Custom Data Date - Dates can be entered into a matter as a Date that is not linked to a diary but just appears on the matter This is used for recording a date that is not related to attendance, meeting or physical attendance that would need to appear in a person's diary.
- Linked Appointment Date - Dates can be entered into a matter as a 'Linked Appointment date' meaning that the date will show in the matter but also as an appointment which is also in someone's diary.
Q: Where do I see the 'Linked appointement dates' on the matter
A: You have to enable to the Matter Calendar Appiontements Panel on the matter type to see these.
Example of Custom Data Dates in a list view (the following images shows a list of agreemnts showing their expiry date ie not a meeting so this is a custom data date type only)
The following is an example of a Custom Data Date appearing in Blue for the 9th May on Matter 8. This is showing as the user has chosen to expose Custom Data Dates on their Calendar
Q: Can I link a task to the dates?
A: Yes, when creating a task manually or automatically via the workflow steps you can link the TASK due date to the date (Custom data date or Linked appointment date), ie this task is due x days before/after the date (custom data date or linked appointement date)
Q: Can I view tasks on my Calendar
A: Yes, each user can choose to expose Tasks on their calendar, this handy to see what tasks need to be completed on a given day next to the appointemnts
Q: Can I create an 'Actionstep only Caledar that does not sync to an users calendar?
A: Yes, Actionstep only calendars are just that visibile to actionstep users only (as long as its shared to those users within Actionstep)
Q: Can we record the court dates in an actionstep only calendar so we get a calendar view as well as a list view of the appointements?
A: Yes however you will need to invite the lawyer to the appointment so it also appears in their diary as well.
The following image shows a task (in red colour - colour chosen by the user to show their tasks) on the calendar
Q:Can I merge matter data on to the appointment?
A: Yes, you can use most merge fields to merge other matter data onto the appointment title or the meeting ie Add Clients phone number the Appointment Body, or Add the Matter Number to the appointment Title etc
- Choosing to have Dates that are not linked to a matter (option 1 above) - this is great when you just need to record dates but not book time in a person's diary
- Choosing to have 'Linked Appointment' Dates (option 2 above) - this is where you want to have the date in the lawyer's diary but be sync'd with the matter so if anyone changes the date in ACtionstep it changes it in the lawyer's diary. Conversely, if the date is changed by the lawyer in their Outlook or mobile phone, then the change is synced back to the matters. Therefore the matter is the 'single source of truth'
- Dates that are linked appointments can also be moved from one person's diary to another person diary via actionstep lists in bulk. This is hand if a lawyer is off sick for an extended period of time and all the future appointments need to be moved manually to another person diary to handle.