Messaging
Three kinds of conversation:
- Case team — a thread on a matter, among the people on it.
- Client channel — the one thread a matter can have with its client.
- Direct message — person to person at the firm.
Inbox collects all of them. A matter’s Messages tab shows only its own.
Starting a thread
New thread on a matter asks for a subject, an audience and a first message.
Who’s in it — you are added automatically; uncheck anyone it is not for. Only people already on the matter can be added.
The client channel
A client channel is created shut. The client cannot see it until the lead attorney opens it with Open to client.
Until then it shows not yet open to the client, and the dashboard marks it Unreleased.
A matter has at most one client channel. If one already exists, you are pointed at it.
The client’s own seats are added automatically; everyone else is your choice. The client’s seat is opened and closed by release, not from the thread roster.
Messaging is a plan capability. On a plan without it, case threads and direct messages are unavailable — see Plans and limits.
Files are not attachments
Dropping a file into the composer does not attach it to the thread.
Files live on the matter, not in a thread. File it under Documents, then cite it here.
Cite searches the matter’s documents and tasks and links one into the message. A citation the reader is not allowed to see shows as Withheld rather than leaking its title.
Mentions
Type @ to name someone on the thread. They get a notification — … named you
in a conversation. Only people on the thread match.
Roster
In this thread lists who is in it. Add anyone on the matter; remove anyone who should not be. Additions and removals are written into the thread itself as system lines.
Read receipts
Who has seen this shows, per message, who has read it and who has not.
Closed matters
This matter is closed. The history stays; the composer does not.