Clio’s internal messages feature is a direct message tool designed for communicating with other firm users directly in Clio Manage. This feature is a component of Clio’s secure co-counsel portal Clio for Co-Counsel.
Note: If you need to communicate with non-users, such as co-counsel, these users will need to log into the Clio for Co-Counsel portal to view any messages. Learn more here.
Need to communicate and share resources with your clients? Clio offers a secure online portal for client communication called Clio for Clients.
Navigate internal messages
You can access internal messages from either the main Communications tab or from the Communications tab within a matter or contact. Internal messages are split into two categories:
- My threads: These are messages where you are the sender or the recipient.
- Matter threads: These are messages link to matters that you have access to view. You may not be the sender or the recipient.
Tip: Click Expand rows at the bottom of the table to view the entire body of each last message.
Send new internal messages
In Clio Manage, you can send internal messages to communicate with other firm users and attach documents to the messages. Once sent, internal messages will appear in the Communications tab as message threads. Attached documents can be viewed in the matter's Documents subtab.
You can also notify other firms members that a bill has been sent to them for approval using the internal messaging feature. The message will specify which bill has been submitted for approval.
- Go to the main Communications tab or the Communications subtab within a matter or contact. You can also create a new internal messages from the global Create new button.
- Click the New dropdown and select Internal message.
- Select the firm user, a matter, and complete your message.
- Click Send message.
Note: If you select a non-user, such as co-counsel, the recipient will be prompted to log into Clio for Co-Counsel to respond. Learn more here.
- Go to the main Billing tab or the Bills subtab within a matter or contact.
- Select the Draft subtab in the bills table.
- Click the down arrow next to Edit and select Submit for approval.
- Select a firm member to approve the bill.
- Under Notify via, check the box for Internal message.
- Click Submit for approval.
View and respond to internal messages
Only participants on an internal message thread can respond in that thread. Other firm users can view the conversations if matter permissions are set to everyone, but they cannot respond unless they are the recipient or sender.
- Go to the main Communications tab or the Communications subtab within a matter or contact.
- Select Internal messages.
- Click Reply to respond without viewing the thread. Click the thread subject or click the down arrow next to Reply and select View to see the entire thread and respond.
- Type in your message and optionally attach a document.
- Click Send.
Add time to internal messages
You can add a time entry to an internal message thread that captures billable or non-billable time for a future bill.
- Go to the main Communications tab or the Communications subtab within a matter or contact.
- Select Internal messages.
- Click Add time.
- Complete the time entry and click Save entry.
Tip: You can also start the timer while responding in a message thread. When you stop the timer, the time entry modal will automatically appear.
Archive internal messages
If you no longer need to view an internal message thread, you can archive the thread. You can still view archived message threads by using the filters option.
- Go to the main Communications tab or the Communications subtab within a matter or contact.
- Select Internal messages.
- Click the down arrow next to Reply and select Archive.
- Click Archive thread.
Filter internal messages
You can filter the internal messages overview page to search for messages linked to a specific matter, to view archived messages, and to view whether internal messages have time entries or are marked as read or unread.
- Go to the main Communications tab or the Communications subtab within a matter or contact.
- Select Internal messages.
- Select Filters.
- Choose your filters and click Apply filters.
Print internal messages
If you need a paper record of an internal message thread, you can print the entire thread.
- Go to the main Communications tab or the Communications subtab within a matter or contact.
- Select Internal messages.
- Either open the thread and click Print thread or click the down arrow next to Reply and select Print.
- Follow the printing directions.