Tip #268 - How to Use The Shared Forms Feature (Client Fillable Questionnaire)

The recently implemented Shared Forms feature (commonly referred to as the Client Fillable Questionnaire) will allow you to share access to a specific page of the case in SmartAdvocate with someone outside of the firm (typically the client). The idea is to allow the client access to a “questionnaire” where they can update certain information directly in the case.

First, you must set up the questionnaire. Then you will provide a secure link to that page to be accessed by the client.

First Create The Questionnaire

The questionnaire is the page where the questions will be displayed and accessed by the client to be filled out. While this can be done on any of the UDF pages in SmartAdvocate (e.g., Intake Wizard, Case UDF, Plaintiff UDF, PFS, etc.), most people will use the Intake Wizard, Case UDF or Plaintiff UDF. The PFS (Plaintiff Fact Sheet) will most likely be used in a Mass Tort case. UDFs are created in the normal way using the UDF Editor.

Next, Send a Secure Link to the Client

Once you have decided which page to share, you will need to send a secure link to the client via email:

1. Go to the “Shared Forms” Page (if the page is not visible on the left menu, you will need to use the Case Menu Configurator function to make the page available).

2. Click the “Add Form” button in the top left corner of the page.

3. Select the Page that will be shared, enter a password for the client to use to access the page (optional), enter an expiration date for the password, select the client from the drop-down list (Shared With), enter a comment (optional).

4. Click the “Save & Email” button to save your selections and open the email page to send the link. The link and password will be populated in the body of the email that will be sent to the client.

A Few Things To Remember

1. By default, the email will have the secure link and password together in the body of the email as shown above.

2. If security is a concern, you may consider communicating the link and password in separate emails or communicating the password to the recipient using another method.

Here is a sample email as received by the client with the link and password:

When the link is clicked, a dialogue box will open where the password is entered, giving access to the page (“questionnaire”).

The staff assigned to the case will be notified by email when the form has been updated by the client (if their profiles are set to receive such notifications).