Automated email filing helps your firm maintain a complete and accurate record of client email communication by quickly filing messages to a contact's matter. Automated email filing connects Gmail, Outlook, or Microsoft Exchange accounts to Clio Manage and Clio Grow and, by default, files emails to or from contact addresses already saved in Clio, matching each email or thread to the correct matter.
Automated email filing only syncs emails sent or received after you connect your account. Entire threads file together, and a thread that is already filed does not file again as a duplicate. The result is a matter record that reflects client email communication, filed automatically in most cases, and left for you to match manually only when Clio cannot determine the correct matter.
Note: Microsoft Exchange support requires a Microsoft 365 Business subscription on a Microsoft-hosted mailbox. Third-party-hosted Exchange accounts are not supported.
Connect email
You can connect your email from both Clio Manage and Clio Grow. The connection covers both, so you do not need to repeat the setup. Each firm user needs to connect their own inbox to file their own sent and received emails.
Important: If your firm uses a Microsoft 365 Business account, a Microsoft admin may need to approve the connection request before it completes. A Microsoft admin can approve the request in Microsoft Azure. See Microsoft's documentation on user consent for more information.
Note: Emails sync per user based on the inboxes they connect. Once an email files to a matter, firm users can view it according to that matter's permissions, not the sender's or recipient's entire inbox. See Matter Permissions and Rates to learn how to edit matter access.
- Go to Settings, click Communications.
- Click Connect your inbox, then select Gmail or Outlook / Exchange.
- Select and sign in to your account.
- Review Clio's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
- For Gmail, click Continue to connect your email.
- For Outlook / Exchange, click Accept.
- Optional: Update the Show emails for setting: Contacts, Contacts and firm users, or Everyone. The default is Contacts. Learn more about this setting below: Edit email sync settings.
- Optional: To connect an additional inbox, click the Connect another inbox dropdown, then select Gmail or Outlook/Exchange.
- Go to Settings, then click Communications.
- On the Email tab, click Connect your inbox, then select Gmail or Outlook / Exchange.
- Review Clio's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service and click Continue.
- Complete the sign-in and permissions prompt for the selected provider, then allow access.
- Optional: Turn on the Grow AI: Screen and reply to new leads toggle.
Disconnect email
Disconnecting stops future automatic filing, but does not remove emails already filed. Previously filed emails remain in Clio.
- Go to Settings, click Communications.
- Click the three-dot menu next to the connected address.
- Click Disconnect.
- In the new modal, click Disconnect again to confirm.
- Go to Settings, then click Communications.
- On the Email tab, click Disconnect next to the connected address.
- In the new modal, click Disconnect to confirm.
Understand automated filing
Once connected, emails and attachments are automatically routed to the appropriate matter and contact. Automated email filing preserves entire email threads, with original rich-text formatting and links. You can view filed emails in Clio Grow and Clio Manage.
If you receive an email from a contact with multiple matters and the email subject or body does not include the matter name, you will need to select a matter to complete the filing. You can search or choose from the list of suggested matters
Note: Once you file the first email in a thread, replies in that thread file automatically.
Understand how Clio matches an email to a matter:
- If a contact or related contact on the email is linked to a single matter, the email files automatically to that matter.
- If a matter name appears exactly in the email subject or body, the email files automatically to that matter, even if the contact has multiple matters.
- Click File to matter.
- Choose from Suggested matters, or search using Find a matter.
- Select No matter.
- Select Do not file and remove.
Edit email sync settings
Only emails to or from contacts in your Clio Manage and Clio Grow automatically file. You can change the default setting to include emails from all firm users, or to include all incoming and outgoing emails.
Important: Changes to the automated filing settings apply retroactively. It removes previously filed emails that no longer qualify, and automatically files previously unfiled emails that now qualify.
- In Clio Manage, go to Settings, then click Communications.
- Click the dropdown and select a Show emails for option:
- Contacts: Files only emails to and from contacts with a valid email address in Clio.
- Contacts and firm users: Files emails from other firm users, and from contacts with a valid email address in Clio.
- Everyone: Files all emails sent or received through the connected inbox.
Review filings and attachments
Attachments save automatically to a dedicated Email Attachments folder in the matter's documents, and a Filed to Clio label appears on the email directly in Outlook or Gmail.
Important: Automated filing does not move, change, or delete anything in your inbox.
Manage filed emails
Every filed email or thread shows its assigned matter, labeled with the matter's name and number (e.g., Casales. 00058).
Edit thread names
- Go to Communications, click Emails. You can also open the Communications tab from a contact or matter.
- Click to view an email, or click the ellipsis menu to edit without opening it.
- In the top right corner, click the three-dot menu, then click Edit thread.
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Under Thread name, change how you want the subject line to display in Clio.
Note: Changing the thread name does not change the original subject line when printing emails, and does not change the subject line in your original email inbox.
- Under Matter, choose a different matter to change where the email is filed, or mark it No matter.
- Click Save email thread.
Add time to filed emails
You can add time to emails in Clio Manage.
- Click into the email.
- Click Add time next to the matter name.
- You can also add time to an individual message. See Time Entries to learn more about activity codes, billing, and recording time entries.
Remove filed emails
You can remove an email from Clio entirely without filing it to any matter at any point after filing.
Note: Removing an email only removes it from Clio. It does not delete the original message from Gmail or Outlook / Exchange.
- In Clio Manage or Clio Grow, go to Communications.
- Click Emails.
- Click File to matter on an unfiled email, or the assigned matter on a filed one, to open the dropdown.
- Select Do not file and remove.