Creating and Editing Matter Templates

In this article:

• Creating a Matter Template
• Applying a Template to a New Matter 
• Editing a Matter Template

If you regularly create matters that include the same details (such as party names), you can create a template that then allows you to reuse this information for each similar matter you create. This can save you time and effort.

Creating a Matter Template

To do this:

1. In Actionstep Practice Management, click the global Create button. A window appears showing the different items you can create. 
2. Select Matter from the Matters section. The Create Matter window appears.
3. Choose the matter type you want to use as the basis for this template. You are taken to a form where you will provide the information about the template you are creating. 
4. Enter a Matter Name. Choose something that will help you identify this as a template. 
5. Click the Status drop-down list and choose Template. 
6. Provide any other information that will be common across the other matters that will be created from this template.
   
7. When finished, click Save to save your changes. 

Once you've created the template, you can view it in your Matters List. You can filter the list to show / hide templates by clicking Filter > Show Available Filters and choosing an option from the Status drop-down list. Matter templates are listed in red in a list of matters:

Applying a Template to a New Matter 

Once you've created a matter template, you can apply it to new matters where the information needs to be the same. Remember, matter templates are matter-type specific, so you cannot apply a template created for a bankruptcy matter type to a child support matter type.

To apply a template to a matter:

1. In Practice Management, click the global Create button and choose Matter. 
2. From the list of options that appears, choose Matter. The Create Matter window appears.
3. Choose the matter type. 
4. Click the Template drop-down list and choose the template you want applied.
   
   Once you choose this option, the fields you pre-filled in the template are populated in the corresponding areas of the matter:
   
5. Complete the rest of the Create Matter form as described in Creating a Matter.

Editing a Matter Template

Once you've saved a matter as a template, you can use it with any matter type it's associated with. If you need to change the template, you can. 

To do this:

1. In Actionstep, use the Quick Search box to search for and select the matter template you want to edit. (See Using the Quick Search Box to Search for a Matter or Contact for help.)
   TIP:  If you can't remember the template name, you can also click Matters in the main menu, choose Matters List, and then use the Filter to apply a Status of Template.
    
   Matter templates appear using red text in your matters lists. 
   
2. Make your changes in the matter. Remember, any information you enter will be available for any future matters you create from this template.

Related Articles:

• Getting to Know the Matter Home Page
• About the Matter Overview Panels