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Automating Client and Matter ID Numbering in LeanLaw

How to configure automatic client and matter ID numbering in LeanLaw — including sequential numbering, year-based numbering, and matter-only ID formats.

Every client and matter in LeanLaw can have an ID — a short reference number or code that appears throughout the system alongside the name. LeanLaw can generate these IDs automatically using several numbering schemes, or you can enter them manually.

 

Accessing ID Numbering Settings

  1. Click the gear icon ⚙️ → Settings.
  2. Under Firm Setup, click Client and Matter IDs.

 

ID Numbering Options

Option

How IDs Are Generated

Manually Generated (default)

No automatic IDs. You enter the client and matter ID manually when creating each record. Use this if your firm has an existing numbering convention you want to maintain.

Numerical

LeanLaw generates sequential numbers for both client and matter IDs. Client IDs start at your configured starting number and increment by 1 per new client. Matter IDs are always 1 for the first matter per client, then 2, 3, etc. for each additional matter.

Year + Numerical (Client)

LeanLaw generates IDs for clients only, formatted as [YEAR]-[SEQUENTIAL NUMBER] (e.g., 2025-001). No matter ID is generated. Useful for firms that track cases by client intake year.

Year + Numerical (Matter)

LeanLaw generates IDs for matters only, formatted as [YEAR]-[SEQUENTIAL NUMBER]. No client ID is generated. Useful for firms with a single sequential matter docket number.

Matter-Only ID

LeanLaw generates a sequential number for matters only. No client ID is generated.

 

💡 Choosing a numbering scheme: Most firms either use Manually Generated (maintaining their existing numbering convention) or Numerical (clean sequential numbers for both clients and matters). Year + Numerical formats are popular for firms that want to quickly identify the year a client or matter was opened from the ID alone.

 

Setting the Starting Number

For numerical schemes, set the Starting/Next Client Number and Starting/Next Matter Number to control where the sequence begins. If you're migrating from another system, start at a number higher than your current highest ID to avoid conflicts.

 

How IDs Appear in LeanLaw

Client and matter IDs appear hyphenated together (e.g., '0042-003') in many places throughout LeanLaw — on time entry forms, in reports, on invoices (if configured), and in the conflict check results. They're also searchable across the product.

📋 IDs on invoices: To display matter IDs on client invoices, use the Custom Fields mapping in Invoice Presentation settings to map the Matter ID to a QBO custom field. See: Matter Custom Fields on Invoices — Invoice Templates, Article 5.