Overview
Creating new emails in OneLaw allows you to send emails through Outlook while linking them to the relevant Party and Matter in OneLaw.
You can start a new email from within OneLaw or from Outlook using the OneLaw integration. In both cases, the same New Email window is used to prepare the email before it opens in Outlook.
When the email is created, it opens in Outlook with the selected recipients, subject, and attachments already applied. The email can then be reviewed, edited, and sent.
The email is managed into OneLaw once it is sent.
Who can do this
- Any user with access to OneLaw and the Outlook (Classic) integration
Before you start
- Ensure Outlook (Classic) is installed and configured
Steps
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Start a new email
- In OneLaw, go to the Home tab or Documents tab on the navigation ribbon.
- Click New Email.
Alternatively:
- In Outlook, click New Email from the OneLaw integration.
Result: The New Email window opens.
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Confirm or update the Party and Matter
Confirm the correct Party and/or Matter are selected.
- If the email was started from a Party, the Party is pre-filled
- If the email was started from a Matter, both the Party and Matter are pre-filled
- If started from Outlook, no Party or Matter is pre-filled
To update the Party or Matter:
- Clear any existing value using the X in the field, if required
- Select a Party or Matter from the dropdown list
- Select the most recently used Party or Matter using the field icons
- Start typing in the applicable field to search and select from matching results
You can update these fields at any time before creating the email.
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(Optional) Enter a Manage As name
- In Manage As, enter a name for how the email will be saved in OneLaw.
Leave this blank to use the email subject as the managed name.
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(Optional) Apply an email precedent
- In Email Precedent, select a precedent if required.
Email precedents populate the subject and email body, and may include prompts to capture additional information before the email is created. These prompts can pull through information from InfoSheets where configured.
Note: To create or manage email precedents, see Create an Email Precedent
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Select recipients
- In the Recipients section, select who will receive the email.
- Tick the checkbox in the To, CC, or BCC column to assign recipients
- All email addresses associated with the selected Party and Matter are listed, including affiliated contacts
If the recipient list is large, click Pop-out Recipients window (Papers with green → icon) to open the Recipients window.
Result: The Recipients window opens and can be resized as needed.
Note: Additional recipients cannot be added in either window. Add or remove recipients after the email is created in Outlook.
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(Optional) Add attachments
- Click Add attachments (green + icon) in the Attachments section.
Result: The Document Search window opens and can be resized as needed
- Search for and select documents stored against the selected Party or Matter.
- Select multiple documents using standard multi-select options (for example, Shift or Ctrl)
Result: The selected documents are added to the attachment list
- You can reorder, rename, or choose to send attachments as PDFs.
Note: Only documents stored in OneLaw can be added in this window. Additional files can be attached after the email is created in Outlook.
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(Optional) Assign categories
- In the Categories section, select existing categories.
Alternatively, you can create a new category:
- Enter a category name in the category field
- Click Add
The new category is created and applied to the selected items.
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(Optional) Record time
- Expand Time Recording.
Enter time details as required:
- Enter Units
- Select a WIP Code
- (Optional) Select Set as Default - the selected WIP Code is saved as the default for future time entries
(Optional) Add a file note:
- Enter details in the File Note field
- Select Manage as file note - the file note is saved as a document to the selected Party and/or Matter
- Enter a File note name
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Create and send the email
- Click Create Email.
Result: A new email opens in Outlook with the selected recipients, subject, and attachments applied. The selected Party and/or Matter are also pre-filled in the Managed Details section.
- Review and complete the email in Outlook, then send the email.
Note: If the email is closed without being sent, it is not saved in OneLaw.
Result
The email is sent from Outlook and automatically managed into OneLaw.