CARET Legal Front Office Operations

Your complete guide to mastering CARET's front office system

Understanding CARET Legal

What is a Matter-Centric Database?

CARET Legal organizes everything around matters. Think of a matter as the central hub for each case or engagement. Every email, document, contact, and note related to that client or case lives in one place. This means:

✓ No scattered information across different systems
✓ Faster client service with instant access to history
✓ When leads convert to clients, all their intake data persists
✓ Better collaboration across your firm

📊

Integrated Dashboard

Email, calendar, tasks, and contacts all in one view. Sync your email accounts for seamless communication.

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Matter Management

Create and organize matters by client, case type, or status. Everything related to a matter stays organized.

📞

Communication Hub

Track phone calls, emails, and texts all within each matter. Automatic time tracking on calls.

📁

Document Management

Upload, organize, and manage documents with drag-and-drop ease. Bulk upload when you need it.

💡 Pro Tip: First email syncs can take several hours. Start this during setup and come back to it later.

Quick Start: Key Tasks

Master these core workflows on your first day

Access Your Dashboard

⏱ 5 minutes

1Navigate to your firm's CARET login portal
2Enter your email and password
3Set up your email account sync (Settings → Email Accounts)
4Explore the dashboard: calendar, tasks, and inbox tabs

Note: Email syncs in the background, so check back in a few hours.

Create a New Matter

⏱ 3 minutes

1Click "New Matter" from the main menu
2Fill in matter details (client name, matter type, status)
3Assign team members who'll work on this matter
4Click "Create" and the matter hub opens instantly

All emails, documents, and contacts for this matter now centralize here.

Log Phone Calls & Notes

⏱ 2 minutes

1Open the matter record
2Click + "Enter Phone Call Note" in the Communication tab
3Select Contact and use provided phone numbers to dial from CARET
4Add notes after the call ends

Time logs automatically, with no manual entry needed for calls.

Upload & Organize Documents

⏱ 5 minutes

1Navigate to the Documents tab in your matter
2Drag and drop files, or click "Upload"
3Tag documents by type (contract, intake, memo, etc.)
4Create folders to keep related docs together

💡 Bulk upload: Use "Upload Multiple" for batches of files.

Sync Email Accounts

⏱ 3 minutes setup (syncs in background)

1Go to Settings → Email Accounts
2Click "Add Email Account"
3Enter your email address and approve access
4CARET copies the email into its respective Matter for easy access and shared visibility.

⚠ First sync may take several hours so plan this step accordingly.

Log Time & Expenses

⏱ 3 minutes

1Open the matter → Time & Expenses tab
2Click "Log Time" or "Log Expense"
3Select type (call, email review, admin, etc.)
4Enter duration or amount, add notes

Phone calls auto-log time; other activities you enter manually.

Your First Day Checklist

Check off these tasks to get up and running in your first shift

Morning Setup (30 minutes)

☐ Log in to CARET and explore your dashboard layout

☐ Start email sync (Settings → Email Accounts)

☐ Customize your dashboard by dragging tasks/calendar/inbox to your preferred layout

☐ Review existing matters in your team's current cases

Hands-On Practice (1 hour)

☐ Create a test matter with a sample client name

☐ Upload a sample document to the test matter

☐ Log a sample phone call (or just click "Log Call" to see the flow)

☐ Log a time entry manually to practice the process

Before You Leave

☐ Ask your manager to show you a real matter in your firm

☐ Bookmark the CARET Learning Library for future reference

☐ Note your onboarding manager's contact for questions

Core Features Explained

The Dashboard: Your Control Center

Your dashboard brings together everything you need daily:

Calendar Tab: Upcoming client meetings, court dates, and firm events
Inbox Tab: All email tied to your matters (once synced)
Tasks Tab: Your to-do list, sorted by matter or priority
Contacts Tab: Clients, opposing counsel, court contacts

You can rearrange these sections by dragging, so customize it to match how you work.

Searching Like a Pro

CARET's search is powerful. You can search for:

Conflicts: Ensure a new client isn't opposed to existing ones
Matters: Find cases by client name, case type, or matter status
Documents: Search by filename, document type, or tag
Contacts: Find any client, attorney, or court contact instantly

Tip: Use the filter icon to narrow results by date, status, or tag.

Communication Features

CARET tracks all client contact in one place:

📞 Phone Calls: Log directly from CARET; automatic time tracking begins when you dial and ends when you hang up. Notes are attached to the call record.

✉️ Email: Once synced, all emails auto-link to relevant matters. You can also send emails directly from CARET.

📱 Text Messaging: SMS support (not MMS) is available if your admin has enabled it. Texts log to the matter just like calls and emails.

⚙️ Note: Text messaging must be enabled by your firm admin. Ask your onboarding manager if it's set up for your account.

Getting Help & Next Steps

👥

Your Onboarding Manager

Your assigned project manager is your go-to for account-specific questions and troubleshooting. They know your firm's setup inside out.

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CARET Learning Library

Access video tutorials, in-depth guides, and FAQs for advanced features you'll use as you get more comfortable.

🎯

Support Team

For technical issues or bugs, contact CARET support. They're available during business hours to help.

💡

Tips & Tricks

Once you're comfortable with basics, explore advanced features like custom fields, automation, and integrations.

Your Roadmap

Use this guide as a springboard:

Week 1: Complete the Day 1 Checklist, master dashboard navigation and matter creation
Week 2: Get email sync working, practice document management, start logging time
Week 3: Explore searches, advanced tagging, and any custom workflows your firm uses
Week 4+: Explore advanced features (CRM, automation, custom fields) with your manager's guidance

Search