The add-in attempts to match an email to a case automatically. If no match is found, users can search manually.

Auto-match via luggage tag

If the email was sent from Clio Operate and contains a luggage tag in the subject line, the add-in detects this automatically. The linked case card is displayed in the add-in panel without any user action required.

Auto-match via message thread

If the email is a reply to a message that was previously sent from Outlook while linked to a case, the add-in searches the message thread for a filing reference and links the case automatically.

Manual search

If no automatic match is found, the search view displays. 

Enter a search term to find a case using the outlook-addin-search scope. Results show the work item tile colour, icon, reference, title, and current phase. Select a result to link it. The search view also shows: Recent cases - the five most recently visited cases Bookmarks - the five most recently bookmarked cases Once linked, the add-in panel updates to reflect email filing, attachments, and other details from the linked case in Clio Operate.

Unlink a case

Select the unlink icon on the case card to remove the association. The search view is restored. A different case can then be linked.

If multiple cases are linked, unlinking removes only the selected card. Each linked case has its own set of filing controls.

When a case is linked, the Manage attachments section displays all attachments on the email. Each attachment is selected for filing by default.

1. Select a destination folder for each attachment. The list displays the folders configured for the linked case's document repository. The root location is selected by default.
2. The Use same destination for all attachments option to apply a single folder to all attachments. Individual folder drop-lists become read-only when this is active.
3. Select/deselect attachments. Attachments below a configurable size threshold (such as email signature images) are automatically deselected No filing required.  
4. A green count of selected attachments and a grey count of deselected attachments displays.
5. Select an attachment's filename field to edit the name before filing.

For details on file types and sizes see Outlook add-in configuration. If an attachment's file type is not included in the configured file type allowlist, the add-in marks it as blocked. Blocked attachments cannot be selected for filing and are excluded from the submission automatically.

Document Expectations

If the linked case has active document expectation work items, a visual indicator displays in the Manage attachments section.

Associate an attachment with an expectation

1. Select the expectation indicator on the relevant attachment.
   
2. A list of active document expectations displays, including the due date for each.
3. Select one or more expectations to associate with the attachment.

On filing, attachments associated with expectations are linked to those expectations as related documents and the expectation phase transitions to Received Ready for Review.

Refresh the expectations list

Select the refresh action in the filing section to fetch the latest expectations from Clio Operate. The section is temporarily disabled while the refresh runs.

When an email is linked to a case, the add-in checks the sender and recipient email addresses against existing participants on the case.

New contacts

Any email address not matched to an existing case participant is listed in the New Contacts section. Users can add these contacts to the case from within the add-in. 

On success, Clio Operate creates a new person ODS record and adds the contact as a participant on the case. 

Identifying existing ODS records

If an email address matches an ODS record in Clio Operate, the add-in displays the match and prompts the user to confirm whether to use the existing record or create a new one. Search results are ordered by relevance.

Each filed email creates a chronology entry on the case. The email subject is used as the entry title by default. This section is collapsed by default - expand it to edit.

Overriding the chronology entry subject

1. Expand the Case Chronology section.
2. Select the edit button.
   
3. Update the subject text.
4. Press Enter or navigate away to confirm the change.

If the subject has been updated, a revoke action displays alongside the edit button. Select Revoke to restore the original email subject.

The section becomes read-only after the email is filed.

When you are ready to file the email and attachments, click File to send to Clio Operate. 

From June 2026, when you select an email in the Outlook Add-in, the add-in checks whether it has already been filed against a work item.

• If it has already been filed, an information bar appears at the top of the add-in panel. It shows the date and time of filing, and the name of the person who filed it (if that person is not you).
• If more than one user attempts to file the same email at the same time, the add-in may initially show it as unfiled. When you try to file it, the add-in checks the current status. If it has since been filed, the information bar displays and the filing is stopped. This prevents duplicates even when two people act at the same time.

The information bar is advisory. You can still file the email again if you need to. Select the work item and proceed as normal. Use this option with care, as re-filing creates a second copy of the email on the work item. 

On successful filing, Clio Operate:

• Creates an email work item as a child of the linked case (Inbound Email)
• Transitions the email work item to Complete
• Saves the email body and selected attachments to the document repository in the selected folders
• Creates a chronology entry on the case presenting the email body and associated attachments
• Transitions associated document expectations to Filed Ready for Review
• If the Email Data Metadata setting is enabled in Clio Operate (see Configuration tab > Email date metadata), the original email send date is stored as the created date on documents saved to the repository.

A confirmation displays in the add-in panel with the filing timestamp.

From June 2026, after successful filing, the File Email Content section and the File Attachments location fields are removed from the add-in panel. The case link and chronology entry remain visible. This confirms the email has been filed and prevents any impression that further changes can affect the filed copy.

Refile an email

If an email was previously filed but has since been changed (for example the subject or body was updated), the add-in detects this change and displays a warning indicating that the email has changed.

Select Re-file to update the filed copy in Clio Operate with the current version of the email.

Duplicate filing detection

From version 7.11.0, the add-in can detect when an email has already been filed by another user. If this capability is enabled for the environment (see Configuration tab > Duplicate filing prevention), attempting to file an already-filed email causes the add-in to display a warning rather than filing again.