Legalmaster Getting Started II Clients and Matters

Definitions A client is the entity to whom you send a bill. A matter or case is the entity upon which you perform services. (We use the terms matter and case interchangeably.) Every matter must be assigned to a client. A client may have as many matters as you want.

It will probably not come as a surprise that to add a client to your database, the first thing you do is click the button labeled Clients on the opening Legalmaster screen.

1) You must assign each of your clients a unique identifying code, letters, numbers, whatever you want, seven characters maximum. 2) Unless your client has a first name, leave the first name field blank. 3) You must supply a last name to each client. You may not leave this field blank. Everything else on this screen is optional.

1) Name and address stuff, fairly straightforward. 2) Client Attorney, usually the originating attorney. Drop-down list from the employee table. 3) Office assigned to the client. Drop-down list from the Office table. 4) Client type, from the corresponding table. 5) Rate code. Enter one of the codes you created in the Employee rate table.

To access the Matter (Case) entry screen, click the Matters button.

Summary 1. After youve set up your tables, enter your clients. 2. Then enter your matters. 3. Read the Help screens or call CSPs support lines to learn about the other fields on the client and matter screens. 4. Once youve entered your matters, youre ready to enter financial transactions.