Communications > Working with Communications functions
Working with Communications functions
You can perform many functions from Communication lists or from a Communication's Details dialog.
This topic covers:
Viewing the details of a Communications record
To view the details of a Communication, double-click the item in a Communications list. Or, select the item, right-click on the list, and choose Open on the shortcut menu that appears.
Assigning Communications to a File
In many cases, Phone Calls, Phone Messages, and E-mails are automatically assigned to a File when they're created.
Or simply select one or more in any Communications list, right-click, and choose Add to File.
Forwarding a Communication
To forward a received Phone Call, Phone Message, or E-mail:
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Select the item in a Communications list, right-click on the list, and choose Forward.
Or, open the Communication's Details dialog and click Forward at the right.
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If you are forwarding a Phone Message (to a Firm Member who should make a return call to the person who left the message), a Select People dialog appears first. Select the Firm Member and click OK.
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A new Details dialog appears, with as much of the information as possible already filled in. Fill in the rest of the details, and then click OK.
Next, if you are forwarding an e-mail, a new e-mail window opens in your e-mail program. Complete and send the e-mail.
The originating E-mail is automatically marked Dealt With.
If you forward a Phone Message to a Firm Member who is not already assigned to a File or Person that is associated with the Phone Message, the Firm Member will be automatically assigned to that File or Person.
Marking the status of a Communication
In general, you can select a Communication in a Communications list, right-click on the list, and then choose a status on the shortcut menu that appears. For example, you can mark a Phone Call as Dealt With by choosing Mark > Dealt With on the shortcut menu.
Or, to mark a Communication as Dealt With, Outstanding, or Urgent, you can open its Details dialog and select the appropriate option or checkbox. For example, you can select the Dealt With checkbox in a Phone Call Details dialog.
Dealt With or Ignore (E-mail)
You may mark a Saved E-mail as Dealt With as described above, or by selecting its checkbox at the left in a list.
If you select an unsaved e-mail, you can right-click on it and choose Mark > Ignore, or by selecting its checkbox at the left in a list. It will then no longer appear in Amicus (other than in the Outlook view of Communications).
Dealt With or Outstanding
In some instances, it is not necessary to return a Communication. Its only purpose may be to convey information, or require that some type of action be taken.
You can set the status to Dealt With or Outstanding on a Phone Call, received Phone Message, or Saved E-mail.
When you mark a Communication as Dealt With, it will no longer appear in the Outstanding view of the Communications Center, or in Today's Overview in the Dailies module.
Urgent
You can set the status to Urgent on a new Phone Message or Saved E-mail.
Returned
You can set the status to Returned only on a received Phone Message.
Read or Unread
Simply opening a Communication's Detail dialog automatically marks it as Read. You can reset the status to Unread if you wish.
Restricting access to a Communication
To restrict a Communication, click the Restrict button at the bottom of the Communication's Detail dialog. Select your desired options in the Restrictions dialog that appears, and click OK. The no-entry image on the Restrict button turns red.
To unrestrict a Communication, click the Restrict button. Clear the options in the Restrictions dialog that appears, and click OK. The no-entry image on the Restrict button turns black.
For more information, see Setting record access restrictions.
Creating a Time Entry
You can create a Time Entry on a Phone Call or Saved E-mail by selecting the item in a Communications list, right-clicking on the list, and choosing Time Entry. Or, clicking the Time Entry button next to the item in a Communications list, or opening the Communication's Details dialog and clicking the Time Entry button at the bottom.
A new Time Entry Details dialog appears, with much of the information auto-populated. Complete the rest of the information, and then click OK.
Printing Communications
You can print information about Communications:
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In a Communications list, filter and sort the list. Then choose File > Print from the main menu. Or, select items in the list, right-click on the list, and choose Print on the shortcut menu that appears.
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To print detailed information, select only one item in the list, right-click on the list, and choose Print on the shortcut menu that appears. Or, open the item's Communication's Detail dialog and click Print at the bottom.
Deleting a Communication
To delete Communications, select the items on a Communications list, and then click Delete or press the <DELETE> key. Or, select an item in the list, right-click on the list, and choose Delete on the shortcut menu that appears. Or, click Delete at the bottom of a Communication's Details dialog.
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Notes: You can set a Communications preference to have e-mails deleted in Outlook automatically when Saved E-mails are deleted from Amicus. Regardless of this preference setting, e-mails are automatically deleted in Outlook when you delete unsaved e-mails from the Outlook view. If a Phone Message is deleted by either the Firm Member who sent it or the one who received it, it is removed from both Firm Members' Communications lists. |
Finding Communications
To search for Phone Calls, Phone Message, and/or Saved E-mails, use the Search function, available from the Tasks menu. For more information, see Search.
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