Adding contacts and cases (and linking the two together) are the first steps to working in MyCase.
From the dashboard, cases tab, or the quick add menu, click New Case to display the Add Case Lightbox. This four-screen wizard will allow you to enter relevant case information, link the case to firm users and contacts, and specify billing preferences.
MyCase is streamlining how you create cases and clients. This design allows you to:
Add complete contact information for new clients and create a case in one step.
Easily set case-specific billing rates for firm members
Input important case data quickly and efficiently with a streamlined design.
Step 1: Add New or Link Existing Contacts
The first step to creating a case is to add a client and any other contacts or parties associated with the case. Remember, you must have a contact for a case in order to create invoices and get paid. If you want to import your contacts and cases, please see the article below.
1: You can create a new contact by clicking on the “Add New Contact” Button.
2: Or you can search for a contact that currently exists in the MyCase system.
3. Once you click on the “Add New Contact” Button, you can input all the contact information for the person. You can easily tab through this form using your keyboard alone.
4. You also have the ability to add more information. Expanding this section will allow you to enter the following:
-Date of Birth
-Company
-Job Title
-Notes
-And more!
5: Click on Custom Fields to expand the section to enter custom fields already created for contacts. You can create custom fields for the unique information you want to collect for both contacts and cases. Some examples are spouses' name, if the client has children, beneficiaries, etc. Please find the related article at the bottom that discusses custom fields in more detail.
6. Click “Save Contact” to save the contact to the system and return to the Add Case flow.
You will now see the contact listed for the case. You can remove them or Continue to the Case Details step.
Step 2: Input Case Details
Next, You will be able to add important case details for the case.
1. Add a unique case name and other important case details.
2. Click on custom fields to input information via custom fields already created for cases based on the practice area of the case. Learn more about custom fields.
3. Click “Continue to Billing” to go to the Billing step.
Step 3: Input Case Billing
Next, set up the case billing structure. Assign a contact as the billing contact. The first contact added to the case will be defaulted as the billing contact. A case must have a billing contact in order to include it in batch billing. At any point, you can remove the billing contact or make another contact in the case of the billing contact.
1. Assign a contact as the billing contact. The first contact added to the case will be defaulted as the billing contact. A case must have a billing contact in order to include it in the batch invoice creation (i.e., batch billing). You can remove the billing contact or make another contact in the case of the billing contact.
2. Assign a billing type to the case. Your options are Hourly, Contingency, Flat Fee, Mix of Flat Fee and Hourly, or Pro Bono. If you select Flat Fee or Mixed, you will be asked to input the flat fee amount. You will see this amount reflected in invoices.
3. Click “Continue to Staff” to grant firm member access.
Step 4: Grant Firm Member Access & Set Billing Rates
Finally, give other members of your firm access to this case. Whomever you select will receive automatic e-mail and in-program notifications of additions, changes, and developments that are made to this case.
1. Click the checkbox next to a firm member's name to grant them access to this case. By default, you will be selected.
2. If you want to grant access to all members of the firm with a MyCase license, click the checkbox at the top of the table to select everyone.
3. You can choose to use the default billing rate (Learn how to set the default billing rate) if it has already been set OR
4. Override the user’s default billing rate with a case-specific rate. Default or case-specific rates will pre-populate the rate field when time entries are created by, or on behalf of, someone at the firm.
Save & Finish
5. Once you have completed the four steps, you can save the case to the system and go directly to the case details page to start managing the case.