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The Basic Guide to Using Prime
Prime is an extremely powerful case management system. However, you don't need to use all the features to have it help you manage your cases, time and schedule. This guide gives you the necessary information to get you started using Prime.

==ARRANGED BY FUNCTION==

Prime is setup so you go about your tasks in a functional way. The primary things that you do are:

ADD – You need to put in information to use the system
SEARCH – Find the information you put in so you can look at it, add to it or edit it
REPORT – Get a row and column report, totals, a form letter, a list, a calendar, a graph, or other information

==PRIME DOES MANY THINGS==

Prime does many things. You have to be aware of its features before you can choose which ones to use.

Here are some of the things that you can use Prime for:
Eligibility Checking
Conflict Checking
Call Back System
Client Intake
Document Tracking
Time Keeping
Calendaring (Setting Appointments, Tickles, and Calendar Events)
Case Notes
Generating Form Letters
Tracking cases and their related hearings for multiple clients
Scheduling and attending meetings involving multiple clients
Tracking litigation expenses
Trust Accounting
Private Bar Involvement (PBI) case assignment and tracking
Agency referrals
Storing other services not directly related to an individual case
Reporting
Texting
Email
Most of these features are a mouse click or keystroke away.

==DO THE SAME THING DIFFERENT PLACES==

You often can do the same task from several different places, depending upon where you are in the intake process. These options exist because different offices flow through intakes different ways. Where you choose to do certain things also depends upon the interface that you’ve chosen to use. You can choose different startup and main menu screens. No matter where you choose to enter information, it ends up stored in the same place.

For example, you can open up a Time Keeping Slip several different ways including:

Clicking the ‘Time’ button on a Client, Eligibility, or Callback Intake Sheets
Choosing Add, Time Keeping, Staff Time from the top line Ribbon Bar
Clicking on Time Keeping Tile on the Tiles Menu, or
Clicking on the ‘Speed Time Notes’ button on the Today Screen’s ‘Your Open Cases’ Tab

There are several different Time Keeping input forms that allow you to enter time in the way most convenient to you.

==CERTAIN CHOICES MAY BE LOCKED==

You will not be able to see or use all the features in the system. Some of the options are more advanced, restricted or are used for setting up the program. What you can use is determined by what roles you’ve been assigned by the Administrator. If you need to use a feature that isn’t activated, such as managing Trust Accounts, contact the Administrator to have it turned on for you.

==FIRST STARTING UP==

Start Prime, by entering your staff number and password. An Error Alert Screen might appear listing any errors that exist in your open or closed cases. Double click on the row with the error to open the case, correct the error and then close the case. When done correcting your errors, press the ‘Rerun Error Check’ button to remove the errors from the list. Depending on your settings, exceeding a certain number of errors locks you out of Prime till you correct the errors.

Depending on your choice of interfaces, a startup screen now appears that can show you your open cases, give you a list of tasks to perform, allow you to use internal messages and display your calendar for a day, week, or month.

==FOUR LEVELS OF INTAKE==

The Intake process for applicants is based upon a four level system. Where you begin the process and whether you use all the possible levels depends upon your office’s requirements and needs. These are the four possible levels:

===Online Intake===
An optional feature that allows applicants to fill out an application over the internet. These applications are screened from the Admin Tab on the Ribbon Bar. If an applicant appears qualified, their intake can be automatically copied into the Eligibility Slip or the Client Intake.

===Callback===
The Callback intake can be used for many purposes. Offices use it to:

Take messages off the answering machine,
Screen initial applicants,
Set up a callback schedule for returning basic advice requests,
Track brief advice that normally isn’t captured,
Record the content of phone calls,
Input information and referral actions and
Schedule a call back to non-English speaking clients when an interpreter is available
Multiple other reasons.

Once filled out, the user has the option of sending a copy of the contents of the Callback directly to an Eligibility Slip to do further screening.

===Eligibility===
This is where many programs begin the intake process because of internal or funding requirements.

This slip checks the seven things needed for an Applicant to be eligible:
	The applicant’s problem is one that the office can handle
	The problem is in the office’s physical jurisdiction
	There is no conflict with existing clients
	The applicant does not have too much income
	The applicant does not own assets that are too valuable
	The applicant is a citizen or eligible alien
	The problem is within the office’s priorities and there are enough resources to help them

If the applicant turns out to be eligible, their information is copied to the full Client Intake.

===Client Intake===
Once here, the applicant has been accepted as a client and the office agrees to represent them with their legal need. This is discussed more in depth below.

==REQUIRED FIELDS==

Input forms have certain blanks that MUST be filled before you can save the form. These fields are known as required fields. They are marked on the intake sheet by having an asterisk next to them. The newer versions of Prime might also have them show up with a colored background. This color disappears once a proper entry is made. Be sure to fill the required fields out before trying to leave or save the form.

==ADDING APPLICANT/CLIENT INFORMATION==

Adding a new client usually begins with Eligibility on the Add Tab (or Callback or Clients depending on how your office functions). The ‘Client Lookup’ button on those forms allows you to check if the person you are dealing with has or had a case with the office. It allows you to transfer the information from the old intake onto the new one. You can then edit any information that has changed. If begun on the Eligibility Screen and the applicant is eligible, pressing the ‘Save/Send’ button transfers the information to the Client Intake Sheet. This sheet is then completed. (Information can be added to an existing Eligibility or Client intake by first finding it using the Search screens as described below).

Intake sheets save automatically when you close them. However, if you want to be sure, you can press the ‘Save/Stay’ button. You should also press Save/Stay before you try and print a letter or intake sheet.
Fill in the fields on the intake form by typing or by selecting from the pull downs. Some fields only allow certain entries. Case notes are stored on the Case Notes Tab. Selecting the ‘Add Note’ button allows you to put in a new case note. There are options to read or edit old notes. A single note can also be sent to as many as six other cases in a single step.

Pressing the ESC key once undoes the entry in the field you are in. Pressing it twice returns the whole intake sheet to the condition it was in when first opened or last saved, so be careful with this. If you are on a brand new intake, it could clear out all your entries.

The ‘Edit New’ button allows you to close the current case and open another without leaving the client intake.

The ‘Duplicate’ button will create a new intake with some of the information from the current intake. It gives it a new case number and then it places a note in the case notes saying the information was duplicated. There are multiple choices to duplicate case notes, family members, etc.

If the case type for the intake is set as P (Private Bar Involvement), the PBI tab is populated with fields. This tracks which volunteer lawyer agreed to take the case. These fields store information about the PBI lawyer who was assigned the case. It also gives you a button to enter the time spent by the lawyer on the case. You can store an unlimited number of private lawyers on the case.

If R (Reject) case type is chosen, another field for Reason Rejected appears.

===Checking For Conflicts===
There are multiple places you can check conflict. You are also given multiple tools to do so. You can search for conflicts from the Conflict Check Touch Tile, the Eligibility Screen, the Callback Screen or the Client's Intake Screen. Conflicts can also be checked using a standard Conflict Search Screen. The ‘All People’ and ‘All Phones’ choices are also useful to see if the applicant’s name or phone number shows up anywhere else in the system.

===Family Members, Outcomes and Contacts Tabs===
The Client intake sheet has tabs that divide up where information is stored. If you want to enter family members, go to the Family Tab. The Outcomes Tab is the place where you put the benefits you achieved for the client when you close the case. The Contacts Tab stores information about people or organizations associated with the case. It can hold information about social workers, service providers, welfare workers, witnesses, etc. These can be selected from a list or new ones can be entered.

===Special Programs Tab===
The Special Programs tab supports custom intake sheets that attach to the main intake sheet. We provide you with some standard sheets, such as Title III and Litigation Expenses. The newer version of Prime has Disabilities, Court Cases, Hearings and Meetings. You can add custom intake sheets to gather additional information needed by your program or funders. We offer some custom Special Programs, such as HUD and VAWA intakes.

===Refer a Client to Other Legal and Non-Legal Help===
Selecting the ‘Referrals/Handout’ button allows you to both make agency referrals and record which documents you sent to clients. It presents a list of agencies that can help the client with the type of problem they have. (This assumes that the list of agencies has been entered for your jurisdiction.) You can broaden or narrow this list by selecting a different subject or using any Search screen techniques. You can do an Agency search when not on an intake by choosing it off the Search choice on the Ribbon Bar. Here you will have to select the subject, rather than having it automatically entered for you.

===Generating Form Letters===
Form letters are usually generated from the Client or Eligibility Intake Sheets. The ‘Form Letter’ button allows you to choose a letter, a letterhead, who is signing the letter, whether you want to add custom text, whether you want to be able to edit the full contents of the letter and if the text of the letter is saved in your case notes. You can also send out batch letters to any select groups of clients or set a schedule when certain clients receive letters using the report features. However, these tasks are beyond this basic discussion.

===Closing a Case===
A Case is closed by entering information on the Closure Tab. At a minimum you would enter a date closed and a reason closed. There are also other fields for additional information. The Good Story check box allows you to tag a case as being of particular merit. This is useful for year-end reports to the board and the community.

==TIME KEEPING==

The ‘Time’ button opens a box that allows you to choose what Time Keeping form you want to use.

There are three types of time:
Case Related – Time related to a Client, Eligibility or Callback Intake
Matter – Time that relates to the law but doesn’t apply to a particular client
Supporting Activity – All other time

There are different Time input screens. These store the time in the same place but offer different features. Here is an explanation of the three most used ones:

Stopwatch - Select the ‘Start’ and ‘Stop’ buttons to time your work, or enter the total time directly. You can change the advocate or the funding source related to the particular time spent on the case.

Time Block - Is the fastest way to enter time when you want a beginning and ending time to be stored. It uses 6 minute or 15 minute intervals. It also gives you a graphic display of the time you’ve accounted for during the day.

Batch Time – Is a good form to keep open if you put time in for many different activities during the day. It allows you to complete a time slip with the minimum number of entries. Press the ‘More Fields’ button to display more fields that allow you to gather additional information. Once you start filling out a time slip, a blank one appears below the one you are working on. When finished with the first slip, click on the one below to add a second slip. Repeat to add as many slips as you need during the day.

You can also enter time, without going to the intake sheet by using the Time Keeping Tile or Add then Time Keeping on the Ribbon Bar.

The case number, funding code, and advocate will automatically be entered if the slip is entered while on a Callback, Eligibility or Client intake. If not on the intake and the time you are entering is case related, find the case number by using the alphabetical list of all open case names. If the case is closed, used the ‘All Cases’ button to locate it. Make sure you are not violating office policy by putting in time on a closed case.

Non-case related functions are chosen by using the Non-Case dropdown. The Case Number will hold the words Matter or Supporting Activity (Matter or Sup. Activity).  After you choose whether it's a Matter or Sup. Activity, choose what type of Matter or Activity it is from the Activity pulldown. Matters begin with ‘M’ and Supporting Activities begin with an ‘S’.

A Time Slip for a case can hold a different funding source or advocate than is stored on the Client Intake.

If you choose ‘A’ for Case Related from the Time Activity field, a hidden field appears that allows you to select the type of case work you did. (This doesn’t show up for Matters or Supporting Activities since these aren’t cases.)

The Time Interval is the value to which the time is rounded up to. This value is set for the whole office by the system administrator. Generally either 6 or 15 minute increments.

==Calendar, Setting Reminders and Appointments==

Like Time Keeping, Calendar can be entered directly from the Client Intake Sheet, the Add choice on the Ribbon Bar, or the Scheduling tile. Similar to the Time Keeping sheet, there is a pull down to select from a list of open client names or all cases.

Pressing the ‘Calendar’ button pulls up a Calendar sheet and fills it in as a tickle for today. Click on any date on the calendar to change the date of the event. All events scheduled in the office on that day are displayed on the bottom right of the screen. Change the event to an appointment or a tickle/reminder by checking or unchecking the appropriate boxes. Later, when the event is completed, pull it up using the Calendar Search screen and either mark it as completed, edit it with a future date, or delete it. You can also do this from the Today start up screen.

The Calendar works like a tickle system, marking cases to be pulled for review or work (tickled) if the Tickle box is checked, and can also be used to set appointments if the Appointment box is checked. These choices determine what reports the event appears on. After the event occurs, edit the event by adding a future date, mark it as completed or delete it.

To set a date, use buttons to select the proper month and click on the day you want. It is entered automatically in the event date field. A short description of the event can be attached to the record. This can make finding a particular event in a list easier.

There are several easy ways to find what calendar events are scheduled. Go to the View choice on the Ribbon bar and choose the Today Screen or the Home Screen. These have calendar displays that allow you to see what you have scheduled. If the event involves a case, you can open the case by double clicking on the calendar listing.

You can also find what you have scheduled by going to the Scheduling tile or the Search – Scheduling Ribbon Bar choice and choosing either the Calendar Search or the Calendar View Screens. The Calendar View Search displays a split screen, showing a calendar on one side and a blank area on the other. Pushing the ‘Event Dates’ button colors all the days red in the displayed month that have something (an appointment or tickle) scheduled. Clicking on a particular day displays a list to the right of those events scheduled on that day. The list can be limited to a particular advocate or office. The ‘Print’ button allows this list to be turned into a hard copy. The normal Calendar Search Screen is unique in that you can edit many of the fields directly on the screen.

==THE SEARCH SCREENS==

Search Screens find any type of intake sheet you filled out, such as Clients, Eligibility, Callback, Time, Calendar, Court, etc. Choose a Search Screen from the Ribbon Bar, Touch Tile or other location. Most Search Screens share the same look and ease of use. Once you learn to use one, the others work the same. We will use the Client Intake as an example, but the same rules apply to other Search Screens.

===Pull Down Method===
One way to search is to use the pull down that lists different fields on the Client Intake. Select the field you want to search by, then put the value you are looking for in the ‘Word or # Field’ box. Selecting certain fields, such as staff number, problem code, and office number trigger a drop-down that allows you to choose from a list of values that are valid for the selected field. Next, click Enter. This displays the records that contain that value.

The ‘Sounds Like’ button utilizes the United States Census Bureau's Soundex formula to find similar sounding names. It only works on certain fields. For example, it only works for the client's last name on the Client Search Screen.

Save Time by Searching For First and Last Name
You can search for a client’s name using first and last name. Choose Last Name from the Search Field pull down and then enter the last name, a comma and then the first name. For example, use Smith, John to search for John Smith.

===Drill-Down Method===
Another way to search is to use the ‘drill down method.’ This has the advantage of being able to use multiple conditions when looking for records. Highlight all or a portion of a field value on the screen and select ‘Selection’ from the Ribbon Bar’s ‘Sort and Filter’ group. This shows up when you select the ‘Search’ or ‘Home’ tab on the ribbon bar.

For example, if you click on the value ‘1’ under Snum (staff number) and then select ‘Selection,’ you are given choices, dependent upon the type of field chosen. For example, if you chose ‘Smith’ on the Search Screen, you would be given the choices of:
Equals ‘Smith’
Does not equal ‘Smith’
Contains ‘Smith’
Does not contain ‘Smith’

In our example if you choose ‘Equals 1’, all of the cases for staff number 1 are displayed. Next, click on ‘63’ under PC (problem code) and ‘Selection’ and ‘Equals 63’ to get all of staff number 1’s Landlord/Tenant Cases. Then click on a Date Closed that is blank and tap ‘Selection’ and ‘Equals Blank’ to get all of staff number 1’s Open Landlord/Tenant Cases. Last, click on Atlanta under city and press ‘Selection’ and ‘Does not contain Atlanta’ to display all of staff number 1’s open Landlord/Tenant Cases where the clients don’t live in Atlanta.

You can also search using only a portion of a field. For example, highlighting the ‘03’ portion of the Date Opened Field will display all of the cases that were opened in 2003.

The drill down method becomes even more useful when changing the fields displayed on the Search Screens, as explained below.

===Changing the Displayed Fields===
Change the fields that are displayed on the screen when the Search Screen first opens by using the pull down at the top of each column. Select the field you want displayed in that column. For example, you can use this to change the reason closed display to show the number of adults in the household. It is easier to type the first few letters of the field you want rather than scroll through the long list. If you close the search and reopen, it will return to displaying the original fields.

To prevent the Search Screen from disappearing after you open up a record and return to it, click on the ‘Status’ button BEFORE selecting the client. The label changes from ‘Search Closes’ to ‘Search Remains Open’. This is especially useful if you have performed a complex search using the drill down method and you want to return back to that search. You are also prompted if you want to keep the Search open.

===Going Back===
Using the Arrow Buttons allows you to go back to a previous search you just performed using the Search field pull down. These arrows will ONLY appear after you have performed a search using the Search Field pull down (otherwise there is nothing to go back to).

===Print===
Print the cases listed on the Search Screen by tapping the File and Print Preview choice on the Ribbon bar. If you changed the displayed fields, those are the ones that will appear on the printout. The best way to close the preview is to go to the Ribbon Bar and choose ‘Close Preview’.

===Show All===
The ‘Show All’ Button displays all clients. This button may not be present on all versions of the system.

===Open the Record===
Double click on any field displayed to open up the record displayed on that row. You can also click on a row so that the black arrow points at it and then click the ‘Open Intake’ button.

===Export to Excel===
The ‘Export to Excel’ button sends either the complete records or only the fields that show on the screen to an Excel spreadsheet. This allows you to manipulate this data in Excel for reports or export to funders.

===Mini Report Writer===
As a result of all the options for sorting, selecting and displaying information, the Search screens can be used as mini report writers to produce the information you are looking for. Thus, the Search screens can supplement the vast number of reporting options built into Prime.

===Small Buttons===
The small buttons on the side of the Client Search Screen are very important. The Notes button shows the notes for the case that has an arrow pointing at it. The Staff button tells you the name of the Advocate handling the case, based upon the staff number. Using tells you who is in the case and when they went in. It also allows you to send an internal message to another person concerning the case. The Closing button opens a closure form used by managing attorneys to review the case before it is closed.

===The Red Asterisk Means ‘In Use, Don’t Enter!’===
If there is a red asterisk next to a case on a Search screen it means someone is using the case and you shouldn’t go in. Press the Using button to see who it is, when they went in and send them a message if you need to use the case. If the date they went in is long ago, it’s possible the asterisk was left over from exiting the case improperly. A button on the Admin tab allows the Administer to easily clear all the asterisks that no longer apply.

==PREVIEWING AND RUNNING REPORTS==

Prime has over 500 reports built in. There are two steps for running a report.

The first is that you choose what you want the report to look like. Is it a row and column report? Does it list cases or only the summary of the data? Is it a graph or numbers?

The second step is choosing what data you use to fill the report. Do you want cases closed between two certain dates? Do you want only the information on one office, unit or advocate? Do you need to report on the cases for a particular funding code or problem code?

Prime makes it easy to do both of these.

Previewing the Reports
Clicking on the Report Tile or the Ribbon Bar Report choice gives you three easy ways to choose the report you need.

Preview Search – This allows you to use the skills you learned using Search screens to find the report you need. You can search by name, by area, by words in the description, such as ‘pending’. Double clicking brings up a preview of the report and description, so you can see what it will look like when it’s filled with your data. Clicking on the ‘Run Report’ button allows you to run the report once you find the one you need.

Tree View Search – Scroll through a list of areas, such as eligibility or clients, click on the plus sign next to it and open up branches listing all the reports of that area. Clicking on any of the branches brings up a description and a preview of the report.

Both of these screens has a ‘Browse’ button. This allows you to select an area, such as Time, and then see a preview of the first time report. Using the arrows in the lower left corner of the screen leafs through the previews of all the reports that apply to that area.

Report Selector – Use pull downs to select reports applying to different areas, such as Eligibility. There are also other options there such as running the Error Alert report, selecting from Reports that are part of report packs and opening the Simple Query Builder.

===Filling the reports with Data===
There are three ways to put the data you want into the report you selected.

Criteria Screen – This is a form that displays many fields from the table you are reporting on, such as Clients. You put the values you are looking for next to the appropriate fields. For example, putting 1/1/17-12/31/17 next to date closed means you will get all the cases closed in 2017. Then type 63 next to problem code and the list of cases closed in 2017 will be limited to only Landlord/Tenant cases. If the field you want isn’t shown, use the ‘Choose other fields below’ pull down to select it. Then put the criteria you need in the box next to the pull down you chose. When finished entering your criteria, push the ‘Prepare Report’ and ‘Produce Report’ buttons. Your report appears using the data you selected.

A dash signifies a range of data, such as the dates mentioned above. You can also do a list using commas, such as problem codes 1, 32, 63. These entered criteria can be saved and then used later with the same or different reports, by using the Save Criteria feature.

Prompts – Some reports will ask you specific questions, such as ‘Enter the beginning date closed’ and ‘Enter the ending date closed’. When finished, the report generates automatically using the limits you entered.

Unique Criteria Screen – Some reports run off of a tailored form. Though not as broad as the Criteria screen mentioned above, it still allows you tailor the data that goes into your report. The Status Reports use such a screen.

Once the report is displayed, click with the magnifying lens pointer to make it more readable. Print this report by choosing File then Print.

===The Report Creator===
The Report Creator allows you to run, modify or create sophisticated reports. By following a what-you-see-is-what-you-get form, you can add fields, change colors, put in criteria, sort the results and break down the information by office, advocate, funding code, city, etc. These reports can be saved by the Administrator for later use by everyone.

===Custom Reports===
There are multiple ways to do custom reports in Prime if you can’t find the exact report you want already built in.

The Simple Query builder is available from the Report choice on the Ribbon Bar or on the Report Selector page. It allows you to create custom reports from a single table, such as Clients, or using a couple of tables such as Time and Clients. The builder allows you to determine the fields to display, enter criteria, set the sort order and run your report. This report can be saved and played back whenever you want.

Microsoft Access has a very powerful Query system included in the program. This allows you to create custom reports containing the information you need. These reports can include the information from multiple tables. They can either show information from each intake sheet or they can give you totals, groupings, averages, etc. To use this feature you must be using the full version of Microsoft Access. There is a Wizard that walks you through the steps necessary to create a query. Any book about Access will explain how to create a custom query. 

The Report Wizard built into Microsoft Access is a very powerful tool that allows you to create sophisticated reports that include totals, details and groupings. (Although the Report Creator is a better choice) Explaining how to use this powerful tool is beyond the scope of this paper. However, there are a wealth of books, videos, etc. that explain how to use it.

The Business Intelligence Dashboard opens to an easy-to-use Table of Contents listing 76 graphs that you run with a click of a mouse. These graphs give you a picture of what is happening in your caseload, office, and program. You can tailor these graphs to your needs by changing the dates, funding codes, problem codes, staff number, units, offices, etc. that they apply to. This dashboard is included as part of the latest Prime Case Management version.

==ADVANCED FEATURES==

This article has been a simple overview of the basic features of Prime intended to get you started. There are many other features in Prime that can increase the quality and quantity of work that you do. Some of these, such as the Client Online Intake, Private Bar Online Portal and Texting to Clients are options to the program. We encourage you to explore and experiment with the program to see all the things that it can do.

KCW holds national trainings from time-to-time that provide intense instruction on how to work with queries and reports and many other features in Prime. Check our website or contact us to see if there are any upcoming events.