Progress Items - How to use the Side-Panel

When you double click on a Progress Item in the Progress tab of a matter or the Task Inbox, it will reveal a Side-Panel that lets you record information relevant to the Progress Item.

This article covers the different features of the Side-Panel and how to use them

1. The Side-Panel controls

Across the top of the Side-Panel are a number of controls that let you change how the Side-Panel functions.

Click the each of the heading below to learn more about each function

1.1. Minimise Details button

This is the default view of the Side-Panel when it opens and results in only the Progress Item description being visible at the top of the Progress Item (compare to the Show Details button)

1.2. Show Details button

If you click the Show Details button, additional fields become visible at the top of the Progress Item including:

When these fields are visible they can be edited/changed by you

1.3. Help button

The Help button will direct you to this user manual page.

1.4. User Options

The User Options button will open up the Progress Item user Options window for this user. The options in this window allow you to control:

  • The default opening size of the Side-Panel
  • Whether the Side-Panel opens docked or in the middle of the screen by default
  • Whether the Scan/Link option is ticked by default (for whenever you mark a document as complete)
1.5. Minimise/Maximise

The Minimise/Maximise button lets you control the size of the Side-Panel window. If you click Maximise it will expand to approximately double the surface area of the Minimise size.

2. Comments

The Comments tab allows you to record comments/notes about the Progress Item. In addition, various actions (such as Portal activity) will be recorded as a comment against the Progress Item affected. To add a comment, follow these steps

2.1. Choose what type of comment you are making (optional)

Optional - You have the ability to change what type of comment you are making by using the first dropdown in the tab. You can also change the date/time of the comment and who is recording it.

Some of the options such as "Call From" will reveal additional fields.

2.2. Add Comment

In the comments panel, type the comment you want to add to this Progress Item. When you have finished typing, click Enter.

The comment will now be saved against this Progress Item and will appear in the comment history. You can add additional comments at any time.

To edit a comment which has previously been made, right click the relevant item in the comment history and choose 'Edit'

3. Documents

The Documents tab of the Side-Panel is where you can link any documents which are relevant to this Progress Item. It is also where any document which is sent to you by your Client via the Portal will appear.

3.1. Manually Add a Document

To manually add/link a document to this Progress Item, click the Add button.

The Insert window will now appear and will display to you a list of documents on the matter. You can also use the Browse button to search on your computer for the document you want to link (this will copy the document to the matter).

Tick the items that you want to link to the Progress Item and then click Select Document.

The Documents will now be linked to this Progress Item

Documents which are linked in the Documents tab of the side panel have options for:

  • Open Document - this lets you open the document outside of Migration Manager in the relevant program such as Word or Adobe
  • Preview Document - this will open the document in a preview window in Migration Manager
  • Edit Document - this lets you edit the name of the document
  • Remove Document Link - this will remove the item from this tab

3.2. Add/Reject Documents from the Portal

Documents which are uploaded by your client to their Client Portal, will appear in the Documents tab automatically.

From within this, if a document has been uploaded via the Portal you will have additional options of

  • Redownload Portal Document - If the item is still available for download (documents are removed from the Portal after a set period after they have been originally downloaded by your firm) this option lets you redownload the document. Note that this will mark the original document as 'Replaced'.
  • Reject Portal Document (with options to notify by SMS or Email) - These options will let you reject an item that has been uploaded to the Portal and ask your client to re-upload it. Selecting this option will allow you to update the Portal Instructions with details of why the item was rejected.

This rejection information will be displayed against the particular requested item on the Portal

3.3. Remove a Linked Document

To remove a linked Document, select the item that you want to de-link and choose "Remove Link"

4. The Portal tab

The Portal tab allows the user to control whether a Document, Task or Web Questionnaire is visible on the Client Portal for a matter. It also gives the user control of:

  • For Documents - The ability to put make visible on the Portal instructions for individual document requests. These appear when the user clicks to upload the requested items
  • For the WCIQ - The ability to see a history of what has happened with the WCIQ and the ability review/import/send back the Web Questionnaires

To control the visibility of an item on the Portal, use the "Show Document Request on Portal" Yes/No slider. Note that the wording will be different if the Progress Item is a Task or a Web Questionnaire.

4.1. Documents

If the Item being added to the Portal is a Document, the user has two additional controls being:

  1. The ability to show details of the "Required From" field against a document request i.e. Birth Certificate - Rory Fleming
  2. The ability to add instructions to the Portal for this document

These instructions will appear on the upload window on the Portal against the Requested Document

4.2. Web Questionnaires

If the Progress Item is a web questionnaire, the Portal tab on the Side-Panel will display a history of what has happened with the WCIQ as well as give controls for:

  • Review (and then importing) the WCIQ
  • Viewing the original message it was sent with
  • Sending it back to the Client for further information

5. Status

The Status dropdown lets you signal that status of Progress item. For instructions on how you can create and order your own Statuses, see: Item Statuses - How to Create and Edit Item Statuses

Note that marking an Progress Item as Complete will:

  • clear any due dates
  • set the completed by field to be that of the person setting the status
  • remove this Progress Item from the Task Inbox reminder system

6. Dates

Clicking the Dates button will bring in to the Dates & Responsibilities pop up for this Progress Item. This pop up has the following options:

  1. Responsibility - this lets you set who is responsible for this Progress Item. The Responsible Person(s) will receive a notification in their Snapshot if there is a due date set on this Progress Item
  2. Commencement/Requested Date - This field lets you set the date that you commenced this task or requested this document from the client. Note that if you add a Document request to the Portal it will automatically set the date of to the current date.
  3. Due Date - On a Specific Date. The due date field has two options. The 'On a Specific Date' lets you manually specify the due date of this item. Due dates will appear in the Portal if this item has been added to the Portal
  4. Due Date - On a Calculated Date
  1. Responsibility - this lets you set who is responsible for this Progress Item. The Responsible Person(s) will receive a notification in their Snapshot if there is a due date set on this Progress Item
  2. Commencement/Requested Date - This field lets you set the date that you commenced this task or requested this document from the client. Note that if you add a Document request to the Portal it will automatically set the date of to the current date.
  3. Due Date - On a Specific Date. The due date field has two options. The 'On a Specific Date' lets you manually specify the due date of this item. Due dates will appear in the Portal if this item has been added to the Portal
  4. Due Date - On a Calculated Date lets you calculate the Due Date based on another Progress Item on this matter. The date will be calculated based on  the Due Date, Requested Date or Completion date of that other Item. If a relevant date for that other item isn't currently set, the calculation will occur when the date is entered.

5. Completion Date - This date lets you record when a Task is complete or a Document has been received. This date will automatically be set to the current date if you mark an Item as complete or tick Done on the main screen.

7. More

The More button contains the following functions:

  • Convert to PDF - this option will convert the Comment made against this Progress Item and convert them into a PDF
  • Print - this option will print a copy of the Comments made against this Progress Item
  • Email To - this option will let you email a copy of the Comments made against this Progress Item

8. Update

The Update buttons will Save and Close this Progress Item Side-Panel. If there are changes that impact upon the Portal, clicking Update will push those changes to the Portal. When you click Update you will have options to send an email or an SMS to the client notifying them that changes have been made on the Portal