Working with Matters

Every matter page has a consistent structure: a header with the matter name and pinned fields, a step breadcrumb showing workflow progress, and a tabbed interface for the different sections of the matter.

Matters move through workflow steps from start to finish. Steps are defined per matter type and appear as a breadcrumb at the top of every matter page.

Advancing a step

Click the forward arrow next to the step breadcrumb to move the matter to the next step. You can also advance steps via:

• Automations — an "Advance Step" action can move the matter forward when conditions are met
• AI chat — the AI can propose advancing a step, which you approve with one click
• Manual selection — click any step in the breadcrumb to jump directly to it

Undoing a step

Click the back arrow to move back to the previous step. This is useful when a step was advanced prematurely — for example, if an acceptance was reversed by the patent office.

The Overview tab displays a configurable grid of panels that give you a snapshot of the matter. Each user can customise which panels appear and how they are arranged.

Available panel types include:

• Key Details — displays selected field values
• Upcoming Deadlines — deadline fields sorted by date
• Contacts — roles and assigned contacts
• Recent Activity — latest timeline entries
• Open Tasks — incomplete tasks with due dates
• Recent Emails — latest correspondence

The Fields tab shows all custom fields defined for the matter type, grouped by field group. Click any field value to edit it inline — the value saves automatically when you click away or press Tab .

Calculated date fields

Calculated dates are derived automatically from another date field plus an offset. For example, "Convention Deadline" can be configured as "Priority Date + 12 months". These fields update automatically whenever the source date changes. Calculated dates cannot be edited directly.

The Tasks tab lists all tasks associated with this matter. Tasks can be created manually, by automations, or by the AI assistant. Each task has a title, assignee, due date, priority, and description.

The Roles tab shows all contacts linked to this matter, organised by their role. Each matter type defines which roles are available (e.g., Applicant, Inventor, Attorney, Foreign Associate).

To assign a contact to a role, click the + Add button next to the role name and search for the contact. You can assign multiple contacts to the same role (e.g., multiple inventors).

The Notes tab provides a place to record file notes, internal memos, and work summaries. Each note has a subject line and a rich-text body. Notes are timestamped and attributed to the user who created them.

Click + New Note to create a file note. Enter a subject (e.g., "Phone call with applicant re claims scope") and write the note body using the rich text editor. Notes support formatting, lists, and links.

The Emails tab shows all correspondence associated with this matter, both sent and received. Emails are threaded and searchable, with attachments displayed inline.

Composing emails

Click + Compose to open the email editor. You can:

• Select an email template to pre-fill the subject, body, and recipients from role-based targets
• Type a custom email with the rich text editor (Summernote)
• Add attachments from your computer or from documents already on the matter
• CC and BCC additional recipients
• Insert template variables like $field.Application No and $role.Applicant.display_name for dynamic content

Reply and forward

Click a received email to view it, then use Reply, Reply All, or Forward. The subject tag is preserved so the reply is filed back to the same matter.

The Documents tab stores all files associated with the matter: uploaded documents, generated letters, and converted PDFs. You can upload files directly or generate documents from DOCX templates.

Generating documents from templates

The Time tab records billable and non-billable time spent on the matter. You can use the built-in timer for real-time tracking or add entries manually after the fact.

Using the timer

Click the play button in the matter header to start the timer. It runs in the background — you can navigate to other pages and the timer persists in the sidebar. Click stop when you are done, and the time entry is created automatically. Add a description of the work performed.

Manual entries

Click + Add Time Entry to record time manually. Enter the date, duration (in hours or minutes), description, and whether the entry is billable. Set an hourly rate or use the default from your settings.

The Timeline tab provides a chronological activity log of everything that has happened on the matter. Every action is recorded: step changes, emails sent and received, tasks created and completed, field value changes, document uploads, time entries, and automation triggers.

Use the timeline to audit what happened and when. It is particularly useful for tracking automation activity, verifying that emails were sent, and understanding the sequence of events when reviewing a matter's history.

The Related tab lets you link matters together in parent-child or sibling relationships. This is essential for IP portfolios where a single invention may have multiple national filings, continuations, or divisional applications.

Creating a child matter

Click + New Related Matter to create a child matter. When you do, you can choose to copy field values and role assignments from the parent matter — saving time when the child shares the same applicant, inventors, and core field data.

The AI tab provides a context-aware assistant that understands the current matter's data, history, and associated guidances. It can draft emails, summarise documents, answer questions about the matter, and propose workflow actions.

What the AI knows

When you open the AI chat on a matter, the assistant automatically has context for:

• All field values, roles, and contacts on the matter
• The current step and step history
• Recent emails and file notes
• Open tasks and upcoming deadlines
• Documents attached to the matter

@mention guidances

Type @ in the AI chat to reference a guidance document. Guidances are firm-level knowledge base articles (e.g., "PCT Filing Procedures", "Examination Response Checklist") that provide the AI with domain-specific instructions. When you @mention a guidance, the AI uses it as context for its response.

Propose and implement

The AI can propose actions like advancing a step, creating a task, or drafting an email. Proposals appear as clickable cards. Click Implement to execute the action, or edit it before applying. The AI never makes changes without your approval.