In Clio Manage, matters are organized and referred to by their matter numbering scheme. You can customize the matter numbering scheme to contain information such as the client’s name, the matter description, year, and more.
Customise matter numbering scheme
By default, new Clio accounts use the following matter numbering scheme: [matter number]-[client summary name]. The client summary name is the client’s last name or a company’s name. You can customize how matters appear in your setting using pre-set options or by using the manual method for each matter.
- Go to Settings > Firm Preferences > Matter Numbering.
- Under Select template, select either Preset 1, Preset 2, or Preset 3.
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To add a new field, select a field in the box below Customise with additional fields.
- For some selections, you can specify the number of characters that should appear and whether the letters should be lowercase or uppercase.
- The Month, Year (2 digits), and Year (4 digits) fields are determined by the matter's open date. If the open date is undefined, then these fields are determined based on the following hierarchy: pending date > closed date > creation date.
- Click Add.
- Optional: Click X to remove a field.
- Optional: Click the period, hyphen, or slash buttons to separate fields.
- Optional: Click into the description box to add custom words, then hit enter on your keyboard when you are done.
- When you are done, check the box next to Update all existing matters to reflect new numbering scheme.
- Click Update Settings
- Go to Settings > Firm Preferences > Matter Numbering.
- Under Select template, click Manual for each matter.
- Click Update Settings.
- Go into each of your matters and add a new value in the Matter number field.
Update matter numbering scheme on existing matters
If you edit a matter and update fields that appear in your matter numbering scheme, you can set the changes to automatically update by default or check a box in an existing matter to ensure the changes are reflected in the matter number. To do this:
- Go to Settings > Firm Preferences > Matter Numbering.
- Check the box next to Update matter name/number is on by default.
- Click Update Settings.
- Go to the matter and click Edit matter.
- Make your changes.
- Check the box for Update matter name/number when saving changes.
- Click Save matter.
Change starting matter number
When you create new matters in Clio, your first matter number starts at 00001. You can change this number value to have your first matter begin at any number value. When you do this, all matters will be renumbered accordingly from that first number value.
- Go to Settings > Firm Preferences > Matter Numbering.
- Change the value in the field next to Next matter number will start from.
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Check the box next to Update all existing matters to start at this number.
- Selecting this option will renumber all of your existing matters. This action cannot be undone.
- When the warning prompt appears, select OK.
- Click Update Settings.
Manually override matter numbers
By default, matter numbers follow a chronological order. This means that if your first matter is numbered as 00001, the second will be 00002, and the rest will follow in the same order. You can also manually override the matter number for any matter. To do this:
- Go to Settings > Firm Preferences > Matter Numbering.
- Scroll down to Matter Number Override and click Open.
- Find the matter.
- Enter the new matter number.
- Click Update.