Filevine’s Outlook Add-in integration allows users to complete basic Filevine actions without leaving Outlook. Users can send any email to the project’s Activity Feed, and save any email attachments to the project’s Docs section.
To use the Outlook Add-in, users must have a Microsoft Exchange Server, which will usually require Office 365. Users must use either Outlook on the web or the newest version of the Outlook app. Reach out to your IT or Email Admin to confirm that you are using Exchange and an Outlook version that runs the Edge browser, and make sure you are running the latest version of Outlook.
Learn more about checking Outlook Add-In authentication.
Setup
The Outlook add-in can be used with either the desktop or web version of Outlook. Once the add-in has been installed, it can also be used in the mobile app. To install the add-in:
- Outlook Desktop: click the Get Add-ins button in the ribbon along the top.
- Outlook for Web: compose a new message, click the ellipsis icon at the bottom of the message, and select Get Add-ins from the dropdown.
In the opened modal, use the search bar in the top right to search for “Filevine.” Find the Filevine add-in and click Add.
Tip
For the most up-to-date steps to install an add-in, read Microsoft’s article: Use add-ins in Outlook.
When the add-in has been added, open it, and you will see it on the righthand side of Outlook. Click Sign In.
You will be asked to choose your location upon your first sign in. You will not need to select your location when signing in going forward.
If you have been instructed to, select FilevineGov. Otherwise, select either the United States login or the Canada login, based on your location.
Sign in using your Filevine email and password.
Mobile App
When you have installed the add-in, you will also be able to use it from the Outlook mobile app. Download the Microsoft Outlook app from your app store.
Once you have installed the app on your mobile device, access the add-in by clicking the ellipsis at the top of an opened or composed email, just as you would on desktop.
In the Outlook app, the add-in’s functionality is only available in received mode, not in compose mode. Additionally, Filevine task shortcuts, like @ and +@, function as usual, but the suggested completion dialogue will not appear.
All other functionality of the Filevine Outlook Add-in is the same in the app as it is on your desktop.
Navigation
Once you’ve installed and signed in to the Outlook add-in, you can open it in Outlook Desktop by clicking the Filevine logo in the top bar next to the Get Add-ins button.
To open the add-in in Outlook for web, find and select the Filevine logo in either the top bar or the reading pane actions menu. (You may need to select the app launcher icon to find it.)
The add-in will open on the right-hand side of your screen. You’ll see a list of recently-viewed projects, along with a project search bar. To include archived projects in the project list and search results, select Include Archived.
If you have multiple Orgs, use the dropdown at the top to select the desired Org. Click the star icon next to the Org dropdown to set the currently-selected Org as the default.
To sign out of either Filevine or Microsoft within the add-in, click the vertical ellipsis ⋮ along the top and select either Sign Out (Filevine) or Sign Out (Microsoft).
Pin the Add-in
To keep the add-in open as you switch between emails, click the pin icon in Outlook (Desktop or web).
To find and launch the add-in more easily while viewing emails in Outlook for web, go to More actions ⋯ in the reading pane actions menu. Select Customize actions.
In the Addins column, select the checkbox next to Filevine. Click Save.
Create a Project
To create a new Filevine project in the Outlook add-in, click + New Project under the search bar.
Heads Up!
If you currently use Lead Docket as your intake system, you should continue using your current intake methods to ensure that your leads are routed correctly.
Fill out the fields as described in the Create a New Project article. The Org will be auto-populated based on the Org currently selected in the project list. When finished, click Create Project.
When selecting the main project contact, you have the option to create a new contact in the add-in if desired. If you create a contact, but do not proceed to create the project, the contact will still exist in Filevine without a project.
Project Snapshot
Search for and select the desired project to see a snapshot of that project’s details, including:
- the project name along the top
- the main project contact
- an option to add time entries
- an option to view project vitals
- tabs for Documents and Contacts
At the top, click the project name to open the project in Filevine, or click Projects to switch to a different project. Click Vitals to view all vitals for the project.
You can create new time entries and add contacts within the project snapshot, if desired.
Add Time
Click Add Time to add a time entry to the project through the add-in.
Fill out the fields just as described in the Time Entries section of the Billing Items article. When finished, click Save.
The time entry is added to the project’s Billing section and can be edited and invoiced alongside other time entries.
Create New Contact
Select the Contacts tab to see a list of all contacts associated with the project. Next to the “Search contacts” field, click the add person icon to add a new contact to the project.
Fill out the fields as desired. The First Name field is required, but the other fields are optional. When finished, click Save.
The contact will be created in the project’s Filevine Org and will be added to the Contacts section of that project. Once the contact is created, you will be able to edit and add to the contact information in Filevine as usual.
Emails
Use the Outlook add-in to send project-related emails to the respective project’s Activity Feed. That way, all correspondence related to a particular project is captured in Filevine.
Sending an email to a project will create an activity item, which includes the following:
- the email subject line,
- the sender and recipients
- all email text
- the email’s .eml file
- any additional attached documents
This item will not use the project email. The “Sent from” and “Sent to” information will remain the same as in Outlook.
Tip
To quickly reply to or forward an email in the Activity Feed, click the caret next to the .eml file and select one of the Send Email options.
You can send Outlook emails to the project while composing them. Alternatively, emails you already sent or received in Outlook can be saved to the Filevine project at any time. Once an email is sent to a project, that project will be auto-selected in the add-in when viewing that email in Outlook.
Send Emails to Filevine
To send an Outlook email to the Filevine project while composing it, follow these steps.
Step 1: Select Project and Recipients
While composing the email in Outlook, search for and select the desired project in the add-in.
You can then use the add-in to add project contacts as recipients to the email. To add the main project contact, find and select them underneath the project name at the top. Click To, CC, or BCC to add them as a recipient.
To add other project contacts as recipients, select the Contacts tab, then find and select the desired contact. Click To, CC, or BCC to add them as a recipient.
Step 2: Attach Filevine Documents
Once you’ve added recipients from the project, compose the email subject and message in Outlook.
You can attach files from your device as usual, or attach documents from the Filevine project’s Docs section. Under the “My Recent Docs” header, you’ll see up to five recently viewed or edited project documents. Select a document from this list to attach it to the email.
To attach a project document outside of this list, click Attach Filevine Documents.
You’ll see a list of all folders and documents in that project. Search for the desired document(s), or click through the folder structure to find them. To preview a document, click the eye icon next to it. To attach a document to the email, select it.
When you’re finished, click the project name at the top to return to the project snapshot view.
Step 3: Save Attachments to Filevine
After adding the desired attachments, you can then choose which attachments to include when sending the email item to Filevine. Underneath the Attach Filevine Documents button, the email’s attachments are listed.
You can select attachments to send them to the project’s Docs section, or unselect to send them to the email’s recipients only.
The following attachments are selected by default:
- the email’s .eml file
- any attached files from your device
The following attachments are unselected by default:
- any attached Filevine documents (excluded because they are already in Filevine)
- any inline images, like email signature images
To edit an attached file’s name, click the pencil icon. Enter the desired name, and then click the save icon.
In the Bulk Destination Picker, choose the desired folder destination for the attached files. To override this destination for individual files, select the folder name underneath the attachment and select the desired folder for that file.
Note
Files sent from the Outlook Add-In are considered “uploaded by” the email’s sender, provided that the sender is a user in Filevine. If the email sender is not a user, the file is uploaded by “Filevine system.”
Step 4: Add a Comment or Assign a Task (Optional)
In the “Add a comment or task” field at the bottom, you have the option to add an internal comment to include with the email item in Filevine. You can also use the @ sign to assign a task to yourself or another team member.
In Filevine, the comment above will display as a reply to the activity item:
Step 5: Use the Add-In to Send
When you’re finished composing the email, attaching files, and choosing the destination for those attachments in Filevine, click the Send Email button in the add-in. This action will send the email to the recipient(s) and send an email item to the project’s Activity Feed.
Save Existing Emails to Filevine
To save an existing Outlook email to the Filevine project, follow these steps.
Step 1: Select Project
While viewing the email you sent or received in Outlook, navigate to the desired project in the add-in.
Step 2: Select or Unselect Attachments
In the Documents tab of the selected project, the email’s attachments are listed.
The email's .eml file and file attachments will be selected by default. Any inline images, like email signature images, will be unselected. Select or unselect files to respectively include or exclude them when sending the email to the project.
To edit an attached file’s name, click the pencil icon. Enter the desired name, and then click the save icon.
In the Bulk Destination Picker, choose the desired folder destination for the attached files. To override this destination for individual files, select the folder name underneath the attachment and select the desired folder for that file.
Note
Files sent from the Outlook Add-In are considered “uploaded by” the email’s sender, provided that the sender is a user in Filevine. If the email sender is not a user, the file is uploaded by “Filevine system.”
Step 3: Add a Comment or Assign a Task (Optional)
In the “Add a comment or task” field at the bottom, you have the option to add an internal comment to include with the email item in Filevine. You can also use the @ sign to assign a task to yourself or another team member.
In Filevine, the comment above will display as a reply to the activity item:
Step 4: Save to Filevine
When you’re finished choosing attachments and their destinations, click Save to Filevine. This action will send the email to the project’s Activity Feed.
Once an Outlook email has been saved to Filevine, the add-in will auto-select the associated project when the email is open. The Documents tab will display any comments on the item, with the option to add additional comments if desired.
To view the attachment(s) that were saved to Filevine, select All Documents.
Calendar Events
Users can also use the Filevine add-in with their Outlook Calendars. When creating or editing an event, the Filevine add-in appears along the righthand side. You can search projects and access their vitals and contacts, just like when viewing or composing Outlook emails.
To add project contacts as attendees, find and select the desired contact. Click Add as required or Add as optional.
If you’ve successfully configured calendar sync, you can add the event to the project calendar by clicking the project email. This action adds the project as an “Optional” attendee.
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