CARET Legal Middle Office Training
Master advanced operations for firm growth and efficiency
Understanding Middle Office
What is the Middle Office?
The middle office bridges your front office (client-facing) and back office (accounting/admin). It focuses on firm operations and growth through expert matter management, time and expense tracking, document automation, and workflow optimization. Your role drives profitability and operational efficiency.
Advanced Matter Mgmt
Manage matter lifecycle from lead conversion through completion with custom fields.
Time & Expenses
Track billable hours, manage fees, and record expenses with precision.
Document Mgmt
Upload, organize, automate templates, and integrate with Word.
Workflow Automation
Create automated tasks and calendar events by practice area.
Core Competencies
These are the skills you'll develop in your first weeks
Advanced Matter Management
Master these capabilities:
- Create matters via lead conversion or direct creation
- Use Matter Options tab for client objectives and SOL dates
- Assign office locations and manage retainer docs
- Set matter-level access permissions
- Track referral sources and manage matter descriptions
💡 Tip: Use the Matter Options tab as your central control panel for matter setup.
Time, Fees & Expenses
Track financial activity:
- Distinguish between hard costs and soft costs
- Access expenses in two ways: within matters or Time section
- Log time from phone calls, emails, and manual entry
- Record expenses for billing accuracy
- Monitor fee structures and billing codes
💡 Consistency in time/expense entry directly impacts firm profitability.
Document Management
Organize documents efficiently:
- Upload via drag-and-drop or bulk upload
- Use email integration for automatic document capture
- Leverage zDrive plug-in for enhanced collaboration
- Integrate Word for seamless document editing
- Organize by folder structure and tags
💡 Good document hygiene ensures easy retrieval and compliance.
Document Automation
Automate repetitive work:
- Use Document Templates for standard agreements and forms
- Create Workflows that auto-generate tasks
- Organize workflows by practice area
- Apply workflows across multiple matters
- Admin Note: Workflow creation requires administrator permissions
💡 Workflows are firm-wide. Partner with admins for custom automation.
Navigation & Access
Find what you need fast:
- Use Global Search for instant lookups
- Navigate pane for structured browsing
- Related Records tabs for connected data
- Hyperlinks throughout the system
- Bookmarks for frequent access
💡 Multiple access paths mean no information is ever hidden.
Reporting & Analytics
Gain insights from your data:
- Generate time and expense reports
- Track matter profitability
- Monitor billable vs. non-billable hours
- Export data for analysis
- Identify operational trends
💡 Data-driven decisions improve firm efficiency and profitability.
Your First Week Checklist
Complete these tasks to build a strong foundation
Day 1: System Orientation (2 hours)
Days 2-3: Hands-On Practice (4 hours)
Week 1: Advanced Topics (2-3 hours)
Key Workflows & Scenarios
Scenario: Converting a Lead to a Matter
Why this matters: The transition from prospect to client is when you establish matter structure and permissions.
- Open the lead record with decision information
- Click "Convert to Matter" (creates new matter with all lead data)
- Complete the Matter Options tab immediately
- Set client objectives, SOL dates, retainer agreement
- Assign team members and set permissions
Scenario: Recording Time & Expenses for Billable Work
Why this matters: Accurate time/expense tracking directly impacts firm revenue and client billing.
- After client work (call, email review, research), log time immediately
- Choose entry method: within matter or Time section
- Select work type and enter duration or expense amount
- Add descriptive notes (what was done, outcome)
- Review in reports to track billable hours and costs
Scenario: Bulk Uploading Matter Documents
Why this matters: When taking on new matters, you often have batches of documents that must be organized quickly.
- Open the matter and go to Documents tab
- Click "Bulk Upload" or drag multiple files to the panel
- Create folder structure before uploading (e.g., "Contracts," "Correspondence," "Court Filings")
- Tag documents by type as they upload
- Verify all docs are accessible before closing the matter setup
Best Practices
Complete Matter Options
Never leave Matter Options blank. Client objectives and SOL dates are critical for compliance and billing.
Log Time Immediately
Record time within 24 hours of work. Delayed entries lead to incomplete billing and loss of revenue.
Use Descriptive Notes
Time entries without notes leave questions. Be specific about work performed and outcomes.
Organize Documents Upfront
Create folder structure and tags at matter creation. Retroactive organization wastes time and causes errors.
Review Reports Weekly
Check Time & Expense reports to catch discrepancies and ensure billing accuracy before invoicing.
Collaborate with Admins
Work with firm administrators on workflow and template design. Better automation = higher efficiency.
Video Tutorials & Learning Resources
Watch our guided video tutorials and read supporting articles to master middle office functions
Getting Started & Matter Basics
Get started with your first login and system overview
Set up a new matter and assign team members
Convert leads to matters and manage your pipeline
Navigate your active matters efficiently
Complete matters and manage status changes
Time Entry & Time Tracking
Explore all methods available for logging time
Use the timer function for real-time time tracking
Quickly add time entries after work is completed
Log billable time from your call notes
Convert email work into time entries
Create time entries from calendar appointments
Access and manage time entries directly in matters
Log calls and track time automatically
Find and review your time entries efficiently
Billing & Expenses
Understand your firm's billable activities
Master flat fee billing processes
Handle contingency billing workflows
Manage retainer-based billing
Handle non-retainer billing
Create multiple invoices efficiently
Review and approve draft invoices
Manage retainer accounting
Document Management & Templates
Upload and share documents with clients
Build templates for recurring documents
Generate documents from templates with matter data
Create reusable task templates
Reports & Analytics
Monitor accounts receivable and work in progress
Audit all changes made in your matters
Reconcile billing and accounting records
Generate financial reports
Track staff billing and productivity metrics
Track and manage vendor expenses
Training Webinars
Comprehensive overview of billing in CARET
Master document templates and automation
Learn accounting and trust management in CARET
Getting Help & Next Steps
Your Onboarding Project Manager
Your assigned project manager is your guide for firm-specific workflows and best practices.
CARET Learning Library
Access video tutorials and guides for advanced features as you grow more comfortable.
Support Team
Contact support for technical issues, bugs, or feature requests related to middle office functions.
Practice Area Leads
Your practice area leads know workflows and templates specific to your practice. Learn from them.
Your 30-60-90 Day Roadmap
- Month 1: Master matter creation, Matter Options, and basic time/expense logging. Build confidence navigating the system.
- Month 2: Get comfortable with document management, bulk uploads, and generating Time & Expense reports. Start monitoring matter profitability.
- Month 3: Explore advanced features—Document Templates, zDrive integration, Workflows. Help optimize processes for your practice area.