Workflows sit at the heart of efficient matter management. They guide users step by step, reducing risk, saving time, and making sure nothing slips through the cracks. Most importantly, they give firms the confidence that all critical tasks are completed in the same way by everyone who follows the workflow. 

A File Opening Workflow is a great example of this in action. At the start of a matter, requirements are usually the same across the board — regardless of practice area. That makes file opening the perfect place for a company-wide workflow, ensuring consistent protocols are followed and that nothing vital is missed at this early stage. 

From here, we’ll walk through a Simple Workflow example to show how these ideas come together. While the workflow itself is straightforward, it still makes use of important building blocks and principles — such as decision points, conditional branches, and activity assignments — that lie at the heart of more advanced workflows too. 

The Importance of User Assignment 

Before we even look at the building blocks of a workflow, it’s important to understand user assignment. This is a basic piece of knowledge that underpins every workflow. 

A workflow doesn’t just decide what needs to be done — it also decides who should be doing it. By assigning each activity to the right role, the workflow makes sure nothing is missed, everyone knows their responsibility, and tasks are carried out consistently across the firm. 

Out of the box, every matter includes three key users: 

• Fee Earner – has overall responsibility for the matter. 

• Assisting Person – carries out most of the day-to-day tasks. 

• Responsible Person – provides oversight and ensures compliance. 

For example, in a File Opening Workflow the Assisting Person usually generates and sends the client care documents, while any potential conflict of interest is escalated to the Fee Earner for review. See Swimlane diagram (different lane for each key user) 

We would always recommend mapping out the flow of a workflow in a process diagram before you start building it. By laying out the key steps and decisions in sequence, you create a clear picture of how the process should run. 

A Swimlane Diagram works particularly well for this. It not only shows the order of tasks but also highlights which key user type is responsible for each step along the way. At this stage it may also become clear if further key users are needed beyond the standard three that come with a matter. 

Activities in Action 

Now let’s put this design into action. In the Workflow Designer, the building blocks we’ve been talking about are called Activities. Each activity represents a step in the process — whether that’s a task, a decision point, or an automated action. 

Here’s how the activities come together in a simple File Opening Workflow: it is using simple Diary tasks along with Branch Yes No to allow the users to make decisions and the New Documents Activity to add the Client Care Pack Documents; 

Finally, each activity is assigned to the right person as defined in the Swimlane Diagram. 

Taking This Workflow Further 

As firms refine their processes, a simple workflow can be expanded into something more advanced. For example, conflict reviews may benefit from their own sub-workflow, allowing for additional steps and decisions to be carried out in more detail. Workflows are modular, so breaking processes into smaller components improves readability and also allows for reusability across other workflows. 

In the diagram below, our workflow has been altered to call a Sub Workflow to Review the Conflict, to then return back to this workflow when the Sub Workflow has been passed through. 

At this stage, further user types may also be identified beyond the three key users on a matter. Activities can be assigned not just to individuals, but also to users of a particular role and broadcast to all of those users, for example taking our workflow forward, we may want a conflict review to be notified to all users who have the role Compliance across the firm. This ensures that every activity is handled by the right people, whether that’s a specific fee earner, or someone who has a specialist role within the firm. 

Webinar Series 

Following on from our introduction to workflow webinar on the 30th May we have an advanced features within workflow webinar scheduled for the 19th September. 

EvolvePlus – Continually Evolving to Support You Better

Continuing into September, we have two more dedicated training webinars focused on Benefits of Payment Requests & Lodgement Requests and Advanced Features within Workflows. These sessions are tailored for different roles in your firm, ensuring every team member can improve efficiency and gain practical, role-specific insights.

5 September 2025 @ 12pm – Benefits of Payment Requests and Lodgement Requests

In this upcoming Webinar, we will discover how Payment Request and Lodgement Requests can transform your legal practice’s financial operations. This session will showcase how these tools streamline the management of client and office account transactions—delivering enhanced accuracy, transparency, and compliance. You’ll learn how Payment Requests help control disbursements, minimizing errors and preventing unauthorized payments. We’ll also cover how Lodgement Requests ensure incoming funds are correctly allocated, improving your financial record-keeping. Join us to see how these processes bolster financial controls, optimize cash flow, and give you greater confidence in managing client and office account operations day-to-day.

Register Here →

19 September 2025 @ 12pm – Advanced features within Workflows

Building on our Workflow Introduction webinar in May, this next session explores the top Workflow activities that empower you to streamline key business processes—boosting both efficiency and compliance. In this webinar, we will demonstrate how each advanced Workflow activity works in practice, highlight common best practices for designing automated and reliable processes and show real-world examples of how these features can reduce manual effort and ensure consistent outcomes. Join us to deepen your understanding and elevate your workflow management to the next level.

Register Here →

For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit our Events Page and secure your spot today! 

We’ll return in September with more updates. In the meantime, if you found this update helpful, why not share it with your colleagues or peers who could benefit from staying updated with PracticeEvolve? Thank you for your continued support and engagement!

The PracticeEvolve Team