We’re excited to shed light on a newer feature in Clio Manage that enhances how you track and manage contacts within your matters. Though this feature may seem underplayed, understanding it can significantly boost your efficiency.
When managing a case in Clio, keeping track of everyone involved is crucial. Typically, you would add the client’s details first, but what about others connected to the matter, like an estate planning agent or a successor agent? You have two primary options: Related Contacts and Custom Fields.
Adding related contacts has always been straightforward. By selecting the edit matter screen, you can add individuals like Molly or Daffy Duck, specifying their roles and how they relate to the case. This method allows access to all vital contact information, streamlining the process of finding and editing their details.
You could always see which matters these related contacts were linked to, making it easy to draw connections across different cases. For instance, clicking on Daffy Duck would show he is an opposing counsel in one case and a spouse in another. This capability is invaluable for tracking interactions with specific contacts, like judges or opposing counsels, across your firm’s cases.
Previously, contacts added via custom fields didn’t offer this relational visibility. Custom fields in Clio forced you to choose from existing contacts, which removed the hassle of re-entering details for contacts frequently used in various matters. This is especially useful for real estate agents, financial advisors, or other professionals you work with regularly.
The game-changer is Clio’s recent feature update, which now provides the same relational viewing capability for contacts added through custom fields. This means whether Molly is added as a related contact or in a custom field, one click allows you to see all her associations across different matters. This unified view can significantly enrich your understanding and management of client interactions.
Important Considerations
When deciding whether to use related contacts or custom fields, bear in mind a few key points:
- Document Automation: While both methods let you use contact information for document automation, only related contacts allow access to fields like social security numbers or license numbers. Therefore, for in-depth document automation, related contacts might be the better option.
- Relationship Standardization: With related contacts, any relationship can be typed in the Relationship field, which can lead to inconsistencies. For example, misspelled or abbreviated titles can hinder document automation. Custom fields resolve this by using standardized Relationships in the field name, ensuring uniformity and facilitating smoother understanding and automation.
In summary, the ability to view contacts’ relationships both as related contacts and through custom fields in Clio Manage is an advancement that can streamline your case management processes. Evaluate your needs—whether it’s comprehensive contact data for automation or seamless contact integration—and choose the method that best suits your practice.
At streamlined.legal, we’re thrilled about these updates and the efficiency they bring. If you need further assistance or have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. Subscribe to our channel for more updates and insights to help your law practice thrive.
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