Entity Variables in LawMaster

Entity Variables allows additional and custom data to be stored and related to an entity. Unlike Matter Attributes, this data is not stored only on a specific matter, but is available for use across matters. 

Pre-Requisites 

Version 

Entity Variables have been introduced for general availability with the Sweden release of LawMaster. 

Parameters 

Entity Variables are part of a special template. In parameters go to the TM parameter. An entity template will have been created automatically upon update (and may have a different name or code to the example below). The main requirements for the template are: 

1. The template is assigned a base of “C” for entity (rather than M for matter for example); 
2. The template is set as Active and Visible. 
3. You should ensure that only one template that satisfies the above criteria 

Adding Entity Variables 

New Entity Variables are added to the template in the same way that Matter Attributes are created for matters. 

• Using the Workflow Development item in the Main Menu, select Template Variables and enter the template’s code. 
• From here you can add new Entity Variables with Right Click > Add in the main grid. 

Visibility in the LawMaster User Interface 

Entity Variables for a particular entity can be viewed, added, amended and deleted from the entity search screen in the new Variables tab at the bottom, just Right Click or use the keyboard shortcuts. 

Matter Party Access to Entity Variables 

In the same way that you can access other entity data via the Matter Party variables such as CLFullNames or CLAddr1Line, entity variables are available through a similar format. These are available for insertion into document via the Document Variable Insertion Tool under the Entity Variables Data Group. Like other Matter Party variables, these are read-only. 

The result will be the familiar merge field inserted into Word: 

Working with Entity Variables in Workflow and Document Automation Scripts 

For Entity Variables, we have provided a method of access these in scripts for both reading and writing, similar to Matter Attributes. 

Because it is necessary to know both which entity and which Entity Variable is being referred to, the general process is to assign an entity to a ZE type Matter Attribute, and then use that variable name with a special addition to access the Entity Variable. 

In the sample code below: 

• DocEntity is a Matter Attribute of type ZE to hold an Entity ID; 
• EntCarRego and EntCarRegoExp are Entity Variables. 

Using Entity Variables in PDF Merge and Reverse Merge 

Although a detailed description of PDF merge and reverse merge is not within the scope of this note, the key requirements for Entity Variables are outlined below. 

Mapping Requirements 

In PDF documents, it is necessary to map the LawMaster variable to the field in the PDF that it will fill. For Entity Variables, it is necessary to create one mapping for merge (export to the form from LawMaster) and one mapping for reverse merge (import from the form to LawMaster). 

For merging, map the Party Entity Variable (an SE Party in the example below). 

You may press F5 > Variables then select the template where the relevant Matter Attributes are held (REV in the example). For the Data Group select Entity Variables, then select the relevant party. 

You will then have a mapping similar to the below: 

For reverse merge, there must first exist an entity placeholder of type Entity in the Entities tab in the PDF’s modify screen.

 Then map the Entity Variable directly from your Entity Template (the ENT template referred to at the start of this document).

 One further requirement is that in order to reverse merge to an existing entity, the PDF must contain and map the Entity ID. If an entity ID is not present, a new entity will be created during the reverse merge process. 

NOTE: Further details of the requirements for PDF merge and reverse merge can be provided upon request.