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Matter management mastery for solicitors

Updated Oct 1st, 2025

How to stay on top of deadlines, documents, and tasks in Osprey Approach.

Who is this guide for? 

This guide is for solicitors, fee earners, paralegals, support teams. 

Efficient matter management is the backbone of a productive day that helps you meet your targets and deliver excellent client service.

This guide outlines six best practices for using Osprey to stay organised, efficient, and meet deadlines.

This guide covers: 

  • Centralising everything in the Matter History
  • Using tasks to stay organised
  • Simplifying your workload with workflows
  • Document creation and version control
  • Quick and easy access to data
  • Personalise your views

Centralise everything in the Matter History

Use the Matter History as your single source of truth to avoid saving files in different places:

  • Log all emails, documents, notes, and calls directly to the matter. The quickest way to save documents is to create them directly in Osprey and the quickest way to upload emails is to use the Outlook Connector, but you can also drag and drop files to the Matter History.
  • Use work-type folders and sub-folder to quickly locate key information. This means your matters can be structured consistently across all individuals in a department. Set up and manage matter history folders >
  • Save certain documents as ‘global’ so they can be accessed at client-level. A good example of this is your client’s ID or AML check results as these apply to all matters.
  • Favourite your most accessed documents so you can access them quicker and easier.

Use tasks to drive daily activity

The key dates functionality in Osprey should be utilised to manage your tasks, schedule, and to do list:

  • Use key dates to track court dates, filing deadlines, and client meetings.
  • View all your key dates across all matters to give you full visibility
  • Automatically set key dates via a workflow so you don’t have to remember to rack follow-up actions.
  • Use the colour coded task lists to manage your daily workload either from the specific matter workspace or from the home page of Osprey where all tasks are shown.
  • Easily reassign tasks to other solicitors if you’re on annual leave or off sick.

Simplify your workload with workflows

Workflows map out your processes so you can simply ‘run’ the next action to complete your tasks:

  • Use Osprey’s workflows to reduce the mental load of managing matters. The process, including next actions and tasks, are already mapped out for you to simply run and complete. Run a workflow >
  • Trigger tasks, documents, and emails automatically based on the previous action and stage of the matter.
  • Automatically update the workflow status bar so you know exactly what stage you’re at on the case. Easily see the next task via the workflows icon on the matter dashboard too.
  • Reduce manual admin and ensure consistency across the team.

Document creation & version control

Utilise Microsoft Word, within Osprey, to speed up document product that ensure accurate branding and reduce errors:

  • Use templates to generate standard documents quickly and accurately. This ensures you’re using the right branding and up to date content and contract terms in documents.
  • Save all versions in the matter history to maintain a clear audit trail. You can check-out documents to make your amendments and then easily check back in to keep an audit trial of edits. Previous versions can also be viewed or downloaded.
    Checking out documents for editing >

Quick access to data to speed up your day

Searching endlessly for data and files wastes time, utilise tools in Osprey to save precious time:

  • The global search is a powerful tool for searching across all clients, matters, and files. Use the ‘Search Matter History’ option to search within documents for your search term Search for clients & matters >
  • Access your recently accessed matters from both the Osprey home page and within the search bar so you can jump between matters with ease Navigating around Osprey >
  • You can also search and filter items directly in the Matter History to access the documents and files you need. Matter History searches >
  • Wherever you see the client and matter number encased in a grey box, you can click this to view more information. This doesn’t navigate you away from your current screen and is a quick and simple way to view client and matter details, including related matters.

Personalise your view in Osprey

Make Osprey work for you but customising your views that save for the next time you access Osprey:

  • Personalise your view of the client & matter table by adding in new columns so you see the data that’s relevant to you. Where the accounts team may want to see office and client ledger balances, you may only want to see workflow status, status, and review dates. Edit your client and matter tables >
  • Customise your client ledger view to display the columns in different order and with or without debit/credit breakdowns. Different client ledger views need to be set up by a Supervisor of Osprey. Customise your client ledger view >

Become the master of your workload with these simple tips and tricks that help you utilise Osprey to stay organised, productive, and efficient.

If you’d like further help or training on the features and tools mentioned in this guide, please contact our support team. All users of Osprey can access free training and unlimited support with our in-house team.

Looking for more time-saving tools? View our guide on how workflows can save you time and our tips for document automation.

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