Collections are part of the Premium tier that let you track repeatable, structured information on a matter. Where a standard custom field stores a single value, a collection lets you store multiple entries of the same type, each with its own set of fields.
When to use Collections
Collections are useful any time a matter might have more than one of something, and that something has its own set of details you need to track.
Common examples by practice area: an Estate Planning matter might need multiple properties, bank accounts, or beneficiaries. A Personal Injury matter might have multiple vehicles involved. A Family Law matter might have multiple children, each with their own birthdate and custody details.
If you've been using a text field to list multiple items in a single box, Collections is the structured alternative.
Setting up a Collection
Go to "Settings," then "Matters," and click the "Collections" tab.
Click "Add Collection."
Give the collection a name. Use singular form — "Property" not "Properties," "Vehicle" not "Vehicles."
Add the fields you want to track for each item in this collection. All Lawmatics field types are supported: text, text area, date, date/time, number, money, true/false, picklist, multi-select picklist, and lookup. You can reorder fields by dragging them and edit them at any time after saving.
Click "Save."
Using Collections on a Matter
Once at least one collection type has been created, a "Collections" tab will appear on the matter profile next to Activities, Notes, Tasks, Files, and Billing.
Each collection type appears as its own section on this tab.
To add an entry, click "Add [Collection Name]" and fill in the fields for that item. You can add as many entries as needed.
Each entry can be edited or deleted using the action icons on the right.
Collections are displayed alphabetically. Any collection that has no entries moves to the bottom of the tab automatically.
To export a collection's data for a matter, click the export icon in the top right of that collection's section. This exports that collection only as a CSV, not all collections at once.
FAQ
Why can't I map collection fields to my case management integration?
Integration field mapping is not currently supported for collections. If you need data to pass to your case management system, use a standard custom field instead.
Are collections available as merge fields in documents?
Merge fields are not currently supported for collections.
Why do I need to recreate fields instead of reusing existing custom fields?
Collections use their own set of fields, separate from your standard matter custom fields. Collection fields are designed to repeat per item, which works differently from how standard custom fields store data.
Why doesn't the Collections tab appear on my matters?
The tab only appears once at least one collection type has been created in Settings > Matters > Collections.
Can I export all of my collections at once?
Not currently. Each collection section has its own export button and exports separately as a CSV.