Firm matter data upload specifications
Firm Matter Data Upload reads input files and uses the content to enter firm matter data. This process aligns the firm’s internal matter tracking data, generally from the firm's time and billing system, with the client’s matters in Tracker. This permits a many-to-one relationship where the firm tracks multiple matters internally to the client’s single matter, such as multi-jurisdictional IP work or class-action litigation.
The first necessary step is for the Firm’s Lead System Admin to open the administrative profile for any user that will perform this action (including themselves) and select Enable Firm Matter Data Upload. This feature is not enabled for any users automatically. Users that have this function enabled for them will see the Matter #s upload tab on the Billing page.
Consolidated billing matters, referred to below, are matters for which the client has required that the firm enter this data; Matter Data Upload can frequently be advantageous to the firm’s workflows including bulk SpeedPost of invoices and accruals files even where not required by the client.
note
This upload process can only be completed in the Firm’s Tracker database; the client can't do this for you.
File formats and data lengths
- The first row of the file must contain an input file heading for each column that is used in the file.
- The input file headings must each be separated by a comma, tab, or pipe ‘|’, depending on the file format upload option you select.
- The data row elements must us the same separator as the header row.
Input file heading | Max length | Required |
|---|---|---|
SHORT_MATTER_NAME | 25 | Yes, if MATTER_TRACKER_ID isn't supplied |
MATTER_TRACKER_ID | 10 | Yes, if SHORT_MATTER_NAME isn't supplied |
FIRM_CLIENT_NUMBER | 20 | Yes |
FIRM_MATTER_NUMBER | 20 | Yes |
FIRM_MATTER_NAME | 35 | Required for consolidated billing matters |
LOCATION_OF_LEGAL_WORK | 2, 3, or country name length | Required for consolidated billing matters |
If a column value contains the separator character, then you must enclose the column value in quotes. To enclose a quotation mark within quotes, use “”.
Example
“this is a strange |, and interesting matter “”name”” ending with a tab “Upload file examples - CSV file
This is an example of a file that uses CSV (comma separated values) format. Because SHORT_MATTER_NAME is used, and contains a value for every row, MATTER_TRACKER_ID can be omitted. One of the short matter names contains a comma, so the name is enclosed in quotes, because otherwise the comma would be interpreted as a column separator. The firm matter name column is intentionally empty.
SHORT_MATTER_NAME, FIRM_CLIENT_NUMBER, FIRM_MATTER_NUMBER,
FIRM_MATTER_NAME, LOCATION_OF_LEGAL_WORK
Albert v. Arabous, 2839-21.1, AA692, Albert vs. Arabous, Finland
“That, Matter”, 2839-22.8, TM9814, , Finland
Upload file examples - pipe-delimited text file
This is an example of a file that uses pipe character (|) format. Although one of the short matter names contains a comma, it is not necessary to be enclosed in quotes, because | is the separator. The firm matter name column is intentionally empty.
SHORT_MATTER_NAME| FIRM_CLIENT_NUMBER| FIRM_MATTER_NUMBER| FIRM_MATTER_NAME | LOCATION_OF_LEGAL_WORK
Albert v. Arabous| 2839-21.1| AA692| Albert vs. Arabous| Finland That, Matter| 2839-22.8| TM9814| | Finland
Errors
Each combination of values in each row for FIRM_CLIENT_NUMBER and FIRM_MATTER_NUMBER must be unique across all your Tracker Matters for the company.
Errors will be produced if you exceed max. length, or do not provide required values.
Key values
These values are used to locate the Tracker matter that will be modified.
Every Firm Matter Data Upload data row must contain a value for SHORT_MATTER_NAME or MATTER_TRACKER_ID, or both. If both are present, they must match to the same Tracker matter.
Key value | Details |
|---|---|
SHORT_MATTER_NAME |
|
MATTER_TRACKER_ID |
|
Input values
The values in these columns are used to enter values into the firm matter data rows. If a row for one of these columns is empty, then no change is made to the firm matter data from that column.
note
There is no way to erase a value using Firm Matter Data Upload. If you upload erroneous values, you can overwrite with another valid value, but to erase a value requires editing through the Tracker user interface.
Input value | Details |
|---|---|
FIRM_CLIENT_NUMBER |
|
FIRM_MATTER_NUMBER |
|
FIRM_MATTER_NAME |
|
LOCATION_OF_LEGAL_WORK |
|
Allowed countries include:
- Afghanistan
- Angola
- Anguilla
- Aland Islands
- Albania
- Andorra
- United Arab Emirates
- Argentina
- Armenia
- American Samoa
- French Southern and Antarctic Lands
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Burundi
- Belgium
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Bangladesh
- Bulgaria
- Bahrain
- Bahamas
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Saint Barthelemy
- Belarus
- Belize
- Bermuda
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Barbados
- Brunei
- Bhutan
- Bouvet Island
- Botswana
- Central African Republic
- Canada
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Switzerland
- Chile
- China (PRC)
- Cote d'Ivoire
- Cameroon
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- Congo, Republic of the
- Cook Islands
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Cape Verde
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Christmas Island
- Cayman Islands
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Germany
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Western Sahara
- Spain
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Finland
- Fiji
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- France
- Faroe Islands
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Gabon
- United Kingdom
- Georgia
- Guernsey
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Guinea
- Guadeloupe
- Gambia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Equatorial Guinea
- Greece
- Grenada
- Greenland
- Guatemala
- French Guiana
- Guam
- Guyana
- Hong Kong
- Heard and McDonald Islands
- Honduras
- Croatia
- Haiti
- Hungary
- Indonesia
- Isle of Man
- India
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- Ireland
- Iran
- Iraq
- Iceland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Jersey
- Jordan
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Cambodia
- Kiribati
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Korea, South (ROK)
- Kuwait
- Lao People's Democratic
- Liberia
- Libya
- Saint Lucia
- Liechtenstein
- Sri Lanka
- Lesotho
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Latvia
- Macao
- Saint Martin (French Part)
- Morocco
- Monaco
- Moldova
- Madagascar
- Maldives
- Mexico
- Marshall Islands
- Macedonia
- Mali
- Malta
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Montenegro
- Mongolia
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Mozambique
- Mauritania
- Montserrat
- Martinique
- Mauritius
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mayotte
- Namibia
- New Caledonia
- Niger
- Norfolk Island
- Nigeria
- Nicaragua
- Niue
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Nepal
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Pitcairn Islands
- Peru
- Philippines
- Palau Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Puerto Rico
- Korea, North (DPRK)
- Portugal
- Paraguay
- Palestinian Territory, Occupied
- French Polynesia