Using the Outlook Plugin

The Outlook Plugin has many different functions including assigning emails to matters in Actionstep, assigning emails in bulk, sending and replying to emails, copying attachments to document folders, etc. This article will walk you through how to do all of those things.

Assigning Emails to Matters

Assigning one email at a time

1. Start typing in the search box or click the Suggestions button to find a matter
   
   
   
   
2. Select a matter in the list and then click the Assign button. This stores the matter ID with the message in Outlook so that if you click on the message again it will automatically show the linked matter. Assigning the email to a matter uploads the message to Actionstep.
3. Details for the assigned matter will now be displayed.
   
   
   
   

Assigning more than one email at a time

You can upload multiple emails to a matter from the Actionstep tab.

1. Select the emails in your list of emails (you can hold down the ctrl or shift key to select multiple emails)
2. Then go to the Actionstep tab at the top of Outlook and choose "Assign Emails"
   
   
   
   
3. You will then be prompted to search for the matter that you would like to save the emails against in Actionstep.
   
   
   
   

Sending and Replying to Emails within Outlook

Emails can be assigned at any time while composing and will upload automatically when the email is sent. They can also be assigned afterward from the sent items folder.

Features

Copying Attachments to Document Folders

Once the email has been uploaded to Actionstep you can copy selected attachments to folders within the matter by clicking on the Document Icon in the Actionstep Outlook Panel. 

Viewing Matter Participants (parties)

Click on the Parties icon inside the Actionstep Outlook panel. This will show you all parties linked to the matter in Actionstep.

Recording Time

1. Click on the Tasks icon inside the Actionstep Outlook panel.
2. Then click on the New Task button as seen in the screenshot below.
   
   
   
   
3. This will bring up a pop-up window.  The user can write a description, choose their rate sheets, and record time.

(Note that all tasks scheduled in Actionstep against a matter will show up in this plugin as well.  In the screenshot example above, there is one task named "Follow up."  Clicking on "complete task" will bring up the same pop-up window below, from where the task can be completed).

File Notes

Click on the File Notes icon inside the Actionstep panel. A list of file notes for the associated matter is shown. The Create Note button allows you to add new file notes.

Settings

The settings menu allows you to reset the authorization of the plugin and dissociate emails that have been assigned to matters.

Email List View

You can add an Actionstep column to your list view in Outlook. This will show you whether an email has been assigned to a matter without having to open the message.

The "Assigned" column displays the id of the matter that an email has been assigned to. This can be added to the list view of a folder as follows:

1. Right-click on the column header row and select "View Settings".
2. Click the "Columns" button.
3. From the available columns drop down select "User Defined fields in folder".
4. Select either "Assigned (Actionstep)" (which will display the Action ID #) or "ActionName" (which will display the case name) and click the "Add" button. If this column is not listed, click "New Column" and name the column "Assigned (Actionstep)" or "ActionName". The name must match this exactly or it will not display.
5. Click "Ok" and close the settings window.

Related articles

• Using the Plugin - Word, Excel & PowerPoint