How to Export Client and Matter Data for CaseClock Integration

Purpose: This guide helps you export active client and matter information from your current practice management software to integrate with CaseClock's billing operations platform.

Time required: 5-15 minutes for most platforms

What you'll need:

• Access to your practice management software (administrator access may be required for some platforms)
• Permission to export data from your firm's system
• Approximately 10-50 MB of available storage for the export file

Why Export Your Data?

CaseClock validates your time entries against your active client and matter information to ensure accuracy, prevent duplicate billing, and flag potential issues before they become disputes. To do this effectively, CaseClock needs a current list of your:

• Active clients (names, contact information, client IDs)
• Active matters (matter names, matter numbers, associated clients, responsible attorneys)
• Matter status information (open vs. closed)

You maintain complete control. Your data stays in your practice management system. The export creates a copy that CaseClock uses for validation—nothing is removed or modified in your existing system.

General Export Process (All Platforms)

Regardless of which practice management software you use, follow this high-level workflow:

Step 1: Determine Your Export Needs

Filter for active matters only. CaseClock primarily needs information about open, active matters where you're currently performing billable work. Including closed or archived matters creates unnecessary data volume and can slow validation.

Identify required fields:

• Client name and client ID
• Matter name/description and matter number
• Matter status (open/active vs. closed/archived)
• Responsible attorney
• Opening date (optional but helpful)

Check permissions. Some platforms require administrator access for data exports. If you don't have export permissions, contact your firm's IT administrator or office manager.

Step 2: Locate the Export Function

Most practice management platforms offer export capabilities in one of three locations:

1. Direct from the client/matter list screen (CosmoLex, PracticePanther) - Look for an "Export" button on the Matters or Clients page
2. Through the reporting system (LEAP, Unity Accounting, uLawPractice) - Navigate to Reports, select a matter or client list report, then export
3. Via a dedicated Import/Export utility (PCLaw, Time Matters, MyCase) - Find this under File menu or Settings

Step 3: Apply Filters Before Exporting

Critical step: Filter your data BEFORE exporting to avoid downloading your entire database.

Common filtering options:

• Status: Select "Open" or "Active" matters only (terminology varies by platform)
• Date range: If needed, filter by opening date or activity date
• Attorney: Filter by responsible attorney if you're only exporting your own matters
• Archive status: Uncheck "Include archived items" or similar options

Step 4: Select Export Format

Choose CSV or Excel format. These are the most compatible formats for importing into CaseClock and other systems.

• CSV (Comma-Separated Values): Universal format, opens in Excel or Google Sheets, works with all systems
• Excel (.xlsx or .xls): Structured format, preserves formatting, widely supported
• Avoid PDF: While most platforms offer PDF export, this format isn't suitable for data import

Step 5: Customize Fields (If Available)

Some platforms let you select which specific fields to include in your export. If this option is available:

Include these fields:

• Client name, client ID/number
• Matter name/description, matter number
• Matter status
• Responsible attorney
• Opening date

Optional but useful:

• Practice area or matter type
• Originating attorney
• Custom fields relevant to your billing practices

Exclude to reduce file size:

• Financial data (WIP, trust balances, AR) unless specifically needed
• Detailed billing history
• Document metadata

Step 6: Execute the Export

Click the final "Export" or "Download" button. Depending on your platform and data volume:

• Small exports (under 1,000 records): Download instantly
• Larger exports (1,000-10,000+ records): May take 30-60 seconds
• Very large exports or full backups: May take several minutes and provide a download link or email notification

Step 7: Verify the Export File

Before using your export file with CaseClock, open it briefly to confirm:

File opens correctly: The CSV or Excel file should open in a spreadsheet application without errors

Headers are present: The first row should contain column names (Client Name, Matter Number, Status, etc.)

Data looks accurate: Spot-check a few familiar matters to ensure information exported correctly

Active matters only: Verify that closed or archived matters were excluded if you applied that filter

Step 8: Provide to CaseClock

During CaseClock onboarding, you'll upload this file or provide it to your CaseClock implementation specialist. The system will map your exported fields to CaseClock's validation database.

How often should I export? For initial setup, once is sufficient. For ongoing validation, monthly or quarterly exports keep CaseClock's reference data current with your practice management system.

Platform-Specific Export Instructions

CosmoLex

Best for: Straightforward, unrestricted exports with excellent filtering

Access level required: Regular user (no admin needed)

Export process:

1. Navigate to the Matters screen in CosmoLex
2. Click the Export button in the top toolbar
3. In the Export dialog, select Custom Export
4. Set the page range: From page 1 to the maximum page number (this exports all matters, not just the current page)
5. Check "Active matters only" to exclude inactive/closed matters
6. Choose CSV or Excel format
7. Click Export and save the file

Alternative method (Client List Report):

1. Go to Reports → Client List Report
2. Set filters: Check "Active matters only", select date range, responsible attorney
3. Click View Report
4. Click Export and choose CSV or Excel format

Documentation:

• Official export guide: https://support.cosmolex.com/knowledge-base/export-your-data/
• Client List Report: https://support.cosmolex.com/knowledge-base/client-list-report/

Tips:

• CosmoLex respects all filtering criteria—apply filters before clicking Export
• The NextGen interface allows column-level customization (drag-and-drop reordering, field selection)
• No frequency limits or record count restrictions
• "Apply current filters" toggle ensures exported data matches what you see on screen

PracticePanther

Best for: Modern interface with high record capacity (10,000+ records)

Access level required: Regular user with Matters page access

Export process:

1. Navigate to the Matters page
2. Click the Status dropdown and select "Open" (this excludes Pending, Closed, and Archived matters)
3. Apply any additional filters (assignment, date ranges, practice area)
4. Click Choose Columns and select all fields you want to export
5. Click the Export button in the top-right corner
6. Select "Export All" (not "Export View"—this ensures you get complete data beyond visible columns)
7. Choose CSV format
8. Download begins within 60 seconds

Documentation:

• Export matters guide: https://support.practicepanther.com/en/articles/480001-exporting-your-matters
• Modern Matters Grid overview: https://support.practicepanther.com/en/articles/8912775-the-modern-matters-grid

Tips:

• "Export View" captures only visible columns; "Export All" includes complete data up to 10,000+ records
• Custom fields require Essential or Business plan and must have "Show Column In List View" enabled
• No admin privileges required for standard exports
• The platform handles very large exports efficiently

LEAP Legal Software

Best for: Report-based exports of structured data

Access level required: Regular user for reports; admin for comprehensive extraction

Export process (Matter List):

1. Navigate to Reports → Matters and Clients → Matter List
2. Click "All" to see all filtering options
3. Set Status filter to "Active" or "Open" (exclude Archived, Closed, Inactive)
4. Apply any other filters: Fee earner, practice area, date ranges
5. Click Search or View Report
6. In the report view, click the CSV or Excel download button
7. Save the file

Export process (Client Detail):

1. Go to Reports → Matters and Clients → Client Detail
2. Select "All" options
3. Remove default Creation Date filter if present
4. Click Search
5. Toggle from "SelectedCards" to "AllCards" (top-right)
6. Toggle from "Excel" to "CSV" format
7. Click Download

Documentation:

• Third-party migration guide: https://support.practicepanther.com/en/articles/10874529-how-to-export-data-from-leap
• LEAP reporting: https://www.leap.co.uk/features/legal-reporting-software/

Important limitations:

• Document exports limited to 100 files per operation
• Matters with more than 100 documents require contacting LEAP support (fees may apply)
• No single comprehensive export—must use multiple reports for different data types

Tips:

• Report-based exports work well for matter lists, client lists, and financial summaries
• For comprehensive data migration, consider LEAP's "Strato" service (contact support for pricing)
• Save report configurations for repeated exports with consistent parameters

PCLaw

Best for: Comprehensive legacy exports with detailed field control

Access level required: Administrator or full-permission account recommended

Export process (Matters):

1. Open PCLaw desktop application
2. Go to File → Matter → Export
3. Select layout: "OpenMatt" for active matters or "CloseMat" for closed matters
4. Customize fields using the Main, Address, and Selections tabs
5. Critical: Check "Active Cases only" to exclude inactive/archived matters
6. Choose CSV file format
7. Set output location and filename (add .csv extension manually if needed)
8. Click Export

Export process (Contacts/Clients):

1. Go to File → Contact Manager → Export
2. Select layout: "All", "Name & Address", or "Phone & Email"
3. Customize fields via Common, Other, and Custom tabs
4. Check "Clients" checkbox to filter for clients only
5. Choose CSV format
6. Set output location
7. Export

Documentation:

• Third-party migration guide: https://support.mycase.com/en/articles/6187318-how-to-export-data-from-pclaw
• Alternative guide: https://support.myleanlaw.co/en/articles/9653633-how-to-export-data-from-pclaw-for-migration-to-leanlaw

Tips:

• PCLaw requires two exports: one for data (CSV) and one for headers (Word format)—awkward legacy design
• Administrator access recommended for complete exports due to role-based security
• Export to Excel directly from PCLaw reports (Client Ledger, WIP reports) as an alternative
• Earlier versions had bugs with large contact exports; ensure you're on PCLaw 14.1 or later

Time Matters

Best for: Flexible custom exports with saved templates

Access level required: Administrator or full-permission account recommended

Export process:

1. Open Time Matters application
2. Go to File → Export → Custom Export
3. Click "Create new Export Template"
4. Select "ASCII-Comma Delimited" format
5. Check "Include field names labels as first record"
6. Manually add .csv extension to filename (e.g., "matters_export.csv")
7. Choose record type: "Cases" for matters, "Contacts" for clients
8. Select fields: Click "Add All" for everything, or choose specific fields
9. Select archived status: "Non-archived data only" for active matters
10. Click "Save Template" (allows reuse for future exports)
11. Click Finish to execute export

Documentation:

• Third-party migration guide: https://support.mycase.com/en/articles/6313880-how-to-export-data-from-time-matters

Tips:

• Save export templates for repeated exports with consistent field selections
• Consider temporarily disabling security features during export (File → Tools → Options → Security)
• Re-enable security immediately after export completes
• Time Matters limits email exports to approximately 110 pages; cannot export email attachments

MyCase (8am MyCase)

Best for: Comprehensive full-system backup with structured CSV output

Access level required: Administrator account (required for all exports)

Export process (Full Backup - Recommended):

1. Log in with administrator credentials
2. Go to Settings → Import/Export → Full Backup
3. Select CSV format
4. Choose case scope: "Cases you are linked to" or "All cases in the system"
5. Important: Leave "Include Archived Items" UNCHECKED to export active matters only
6. Optional: Enable email notification when backup completes
7. Click "Create Backup"
8. Wait 10-15 minutes for processing (status shows "Pending")
9. Click "Download" when available (creates a ZIP file with 16 CSV files)

Alternative method (Case List Report):

1. Go to Reports → Case & Contact Reports → Case List Report
2. Filter Case Status to "Open" (excludes closed cases)
3. Apply additional filters: Lead attorney, practice area, date ranges
4. Click "Export" and choose CSV format

Documentation:

• Full backup guide: https://supportcenter.mycase.com/en/articles/9370346-how-do-i-get-my-data-out-of-mycase
• Case List Report: https://supportcenter.mycase.com/en/articles/9370107-case-list-report

Critical limitation:

• One Full Backup per day per account (system restriction due to server load)
• Additional backups within 24 hours require contacting MyCase support
• Individual Contacts and Cases exports have no frequency restrictions

Tips:

• Full Backup creates 16 separate CSV files (Cases, Clients, Companies, Time Entries, Invoices, etc.)
• Actual document files must be downloaded separately—CSV contains metadata only
• Case List Report provides immediate exports without the daily limit
• Administrator-only requirement means regular users cannot export independently

Unity Accounting

Best for: Comprehensive Canadian law society compliance with detailed reporting

Access level required: User with reporting access (likely admin for full exports)

Export process (Client Listing Report - Recommended):

1. Navigate to Reports in Unity Accounting
2. Select Client Listing report
3. Configure parameters:
4. Click View to display the report
5. Click Export and choose CSV, XLS, or XLSX format
6. Save the file

Alternative reports available:

• File Room Listing: Filter by open/closed status, area of law, date ranges
• Client Summary: Overview of client activity
• Client Activity: Detailed transaction history

Documentation:

• Unity Accounting website: https://esilaw.com/
• Support: 1-800-268-7580 or online support system

Tips:

• Legacy esiLaw system had dedicated Import/Export utility at File → Import/Export → Export Clients/Matters
• Current Unity Accounting 360 may have similar functionality (check File or Maintenance menus)
• Free training webinars available: Admin Training, User Training, Billing Training
• Canadian-based technical support with excellent response times
• Filtering between open and closed files is explicitly supported in report parameters

uLawPractice

Best for: Canadian law society compliance with AI-powered features

Access level required: Unknown (likely requires support coordination)

Export process (Support-Assisted - Recommended):

1. Email support@ulawpractice.com with your export request
2. Specify:
3. Provide 30 days notice if export relates to account cancellation
4. Wait for support response (typically within a few hours)
5. Follow instructions provided by uLawPractice support team

Alternative (Report Generation):

1. For client invoice data: Contacts → choose contact → Document Generation → Reports → Client Invoice List
2. For work in progress: Access Work in Progress Report
3. For comprehensive financial data: Generate ClientFeeBook Report

Documentation:

• Main website: https://www.ulaw.io/
• Help site: https://help.ulawpractice.com/ (requires login)
• Support: support@ulawpractice.com
• Phone support available during business hours

Tips:

• uLawPractice emphasizes customer support excellence—expect responsive assistance
• Weekly webinars Friday at 2:00 PM EST with CPD credits
• One-on-one support included with subscription
• Report exports may provide partial data while awaiting comprehensive export from support
• Terms of service guarantee data export rights with 30 days notice

Troubleshooting Common Export Issues

"I can't find the Export button"

Solution:

• Check your user permissions—you may need administrator access
• Look in Reports section instead of direct list views
• Try right-clicking on the matter or client list for context menu options
• Contact your firm's IT administrator or the software vendor's support

"The export file is empty or has only headers"

Cause: No data matched your filtering criteria

Solution:

• Remove or broaden filters (date ranges, status filters, attorney assignments)
• Verify you selected "All pages" or "All records" rather than just visible items
• Check that you have permission to view the data you're trying to export

"Export fails or times out"

Cause: Too much data or server load

Solution:

• Export in smaller batches (by date range, attorney, or matter count)
• Try exporting during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening)
• For MyCase, wait 24 hours if you've already created a Full Backup today
• Contact vendor support if issue persists

"File won't open in Excel"

Cause: File encoding or format issue

Solution:

• Ensure the file has .csv extension (some platforms require manual addition)
• Try opening in Google Sheets as an alternative
• Check that you selected CSV/Excel format rather than PDF
• Re-export with explicit CSV format selection

"I see closed matters in my export despite filtering"

Cause: Filter not applied correctly or confusion about status terminology

Solution:

• Verify filter was set BEFORE clicking Export (not after)
• Check for "Include archived items" checkbox—should be UNCHECKED for active only
• Status terminology varies: "Open" = "Active" = "Current" (all mean non-closed)
• Try alternative export methods (reports instead of screen exports)

"Export is missing fields I need"

Cause: Column selection or platform limitations

Solution:

• Look for "Choose Columns" or "Select Fields" option before exporting
• Check if custom fields require specific permissions or subscription tier
• Verify fields exist in your system (some fields may be optional)
• Contact vendor support to confirm if specific fields are exportable

Preparing Your Export for CaseClock

Once you've successfully exported your client and matter data, take these final steps before providing to CaseClock:

Review Data Quality

Open your CSV or Excel file and spot-check:

Client names: Should be consistent and complete (avoid abbreviations if possible)

Matter numbers: Should be unique identifiers without duplicates

Status indicators: Should clearly distinguish active/open from closed/archived

Responsible attorneys: Should match names CaseClock will see in time entries

Remove Unnecessary Data

If your export includes more than needed, consider:

Deleting rows: Remove test matters, closed matters, or matters unrelated to current work

Deleting columns: Remove financial data, custom fields, or internal notes not needed for validation

Maintaining headers: Keep the first row with column names intact

Document Your Field Mapping

Create a simple reference showing which columns contain which information:

Column A = Client Name
Column B = Client ID
Column C = Matter Name
Column D = Matter Number
Column E = Status (Open/Closed)
Column F = Responsible Attorney

This helps during CaseClock setup when mapping your fields to CaseClock's validation database.

Save Multiple Copies

Before uploading to CaseClock:

Original export: Keep unchanged copy as received from your practice management system

Cleaned version: Save a version with any edits (removed rows/columns, corrected typos)

Backup: Store a copy in secure location separate from your working files

Questions?

If you encounter issues not covered in this guide:

CaseClock Support:

• Contact your CaseClock implementation specialist
• Email: [Insert CaseClock support email]
• Documentation: [Insert CaseClock knowledge base URL]

Platform-Specific Support:

• See platform-specific documentation links above
• Contact your practice management software vendor directly
• Ask your firm's IT administrator for assistance with permissions or technical issues

Last Updated: November 2025

Version: 1.0

Feedback: Help us improve this guide by reporting unclear instructions, broken links, or platform-specific challenges to [Insert feedback email]