click Rolodex in the left navigation panel
2. Click New Entry
3. Enter required information:
   • First Name - First name
   • Last Name - Last name
   • People Type - Person or Organization
4. Click New Email to add email address
5. Click New Phone to add phone number
6. Click New Address to add mailing address
7. Click Save

Deleting a Rolodex Entry

Helpful Tip: A contact cannot be deleted if they are a party on any matters. You must remove them from all matters before deleting the entry.

How to Delete

1. Click Rolodex in the left navigation panel
2. Search for Rolodex entry
3. Select Rolodex entry
4. Locate the Delete button located next to the Merge Contact button

Rolodex Entry Types

Person vs. Organization

Person:

• Individual people
• Has first name and last name
• Can have job title and employer

Organization:

• Companies, firms, agencies
• Has organization name
• Can have multiple entries within

Examples of Rolodex Entry People Types

Workers’ Compensation:

• PTP (Primary Treating Physician)
• AME (Agreed Medical Evaluator)
• QME (Qualified Medical Evaluator)
• Insurance Adjuster
• Employer Representative
• Defense Attorney
• Applicant Attorney

Helpful Tip: Use the UAN lookup field to tie a UAN (Unit Account Number) to a company whenever possible. This helps ensure accurate identification of employers and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation cases.

UAN already in use: Each UAN can belong to only one Rolodex entry. In the Uniform Assigned Number list, a UAN that another entry already uses is marked In use by: with a link to that entry. If you save it anyway, FluentCase shows “UAN code already in use by: …” and does not save. If the two entries are duplicates, open one and click Merge Company to combine them (see Merging Rolodex Entries), or delete the duplicate to free the UAN.

Personal Injury:

• Plaintiff
• Defendant
• Medical Provider
• Expert Witness
• Insurance Adjuster

Viewing Rolodex Entries

Helpful Tip: You can view and manage Rolodex entries from outside of a matter by clicking Rolodex in the left navigation panel.

All Rolodex Entries

View all entries in your firm:

1. Click Rolodex in the left navigation panel
2. See complete entry list
3. Search, filter, or sort as needed

Matter Rolodex Entries

View entries for a specific matter:

1. Open a matter
2. Click the Rolodex tab
3. See all entries linked to this matter
4. Organized by role

Rolodex Entry Details

View full entry information:

1. Click on an entry
2. See:
   • Entry information
   • Associated matters
   • Recent activities
   • Documents
   • Messages
   • Notes

The picture at the top of an entry shows a saved image when one is available. For companies with a Website, FluentCase tries to fetch the company’s logo from that domain. When there is no image, the entry shows its initials, or a silhouette icon if no name is available to build initials from.

Editing Personal Details

To add or change details such as Date of Birth, Date of Death, Sex, or Social Security Number:

1. Open the Rolodex entry (from Rolodex, or from Parties in a matter)
2. Click (Edit)
3. Update the field
4. Click Save

Linking Rolodex Entries to Matters

Adding Rolodex Entries to Matters

1. Open a matter
2. Click Parties in the left navigation
3. Click Add Party
4. Search for an existing entry, or add a new contact or company
5. Set the entry’s Party Type for this matter

For the full workflow, see Managing Matter Parties.

Rolodex Entries People Type Examples

Each entry can have a specific role in each matter:

• Client/Applicant - Your client
• Opposing Party - Defendant, respondent
• Opposing Attorney - Defense counsel
• Insurance Adjuster - Claims adjuster
• Medical Provider - Doctor, hospital
• Employer - Current or former employer
• Witness - Fact or expert witness

Removing Rolodex Entries from Matters

1. Open a matter
2. Click Parties
3. Click on the party to detach
4. Click the Detach button
5. The party is immediately removed

Note: This only removes the link; the entry remains in your system.

Rolodex Entry Search

Basic Search

1. Click Rolodex in the left navigation panel
2. Click the search button to search by entered text (as little as 3 characters)
3. Select an alphabet button to search by the letters displayed in the buttons (A-B, C-D, E-F, etc.)
4. Filter by people type as needed

Search Tips

• Minimum characters - Enter at least 3 characters to search
• People type filter - Use the filter to narrow results by entry type
• Partial matches - Search “smith” finds “Smith”, “Smithson”, etc.
• Phone numbers - Search with or without formatting. Enter at least 3 digits from any part of the number; the last four digits work well
• Email domains - Search “@gmail.com” to find all Gmail entries

Merging Rolodex Entries

Best Practices

Data Entry

• Complete information - Fill in all available fields
• Consistent formatting - Use standard phone/address formats
• Verify accuracy - Double-check email addresses and phone numbers
• Add notes - Include helpful context

Organization

• Use tags - Categorize entries consistently
• Link to matters - Always link entries to relevant matters
• Update regularly - Keep entry information current
• Avoid duplicates - Search before creating new entries

Privacy and Security

• Confidential information - Be careful with sensitive data
• Access control - Use permissions appropriately
• Data retention - Follow firm’s retention policies
• GDPR/Privacy - Comply with privacy regulations

When a Print & Mail request includes a cover page, FluentCase checks the ZIP code in the return address and addressee before submission. This is a ZIP-code lookup, not a full postal-deliverability check.

Validation Icons

Address fields may show inline feedback while you enter addresses:

• A warning triangle when validation fails
• No warning while the ZIP code has not yet been checked or when the ZIP code lookup succeeds

Validation is asynchronous, so feedback may appear shortly after you stop typing.

What FluentCase Validates

The current validation confirms whether FluentCase can find the ZIP code from the address block in its ZIP-code reference data. It does not confirm that the street address, suite number, recipient name, or organization is deliverable. Make sure each address includes enough information for mailing:

• Recipient or organization name
• Street address
• City
• State
• ZIP code

For contact maintenance generally, see Managing Contacts.

Override Validation

If FluentCase cannot confirm the ZIP code for one or both addresses, it shows Override Validation. Check it only when you have verified the address manually and want to proceed despite the warning.

Common reasons to override:

• The ZIP code is correct but the lookup did not recognize it
• The address format prevents FluentCase from extracting the ZIP code
• The recipient provided the exact address and you want to preserve it

Practical Tips

• Put apartment, suite, or unit numbers on the street line.
• Use standard state abbreviations.
• Avoid extra notes in the address block.
• Confirm ZIP codes with the recipient when validation warns.

Related Topics

• Sending Documents with Print & Mail
• Print & Mail Overview
• Managing Contacts

What You Can Print

• Client correspondence envelopes
• Court filing envelopes
• Service of process envelopes
• General business envelopes
• Custom return address envelopes

Before You Start

Ensure you have:

• Recipient address information
• Return address (defaults to firm address)
• Envelope quantity needed
• Any custom printing requirements

Setting an Envelope Template

Creating Your Envelope Template

To set up a custom envelope template for your firm:

1. Navigate to Firm Settings - Go to your firm settings
2. Click Branch Offices - Access the branch offices section
3. Click on View Details - Click view details on your branch office
4. Scroll to the Envelope Template - Find the envelope template section
5. Add a Custom Template - Upload or create a custom template to replace the default template

How to Print Envelopes

Follow these steps to print envelopes:

1. Open a Matter - Navigate to the matter for which you need to print envelopes
2. Select a Party - Choose the party whose address will be used on the envelope
3. Scroll to the Address Section - Find the address information for the selected party
4. Click on Print Envelope - Click the print envelope button
5. Envelope is Downloaded - The envelope file downloads to your computer
6. Open in Word - Open the downloaded envelope file in Microsoft Word and customize as needed

Capturing screenshots is a simple yet powerful way to document, share, or troubleshoot what’s on your screen. This guide walks you through the most common methods across major platforms.

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🖥️ Windows

✅ Keyboard Shortcuts

• Full Screen: Press Windows + Print Screen
  → Saves to Pictures > Screenshots folder.
• Active Window: Press Alt + Print Screen
  → Copies to clipboard; paste into Paint or Word.
• Custom Area: Press Windows + Shift + S
  → Opens Snipping Tool overlay for selection.

🛠️ Snipping Tool (Windows 10/11)

1. Open Snipping Tool via Start Menu.
2. Choose mode: Rectangle, Freeform, Window, or Full Screen.
3. Click New to capture.
4. Edit and save your screenshot.

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🍎 Mac

✅ Keyboard Shortcuts

• Entire Screen: Command + Shift + 3
  → Saves to desktop.
• Selected Area: Command + Shift + 4
  → Drag to select area.
• Window/Menu: Command + Shift + 4, then press Space
  → Click the window to capture.

🛠️ Screenshot Toolbar (macOS Mojave+)

• Press Command + Shift + 5
  → Access toolbar for screen capture and recording.
• Options include delay timer, save location, and editing tools.

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📱 iPhone

✅ Button Combo

• Face ID Models: Press Side Button + Volume Up
• Touch ID Models: Press Home Button + Side Button

→ Thumbnail appears in bottom-left corner. Tap to edit or swipe away to auto-save in Photos > Screenshots.

🛠️ AssistiveTouch (Alternative Method)

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch.
2. Enable and customize menu to include Screenshot.
3. Tap floating button > Screenshot.

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🤖 Android

✅ Button Combo

• Most devices: Press Power + Volume Down
  → Screen flashes and saves to Photos or Gallery > Screenshots.

🛠️ Alternate Methods

• Google Assistant: Say “Take a screenshot.”
• Notification Panel: Tap Screenshot icon (if available).
• Scrolling Screenshot: After capture, tap “Capture More” to extend.

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📂 Where to Find Screenshots

Platform	Default Save Location
Windows	Pictures > Screenshots
Mac	Desktop
iPhone	Photos > Screenshots
Android	Photos/Gallery > Screenshots

Connecting Fluent to your Gmail Account

Configure your gmail account at https://app.fluentcase.com/settings/email-accounts

Sending Gmail Messages from within FluentCase

There are several ways to create new messages.

1. You may create a new message draft from within a case matter using the green “➕” button adjacent the “Message Drafts” link in the main (left-hand) menu.

2. Any party with a primary email address set will have their email addres displayed in the parties list on the Matter Dashboard and the summary “dog tags” in the Parties section. These links are clickable and will navigate to a new message draft with the recipient pre-selected.

3. While viewing any document, the “Forward” button can be used to create new message draft. The document will be included as an attachment.

4. Finally, any existing message present in Activities has “Reply”, “Reply All”, and “Forward” buttons. These behave as one would expect, spawning a new message draft with the appropriate recipients. Forwarded messages include attachments; replies do not.

5. From outside a case matter, begin by selecting the Gmail icon on the left side of the screen in the navigation pane.

   Click on Compose to begin creating an email. For draft behavior and signatures, see Email Drafts and Email Signatures.

   

   Fill in the subject line.

   

   Type an email address manually or select from the rolodex of existing contacts in the Fluentcase database.

   

   Select the matter to attach this message to for safe keeping.

   

   

   Compose your message body.

   

   Click on Send to send your message or click on the floppy disk icon to save this message as a draft to be sent later.

   

Messages composed from within a matter are linked to that matter automatically; the Matter field is locked to it. Sent messages are delivered through your Gmail account and appear in your Gmail Sent folder.

Attachments

In the compose window, you can add attachments two ways:

• Attach matter documents… — search the selected matter’s documents. Select a matter first; until you do, FluentCase shows “Specify a matter to attach existing documents.”
• Upload Local Files — upload files from your computer (drag and drop also works). Files do not need to be in FluentCase first.

Gmail limits attachments to 25MB per message. FluentCase warns you when attachments are close to the limit and disables Send once the total exceeds it. To share larger files, remove some attachments and share them by link instead (for example, from Google Drive or OneDrive).

Linking Messages to a Matter

From Within FluentCase

1. Open the Gmail inbox from the left navigation pane. Use the Not Linked filter above the message list to find messages without a matter.
2. Open the message and click Link to Matter.
3. Search for and select any matter. You do not need to be assigned to it.
4. Optionally add tags and an Activity Description, then save. Click Save & Archive to also archive the message in Gmail.

To link several messages at once, select them in the inbox and click Attach to Case.

The thread appears in the matter’s Activities right away, and FluentCase applies the matter’s 🩷 label to the message in Gmail. This is the most direct way to link a message. To move a linked message or thread elsewhere, use the Switch Thread to Different Case Matter button in the message view.

From Gmail

Apply the matter’s label (under 🩷) to the message in Gmail. FluentCase periodically scans 🩷 labels and links any labeled messages it has not linked yet, so linking from Gmail takes longer than linking in FluentCase.

Archiving a message right after labeling it is fine. The label scan finds labeled messages even when they are no longer in your inbox.

Matter Labels in Gmail

Matter labels are named 🩷/Matter Name (File Number). Creating a matter does not create a label. A matter’s label is created in your Gmail account the first time a message for that matter is sent from FluentCase or linked to it. Matters whose names are shorter than 5 characters do not get a label.

Which Messages Sync

FluentCase syncs your Gmail Inbox and Sent folders. The FluentCase inbox shows messages sent within the last 9 months. To bring in a message that is only in another Gmail folder or archive, move it back to your Gmail Inbox or apply the matter’s 🩷 label.

• Archive: removes the message from your FluentCase inbox. If it is linked to a matter, it stays in the matter’s Activities.
• Delete (move to Trash): also removes the message from your FluentCase inbox. Use Archive to clear your inbox.

Messages sent directly from Gmail (not from FluentCase) sync from your Sent folder. FluentCase also re-checks your Sent folder in full periodically to catch any messages Gmail’s change notifications missed.

Common Issues

My emails stopped syncing, or sending fails with a Gmail error

Reconnect your Gmail account. See How do I reconnect my Gmail account?

Where is the Outbox?

FluentCase has no Outbox. Messages are sent through Gmail as soon as any undo window ends. If sending fails, FluentCase shows an error with a Return to Draft button, and the message stays in your Drafts.

How do I print a message?

Click the Print button (printer icon) in the message view. For a thread or a message with quoted text, choose This message only, This message with history, or Full thread.

I constantly have to reauthenticate my gmail account throughout the day. How do I make the authentication credentials last longer?

When you first allow Fluent access to your Gmail account, Google shares an refresh token with FluentCase that can be used to regenerate new access tokens. This only occurs when you perform a “full” authorization – explicitly allowing Fluent access to various privileges on your account. Subsequent “quick” authorizations against Google, where the specific privileges are not spelled out, and where you may not be prompted to enter a password, do not provide a refresh token. The resulting access tokens are short-lived and expire in only an hour.

Without a refresh token, FluentCase cannot sync your inbox in the background, so you may still be able to send messages while your inbox stays empty. A Disconnect and relink inside FluentCase may not fix this, because Google may again skip the “full” authorization.

To fix this issue, we need to explicitly remove Fluent’s access to your Gmail account by revoking privileges with Google. We can then reestablish access, which should prompt a “full” authorization and allow Fluent to magically generate new Gmail access tokens. This also allows us to efficiently and quietly synchronize any replies on existing threads.

Disconnect Fluent for Gmail from Your Google Account

1. Open your web browser and go to the Google Account third-party connections page: https://myaccount.google.com/connections.
2. Sign in to your Google Account if you’re not already signed in.
3. Find Fluent for Gmail in the list of connected apps and services.
4. Click on Fluent for Gmail to view more details about the connection.
5. Click on the “Remove” button (usually represented by a trash can icon) next to the Fluent for Gmail entry.
6. Confirm the removal by clicking “OK” or “Remove” in the pop-up confirmation window.

Before You Start

• You need administrator access to the Microsoft Entra admin center at entra.microsoft.com.
• Decide which administrator will review consent requests, and which users or groups should be allowed to connect Outlook to FluentCase.

Part 1: Allow User Consent for Verified Publishers

1. Sign in to entra.microsoft.com.
2. Select Enterprise apps.
3. Select User settings.
4. Click Consent and permissions.
5. Under user consent, select Allow user consent for apps from verified publishers, for select permissions.
6. Click Save.

Part 2: Turn On Admin Consent Requests

Stay in the Consent and permissions section.

1. Click Admin consent settings.
2. Change Admin consent requests from No to Yes.
3. In the Reviewer type section, click Add user.
4. Select the administrator who will review requests.
5. Click Save.

Part 3: Request and Approve Access

1. Ask the user to sign in to FluentCase and connect their Outlook account, following Configuring Outlook Sync. This sends an access request for FluentCase to Microsoft Entra.
2. Return to the Microsoft Entra admin center and open Enterprise apps. A new request from FluentCase appears.
3. Click FluentCase.
4. Select the Users or Groups that should have access.
5. Click Save.

After approval, the user can connect their Outlook account in FluentCase. Allow 10–15 minutes for messages to appear in their FluentCase inbox.

Troubleshooting

No FluentCase request appears in Enterprise apps

The request is created only when a user tries to connect Outlook from FluentCase. Confirm that Admin consent requests is set to Yes (Part 2), then have the user try connecting again.

A user still cannot connect after approval

Confirm the user, or a group they belong to, was selected under Users or Groups in Part 3.

Related Topics

• Configuring Outlook Sync
• Working with Outlook
• Managing Users

How It Works: The 🩷 Matter Category

When an email is linked to a matter in FluentCase — whether by you or a colleague — FluentCase automatically applies a 🩷 matter category to the message in Outlook. The category is named after the matter, for example:

🩷 Smith, John v. Acme Corp (FC1234)

This category is a standard Outlook category. It appears:

• In your Outlook desktop app (Windows or Mac)
• In Outlook on the web (outlook.com or Microsoft 365)
• In the Outlook mobile app on iPhone or Android
• In any third-party email client that syncs via Exchange

This means that even when you are away from FluentCase — at a courthouse, on your phone, or using a client’s computer — you can see at a glance which matter every email belongs to, and filter your inbox by matter name.

Connecting Your Outlook Account

Configure your Outlook account at Personal Preferences → Email Accounts, or visit https://app.fluentcase.com/settings/email-accounts. For step-by-step setup instructions, see Configuring Outlook Sync.

After connecting, FluentCase will begin syncing your inbox and sent items. The first sync imports messages from the last 90 days. Allow 10–15 minutes for messages to initially populate your FluentCase inbox.

Each connected account on the Email Accounts page shows a Recent Interactions with Outlook table listing the most recent sync, send, and other actions FluentCase performed with your mailbox, with an Action, Details, and When column.

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Linking Messages to Matters

There are two ways to link a message to a matter. Both work, and you can use whichever is more convenient at the time.

Method 1 — From Within FluentCase

1. Open Messages in the left navigation pane to view your synced Outlook inbox.
2. Open the message you want to link.
3. Click Link to Matter and select the matter in the Link to Matter field.
4. (Optional) Add tags and an Activity Description.
5. Click Save. If the thread is in your inbox, you can click Save & Archive instead to link it and archive the thread in one step.

The message immediately appears in the matter’s Activities tab. Within a couple of minutes, the 🩷 category is applied to the message in your native Outlook inbox as well.

Method 2 — From Native Outlook (Anywhere)

If you are working directly in Outlook — on your phone, at home, or at a client’s office — you can tag a message with a 🩷 matter category without opening FluentCase at all.

1. In Outlook, right-click the message (or tap and hold on mobile).
2. Select Categorize → choose the 🩷 matter category for the correct matter.
3. FluentCase picks up the category assignment in the background, typically within 10 minutes.

The message will appear in the matter’s Activities in FluentCase automatically. You do not need to do anything else.

Note: The 🩷 category must already exist in your Outlook account. It is created automatically the first time any message is linked to that matter, either by you or a colleague. Once created, it remains available in your category list for future use.

Archiving right away? If you apply a 🩷 category and immediately archive the message, FluentCase will still find it. The periodic sync scans categorized messages regardless of which folder they are in.

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Sending Messages from FluentCase

You can compose new messages directly from FluentCase using your connected Outlook account. Several entry points are available:

1. From within a matter — click the green ➕ button next to Message Drafts in the left-hand panel.
2. From the Parties list — click any party’s email address on the Matter Dashboard or Parties panel. This opens a new draft with the recipient pre-filled.
3. From a document — click Forward while viewing any document to attach it to a new message.
4. From an existing thread — click Reply, Reply All, or Forward on any message in Activities. Forwarded messages include all attachments; replies do not.
5. From the Messages inbox — click Compose, fill in recipients, subject, matter, and body, then click Send.

All messages sent from FluentCase are delivered via your connected Outlook account, appear in your Outlook Sent folder, and carry the 🩷 category if a matter is attached.

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Receiving Replies

When a client or opposing counsel replies to a message that was linked to a matter, FluentCase automatically picks up the reply during the next sync (every ~2 minutes). The reply is added to the same thread in the matter’s Activities, including any attachments.

You do not need to take any action. If you are away from FluentCase and view the reply in native Outlook, the 🩷 category will already be visible on the reply.

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Matter Categories in Your Outlook Inbox

Because the 🩷 categories are standard Outlook categories, you can use all of Outlook’s built-in filtering and sorting tools with them:

• Filter by category — view only the emails for one matter at a time
• Search by category — find all emails for a client or matter using Outlook’s search
• Color-code — assign a color to a 🩷 category in Outlook for quick visual scanning
• Mobile inbox — the category name is visible in the Outlook mobile app without opening the message

This is especially useful when a client replies with a short “Thanks” or when a subject line doesn’t identify the matter — the 🩷 category tells you exactly where the conversation belongs.

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When a Matter Is Renamed

If a matter’s name or file number changes in FluentCase, the corresponding Outlook category is automatically renamed on all connected accounts at the firm. Messages that carried the old category will show the updated category name the next time Outlook syncs.

You do not need to manually update any categories. If the rename does not appear immediately, give Outlook a moment to refresh — the change propagates in the background.

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When a Message Is Moved to a Different Matter

To move a linked message to a different matter:

1. Open the message in FluentCase.
2. Click Switch Case Matter.
3. Select the matter in Select New Case Matter. If the thread has more than one message or has attachments, FluentCase lists everything that will move.
4. Click Save.

The button appears only when the message is linked to a matter and has an activity, and requires permission to edit the activity.

When the message moves:

• The old 🩷 category is removed from the message in Outlook.
• The new 🩷 category is applied.

This keeps your Outlook inbox consistent with FluentCase without any manual effort.

Note: Changing the 🩷 category in Outlook does not move a message that is already linked. FluentCase removes the extra category on the next sync and keeps the existing link. Use Switch Case Matter in FluentCase instead.

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Printing Messages

To print a message, click the printer button in the message’s toolbar (next to Reply, Reply All, and Forward) rather than using the browser’s print command. The print view opens in a new tab.

If the message is part of a thread or contains quoted replies, choose one of these options:

• This message only - Prints only this message. Quoted reply history is omitted.
• This message with history - Prints this message including any quoted or replied-to text.
• Full thread - Prints all messages in the conversation, oldest first.

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Multi-User Scenarios

FluentCase’s Outlook integration is designed for law firm teams where multiple people may have their own Outlook accounts connected. Here is how key scenarios work.

Two Attorneys Receive the Same Email

When an external email is sent to two attorneys at the same firm, each with an Outlook account connected:

• FluentCase creates a single shared message record.
• When either attorney links the message to a matter, the 🩷 category is applied to both attorneys’ Outlook copies.
• Both attorneys see the matter name in their native Outlook inbox.
• Only one activity is created in the matter — not a duplicate per person.

One Attorney Links a Message, Others See It Automatically

You do not need to coordinate with colleagues. As soon as any firm member links a message to a matter, FluentCase propagates the category to all other connected Outlook accounts at the firm that have a copy of that message. This typically happens within the next 2-minute sync cycle.

Mixed Outlook and Gmail Firm

If your firm uses a mix of Outlook and Gmail accounts, both are supported simultaneously. When a message is linked by the Outlook user, the Gmail user’s copy receives the corresponding 🩷 Gmail label — and vice versa. When the matter is renamed, both the Outlook category and the Gmail label update together.

Deleting a Linked Message

When a message is deleted from a matter’s Activities:

• The 🩷 category is stripped from all firm members’ Outlook copies, not just the deleting user’s.
• This prevents the sync from re-linking the message on the next cycle.

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Common Issues

Outlook stopped syncing or sending

This is usually caused by an expired Microsoft authorization token. The account card may show There may be a problem authenticating with Outlook.

1. Go to Personal Preferences → Email Accounts.
2. Click Disconnect on your Outlook account.
3. Click Link Outlook Account and complete the Microsoft sign-in prompts.

Linking shows the wrong Microsoft account

Microsoft signs you in with the account your browser is already signed in to. To link a different account, sign out of Outlook or Microsoft 365 in your browser (or use a private window), then click Link Outlook Account and sign in with the account you want. Repeat for each additional account.

Messages are missing from FluentCase

1. Confirm the message is in your Outlook Inbox or Sent Items and falls within the sync window. The first sync imports only the last 90 days.
2. Check the Recent Interactions with Outlook table under Personal Preferences → Email Accounts to confirm FluentCase is communicating with your mailbox.
3. If the account shows an authentication warning or no recent activity, disconnect and relink it as described above.

I applied a 🩷 category in Outlook but the message hasn’t appeared in FluentCase

The category sync runs approximately every 10 minutes. If more than 15 minutes have passed:

1. Confirm that the category name starts with 🩷 and matches a matter in FluentCase exactly.
2. Confirm your Outlook account is still connected under Personal Preferences → Email Accounts.
3. Try re-applying the category in Outlook (remove it, then re-add it) to force a re-scan.

I see the 🩷 category in my Outlook but not in a colleague’s Outlook

The category propagates to colleagues on the next sync cycle (every ~2 minutes). If it hasn’t appeared after 5 minutes, ask your colleague to check that their Outlook account is connected in Personal Preferences → Email Accounts.

The matter was renamed but my Outlook still shows the old category name

Outlook categories refresh on the next full sync. Close and reopen your Outlook client to force a refresh. If the old name persists after 15 minutes, disconnect and reconnect your Outlook account in FluentCase.

I see two 🩷 categories on the same message in Outlook

This can occur if a matter was renamed more than once in quick succession. The issue resolves on the next sync. If it persists, contact support.

Memos are private messages between colleagues in your firm. Use them to share updates, ask questions, and send matter documents to other FluentCase users without leaving the app.

Memos vs. Email

	Memos	Email
Recipients	FluentCase users in your firm only	Anyone with an email address
Where it lives	Inside FluentCase only. Memos are never made available outside of FluentCase.	Your connected Gmail or Outlook account
Account required	None	A connected Gmail or Outlook account

Sent memos show each recipient’s status as Delivered or Read.

Use email for clients, opposing counsel, and other outside parties. Use memos for internal communication. See Working with Gmail or Working with Outlook for email.

Opening Memos

1. In the left navigation, click Memos.
2. The Internal Memos panel lists your folders:
   • Inbox - Memos you have received
   • Drafts - Memos you have started but not sent
   • Sent - Memos you have sent

In Inbox, use the Read, Unread, Linked, and Not Linked filters in the column header to narrow the list. Linked shows memos attached to a matter.

Composing a Memo

1. Click Memos → Compose. You can also click the button next to Memos in the left navigation.
2. The New Memo form opens. From is filled in with your name, and the created date and time appear at the top.
3. In To, select one or more colleagues. Click Cc or Bcc to add those fields. Click Add Everyone to add all active users, or Clear to empty a field.
4. (Optional) In Matter, select a matter to link the memo to it. When a matter is selected:
   • Click a staff member’s initials to add them as a recipient.
   • A Tags field appears. Tags are optional; the Memo tag is always applied automatically.
5. Enter a Subject and type your message in the body.
6. (Optional) Check Urgent to flag the memo.
7. Click Send.

At least one recipient is required. If To, Cc, and Bcc are all empty, FluentCase shows At least one recipient is required.

Once a memo is linked to a matter, the Matter field can no longer be changed.

Attaching Documents

• Matter documents - Select a matter first, then use Attach matter documents… to choose files from that matter. Without a matter, the form shows Specify a matter to attach existing documents.
• Local files - Click Upload Local Files to attach files from your computer. Send is disabled until uploads finish.

To remove an attachment, click the X next to it.

Saving and Managing Drafts

1. In the New Memo form, click Save Draft. The message Memo saved. confirms the save.
2. To close the form, click Cancel.
3. To continue later, go to Memos → Drafts and click the draft. The Drafts list shows the subject, Recipients, and Created date.
4. Edit the draft, then click Save Draft or Send. Sent drafts move to Sent.

To delete a draft, open it and click the button, then confirm.

Memo drafts are separate from email drafts. See Email Drafts.

Memos Inside a Matter

1. Open the matter.
2. In the matter’s left navigation, click Memos to see the Matter Memos list.
3. Click the button next to Memos. The New Memo form opens with the current matter already selected.
4. Add recipients, attach matter documents, and click Send.

After sending, you stay in the matter’s memos area. If you have unsent memo drafts for the matter, a Drafts link with a count appears below Memos.

A memo linked to a matter also appears in the matter’s Activities with the Memo tag. Deleting the memo activity does not delete the memo from your Sent folder, and deleting a memo from Sent does not remove the activity.

Viewing a Memo

Click a memo in Inbox, Sent, or Matter Memos to open it. The preview shows:

• The subject and, if flagged, Urgent
• Sent with the date and time
• From and the To, Cc, and Bcc recipients, each marked Delivered or Read
• The linked matter, if any
• The message body and attachments

From the preview you can:

• Click Mark Read or Mark Unread
• Click Reply, Reply All, or Forward
• Click the (Delete) button to remove the memo from your folder (not available from Matter Memos)

Memo Notifications

• The inbox button in the header shows your unread memo count. Click it to open Inbox.
• New memos appear as pop-up notifications. Urgent memos are highlighted. Click a notification to open the memo.
• Click the speech-bubble button next to the inbox button to snooze or unsnooze memo notifications.

FluentCase also delivers some system notices as memos. For example, Matter Archive memos contain archive zip files. See Archiving Matter Documents.

Related Topics

• Email Drafts
• Working with Gmail
• Working with Outlook
• Task Management
• Archiving Matter Documents

FluentCase allows you to save drafts while composing messages so you can return to them later.

Signatures are inserted by FluentCase when a draft is created. See Email Signatures if your new-message or reply signature does not look the way you expect.

What are Drafts?

Drafts are emails you’ve started composing but haven’t sent yet. They’re automatically saved as you type.

A draft is created as soon as you start a new message, reply, or forward. If you leave without sending, the message stays in Drafts. A message that fails to send also stays in Drafts.

The From Field

The From field defaults to your first connected email account. If it shows “No email accounts available”, connect an account using the Email Accounts button. FluentCase will not send until an account is selected (“Please select an outbound email account before sending.”).

Creating Drafts

1. Click Messages → Compose
2. Fill in email details:
   • To, Subject, Body
   • Add attachments if needed
3. Click Save as Draft (or drafts auto-save approximately every 5 seconds)
4. Draft is saved to Drafts folder

Auto-Save

FluentCase automatically saves drafts:

• Approximately every 5 seconds while composing
• When you navigate away from compose window
• Before closing browser (if supported)

Viewing Drafts

1. Go to Messages → Drafts
2. See all saved drafts
3. Click to open and continue editing

Drafts are private. Only you can see your drafts; colleagues cannot. Inside a matter, a Drafts (N) item appears under the email link in the left menu when you have drafts for that matter; it lists only your own drafts.

Editing Drafts

1. Open a draft
2. Make changes
3. Either:
   • Send - Send the email
   • Save - Save changes to draft
   • Delete - Delete the draft
   • Schedule - Schedule for later sending

Deleting Drafts

1. Open the draft
2. Click Delete Draft
3. Confirm deletion

Or from draft list:

1. Select drafts (checkboxes)
2. Click Actions → Delete

Scheduling a Draft

You can schedule drafts to send later:

1. Open a draft
2. Click Schedule
3. Select date and time
4. Draft moves to Scheduled folder
5. Sends automatically at scheduled time

See Scheduled Messages for details.

FluentCase can add your email signature automatically when you create message drafts, replies, and scheduled messages.

Where Signatures Are Managed

Open Personal Preferences → Email Accounts. Signature settings appear under Email Signatures on each connected account. Each Gmail or Outlook account can have its own saved signature settings.

When a Gmail account is connected and no signature is saved yet, FluentCase imports the default Gmail signature. Outlook signatures are not imported; paste or type your signature into the editor. You can review and adjust the signature inside FluentCase, then click Save.

Signature Options

For each connected email account, choose one of these setups:

Setting	Result
Automatically add email signature only	Signature on new and forwarded messages; no signature on replies
Also check Include signature in replies	The same signature on new messages, forwards, and replies
Also check Use different signature when replying	Two editors appear: New and Forwarded Messages and Replies Only

Unchecking Automatically add email signature, or unchecking the reply options, deletes the previously saved signature (or reply signature) when you save. FluentCase asks you to confirm first.

Large images pasted into a signature are downsampled automatically when the signature is saved.

New Messages vs. Replies

New messages use the account’s main signature. Replies can either use the same signature, a shorter reply signature, or no signature depending on your preferences.

FluentCase inserts signatures when the draft is created. This keeps signature behavior consistent across devices and avoids timing issues while the compose window loads.

Draft Signature Behavior

Signatures are inserted when the draft is created. FluentCase does not automatically swap the signature later as a separate “signature switching” step. If the wrong signature appears in a draft, edit the draft body or update the saved signature settings for that email account before creating a new draft.

Troubleshooting

My signature does not appear

1. Open Personal Preferences → Email Accounts and confirm Automatically add email signature is checked for the account you send from.
2. For replies, confirm Include signature in replies is checked.
3. Create a new draft. Existing drafts keep the signature they were created with.

FluentCase adds signatures only to messages composed in FluentCase. Messages sent directly from Outlook or Gmail use that provider’s own signature settings.

I updated my signature in Gmail but FluentCase still shows the old one

FluentCase keeps its own saved copy of the signature. Disconnecting and relinking the account does not replace a saved signature. To refresh it:

1. Open Personal Preferences → Email Accounts.
2. Under Email Signatures, click Fetch Gmail Signature. The button appears for Gmail accounts when Automatically add email signature is checked.
3. Review the imported signature, then click Save.

For Outlook accounts, paste the updated signature into the editor and click Save.

Related Topics

• Email Drafts
• Scheduled Messages
• Configuring Gmail Sync
• Configuring Outlook Sync

FluentCase allows you to schedule emails to be sent automatically at a future date and time, similar to Gmail’s scheduled send feature.

Scheduling an Email

From Compose Window

1. Click Messages → Compose
2. Fill in the email:
   • To: Recipient email address(es)
   • Subject: Email subject line
   • Body: Email content
3. Add attachments if needed
4. Click the Schedule button (clock icon, “Send Later”) instead of Send
5. FluentCase checks the message (“Checking…”), then shows the Send Message At panel
6. Set Send Date and Send Time (defaults to the next 8:30 AM)
7. Click Schedule Send (or Cancel to return to the message)
8. The message moves to the Scheduled folder and will send automatically at the scheduled time

From Draft

1. Open an existing draft
2. Click Schedule button
3. Select date and time
4. Click Schedule Send

From Matter

1. Open a matter
2. In the left menu, click the green button next to the Gmail or Outlook link
3. Email is automatically associated with the matter
4. Follow steps above to schedule

Scheduling Options

The Send Message At panel has two fields:

• Send Date - Pick a date from the calendar (past dates are unavailable)
• Send Time - Pick the time of day

Both default to the next 8:30 AM (today if it’s before 8:30 AM, otherwise tomorrow). If the combined date and time is not in the future, the panel shows “Scheduled time must be in the future” and Schedule Send is disabled.

Time Zone: Times are in your computer’s local time zone.

Viewing Scheduled Messages

Scheduled Messages Folder

1. Go to Messages
2. Click Scheduled folder
3. View all scheduled messages
4. See scheduled send time for each message

Scheduled Message Details

Click on a scheduled message to view a read-only preview:

• Scheduled to send - When it will send
• Subject - Email subject line
• Associated Matter - Linked matter (if any)
• From / To / Cc / Bcc - Sender and recipients
• Attachments - Attached files
• Body - Email content

Editing Scheduled Messages

Before Scheduled Time

Scheduled messages can’t be edited directly. To make changes before it sends:

1. Open the scheduled message
2. Click Cancel Schedule (the message returns to Drafts)
3. Open the message from Drafts and make your changes
4. Schedule it again

Canceling Scheduled Messages

Cancel Before Sending

1. Go to Messages → Scheduled
2. Open the scheduled message
3. Click Cancel Schedule
4. Message returns to Drafts folder

Important: You must cancel before the scheduled send time. Once sent, the message cannot be recalled.

There is no bulk cancel. Cancel each scheduled message individually.

How Scheduled Sending Works

Processing

1. Scheduled Time Arrives - System checks for due messages every minute
2. Validation - Verifies email account is still connected
3. Sending - Message is sent via your Gmail or Outlook account
4. Confirmation - Message moves to Sent folder
5. Activity - Activity is created in associated matter

Send Time Accuracy

• Messages are sent within 1-2 minutes of scheduled time
• System checks every minute for due messages
• Slight delays possible during high-volume periods

Email Account Requirements

• Gmail or Outlook must be connected
• OAuth token must be valid (not expired)
• Account must have sending permissions

If your email account is disconnected:

• Scheduled messages will fail to send
• You’ll receive an urgent memo titled “Scheduled Message Failed to Send”
• The message moves back to Drafts
• Reconnect account and reschedule

Sending Now: The Sending Notification

When you click Send instead of scheduling, FluentCase closes the compose window right away and shows a “Sending message…” notification with an Undo button. The app is not locked; you can keep working while the message sends. Click Undo before the window ends to return to the draft.

To change this behavior, go to Personal Preferences → Email Accounts → Composing Messages:

• Allow Me to Undo Sending a Message for: 5 seconds (default), 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, or Never show (send immediately)
• Hide the “Sending…” and “Message Sent” notifications (only show an error if sending fails): messages send immediately with no undo option

If sending fails, FluentCase shows an error with a Return to Draft button, and the message stays in Drafts.

Use Cases

Time Zone Management

Scenario: You’re in California (PST), client is in New York (EST)

1. Compose email at 5:00 PM PST (8:00 PM EST)
2. Schedule for 9:00 AM PST (12:00 PM EST)
3. Email arrives during client’s business hours

Follow-Up Reminders

Scenario: Send follow-up if no response received

1. Send initial email immediately
2. Compose follow-up email
3. Schedule for 3 days later
4. If client responds, cancel scheduled follow-up
5. If no response, follow-up sends automatically

Weekly Status Updates

Scenario: Send weekly updates to clients

1. Compose status update email
2. Schedule for Friday at 4:00 PM
3. Repeat weekly
4. Maintain consistent communication

Court Deadline Reminders

Scenario: Remind client of upcoming court date

1. Compose reminder email
2. Schedule for 2 days before court date
3. Email sends automatically
4. Client receives timely reminder

After-Hours Composing

Scenario: Working late, don’t want to email clients at night

1. Compose emails in the evening
2. Schedule for next morning (the default is 8:30 AM)
3. Maintain work-life boundaries
4. Emails send during business hours

Best Practices

Timing

• Business Hours - Schedule for 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM recipient’s time
• Avoid Weekends - Schedule for Monday if composing on Friday
• Time Zones - Consider recipient’s time zone
• Urgency - Don’t schedule urgent matters

Content

• Review Before Scheduling - Proofread carefully
• Check Attachments - Ensure all files are attached
• Verify Recipients - Double-check email addresses
• Update if Needed - Cancel the schedule, edit, and reschedule if circumstances change

Organization

• Use Drafts - Save as draft first, schedule later
• Associate with Matters - Link to relevant matter
• Add Notes - Include internal notes about why scheduled
• Monitor Scheduled Folder - Review scheduled messages regularly

Cancellation

• Cancel if Resolved - Cancel follow-ups if issue is resolved
• Check Before Deadline - Review scheduled messages before they send

Limitations

Schedule Time

• The scheduled time must be in the future

Scheduled Message Limits

• No limit on number of scheduled messages
• Rate limits apply when messages send (per email provider)

Email Provider Limits

Gmail:

• 500 emails per day (Google Workspace)
• 100 emails per day (free Gmail)

Outlook:

• 300 emails per day (Microsoft 365)
• 100 emails per day (Outlook.com)

If you exceed limits, messages will fail to send.

Troubleshooting

Scheduled Message Didn’t Send

Possible causes:

1. Email account disconnected - Reconnect in Settings
2. OAuth token expired - Re-authorize email account
3. Recipient email invalid - Check email address
4. Daily send limit reached - Wait 24 hours
5. System error - Contact support

Solution:

1. Open the “Scheduled Message Failed to Send” memo
2. Review error message
3. Fix the issue
4. Click Review your message in the memo (the message is in Drafts) and reschedule it

Can’t Schedule Message

Possible causes:

1. No email account selected - “Please select an outbound email account before scheduling.”
2. No recipient - “Please add at least one recipient (To:) before scheduling.”
3. Empty body - “Please add a message body before scheduling.”
4. Account or provider error - The check before scheduling failed and shows a Cannot Schedule Message panel
5. Browser issue - Refresh page

Solution:

1. Ensure an email account is connected and selected
2. Add a To recipient and message body
3. Review the error listed in the Cannot Schedule Message panel
4. Try different browser if issue persists

Scheduled Time Not Available

Possible cause: The selected date and time is in the past (“Scheduled time must be in the future”).

Solution: Choose a future date and time.

Notifications

Send Confirmation

When a scheduled message sends:

• Activity created - Activity in associated matter
• Sent folder - Message appears in Sent folder

Failure Notification

If a scheduled message fails:

• Memo - An urgent memo titled “Scheduled Message Failed to Send”
• Error message - Explanation of why it failed, with a Review your message link
• Drafts folder - Message moves back to Drafts

FluentCase allows each user to customize their experience with personal preferences for notifications, display settings, and workflow options.

Accessing Personal Preferences

Appearance

Open Personal Preferences → Appearance to change how FluentCase looks for you. These settings apply only to your account.

• Color Palette - Light (default), Dark, High Contrast, or one of several Pantone Colour of the Year palettes
• Size - Small, Medium (default), or Large. Scales text and spacing across the interface; choose Large for easier reading.
• Font - Heading and body font pairings, such as Classic (default) or Modern
• Content Emphasis - Bold (default) or Muted document and activity titles in grids
• Navigation Panel Colors - Light or Dark side panel and top bar. Not available with the Light, Dark, or High Contrast palettes.

The Preview panel shows your changes as you make them. Click Save to apply them. You can also use your browser’s zoom to make everything larger or smaller.

FluentCase supports calendar categories to help you categorize and manage calendar events effectively. Calendar categories let you classify events by label and color so they are easier to identify at a glance.

Creating Calendar Categories

Add Custom Calendar Category

Create new calendar category:

1. Click on your avatar silhouette (top right corner)
2. Select Firm Settings
3. Select the icon next to Calendar Categories
4. Enter a name/label (e.g., “Mediation”)
5. Select a color
6. Click Save

Custom calendar category examples:

• Mediation
• Arbitration
• Expert meetings
• Site inspections
• Workers’ comp hearings
• WCAB hearings
• IME appointments

Required role: Firm administrators (All Access). General Staff users cannot create Branch Offices, Matter Status Labels, Activity Tags, or Contact/Party Labels; clicking shows a permission message instead. Because permissions are granular, your firm may grant these privileges to other roles. See User Roles and Permissions.

Opening Firm Settings

1. Click your avatar (top right corner)
2. Select Firm Settings
3. Use the left panel to open a setting, or click next to a setting’s name to add a new entry

The left panel also includes Our People (see Managing Users), Activity Tags & Sharing (see Activities), and Calendar Categories (see Calendar Categories).

Branch Offices

Branch Offices store each office’s company, address, and telecom details, plus a default court and document templates. This information is used when filling PDF forms and merging Word templates.

Adding a Branch Office

1. In Firm Settings, click next to Branch Offices
2. Enter a Description (required; this is the office’s label)
3. Optionally select a Default Court/Venue
4. Check Primary Branch Office if this is your main office
5. Complete Company Info, including Name and Display Name (required)
6. Complete Address
7. Under Telecom, enter Phone, Fax, and Website
8. Click Save

Primary office rules:

• Your first Branch Office is always the primary office
• If only one office exists, Primary Branch Office cannot be unchecked
• The primary office is listed first and marked Primary

Editing a Branch Office

1. Click Branch Offices in the left panel
2. Click View Details on the office
3. Click Edit
4. Update the fields
5. Click Save

Uploading Office Templates

From an office’s details, you can upload an Envelope Template, Invoice Template, and Letterhead. Only Microsoft Word (.docx) files are accepted.

1. Click View Details on the office
2. Click Upload (or Replace) next to the template
3. Drop the .docx file or click Select Files Instead

If no envelope template is uploaded, the default template is used, but it does not include a return address.

The Letterhead is inserted into Word templates that contain the FIRM:letterhead merge field. FluentCase uses the letterhead of the Branch Office selected in the matter’s Office field. If the matter’s Office field is empty, no letterhead is inserted. See Letterheads.

Deleting a Branch Office

1. Click View Details on the office
2. Click Delete Branch Office
3. Confirm the deletion

If you delete the primary office while other offices exist, another office is automatically assigned as primary.

Matter Status Labels

Matter Status Labels define the statuses available on matters and control where matters with each status appear.

Adding a Matter Status Label

1. In Firm Settings, click next to Matter Status Labels
2. Enter a Name/Label
3. Select a Treatment of Matters with this Status:
   • Open – Available everywhere
   • Closed – Available in the Matters list, but hidden everywhere else
   • Archived – Hidden everywhere except the Matter Archive
4. For Open or Closed statuses, check or uncheck Allow staff to create time tracking entries
5. Click Save

Matters with an Archived status, or with a status that does not allow time tracking entries, are left out of the Unreviewed / Stale Matters dashboard widget. See How do I find matters I haven’t reviewed recently?.

Editing a Matter Status Label

1. Click Matter Status Labels in the left panel
2. Click View Details on the status
3. Click Edit
4. Update the fields
5. Click Save

Changing a status’s Treatment of Matters with this Status changes where every matter with that status appears. For example, to show matters with a status in the Matters list, set its treatment to Open or Closed instead of Archived.

Merging or Deleting a Matter Status Label

A status that is in use on any matter cannot be deleted. Merge it into another status instead.

Merge:

1. Click View Details on the status
2. Click Merge
3. Select a status in Merge With
4. Choose which status to keep; the other is deleted
5. Click Merge

Matters are reassigned to the kept status. Changes may take a moment to appear.

Delete (unused statuses only):

1. Click View Details on the status
2. Click Delete
3. Confirm the deletion

Contact/Party Labels

Contact/Party Labels are the roles assigned to contacts and matter parties (for example, Applicant, Employer, or Defense Attorney).

Adding a Contact/Party Label

1. In Firm Settings, click next to Contact/Party Labels
2. Enter a Name/Label
3. Optionally click Show Matter Types and select the matter types where the label should appear. If none are selected, the label is available in all matters.
4. Click Save

Quick add: When creating a label, the Common Party Labels section lists suggested labels by matter type. Click a label to add it immediately. Labels your firm already has are grayed out.

Display Order

On the Contact/Party Labels page, check Always Display in Alphabetic Order to list labels alphabetically.

To set a custom order instead:

1. Uncheck Always Display in Alphabetic Order (or click Customize)
2. Drag and drop the label cards into the order you want

The order is saved when you drop a card and is used in the Parties module and in dropdown menus.

Editing a Contact/Party Label

1. Click Contact/Party Labels in the left panel
2. Click View Details on the label
3. Click Edit
4. Update the name or matter types
5. Click Save

Merging or Deleting a Contact/Party Label

The label’s details show how many contacts and matters use it. Party labels that are in use cannot be deleted. Merge them instead.

Merge:

1. Click View Details on the label
2. Click Merge
3. Select a label in Merge With
4. Choose which label to keep; the other is deleted
5. Click Merge

It may take a few moments for the Rolodex to reflect the change.

Delete (unused labels only):

1. Click View Details on the label
2. Click Delete
3. Confirm the deletion

Related Topics

• Managing Users
• User Roles and Permissions
• Calendar Categories
• Activities

FluentCase includes specialized features for Workers’ Compensation (WC) attorneys, particularly those practicing in California with EAMS integration.

Creating a Workers’ Compensation Matter

1. Click adjacent to Matters in the left navigation panel
2. Select Workers’ Compensation from the matter type dropdown
3. Fill in the required fields (see below)
4. Click Save

Workers’ Compensation Specific Fields

Case Identification

• EAMS Case Number - Electronic Adjudication Management System case number
• File Number - Your firm’s internal file number
• Matter Name - Typically: [Applicant Name] v. [Employer/Defendant]

Injury Information

• Date of Injury (DOI) - When the injury occurred
• Body Parts Injured - Specific body parts affected
• Injury Description - Detailed description of the injury
• Injury Type - Specific injury, cumulative trauma, etc.

Injury Case Numbers

Each injury has an EAMS No. field (Court Case No. outside California). JetFile filings take their case number from the injury selected when the filing is created, so an injury without an EAMS No. produces a filing without a case number.

• New cases filed through JetFile: When DWC assigns the case number to a filing linked to an injury, FluentCase saves it to that injury’s EAMS No. if the field is blank.
• Existing cases or injuries added without a number: Enter the number manually. Click Injuries in the matter’s left panel, select the injury, click Edit, enter the EAMS No., and click Save.

Changing an injury’s EAMS No. does not update filings that already exist. See Setting the Case Number.

Employment Information

• Employer - Employer at time of injury (select from contacts)
• Employer Address - Work location
• Occupation - Job title/position
• Date Hired - When applicant was hired
• Date Employment Ended - If applicable

Insurance and Defense Rolodex Entries

• Insurance Carrier - Workers’ compensation insurance carrier
• Claims Administrator - Third-party administrator (if applicable)
• Adjuster - Assigned claims adjuster (select from contacts)
• Defense Attorney - Opposing counsel (select from contacts)
• Defense Firm - Defense law firm

Medical Information

• Primary Treating Physician (PTP) - Current treating doctor
• Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME) - If applicable
• Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) - If applicable
• Medical Treatment Facilities - Hospitals, clinics, etc.

Permanent & Stationary Status

• Permanent & Stationary Date (P&S) - Date applicant reached maximum medical improvement
• Permanent Disability Rating - Percentage of permanent disability
• Future Medical Treatment - Ongoing treatment needs

Dates and Deadlines

Important dates and deadlines for your Workers’ Compensation case are managed in the Summary and Dates section of the matter dashboard. To update these dates:

1. Open the matter
2. Go to the Overview tab
3. Locate the Summary & Dates widget
4. Click the Edit button
5. Update the relevant dates:
   • Date Opened - When you opened the case
   • Date Claim Filed - When the claim was filed with WCAB
   • Statute of Limitations - Deadline for filing the claim
   • Date MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement) - When treatment is complete
   • Date Settled - Settlement date (if applicable)
   • Date Closed - When case was closed
6. Click Save

Keeping these dates current is essential for tracking deadlines, generating accurate reports, and ensuring timely follow-up on important case milestones.

Financial Information

• Settlement Amount - Total settlement value
• Attorney Fees - Your fee amount
• Time Entries - Billable hours and time tracking
• Damages - Claimed and awarded damages
• Payments - Payment records and disbursements
• Expenses - Case expenses and costs

EAMS Integration

FluentCase integrates with California’s Electronic Adjudication Management System (EAMS) for Workers’ Compensation cases.

EAMS Lookup

The EAMS Lookup feature allows you to search for contacts in the EAMS database:

1. When adding a contact to a WC matter, click EAMS Lookup
2. Search by:
   • Name
   • Organization
   • EAMS ID
3. Select the contact from search results
4. Contact information is automatically populated

Available Contact Types:

• Attorneys
• Law Firms
• Insurance Carriers
• Claims Administrators
• Medical Providers
• Lien Claimants

See EAMS Lookup and Integration for detailed instructions.

Workers’ Compensation Court Forms

FluentCase is tightly integrated with the California DWC and supports all common Workers’ Compensation court forms out of box.

Common WC Abbreviations

• WCAB - Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board
• DWC - Division of Workers’ Compensation
• EAMS - Electronic Adjudication Management System
• PTP - Primary Treating Physician
• AME - Agreed Medical Evaluator
• QME - Qualified Medical Evaluator
• P&S - Permanent and Stationary
• MMI - Maximum Medical Improvement
• C&R - Compromise and Release
• Stips - Stipulations with Request for Award
• DOR - Declaration of Readiness to Proceed
• UR - Utilization Review
• IMR - Independent Medical Review
• PD - Permanent Disability
• TD - Temporary Disability

FluentCase integrates with California’s Electronic Adjudication Management System (EAMS) to automatically retrieve case information for Workers’ Compensation matters.

Note: Case data in EAMS is updated through JetFile and eForm filings. The EAMS lookup feature retrieves the current case information from EAMS. Changes made in FluentCase do not reflect in EAMS unless officially filed using JetFile or eForm filings.

What is EAMS?

EAMS Lookup Features

Automatic Case Lookup

FluentCase can automatically retrieve publicly available Party and Injury information:

• Applicant, Employer, Claims Administrator (Carrier), Attorneys, Lien Claimants
• Body Parts
• Injury Type
• Date(s) of Injury
• Filing Dates (Application for Adjudication, Declaration of Readiness)

Using EAMS Lookup

Creating a new Workers’s Comensation case matter from EAMS data

1. Click adjacent to Matters in the left navigation panel
2. Select Workers’ Compensation
3. Click Import from EAMS
4. Enter an EAMS Case Number (e.g., “ADJ12345678”)
5. Review retrieved information
6. Select the parties you wish to import.
7. Click Save

Adding parties or injury data on an existing case matter

1. Within in a Matter, navigate to Injuries.
2. Click Court Lookup
3. Click an existing injury or enter an EAMS Case Number (e.g., “ADJ12345678”)
4. Review retrieved information
5. Select the parties you wish to import. FluentCase will prevent import of duplicate parties.

When Case Data Is Not Yet Available

EAMS lookups use case data that FluentCase has already retrieved and stored; they do not query EAMS live. If a case number has not been retrieved yet, or its stored data has expired, FluentCase adds it to a background fetch queue and shows Fetching case data requires the FluentCase EAMS Lookup Chrome Extension.

• Without the extension: Try the lookup again later, after the case has been fetched in the background.
• With the FluentCase EAMS Lookup Chrome Extension installed: FluentCase asks you to complete a CAPTCHA challenge to retrieve the case information right away.

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FluentCase includes comprehensive copy service order management, allowing you to request, track, and manage copy service orders for medical records, employment records, and other documents.

What is Copy Service?

Copy service is the process of requesting copies of records from third parties, typically:

• Medical Records - Hospital, clinic, and doctor records
• Employment Records - Personnel files, payroll records
• Insurance Records - Policy information, claims history
• Educational Records - School and university records
• Government Records - DMV, court records, etc.

Copy Service Types

FluentCase supports two types of copy service:

Standard Copy Service

Traditional copy service workflow:

• You manage the process - You contact vendors directly
• Track in FluentCase - Record orders and status
• Document storage - Store received records in FluentCase
• Status tracking - Monitor order progress

Premium Copy Service

Enhanced copy service with vendor integration:

• Vendor portal - Vendors access orders through FluentCase
• Automated notifications - Vendors receive automatic alerts
• Direct upload - Vendors upload records directly to FluentCase
• Real-time status - Live status updates
• Matter creation - Vendors can create matters in their system
• Party linking - Link contacts to matter parties

Premium copy service includes vendor access, automated notifications, direct uploads, and real-time status updates for order management.

Creating a Copy Service Order

Basic Steps

1. Open a matter
2. Click Copy Service tab
3. Click + New Copy Service Order
4. Fill in order details:
   • Record Type - Type of records requested
   • Custodian - Who has the records
   • Date Range - Date range of records needed
   • Special Instructions - Any special requests
5. Add contact information for custodian
6. Click Save

See Creating Copy Service Orders for detailed instructions.

Copy Service Order Fields

Required Information

• Matter - Associated matter
• Record Type - Medical, employment, insurance, etc.
• Custodian Name - Organization or person holding records
• Custodian Address - Where to send the request
• Date Range - Dates of records needed

Optional Information

• Custodian Phone - Contact phone number
• Custodian Fax - Fax number
• Custodian Email - Email address
• Special Instructions - Additional details
• Rush Order - Expedited processing
• Cost Estimate - Expected cost

Workers’ Compensation Specific

For WC cases, additional fields:

• Applicant Name - Injured worker
• Date of Injury - DOI
• Employer - Employer at time of injury
• Insurance Carrier - WC insurance carrier
• Claim Number - WC claim number

Order Status

Copy service orders progress through statuses:

Status Workflow

1. Draft - Order being prepared
2. Pending - Order created, not yet sent
3. Requested - Request sent to custodian
4. In Progress - Custodian is processing
5. Received - Records received
6. Complete - Order complete, records uploaded
7. Cancelled - Order cancelled

Status Updates

Update order status:

1. Open the copy service order
2. Click Edit
3. Change Status field
4. Add notes about the status change
5. Click Save

Managing Copy Service Orders

Viewing Orders

All Orders:

1. Click Copy Service in left sidebar
2. View all orders across all matters
3. Filter by status, matter, or date

Matter Orders:

1. Open a matter
2. Click Copy Service tab
3. View orders for this matter only

Editing Orders

1. Open the copy service order
2. Click Edit
3. Update fields as needed
4. Click Save

Cloning Orders

To create a similar order:

1. Open an existing order
2. Click Clone
3. New order is created with same details
4. Edit as needed
5. Click Save

Useful for requesting records from multiple providers with similar information.

Deleting Orders

1. Open the copy service order
2. Click Delete
3. Confirm deletion
4. Order is soft-deleted (can be recovered)

Attaching Documents

Uploading Received Records

When records are received:

1. Open the copy service order
2. Click Upload Documents
3. Select files to upload
4. Documents are automatically:
   • Associated with the order
   • Linked to the matter
   • Processed with OCR
5. Update order status to “Received” or “Complete”

Document Organization

Documents attached to copy service orders:

• Appear in the order’s document list
• Appear in the matter’s document list
• Are tagged with “Copy Service”
• Include reference to the order

Second Sets

Request additional copies of the same records:

Creating a Second Set

1. Open the copy service order
2. Click Request Second Set
3. Enter:
   • Recipient - Who needs the records
   • Recipient Address - Where to send
   • Special Instructions - Any special requests
4. Click Save

Managing Second Sets

• View all second sets in the order
• Track status separately
• Update when sent/received
• Delete if no longer needed

Copy Service Vendors

Vendor List

Maintain a list of copy service vendors:

1. Go to Settings → Vendors
2. Click + Add Vendor
3. Enter vendor information:
   • Name
   • Contact information
   • Services provided
   • Pricing
4. Click Save

Assigning Vendors

Assign a vendor to an order:

1. Open the copy service order
2. Click Edit
3. Select Vendor from dropdown
4. Click Save

Vendor Portal

For Premium Copy Service, vendors can:

• Access assigned orders
• View order details
• Upload documents
• Update status
• Communicate with your firm

These vendor workflow features are available as part of the Premium Copy Service experience.

Tracking and Reporting

Order Tracking

Track order progress:

• Dashboard Widget - View pending orders
• Status Filters - Filter by status
• Date Filters - Filter by date range
• Matter View - View orders by matter

Reports

Generate copy service reports:

1. Go to Reports → Copy Service
2. Select report type:
   • Orders by status
   • Orders by matter
   • Orders by vendor
   • Cost summary
3. Configure date range and filters
4. Export to PDF or Excel

Best Practices

Organization

• Consistent naming - Use standard naming conventions
• Complete information - Fill in all relevant fields
• Timely updates - Update status promptly
• Document everything - Upload all received records

Communication

• Track correspondence - Save all emails to the matter
• Note phone calls - Add notes for phone conversations
• Follow up - Set reminders for follow-ups
• Confirm receipt - Verify records are complete

Quality Control

• Review records - Check for completeness
• Verify dates - Ensure date range is correct
• Check quality - Ensure records are legible
• Request missing - Follow up on missing records

Cost Management

• Track costs - Record actual costs
• Compare vendors - Track vendor pricing
• Budget - Estimate costs upfront
• Bill clients - Track for client billing

Permissions

Who Can Create Orders

• Power User and above
• Matter Admin and above
• General Manager
• All Access

Who Can Edit Orders

• Creator - User who created the order
• Assigned staff - Staff assigned to the matter
• Matter Admin and above

Who Can Delete Orders

• Matter Admin and above
• General Manager
• All Access

See User Roles and Permissions for details.