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Creating a New Matter

This guide explains how to create a new matter in Certum Draft.

Starting the New Matter Wizard

There are three ways to create a new matter:

  • Click the New Matter button on the home screen
  • Use the keyboard shortcut Cmd + Shift + N
  • Go to File > New Matter in the menu bar

Step 1: Select or Create a Client

Using an Existing Client

If your office uses Notion for client management, you can search for existing clients:

  1. Type the client's name in the search box
  2. Select them from the results
  3. Click Next

Creating a New Client

If the client doesn't exist yet:

  1. Click Create New Client
  2. Fill in the client details:
  3. Surname (required)
  4. Given Name (required)
  5. Email
  6. Phone
  7. Address
  8. Click Create Client

Local Mode

If Notion isn't configured, client details are stored locally with each matter. You can still create and manage matters normally.

Step 2: Choose Matter Type

Select the type of matter you're creating. The available types come from your templates folder.

Common examples:

  • Conveyancing Sale
  • Conveyancing Purchase
  • Wills and Estates
  • Commercial Lease

Each matter type has its own set of fields and document templates.

Step 3: Fill in Matter Details

Enter the information relevant to this matter. The fields shown depend on the matter type you selected.

For a Conveyancing Sale, you might see:

  • Property address
  • Sale price
  • Deposit amount
  • Settlement period
  • Purchaser details
  • Agent details

Optional Fields

You don't need to fill in everything right away. You can leave optional fields blank and update them later using Edit Matter Details.

Field Types

Field Type What to Enter
Text Any text (names, addresses, etc.)
Currency Dollar amounts (e.g., 1250000 for $1,250,000)
Date Click to select from a calendar
Yes/No Toggle on or off
Dropdown Select from a list of options

Step 4: Review and Create

Before creating the matter, you'll see a preview of:

  • The matter number that will be assigned
  • The folder name that will be created
  • A summary of the details you entered

Click Create Matter to proceed.

What Gets Created

When you create a matter, Certum Draft:

  1. Creates the matter folder with your naming format 

    013544 - SMITH John - Conveyancing Sale/

  2. Creates standard subfolders: 

    ├── Working Documents/
├── Correspondence/
│   ├── Incoming/
│   └── Outgoing/
└── Scans/

  3. Saves the matter details in a matter.json file

  4. Opens the folder in Finder so you can start working

After Creating a Matter

You can now: