Tip #138 - Depositions and Motions Entered on the Litigation Screen are Synched to the Calendar

Did you know that entries made on the Litigation Screen for Depositions and Motions can be synched to the calendar and vice versa?

The SmartAdvocate Litigation Screen has several pages including Litigation Summary, Discovery, Depositions, Motions, Expert, etc. Further, if you make an entry for Deposition or Motion, the system will automatically transfer the user to the calendar, pre-populate some of the entries on the calendar, and transfer the user back to the litigation screen after the entry has been saved to the calendar. Let’s look at a sample deposition entry for example.

First, we will enter the deposition information from the Litigation Screen. The date “scheduled” is the date for the deposition.

After making the appropriate entries (deponent, service, etc.) click the “New” button located in the middle of the page on the Edit Form for the deposition being entered.

[Please note that if you select Date to Comply and Deponents prior to clicking the “New” button, the date and deponent’s name will be automatically transferred to the appointment subject for the calendar entry].

You will be transferred to the Add New Appointment Details Screen which will have the activity type pre-populated. Enter the deposition date and make any additional adjustments to the appointment entry, as appropriate.

You will be transferred back to the Litigation Screen after you have saved the calendar entry with the deposition date now populated to the deposition entry being made.

Enter any remaining information then click the “Save” button to save your entry on the Litigation Screen.

The process is similar for motions, except that for motions you would enter the Return Date or Hearing date then click the “New Appointment” button which will transfer you to the Add Appointment Details page to make a calendar entry. The activity type and appointment date will be populated automatically. Make any additional entry for the appointment as appropriate then save your entry.

If you commenced your entry for a deposition or motion from the New Appointment Details page (i.e., add an appointment and select either one of the deposition activity types or motion types) you will be given the choice of transferring to the Litigation Screen to make an appropriate entry there as outlined above.

All entries, regardless of how commenced, will be displayed on the Litigation Summary Screen.