Advanced Document Management System - Setting Up and Using Documents/Files/Folders/Subfolders Follow
Law RulerTM features a very powerful, advanced document management system that allows systemwide management and accessibility of documents. Our document management system will allow you to manage, create, search, and view files and folders across all cases in your entire system on one screen. Or, you may click through to any specific lead/intake/case and view documents for only that one record.
The advanced document management system also includes features to view and undelete any documents that may have been deleted, and the ability to create document reports and download many documents at one-time.
Table of Contents
Setting Up and Using the Document Management System in Law Ruler
Using the Systemwide Documents Screen
Viewing Documents and Files inside of a Lead/Intake/Case
User Permissions and What They Do for Documents/Folders in Law Ruler
Law Ruler Default Folders for Every Lead/Intake/Case
Setting Up and Using the Document Management System in Law Ruler
You may keep the default settings that Law Ruler provides out-of-the-box or create your own folder layout for your entire system. If you would like to customize your folder layout for the entire system or for specific case types, then proceed below. Otherwise, skip this section.
🏁 Let's get started! Click on the "Setup" button > then click on "Document Settings" to enter the systemwide document settings screen. This is where you will be able to add systemwide folders to every lead/case/intake in your entire Law Ruler system. You must be a user with admin access, or you will not be able to see these menu options. Please ask your firm administrator or IT department if you need assistance.
Creating Systemwide Folders
Remember, on this screen, you are creating a hierarchical folder structure for your entire Law Ruler system and not making a change in 1 specific record.
To add a default folder or subfolder to apply to all case types in Law Ruler (all folders), you will right-click on a folder, and then press the green "+" symbol as shown. This will open the "Create Folder" pop-up screen. By default, you will add folders to all case types. However, you also have the option to add a case-type specific folder rule by clicking on "Add New Case Type Rule" in the top-right corner.
Then, name your folder where it says "Folder Name" and press the "Create" button.
⚠️ When finished, you must press the blue "Apply" button in the top-right corner. If you do not apply your changes, then they will not be saved and will need to be redone, so if you do not like what you added, then just exit the screen without applying your changes. You may apply your changes as frequently as you like.
After applying your changes, the new folders will be added to every record across your entire Law Ruler system within about 15 minutes. This could take a bit longer depending on the number of records in your system.
Renaming Systemwide Folders
To rename a folder, click on the pad and pencil "Edit" icon after you click on any folder in the document folder editor.
Rename the folder, then press the "Enter" key on your keyboard to save the change.
Removing Systemwide Folders
You may remove a systemwide folder at any time, but it is not suggested to do this frequently since it could cause a latency issue in your system if you have a lot of records. Removing a systemwide folder will not delete the contents for folders that are not empty. Only empty folders will be removed. If you make a mistake, then you could always add back the folder and it will not modify any folders that have files in them.
To remove a systemwide folder, click the orange "X" button when you are on a folder. The following warning screen will appear since the system will ask for double confirmation from you.
⚠️ And remember, if you do not like your changes and do not want to save them, or made a mistake, then leave the screen and do *not* press the "Apply Changes" button. Once you have pressed the "Apply Changes" button the changes cannot be reversed.
Using the Systemwide Documents Screen
To access your systemwide Documents folder, click "Documents" on the blue left-menu bar, as shown: 
Left-click on any folder to open it. Click on the "View" button to enter a specific folder or view a document.
Also, you may download a folder or document by clicking the "Download" button.
Here is a closer look at the screen:
Once you are inside of the Documents screen, you can change the date range to show documents from the current month, all date ranges, or a custom date range.
Also, you can use the sort filters that are available on the screen:
- Document Category - filter the results by the document category
- Case Type - filter the results by the case type
- Tags - filter the results by tags
In the top-right corner of the Documents screen, you will see a Search field. You may enter a keyword search to look by folder name and file name. This is a very powerful and quick way to find any documents that you may be searching for across all of your leads/intakes/cases.
💡 Hint: You can get around the search results easier by clicking on the blue folder link below each filename. There is another folder path at the top of the results that shows you the current folder that you are viewing.
Viewing Documents and Files inside of a Lead/Intake/Case
Now, let's go from the systemwide folder screen to viewing documents and folders inside of one specific lead/intake/case record for one client. To access the Documents Tab inside of a lead/intake/case, you will first go into a lead/intake/case record. Then, you will click on the Documents tab (paperclip icon) in the toolbar on the top of the screen. This will open the Documents tab.
The Law Ruler Documents Tab inside of Leads/Intakes/Cases:
User Permissions and What They Do for Documents/Folders in Law Ruler
There are some user permissions that are important to note as they relate to documents/files, folders, and subfolders. The firm administrator or IT department can give each user the following rights/permissions for document/file management:
- View rights - Create and Read-Only permission to files and folders. The user could add, open, preview, and download documents and folders, but not make any changes to existing files and folders.
- Edit rights - Create, Read, and Update permission to files and folders. With this permission, a user could open/preview documents, edit documents, create new folders, rename folders, and move files between folders.
- Delete rights - Full Permission to Create, Read, Update, and Delete files and folders. Please be careful with this permission since a user could delete files and folders!
⚠️ Delete rights are only recommended for administrators or management users.
Please ask your firm administrator or IT department if you need assistance and do not have the appropriate permissions for your role at the firm.
Right-click with Your Mouse to Open the File options in the Law Ruler Documents Tab inside of Leads/Intakes/Cases:
If you attempt to delete a file or folder and your user account does not have Delete rights, then you will see a warning message if you attempt to delete a file or folder as shown below:
Law Ruler Default Folders for Every Lead/Intake/Case
The Law Ruler system features a built-in document management system that automatically creates five (5) default folders in every lead/intake/case. The default folders cannot be deleted or renamed. If you would like to change the name of default folders or stop adding them to each new lead/intake/case, then you will need to make some edits inside of the Document Settings screen.
The default folders that are automatically created are:
- Document Templates - this folder contains any document templates that you run for this client
- Medical Records - this folder will automatically receive any medical record PDFs that were ordered from the Medical Record Retrieval API
- Photos - this folder will automatically receive any photos or videos that clients text to you
- Recordings - this folder will automatically receive any call recordings on Law Ruler numbers (if you have call recordings activated)
- Signed Contracts - this folder will automatically receive any signed e-sign contracts for this client
In the example below, there is a subfolder that was created by a user named "Test subfolder" The test subfolder could be deleted or renamed since it is not a default folder.
However, you will not see the delete or rename options for default folders since that is not allowed.
Support/Assistance
If you need further assistance, then please contact Law Ruler Support to assist you further.
🤗 Thank you very much for choosing Law Ruler!