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Quick Start

This guide walks you through creating a matter and generating your first documents.

Creating a New Matter

  1. Open Certum Draft
  2. Click New Matter (or press Cmd + Shift + N)
  3. Select or create a client:
  4. Search for an existing client, or
  5. Click Create New Client and enter their details
  6. Choose the matter type (e.g., "Conveyancing Sale")
  7. Fill in the matter details - these will be used in your documents
  8. Click Create Matter

What happens

Certum Draft creates a folder with your matter number and client name, containing subfolders for documents, correspondence, and scans. A matter.json file stores all the details you entered.

Generating Documents

  1. Click New Document (or press Cmd + Shift + D)
  2. Select the matter folder you want to generate documents for
  3. Choose which templates to generate (you can select multiple)
  4. Fill in any missing information if prompted
  5. Review the preview to check everything looks correct
  6. Click Generate

What happens

Your documents appear in the matter's Working Documents folder, with all the client and matter details filled in automatically.

Editing Matter Details Later

Made a mistake or need to add information?

  1. Click Edit Matter Details (or press Cmd + Shift + E)
  2. Select the matter folder
  3. Update the information
  4. Click Save

The next time you generate documents, they'll use the updated information.

Typical Workflow

Here's how you might use Certum Draft for a new conveyancing matter:

graph LR
    A[New client calls] --> B[Create Matter]
    B --> C[Enter initial details]
    C --> D[Generate cost agreement]
    D --> E[More details come in]
    E --> F[Edit Matter Details]
    F --> G[Generate contract documents]
  1. Day 1: Client calls about selling their house
  2. Create the matter with basic details (client name, property address)

  3. Generate a cost agreement to send out

  4. Later: Contract details come in

  5. Edit matter details to add sale price, settlement date, purchaser info

  6. Generate the full contract documents

  7. Before settlement:

  8. Update any final details
  9. Generate settlement documents