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5.0 Quick Reference User Guide
Look & Feel
Ribbons
The purpose of the ribbon is to provide quick access to commonly used features within Needles. The ribbon in Needles 5.0 combines the menu toolbar and icon toolbar from Needles version 4.x. The File, Home, Search, Directory, and Reports ribbons are always visible regardless of which area of the program you’re viewing.
Other ribbons will only become available when viewing specific areas of the program. For example, when you’re in a case viewing the party tab, the Party Tools ribbon will be available.
➢ File Ribbon
o Replaces many options available in the utility menu in Needles 4.x o Recently used windows (case folders or provider entries)
▪ Shows the last 20 providers or parties a user has accessed
▪ Icons differentiate between a provider or party
▪ Users can remove names from the list using the trashcan icon to the right of the name
o Print (NOT CURRENTLY FUNCTIONAL)
o Import and Export menus for Intakes, Cases, Case Types, and Web Status o Delete Cases
o Update Multiple Cases
o Date Calculator – Access the Date Calculator from any date field in Needles 5.0 by clicking the calendar icon on the field and selecting “Calculate” at the bottom o Replace Document Path
o Zip Code Maintenance
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▪ Now in grid format
o Interfaces
o Firm Preferences (called Properties in 4.x) o About Needles
▪ Update License
▪ Version information
▪ DB & Server Information
o Exit – Exit the program by clicking the icon in the top right hand corner of the program
➢ Home Ribbon
o Save, Add, Delete
▪ Save is enabled only if a change is made on the screen
▪ Add and Delete are enabled only if the screen you’re viewing will allow editing o Clipboard features
o New Intake, New Message, and New Email o Calendar
o Needles Today o Messages o Case Intake List o Email Inbox
o Merge document – For Case, Provider, Intake, or Mass Mailing
▪ In the Generate section of the ribbon, click the Document drop down. Select, “For Mass Mailing.”
▪ To select the names to which to send the mass mailing, you can list Parties For a Case or list Providers For a Case from the Case Selection Window, Search for a case, or select a report.
▪ Select the merge document to be used in the mass mailing and click OK
▪ From the results list, you can select the names to which you wish to send the mass mailing. You can also select all names in the list by clicking the Select/Unselect all checkbox in the first column.
▪ Once you’ve selected the names from the results list, Click Generate Document
▪ If the document you’ve selected has prompts, you’ll receive a message indicating that prompts will be ignored. Click Yes to continue.
▪ If required, select additional parameters and click OK.
▪ One document is generated for each selected recipient.
o Merge PDF o Mass Email
▪ To generate a mass email, click the Mass Email button.
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▪ To select the names to which to send the email, you can list Parties For a Case or list Providers For a Case from the Case Selection Window, Search for a case, or select a report.
▪ From the results list, you can select the names to which you wish to send the email. You can also select all names in the list by clicking the Select/Unselect all checkbox in the first column.
▪ The results lists will initially display the default email address for all names in the results list. You can select other email types using the radio buttons. The results list will filter as you select different email types
▪ Once you’ve selected your names, click Generate Email. An Outlook email will be created with those emails selected in the Bcc field.
➢ Directory
o Case Type Directory (including Primary Checklist) o Mini Directories
o User Mini Directories o Auxiliary Checklist o Document Setup o PDF Form Setup o Companion Groups o Mailing List
o Provider Associations o Staff Directory
o Staff Groups o Permission Groups o Case Fields
▪ Provides a list of all user defined fields in your database
▪ Add a new field
▪ Change the name or character length of an existing field o Document Fields
▪ Provides a list of all user defined document fields in your database
▪ Add a new field
▪ Change the name or character length of an existing field o CRM Fields
▪ Provides a list of all user defined CRM fields in your database
▪ Add a new field
▪ Change the name or character length of an existing field o Document Layout
▪ View and modify the layout of the document (Case Docs) tab within case folders o Provider Layout
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▪ View and modify the layout of Provider Entries by Provider Role
➢ Reports
o Create Report
▪ Opens the Needles 5.0 Report Writer o Report Library
▪ Navigation pane is on the left of the screen
▪ Provides a list of and access to all Reports, Calendar Reports, Time Reports (NOT CURRENTLY FUNCTIONAL), Settlement Memos, Directories, Firm Default Styles o Checklist Summary
o Quick Access Tool Bar – Located in the top left corner of screen
➢ Provides access to Print, Spell Check, Scan options by default
➢ To add any item from the ribbon to the Quick Access Toolbar, right click the item and select,
“Add to Quick Access Toolbar”
➢ To remove any item from the ribbon to the Quick Access Toolbar, right click the item and select, “Remove from Quick Access Toolbar”
➢ Live buttons – Located in the top right corner of screen
o Messages and Intakes – Single Click on unread # count or envelope icon to access the respective inbox
▪ When receiving a new Message/Intake, the unread # count portion of Live button turns orange
➢ Help file – (NOT CURRENTLY FUNCTIONAL) o Access by clicking the icon
➢ Feedback
o Access the Beta feedback submission site by clicking the icon
New Tabs
➢ Float a tab to reposition by either right clicking on the tab and selecting, “Float” or click and drag the tab
o Floated tabs can be moved to other monitors or repositioned within the program window
➢ Right click to create new tab groups (either horizontal or vertical)
➢ Right click on a tab to close all but that tab. (also close an individual tab by clicking X on tab)
➢ Right click on a tab to Pin the tab as the far-left tab Data Refresh Message
o If viewing a tab that another user makes a change to, a data refresh message will appear
▪ Click the message to refresh the data on the screen
o When multiple users make changes to the same tab at the same time, an Unsaved Changes message will display
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▪ Click “Yes” to refresh the data on the screen and save changes, click “No” to refresh the data and lose changes, or click Cancel to return to the screen without refreshing the data
▪ Clicking cancel will also display the Data Conflict message. In order to refresh the data and submit changes again, the tab will need to be closed and re-opened
Needles Today
➢ Messages section of Needles Today is now replaced by Live Buttons Appointments:
➢ Relabeled (was called Calendar)
o Displays all appointments for the day
o Access the detailed view of an appointment by double clicking on that appointment My Checklist:
➢ Now in grid format
➢ No longer have Select Documents/Edit checklist mode
o To merge a document, check the “Doc #” checkbox for the item and hit “Save”
➢ New icon denotes repeating checklist items in the S/R column
➢ Double click on the case number to open a case’s case tab or double click on the Party Name to open a case’s Party Tab
Grid Functionality
➢ Sorting
o Click column header to sort by that column or right click on the column header and select, “Sort Ascending” or “Sort Descending”
REV.180726 6 o To change the order of the sort, single click on the column header
o An arrow icon will indicate the order of the sort for a column
▪ Example:
➢ Filtering – Performs a “begins with” search for that column
o Filter multiple columns by using the Filter Row at the top of the grid
▪ In the filter row, blue checkboxes show ALL for a particular column. Clicking the box once will show a blank box (shows everything that’s NOT), click again for a checked box (shows everything that IS) and again to return to the blue box (shows EVERYTHING). Results will be different in different grids based on column contents o Current filter settings display at the bottom left of the grid
▪ Example:
o To clear the filtering, either delete from the filter row or hit the icon at the bottom right corner
o To use advanced filtering (multiple conditions and groups), select the filter editor icon at the bottom right corner
➢ Grouping
o To group by a column:
▪ Right click on a column header and select, “Group By This Column”
▪ Or right click and select, “Show Group Panel” then drag and drop column headers to group by those columns
▪ Right clicking on the grouped column will expand or collapse all groups o To remove grouping:
▪ In the group panel, right click on the column header and select, “Ungroup”
▪ Or drag and drop the column header back into the grid
➢ Searching – Performs a “contains with” search for all columns and highlights found items
REV.180726 7 o To access, click on the hamburger icon and select “Search”
o Or click on a column header and select “Show Search Panel”
➢ Column Chooser
o If additional columns can be added to the grid, access those by right clicking on a column header and selecting, ‘“Show Column Chooser”
o To add a column from the Column Chooser, drag and drop the column into the grid
➢ Conditional formatting can be added by right clicking on a column header and selecting,
“Conditional Formatting”
➢ Adjust the width of columns by selecting the corner of a column header and dragging
➢ Adjust the width of columns automatically by right clicking on a column header and selecting Best Fit or Best Fit (all columns)
➢ Save layouts in a grid after applying sorting, grouping, or rearranging columns
o To save a grid layout, click Save Layout from the grid icon located in the top left corner of the grid after making desired changes
o Changes will apply for that grid for all cases of that case type
o Each user can save their own layouts and it won’t affect other users
➢ Print any list tabs directly from the grid by right clicking on the list view and selecting either Print or an export option
Search
➢ Access search from the Search Ribbon
➢ See all search criteria available to use by the clicking drop down arrow in the Search By field
➢ NEW criteria option is Federal ID
➢ Automatically defaults to Name/AKA
➢ Once a search is performed, it remembers the last criteria selected
➢ % can still be used as a wildcard to perform a “contains” search rather than “begins with”.
➢ Total results found count is displayed at the top of the window
➢ NEW: Minor names now show in green font; Deceased names are still in red
➢ Name results and Cases results are now both in grid format
➢ No need for Display Details checkbox – Address details are always displayed in the names list
➢ General Information Section shows: Default Full Address, All Phone #s, Default E-Mail, AKA, Role(s), Specialty(s), and Expert checkbox fields (Use the Arrow Expander to show more or less phone #)
➢ To access a provider, double click on Role/Specialty/Expert Section of General Information Section OR double click on row in Names Result List
➢ To access a case, double click on the case in the Cases window or double click on row in Names Result List
➢ Advanced Case Search and Provider Search Options are available in the Advanced section of the Search Ribbon
o To search for a case using advanced Case Search, click Case Search in the Search Ribbon
▪ Complete the criteria and hit OK
▪ Results will display in Search Results tab
REV.180726 8 o To search for a provider using advanced Provider Search, click Provider Search in the
Search Ribbon
▪ Complete the criteria and hit OK
▪ Results will display in Search Results tab
➢ To search for a case or provider document, use Document Search located in the Advanced section of the Search ribbon
➢ Complete the criteria and hit OK. Options include searching by File Type, Document Category, text strings in the Notes, or user-defined fields added to the Document Profile screen
➢ The results display each case or provider where documents attached to the Documents Tab contain the search criteria specified
➢ Use the arrow expander at the top of the results to display or hide details
➢ The File Path is displayed as a hyperlink. Double-click to access the document directly from the results
➢ Double-clicking on any field other than the File Path field will open the case
➢ Total results display at the bottom right hand corner of the results list
➢ The Add section of the Search ribbon will allow the addition of new parties, cases, or providers
➢ Add Case will allow users to create a new case for a name in the Name Results list o Click Add Case, then select the case type for the new case
➢ Add Party will allow users to create a new case and add a new party to it
➢ Add Provider will allow users to create a new provider entry
Messages
Accessing Messages Inbox:
➢ Single click the live button at top right hand corner of the program
➢ From Home Ribbon by clicking on “Messages”
Viewing Messages:
➢ New folder structure: INBOX, SENT, DELETED and ARCHIVED
➢ NEW FOLDERS: Sent Folder and Deleted Folder
➢ Automatically defaults to the Inbox of the Staff Name signed in
➢ Depending on user’s permission setting, view other Staff’s messages by changing the name
➢ Once the staff name has been changed to view their inbox, the tab name changes too
➢ Staff/Folder Panel can be collapsed or re-expanded by clicking the icon
➢ # next to Inbox is showing unread message count
➢ Inbox is now in grid format
➢ List View grid automatically groups by Date/Time
➢ NEW Column Headers available to sort by:
o Urgent messages (no longer show in red, but now have the exclamation mark icon) o Read/Unread Messages
o Date/Time (now one field)
➢ Preview Pane Options – Can show Right, Bottom, or Off
➢ Move a message to a different folder by highlighting the message and selecting, “Move To” in Messages ribbon
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➢ Multi-select messages to move to a different folder by using CTL + Click, SHIFT + Click OR Select All from Clipboard Section of Ribbon
➢ NEW: Post to Notes from Inbox view without having to open a message.
➢ To Forward, Reply, Reply to All, and Reply/Delete – Select the option in Messages ribbon. Name of new tab reflects option selected. (Ex. Forward Message). The message still has Send or Post and Send options
➢ NEW: In Sent Folder, Resend a message. The resent message will retain all original recipients and can be edited as needed.
➢ NEW: Permanently delete a message ONLY from Delete Folder
➢ When viewing a message users can access the Provider entry from the From field and access the case from the Case or Re/Client if Search for Name was checked
➢ Double click on a message in the list view or highlight the message and click View Message in the ribbon to view the detailed message
➢ Detailed message view shows Taken By, Date, and Time at the top of the message now
➢ When viewing a message the Phone Dialer can still be used to call from Phone field in a message
New Message:
➢ Start a new message from Messages Ribbon> New Message or Home Ribbon>New Message
➢ Search for a case using Case #, Party Name, OR Alt Case #
➢ To and CC staff selection dropdowns now utilizes checkboxes
➢ A Select All option is available to select all staff names
➢ When adding a Name to the From field, select from any of the phone #s
➢ The body of message is spell checked, and misspelled words are underlined.
Intakes
Accessing Intake Inbox:
➢ Single click the live button at top right hand corner of the program
➢ From Home Ribbon by clicking on “Intakes”
Viewing Intakes:
➢ New folder structure: INTAKES, REJECTED, and DELETED
▪ Now in grid format
➢ Deleted Folder will function exactly like Deleted Folder in Messages. Intakes can be permanently deleted only from Deleted Folder
➢ View automatically defaults to the Intakes for the Staff Name signed in
➢ Depending on user’s permission setting, viewing Intakes for other staff or multiple staff now utilizes checkboxes. Select multiple staff names, select a Staff Group, or click Select All in Staff drop down.
➢ Staff/Folder Panel can be collapsed or re-expanded by clicking the icon
➢ # next to Intakes is showing the unviewed Intake count
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➢ Move an Intake to a different folder by highlighting the message and selecting Move To in Intakes ribbon
➢ Multi-select intakes to move to a different folder by using CTL + Click, SHIFT + Click, or Select All
➢ Mark an Intake as Unread/Read by selecting the intake (or intakes) and clicking Unread/Read from the Intakes tab
➢ Merge documents or PDF forms for an Intake from the Generate Section of the Intakes Ribbon o You can generate a document or PDF form while viewing the intake in list or detail view o In the Generate section of the Intakes Ribbon, select Document or PDF Form
▪ Select your document or PDF form from the list and continue the merge process
➢ Alternatively, users can generate a document for an intake from the Home Ribbon by selecting either Document or PDF Form in the Generate section and picking “For Intake”
o Search for the intake using the Intake Selection window. Once criteria is selected, Hit OK
▪ Select your document or PDF form from the list and continue the merge process
➢ Double click on an intake in the list view or highlight the intake and click View Intake in the ribbon to view the detailed message.
➢ Make multiple intakes into cases by selecting a group of intakes and clicking, “Make a Case”
o NOTE: Party Role field has to be added to Intake in Case Type set up before turning multiple intakes into a case at once
➢ Create an appointment for an Intake by selecting Appointment in Case Intake Ribbon
Creating a new Intake:
➢ Start a new intake from Intakes tab> New Intake or Home tab>New Intake
➢ A generic intake sheet is created. First, select Case Type and Primary Staff
➢ To add a name to the intake sheet, click on the name field
➢ NEW: add an infinite # of Addresses, Phones, and Online Accounts for each Party added to the Intake sheet. Click to add more Phones, Online Accounts, or Addresses
➢ NEW: Add intakes to multiple mailing lists by clicking the Mailing Lists icon above the Addresses section
➢ From the Intakes ribbon, Make A Case, Reject, Add Party to Case (i.e. add the name entered on the intake as a party to an existing case), or Save and close once all info has been completed
➢ If selecting “Make a Case”, a Party Role must be assigned
Provider Entry
Viewing Existing Provider Entries:
➢ NEW: Dropdowns for Role and Specialty utilize check boxes
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➢ NEW: Job Title field has been added
➢ NEW: User Defined fields can now be defined by Provider Role
➢ Sex field is now called Gender and an additional “Unknown” option has been added
➢ NEW: add an infinite # of Addresses, Phones, and Online Accounts for a Provider o Click to add more Phones, Online Accounts, or Addresses
➢ NEW: add a Provider to multiple mailing lists by clicking the Mailing Lists icon above the Addresses section
➢ Access the Provider Notes, Associations, and Documents from the Provider Tabs on the far left
➢ Provider Associations
o NEW: Allows for multiple associations and the Provider can be Primary of Multiple Groups
o View/add/edit group from Associations tab OR through the Provider Associations mini directory
o The Groups list on the left displays all of the associations that provider is currently a part of.
o Highlighting the group will display a detailed list of group members on the right. If a provider is a member of multiple groups, you’ll see a green checkmark icon next to their name in the Multiple Groups column.
o Every association must have a primary provider. The Primary column indicates which provider is the primary provider in an association.
o To add a provider to one of the Provider Associations listed in the Groups list, use the Add Provider search field. Double click to select the name you wish to add from the results list.
o To delete a provider from one of the Companion Case Groups listed in the Groups list, use the trashcan icon above the Group Members list.
o To add the provider to an existing provider association or to add a new association, use the green plus icon in the Ribbon. The Groups list will display all available provider associations. Highlighting a provider association group will display detailed information about that association in the Group Members list.
▪ To add a new provider association, use the Add New Group field. Type the name of the new association and hit the add icon next to the field to create it. Then click OK to add the case to the new group.
▪ Use the Delete icon in the Home Ribbon to remove the case you’re currently viewing from a companion case group.
▪ Provider Notes
➢ NEW: Provider Notes, Case Notes, and Value Notes now have their own Note Topic mini directories
➢ NEW: Provider Notes now have RTF formatting options
➢ Provider Notes are now in grid format
➢ Provider Documents
o Use the folder icon to browse to a document
o NEW: Separate Mini Directory for Provider Document Categories
REV.180726 12 Adding a New Provider:
➢ To add a new provider, click the icon on the Add section of the Search Ribbon
New Case Folder
➢ All tabs within a case now display on the left side of the screen
➢ Companion Cases and Case Calendar are now tabs within a case Copy and Move:
➢ Both the Case and Party Tools Ribbons now have a Copy and Move section
➢ When viewing tabs within a case folder, you can select to Copy or Move items from that tab
➢ Use these tools to copy or move Parties, Notes, Case info, etc to or from the case you’re viewing
➢ Select the tab, entry, or entries to copy or move (select multiple items from a list tab using either Control + Click or Shift + Click), and select the appropriate option from the Copy and Move section of the ribbon
➢ Search for the case to move the items from or to using either basic search (one case), companion cases or open cases (Multiple cases), or select cases from a report (Cases from a Report)
Party Tab:
➢ NEW: Required fields and Data Validation –a red outline and lightbulb icon identifies required fields (hovering over the lightbulb icon will reveal a tool tip that informs what the required information or data validation error is). Selecting the Save button before all required fields are completed will result in a Data Validation Error popup and ability to navigate off of page will not be available until all fields validate.
➢ List tab functionality:
o View List by clicking the icon o Or use the Scroll arrows.
➢ Party ID, Age, and Age at DOI now all show at the top
➢ NEW: An image for a Party or Provider can be added directly to Needles using the computer’s default webcam
➢ Sex field is now called Gender and an additional “Unknown” option has been added
➢ SSN displays only last 4 digits (permissions will determine your ability to view/edit SSN)
➢ NEW: add an infinite # of Addresses, Phones, and Online Accounts for a Provider o Click to add more Phones, Online Accounts, or Addresses
o All entries added will be visible
o Online Accounts: E-Mail, Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, etc.
o Custom Types can be added for Phones, Online Accounts, and Addresses. To add a custom Type, simply enter your new Type in the Type field
o Types of accounts are user definable and can grow with technology
REV.180726 13 o The Call? Field for phone numbers now displays with more pronounced icons. A green
checkbox will display if the Call? Is checked and a red warning sign will display if the Call? Field is NOT checked.
➢ Mailing Lists:
o Click the Mailing list icon at the top far right of the Addresses
o To add a client to a mailing list drag and drop the mailing list from the Available Mailing Lists window into the Selected Mailing Lists window or highlight the mailing list in the Available Mailing Lists window and use the arrow icon to move that mailing list to the Selected Mailing Lists window
o NEW: Add a Party’s e-mail address to a mailing list instead of physical addresses if desired
➢ User Defined section is now clearly labeled rather than identified with an inconspicuous white/grey line
Party Tools Ribbon
➢ To change the order of parties, use the Parties for Case button in the Party Tools Ribbon. When list displays, use the icon to drag and drop to change the order
o You can also Print the parties for a case from the Parties for Case window
➢ Copy Addresses and Phone Numbers, Copy Name and Address, and Change to Company options are all located in the Name and Address section of the Party Tools Ribbon
➢ Copy to Other Case(s) and Move to Other Case(s) is located in the Copy and Move section of the Party Tools Ribbon
o Copy to Other Case(s) will copy the party selected to another case(s) o Move to Other Case(s) will move the party selected to another case(s)
Case Tab:
➢ NEW: Staff Assigned is on Right side of screen
o NEW: Case Type set up will now allow a Staff Assigned to be relabeled using Staff Roles (i.e. Not stuck with Staff 1, 2, etc.)
o NEW: Staff Assigned positions are now unlimited
➢ User Defined section is now clearly labeled rather than identified with an inconspicuous white/grey line
➢ NEW: Case Type set up will now allow an infinite # of Case Dates
➢ Name fields no longer display with red text, and instead have the magnifying glass icon to indicate users can search for a name in that field
➢ Synopsis field has an increased character limitation and the display will expand or retract to adjust to the total amount of characters entered
REV.180726 14 Case Header Bar:
➢ The Case Header Bar is still displayed regardless of which tab within a case you’re viewing
➢ NEW: The Case Special Note can be expanded and remain open while viewing any tab in the case.
o Click the flag icon at the far right corner of the Case Header to expand or retract the note
o The icon will display as a red flag with a red outline if a note has been entered;
otherwise, it displays as a yellow flag with a grey outline
➢ The Case Status displays in bottom left corner of case header. Case status is either Open, Closed, Dormant, or In Litigation. The color of the case header will changed based on the case status:
o Open = Blue o Closed = Black o Dormant = Green o In Litigation = Maroon
▪ Auxiliary checklists can now be selected Litigation checklists and only those auxiliary checklists that are designated as a Litigation checklist will change a case header status to In Litigation when added to a case
▪ If a litigation auxiliary checklist is added to the case, the title of that checklist will display on the far right corner of the header
Companion Cases:
➢ If a case is a companion case, Companion Case icon will be visible next to tab name
➢ Cases can be a part of multiple companion case groups
➢ View/add/edit companion case groups from the Companion Cases tab OR through the Companion Groups directory
➢ The Groups list on the left displays all of the companion groups that case is currently a part of
➢ Highlighting the group will display a detailed list of group members on the right
o If a case is a member of multiple groups, you’ll see a icon next to their name in the Multiple Groups column
o To add a case to one of the Companion Case Groups listed in the Groups list, use the Add Case search field. Double click to select the name you wish to add from the results list
o To delete a case from one of the Companion Case Groups listed in the Groups list, use the trashcan icon above the Group Members list
➢ To add the case to an existing companion case group or to add a new Group, use the icon in the Ribbon
o The Groups list will display all available Companion Case Groups. Highlighting a group will display detailed information about that group in the Group Members list
o To add a new companion case group, use the Add New Group field. Type the name of the new group and hit the icon next to the field to create it. Then click OK to add the case to the new group
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➢ Use the Delete icon in the Home Ribbon to remove the case you’re currently viewing from a companion case group
Checklist:
➢ NEW: No more Edit Checklist vs. Select Documents mode
o Check the box in Doc # column and hit Save to merge a document
➢ NEW: Parent checklist items are now identified with the icon in the Code column
➢ NEW: Repeating items (icons) are now identified with the icon in the S/R column
➢ New items can be added or existing items can be deleted using either the Add and Delete button in the ribbon or by right clicking on a checklist item
➢ Auxiliary checklists can be added from the Add Auxiliary Checklist button in the ribbon
➢ Grid functionality is available Case Calendar:
➢ If a case is a calendar items attached to it the Case Calendar tab icon will be visible next to tab name
➢ If a case has calendar entries, the icon will be visible next to tab name
➢ Still shows multiple entries if multiple staff members are assigned
➢ Shows total # of items count at top
➢ New appointments can be added or existing appointments can be deleted using either the Add and Delete buttons in the ribbon or by right clicking on an existing appointment
➢ Grid functionality is available
Notes:
➢ Notes are numbered and the Entry ID # stays with note regardless of sort, note deletions, or post-dated Note additions
➢ Notes can be copied and moved to other cases from the Copy and Move section of the Case Ribbon
➢ Grid functionality is available
➢ Note is spell checked, and misspelled words are underlined
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➢ Date and time fields have been replaced by one field (timestamp) RTF (Rich Text Formatting)
➢ Switch to RTF on a note by note basis
➢ RTF must first be enabled in Firm Preferences by the firm administrator
o Once enabled, an individual note can be switched to RTF formatting by click the icon at the top of the note
➢ Rich Text Formatting controls include:
o Font changes: bolding, underlining, font color, etc.
o The ability to create hyperlinks
o The ability to add bookmarks in a note
o Paragraph formatting (i.e., indenting, alignment, etc.)
➢ Highlight text within the note and right click to display RTF formatting options Bookmark
➢ A bookmark allows you to find a line position or specific text in a Case Note. Bookmark
important words, phrases, or a certain spot in a Case note for future reference. When you use the Bookmark editor, it will highlight the area or text that you had bookmarked. This is great for long case notes with very important information in them!
o Highlight the word/phrase or put your cursor on the line that you want to bookmark o Right Click and choose ‘Bookmark’
o Name your Bookmark, then click ‘Add’. NOTE: Bookmarks can only be one word with no spaces, punctuation, or special characters.
➢ To find the Bookmarked word/phrase/text location:
o Right Click anywhere within the body of the note. A dropdown menu will display.
o Click ‘Bookmark’
o Click on the Name of the Bookmark, then click ‘Go To’. The Bookmarked Word or Phrase will then be highlighted in the Note and your cursor will jump to the location
REV.180726 17 New Comments
➢ This feature allows you to insert a comment on a Case Note without having to modify the original body of the case note.
➢ The comments will appear as bubble to the right side of the note. You can add as many comments as needed, and you are able to delete them if needed.
o In the Note, Right Click where you would like to add a Comment and click ‘New Comment’
o The New Comment balloon will appear on the Right Side of the Note with a dotted line leading to it from where you had Right Clicked
o Type your Comment into the balloon
➢ To Delete a Comment, Right Click on that specific Comment and Click ‘Delete Comment’
REV.180726 18 Hyperlinks
➢ Hyperlinks allow you to create a link to a webpage or document/folder on your network inside the Note. You can also add hyperlinks to reference other parts of the Note, such as a Table of Contents. When you have a hyperlink in your note, all you have to do is use your keyboard and mouse to CTRL+Click on the link and the website or document will open, or your cursor will jump to another part of the note.
o To create a hyperlink to a file or website, right click anywhere within the body of the note and click ‘Hyperlink’. Note: You can highlight an existing word or phrase within the note.
o In the “Insert Hyperlink” pop up enter the “Text to display”. This will be the text that becomes the hyperlink within the note.
o The “Screen Tip” will show an additional description of the hyperlink to the user when they hover over it.
o Under “Link To” the option chosen should be “Existing file or web page”.
o ‘Use the “Address” field to browse to a file, input a file location, or input a web page.
o The hyperlink will be underlined and BLUE in the Note, CTRL+Click to open the document
REV.180726 19 Case Documents Tab
➢ Grid functionality is available
➢ Documents can be added or deleted by using the Add and Delete buttons in the ribbon
➢ When in list view, double click on the file path to go directly to the document or file or double click anywhere else in the row to view the document’s detail information in Needles
➢ The document can be emailed directly from the detail view by clicking the email icon at the top of the detail view
Insurance Tab:
➢ User defined fields can be created by Insurance Type
➢ Grid functionality is available Negotiation Tab:
➢ Negotiations can be tracked not just by insurer, but can be linked by negotiation type in these three areas:
o Insurance – Will allow link to insurance/insurer items. Now shows limits, claim # and policy #
o Counsel – Allows negotiation item linked to counsel in the case or allows search/select of another name as person negotiating with
o Party – Allows negotiation item linked to a party in the case, and allows search/select of another name as person negotiating with
▪ Tip: Always make the Party, Counsel, or Insurance selection first, thus auto populating the “Negotiating With” field
➢ List View on Negotiations is grouped by Negotiation Type (Counsel, Insurance, Party), then by the item it is linked to (Party, Insurance, Counsel name selected)
➢ Grid functionality is available Counsel Tab:
➢ Representing is no longer tied to Parties in case. Users can now search for names
➢ Grid functionality is available Status Tab:
➢ Case Status checkboxes are still available on all tabs if the status tab has been customized Time Tab:
➢ Bill Date field has been added to facilitate billing and tracking what has already been billed
➢ Grid functionality is available
REV.180726 20
➢ If time tracking is enabled, the timer will appear on the right side of the case header
➢ Users can Start, Stop, Pause, Reset, or view Detail for time entries by right clicking on the timer o The color of the timer will change based on its status
▪ Green: Timer is active
▪ Black: Timer is stopped
▪ Maroon and flashing: Timer is paused Value Tab:
➢ Grid functionality is available
➢ Party dropdown to select the Party that the Value item will be linked to
o Party dropdown allows you to reassign an item to a different party (move a value item from one party to another within a case)
➢ More detail is available to display for the Provider
➢ Two new fields – Reference #1 and Reference #2, that are customizable (through Mini Directory by value code) OR by Firm Option (Value code overrides firm option setting)
➢ Existing Code field is now Value Category and can be customized through the Mini Directory
➢ Value Total and Reduction fields are the only editable fields
➢ Total Adjustments is a new field
➢ Paid field is now Total Payments
➢ The only way to get the amounts in Total Adjustments and Total Payments to change is through a Transaction Detail entry
➢ Tool tips explain how Total Adjustments, Total Payments, and Due are calculated
➢ Multi Payments is now Transaction Details and includes all transactions relating to the value item
o Paid By mini directory now allows a Paid By item to be set as a Credit or Debit as the default
o New column for C/D on a transaction item allows it to be changed regardless of the Paid By
o New column for Payment Type to indicate if it’s a Payment or Adjustment o The Value Subtotals uses the Payment Type to calculate the totals for the Total
Payments and Total Adjustments
➢ Value Subtotals, Value Notes, and Request Check buttons all appear in the gray header band at the top of a Value item
➢ Value Subtotals Window is in a grid and provides all grid functionality, such as sorting, filtering, grouping, etc.
o Right clicking on the Sum fields will provide the ability to add some additional calculations (such as Min, Max, Count, and Average)
o Example: filter on MEDICAL, Add a Sum on Total Value, and Print – This gives a total meds report for this Party
➢ Value Notes have same new features as Case Notes and Providers Notes
➢ Value Notes now has its own Value Note Topics mini directory
➢ User Defined fields can now be defined by Value Code
➢ Individual value entries can be copied or moved to other cases
REV.180726 21
➢ Settlement memos can be accessed from the “Reports for Tab” button located in the Case Ribbon
o Click Reports for Tab, select the Settlement memo, and click OK o Select the appropriate parameters and click Submit
o To export a Settlement Memo we recommend using the RTF export option
o When selecting the RTF format, make sure you click on the “More Options” option, and for the Export Mode, select the Single file. The individual sections detailing the value items will be in a table where you can add/delete rows, etc.
Generating a Document
➢ Grid functionality is now available in the document list view for easier searching and filtering of documents (Example: filter by Document Number, Document Title, Document Category)
➢ Document Category is a new column in the document list view that will provide better document organization
➢ All Prompts are now on 1 screen
➢ Prompts for Multi-Select are now Checkboxes – no need to CTRL+Click
➢ Firms can designate their Word Processor in Firm Preferences
➢ Firms can determine if all merge documents should merged instantly or if they should be queued up for staff.
o If a firm has selected “Merge Instantly”, documents will be merged as selected.
o If a firm has not selected “Merge Instantly”, documents will be placed in a queue. When a staff member is ready to generate the documents, they will select the
REV.180726 22 button. If they hover over the button a tool tip will display the number of pending documents.
From a Case:
➢ Access from the Case Ribbon by clicking ‘Document’
From the Home Ribbon:
➢ Click on the ‘Document’ button
➢ Documents can be merged for a Case, Provider, Intake, or Mass Mailing o New Search Option for Intakes – Staff Taking Intake
Generating a PDF Form
➢ Now its own button on the Case and Home Ribbons
➢ Grid functionality is now available in the document list view for easier searching and filtering of documents (Example: filter by Form Number, Form Title, Form Category)
➢ Form Category is a new column in the list view that will help that will provide better organization.
➢ All Prompts are now on 1 screen From a Case:
➢ Access from the Case Ribbon by clicking ‘PDF Form’
From the Home Ribbon:
➢ Click on the ‘PDF Form’ button
➢ Documents can be merged for a Case, Provider, or Intake (NEW)
Calendar
Ribbon:
➢ Access from Home Ribbon by clicking on “Calendar” or from Needles Today by click on Appointments
o NEW: Five Calendar Views
REV.180726 23
▪ Day View is same
▪ Work Week View (5-day work week) [like 4.x’s Week View]
▪ Week View (is a 7-day week)
▪ Month View
▪ Timeline View (replaces Calendar Graph in 4.x)
• Good for when scheduling multiple people View:
o Monthly Graphic for navigation (Far Right side) is enhanced o Depending on screen size, will see more or fewer months
o Highlights days being displayed (Select month view and all days in the month are highlighted in the graphic)
o CTL + Click to select the days
o NEW: Ability to view multiple staff calendars in all views
▪ When viewing multiple staff calendars, they are displayed with different colors for easy differentiation
• Choose how many of the selected staff are viewed at one time (+/- tool at bottom; scroll or view all at the same time)
➢ Drag and drop to reschedule an appointment
o Resize an appointment to decrease or increase time blocked out for appointment
▪ Enter appointment is color coded based on appointment status
▪ The Show As status now displays on the far left side of the appointment
➢ Hovering over an appointment will display appointment detail information o Appointment Icons:
▪ White clock = Multi day appointment (AM)
▪ Black Clock = Multi day appointment (PM)
▪ Bell = Reminder
▪ Blue Recycle Arrows=Recurring appointment
▪ Blue Recycle Arrows with line=Appointment in series that has been modified from original series
▪ Lock = Private appointment
o Shows a graphic (blue tick mark on time ruler) to denote current time on the calendar o Right-click provides many options depending upon where on calendar it is clicked:
▪ New Appointment
▪ Change View To
▪ Go to Today
▪ Go to Date
▪ Edit Series when clicking while on a recurring item
▪ Modify/Assign Show Time As Status (Free/Busy)
▪ Delete
▪ Customize Time Ruler
➢ Print multiple calendar reports from Print button on Calendar tab
REV.180726 24 Adding a new Appointment:
➢ Double Click, Click Add button in Calendar toolbar or Right Click to Add a new appointment
➢ Subject has been moved to top of calendar entry
➢ Untimed events are now called “All Day” events and are conflict checked
➢ Conflict Checking: a notification at top of the appointment details shows the # of conflicting appointments. Clicking the Conflicts notification will show a list of conflicting appointments.
Double clicking on an item in the list will open that appointment. Scroll bars at the top of that appointment allow a scroll through all conflicting appointments.
➢ Staff dropdown field utilizes checkboxes
➢ Accessibility to Recurrence info is available on Calendar item by choosing to “Edit the Series”
➢ Mark calendar items “Private” (checkbox). If an item is marked as Private, only the logged in user can see the details of the appointment. Everyone else will see the time blocked out and the word, “Private”
➢ NEW: Show As status: Free, Tentative, Busy, Out of Office, and Working Elsewhere
➢ Reminder options are more aligned with Outlook time intervals
Outlook Post and Send
➢ Post the body of Outlook emails (incoming and outgoing) to the Notes tab of the Needles program and save email attachments to the Documents tab of a Case or Provider
o To enable the Needles Add in within Outlook, select the Needles ribbon and click,
“Needles Settings”. Enter your Needles username and password and click, “Log in”.
➢ To Post a received email:
o Highlight or open the email o Select the Needles ribbon
o In the Post Email to Needles section of the Needles Ribbon, click either “Post by Case” or
“Post by Name.”
▪ Post by Case will default to a Case # Search
▪ Post by Name will default to a Name/AKA Search if the email address in the from field of the email is not located in the database
o Search for the Case or Name to which the email should be posted
o In the results list highlight the Case or Name to which the email should be posted. The default Note Topic selected is Email. To select a different Note Topic, use the Select Note Topic mini directory at the bottom of the window.
REV.180726 25 o If the email has attachments, they can be added to the Documents tab of the Case or
Provider.
o The Attachments section of window will provide a list of all the attachments to that email
▪ Click the checkboxes next to the attachments you want to add
▪ A Document Subfolder can also be selected so that the attachment is placed in the correct subfolder as defined by the firm’s standard operating procedures
▪ Click Post
➢ To Post and Send a new email:
o Create a new email
o Once your email is ready to be sent, select the Needles Ribbon within your email o In the Post Email to Needles section of the Needles ribbon, click either “Send and Post
by Case” or “Send and Post by Name.”
▪ Post by Case will default to a Case # Search
▪ Post by Name will default to a Name/AKA Search if the email address in the from field of the email is not located in the database.
o Search for the Case or Name to which the email should be posted
o The default Note Topic selected is Email. To select a different Note Topic, use the Select Note Topic mini directory at the bottom of the window.
o If the email has attachments, they can be added to the Documents tab of the Case or Provider.
▪ The Attachments section of window will provide a list of all the attachments to that email
▪ Click the checkboxes next to the attachments you want to add
▪ A Document Subfolder can also be selected so that the attachment is placed in the correct subfolder as defined by the firm’s standard operating procedures o Click Post
➢ If an email has been posted, quickly access the Case or Provider it was posted to from the Post Email to Needles Section of the Needles ribbon by clicking “Go To Needles”.
REV.180726 26
Report Library
➢ Access from Reports ribbon > Report Library
➢ Reports are now listed in grid format
➢ When running a report, you will now have the following options:
o Adjust Page Setup options o Adjust Scale
o Zoom (In/Out)
o Zoom view to see multiple pages
o Export to various file types (PDF, HTML, RTF, XLS, XLSX, CSV, TXT, Image File, XPS).
o Save to format and send via e-mail o Search within a report
o Add Text/Picture watermarks to report printout or saved report
➢ Parameters are always available so report criteria can be revised and resubmitted without needing to close and reopen the report
➢ Parameters pane can be closed, hidden, or pinned
➢ Click on Needles Case # or Party Name to access the case or party tab (for reports that display those fields)
➢ Parties marked as minors will display in green text
➢ Parties marked as deceased will display in red text
REV.180726 27
Where was it in 4.x and where is it 5.0?
Feature/Function Where was it in 4.x Where is it in 5.0
Recurring Entries Calendar>Recurring Entries Access from an appointment
Hide Toolbar Help>Hide Toolbar
Arrow expander next to Live Buttons
Close Items Calendar>Close Items
Calendar Ribbon>Close Appointments
Delete Items Calendar>Delete Items
Calendar Ribbon>Delete Appointments
Copy Case Edit>Copy Case
Case Ribbon and Party
Ribbon>Copy to Other Case(s)
Copy to This Case N/A
Case Ribbon and Party Ribbon>Copy to This Case Move to Other Case(s) N/A
Case Ribbon and Party
Ribbon>Move to Other Case(s) List Cases for Party Case>List Cases for Party Case Ribbon>Cases For Parties Change: Case Type Edit>Change> Case Type Case Ribbon>Change Case Type List Names for Case Case>List Names for Case Case Ribbon>Names for Case List Providers for Case Case>List Providers for Case Case Ribbon>Providers for Case Auxiliary Checklist Directory>Auxiliary Checklist
Directory Ribbon>Auxiliary Checklist
Case Fields
Directory>Case Type>Select Case Type>User
Defined Fields>Select Tab>Define Fields Directory Ribbon>Case Fields
Case Type Directory Directory>Case Type Directory Ribbon>Case Type
Checklist Directory
Directory>Case Type and Directory>Primary Checklist
Directory Ribbon>Case Type (Included in Case Type) Companion Groups
Icon Toolbar and User Defined Report:
companion_case_listing
Directory Ribbon>Companion Groups
CRM Fields
Directory>Case Type>Select Case Type>User
Defined Fields>CRM Tab>Define Fields Directory Ribbon>CRM Fields Document Fields
Directory>Document Profile Setup>Define Fields
Directory Ribbon>Document Fields
Document Layout Directory>Document Profile Setup
Directory Ribbon>Document Layout
Document Setup Directory>Document Setup
Directory Ribbon>Document Setup
Mailing Lists Directory>Mailing Lists Directory Ribbon>Mailing Lists
Mini Directories Directory>Mini Directories
Directory Ribbon>Mini Directories
Holidays Calendar>Holiday
Directory Ribbon>Mini Directories
Class (Class Codes) Directory>Class
Directory Ribbon>Mini Directories>Class Codes
ID Codes Directory>ID Codes
Directory Ribbon>Mini Directories>ID Codes Provider Role Directory>Provider>Provider Role
Directory Ribbon>Mini Directories>Provider Role
REV.180726 28
Feature/Function Where was it in 4.x Where is it in 5.0
Provider Specialty Directory>Provider>Provider Specialty
Directory Ribbon>Mini Directories>Provider Specialty Tasks (Time Tasks) Directory>Tasks
Directory Ribbon>Mini Directories>Tasks Value (Value Codes) Directory>Value
Directory Ribbon>Mini Directories>Value Codes PDF Form Setup Directory>PDF Form Setup
Directory Ribbon>PDF Form Setup
Permission Groups N/A
Directory Ribbon>Permission Groups
Provider Associations
User Defined Report:
provider_primary_and_associate_listing
Directory Ribbon>Provider Associations
Provider User Defined Fields Directory>Provider>User Defined Fields
Directory Ribbon>Provider Layout
Staff Directory Directory>Staff Directory Ribbon>Staff
Staff Groups Directory Directory>Staff>Group Directory Ribbon>Staff Groups User Mini Directories Directory>User Mini Directories
Directory Ribbon>User Mini Directories
Replace Document Path Utility>Replace Document Path
File Ribbon> Replace Document Path
About Needles Help>About Needles File Ribbon>About Needles
Delete Cases Utility>Delete Cases File Ribbon>Delete Cases
Export Utility>Export File Ribbon>Export
Firm Preferences Ultility>Properties File Ribbon>Firm Preferences
Import Utility>Import File Ribbon>Import
Interfaces
Ultility>Properties and Directory>Accounting
System Interface File Ribbon>Interfaces
Recently Used Windows Utility File Ribbon>Recent
Update Multiple Cases Case>Update Multiple Cases
File Ribbon>Update Multiple Cases
Zip Code Maintenance Utility>ZIP Code Maintenance
File Ribbon>Zip Code Maintenance
Help File Help>Needles Help
Help Button - Top right hand corner
Messages Menu/Icon Toolbars and Needles Today Home Ribbon and Live Button Intakes Messages>Intakes and Needles Today Home Ribbon and Live Button
Add Icon Toolbar and Edit>Add Home Ribbon>Add
Calendar Menu/Icon Toolbars and Needles Today
Home Ribbon>Calendar and Needles Today
Clear Edit>Clear Home Ribbon>Clear
Copy Edit>Copy Home Ribbon>Copy
Cut Edit>Cut Home Ribbon>Cut
Delete Icon Toolbar and Edit>Delete Home Ribbon>Delete
Merge document Report>Generate Documents Home Ribbon>Document
Email Inbox Messages>Email Inbox and Needles Today Home Ribbon>Email Inbox View Rejected Intake Sheets Messages>View Rejected Intake Sheets Home Ribbon>Intakes
REV.180726 29
Feature/Function Where was it in 4.x Where is it in 5.0
Mass Email In Messages>Mass Email Home Ribbon>Mass Email
Archived Messages Messages>Archived Messages
Home Ribbon>Messages and Live Button
Needles Today Menu/Icon Toolbars Home Ribbon>Needles Today
New Email Messages>Send Email Home Ribbon>New Email
New Intake Messages>New Intake Home Ribbon>New Intake
New Message Messages>Send Message Home Ribbon>New Message
Paste Edit>Paste Home Ribbon>Paste
Merge PDF Report>Generate Documents>PDF Form Home Ribbon>PDF Form
Save Icon Toolbar and Edit>Save Home Ribbon>Save
Change: Header to Maroon Edit>Change>Header to Maroon N/A
Calendar For Case Calendar>Calendar For Case New Tab within a case folder Change: Accounting Link Edit>Change>Accounting Link
Party Tools Ribbon or Provider Ribbon>Accounting Link
Change: To Company/Person Edit>Change>To Company/Person
Party Tools Ribbon or Provider Ribbon>Change to
Person/Company Copy Name and Address Edit>Copy Name and Address
Party Tools Ribbon or Provider Ribbon>Copy Name and Address
List Parties for Case Case>List Parties for Case
Party Tools Ribbon>Parties for Case and Case Ribbon>Parties for Case
Delete Provider Info From
Name Edit>Delete Provider Info From Name
Provider Ribbon>Delete Provider Info From Name
Spell Check Icon Toolbar and Edit>Spell Check Quick Access Toolbar
Custom Buttons
Ultility>Properties>Custom Buttons (for firm wide buttons) or
Directory>Staff>Preferences>Custom Buttons
(for user specific buttons) Quick Access Toolbar
Scan Icon tool bar and Utility>Scan Quick Access Toolbar
Print Screen Utility>Print Screen
Quick Access Toolbar (Not currently enabled) Date Calculator
Utility>Date Calculator or Right click on a date field>Date Calculator
Quick Access Toolbar and File>Date Calculator
Print Menu/Icon Toolbars
Quick Access Toolbar and
File>Print (Not currently enabled) Exit Red X in top right hand corner or Utility>Exit
Red X in top right hand corner or File>Exit
Checklist Summary Report Report>Checklist Reports>Checklist Summary
Report Ribbon>Checklist Summary Report
Create Report Report>User Defined Report>Create Report Ribbon>Create Report
Report Library Menu/icon Toolbars Report Ribbon>Report Library
Calendar Report Calendar>Calendar Report
Report Ribbon>Report Library>Calendar Reports Weekly Calendar Calendar>Weekly Calendar
Report Ribbon>Report Library>Calendar Reports
REV.180726 30
Feature/Function Where was it in 4.x Where is it in 5.0
Daily Graph Calendar>Daily Graph
Report Ribbon>Report Library>Calendar
Reports>Timeline View Report
Monthly Graph Calendar>Monthly Graph
Report Ribbon>Report Library>Calendar
Reports>Timeline View Report
Settlement Memos
Report>Settlement Memo (Reports can be accessed from Value Tab or either menu/icon Toolbars
Report Ribbon>Report Library>Settlement Memos
Print Directories Directory>Print Directories
Reports Ribbon>Report Library>Print Directories (Not currently enabled)
Search Menu/Icon Toolbars Search Ribbon
Add Case Search Search Ribbon>Add Case
Add Party Search Search Ribbon>Add Party
Add Provider Search Search Ribbon>Add Provider
Provider Entry Directory>Provider>Provider Entry Search Ribbon>Add Provider
Case Search Search Search Ribbon>Case Search
Document Search Report>Search for a Document Search Ribbon>Document Search
Provider Search Search Search Ribbon>Provider Search
