Electronic Case Transfer Admin Setup

Overview

  • Required: Your site and at least one other site needs to be setup for etransfers (LegalServer staff must perform this step)
  • Required: Create the organizations you will be transferring cases to if they do not already exist on your site, and designate each as a Referral Organization
  • Required: Let LegalServer know the exact names of these organizations to set the etransfer flag (better yet, send a link to each organization record)
  • Required: Set user role permissions
  • Required: If you will receive etransfers, set the intake process(es) your site will use for them
  • Optional: Set the initial fields your site will send when you initiate a transfer
  • Optional: Set the user or users who will receive an email when a case transfer to your site comes in
  • Optional: Map incoming and outgoing fields to streamline data transfer
  • Optional: Modify the intake forms to add the Case Transfer blocks
  • Optional: Modify the main profile page to show if a case was transferred electronically

User Role Permissions

The Administrator user role needs the "Manage Case Transfer Settings" permission to see the necessary links on the Admin page.

Roles for users who need to see the incoming transfers need the permissions "Cases - Electronic Case Transfer List View" and "View Electronic Case Transfers".

General Settings

The Admin > Configure Case Transfer page has several settings related to etransfer behavior.

Incoming Pending Transfers Settings

  • Show Financial Summary on Received Transfer Profile - if your site receives etransfers, should users see a financial summary on pending case transfer pages.
  • Show Transfer Note on Received Transfer Profile and Show Transfer Note on Case Transfer Listview - If the first option is enabled, users processing incoming etransfers have the option to enter a note about the pending transfer. The second option adds a column to the pending transfer list that displays these notes.
  • Set Alert Users is where you can configure who, if anyone, should receive an email when your site receives an incoming transfer. NB: If you set alerts based on Legal Problem Code or County and the transferred case has a problem code or county that does not exist in your site, no alert is sent. This does not stop the transfer, just the alert.

Incoming Transfer Alert Users Settings

Configure as desired to have an email sent to one or more users when an incoming transfer is received.


Incoming Pending Transfer List View Options


Incoming Transfer Expiration


Outgoing Transfers Settings

  • Show Referral Delete Link - Sending sites can, by default, delete transfers. Setting this to "No" disables that link. A deleted transfer will be removed from the receiving site's pending transfer list. If the receiving site has already started intake on the transfer, the sending site deleting its transfer record does not affect that intake.
  • Show Transfer Link on All Case Dispositions - Setting this to "Yes" will make E-Transfer side/action element links show up on all matters, not just cases with an Open disposition. See E-Transfer Organization Links below.
  • Show "Consent To Transfer" on electronic referral create page. If set to No, client consent is set to Yes and hidden.
  • Consent To Transfer Message. Displayed directly under "Electronic Case Transfer" heading. Leave blank for default.
  • Display the Agency Program Identifier field on "Refer Here" pages that involve an etransfer - Often used to help destination sites distinguish types of transfers. Options for this setting are "No", "Yes", and "Yes, Required". (NB: This is often referred to as "Originating Agency Program")
  • Default Agency Program Identifier (effective whether or not the field is displayed) - Select an active Program (from Admin > Lookups > Programs).

Incoming and Outgoing Summary Fields

Select the data to display when Sending and the data to display when Receiving. The Send fields you select are the information the receiving site will see before deciding whether to reject the transfer or begin an intake. Likewise, the Receive fields you select are what your staff will see when looking at a pending transfer. These are display only settings. They do not control what data is sent and received. In other words, if you deselect SSN, the receiving site will not see SSN when looking at the pending transfer, but data in that field will be transferred if they start an intake on the pending transfer.

Map Incoming and Outgoing Lookup Values

On the Admin > Configure Lookup Mappings page you map incoming and outgoing lookup field values against the Legalserver Index. Mapping is needed because sites can customize lookups. For example, your site might use a race category called Other/Unknown, but other sites separate those two values. For Incoming Values, you map the Legalserver Index items against your site's lookup items.

In the example, you would map both of the Index values Other and Unknown to your site's Other/Unknown value. For Outgoing Values, map your site's values against the Index values. In the example, you would map your Other/Unknown value to one of the Index values Other or Unknown.

Lack of mappings will not prevent a transfer, but will require intake workers to manually select field values that could have been preset if mappings had been done.

Technical detail on how lookup values are transferred when a case is received: If the sending organization mapped the value to an Index value, then LegalServer looks for an incoming mapping of the Index value and uses that. If no mapping is found, LegalServer will use a matching 'internal_note' value (these can only be set by PSTI). If the internal_note values do not match, then LegalServer checks for an exact match on the Name value on both sites. Finally, if those three attempts fail, the Name of the lookup value on the sending site is added to the transfer note created on the receiving site for manual reference (see the Transferred Case Information (Case Data) block below).

Pending Case Transfer Profile

The pending case transfer profile is a static form and not modifiable like dynamic forms. However, the fields displayed can be disabled or reordered by using the Lookups -> Transfer Summary Field list and modifying the list order. Not all fields can be moved as some are hardcoded. 

Setting the Intake Process(es) and Modifying Forms

Required: On the Admin > Process Settings, you must pick at least one value for "Intake for transferred cases". Pick as many intake processes as desired. When someone selects "Begin Intake" on a pending case transfer, they can choose from the process(es) you select here.

Intake Forms Modifications

Optional: For each intake process you chose in the previous step, you may add a field and certain blocks to the forms included in that process (Admin > Processes, Forms, and Profiles). The field and four blocks that relate to electronic case transfers are:

  • Transferring Agency Matter/Case ID# field - displays the sending site's case number, read-only
  • Transferred Case Information (Case Data)
  • Transferred Case Information (Case Notes)
  • Transfer Outcome
  • Transfer Status Data

You have flexibility in placing that field and these blocks, and which options you choose for the Transferred Case Information (Case Data) block. We describe here a typical setup. These blocks will only display information on intakes from electronic transfers. During a regular intake, your staff will not see empty boxes or other potentially confusing information.

The Transferring Agency Matter/Case ID# field is often put on the first step of an intake. The person starting it will of course know they started it from a pending etransfer. However, it can be helpful if someone else views the intake while it is still incomplete, or the person who started it needs to contact the sending site for information.

The Transferred Case Information (Case Notes) block will display a "Show" button on the intake form that allows the intake worker to display the case notes from the case being transferred. This block can be helpful at the bottom of some or all of your intake forms, but is not required to be on any of the intake forms.

The Transferred Case Information (Case Data) block can display several pieces of information, detailed below. It can be helpful to display at the bottom of each intake form, but is not required to be on any of the intake forms. You have several options to choose from with this block:

  • A checkbox called "Show General Notes Aux Fields". When an agency initiates a transfer, there is an optional Notes box. Checking this option displays any notes entered when the transfer was started. This option is usually checked on at least the first page of intake.
  • A multiselect list of fields. You can display the values of one or more fields from the incoming case with this option. You might for example, display all the demographic fields on your demographic form. This can be particularly helpful for a field that isn't mapped. The intake worker could see, for example, that the Race field has no value selected on your intake form, but could see that Race had the value "African American" in the incoming case.
  • A multiselect list of grouped information - Income Information, Expense Information, and Asset Information. You generally will want to select all three of these on your form that collects this information. It is often helpful for the intake worker to be able to see these values because of the wide variation in income, expense, and asset types.

The Transfer Outcome block can be placed on a close case form to 'report back' to the sending agency the level of service provided on a case, such as Extended Attorney Representation or Limited Attorney Representation.  This block is not required to make and accept electronic case transfers. If a case was not electronically transferred to the agency closing the case, this block does not display anything on the closing form.

The Transfer Status Data block is typically used on case profiles. See the next section.

Modifying the Case Profile Page

Elements you may find useful on your main profile:

  • Transferring Agency Matter/Case ID# field.
  • Transfer Log list view
  • Transfer Status Data block - displays "Transferred From" information for an incoming case or "Referred To" information for an outgoing case.
  • Existing Referrals (Profile) list view - displays information about outgoing transfers. 

E-Transfer Organizations links on Matters

This Side/Action element provides a quick path to sending an etransfer to an organization, avoiding the need to use "Refer to Outside Organization", filtering that list to find the desired organization, then clicking the "Refer Here" link. Adding this element is optional.

The element only displays a "Refer to Outside Organization" link by default. We recommend providing links for specific organizations by setting Add To E-Transfer Link Box to "Yes" on an organization's Primary Referral Criteria page.

This element only displays links on open cases by default. You can change that behavior via the "Show Transfer Link on All Case Dispositions" setting. See Outgoing Transfers Settings above.

List Views available for Dynamic Section Fronts

For sites using a dynamic Home page or dynamic Case/Matter section front, three list views are available:

  • Case/Matter - Electronic Case Transfer - typically used on a dynamic Case/Matter page to replicate the static pending incoming transfers on the Electronic Case Transfers list.
  • Case/Matter - Electronic Case Transfer, Received - available on dynamic Home pages.
  • Case/Matter - Electronic Case Transfer, Sent - available on dynamic Home pages.

Email Notifications and Notes

There is no setup needed for automatic email notifications and notes, but this is mentioned here so administrators are aware of the feature. As noted above in General Settings, multiple users can be notified by email when an incoming transfer is received.

For purposes of mail/spam filters, this email will have a From line of "Legalserver <do-not-reply@xyz.legalserver.org>", where "xyz" is the receiving site's initials.

If an etransfer is rejected, an email is automatically sent to the primary assignment on the case at the sending site. A case note is also added to the case on the sending site indicating the date and time of the rejection.

An email is also sent and a note added when a transferred case is accepted by the agency it was transferred to. This only happens if the case is set to the Open disposition by the receiving site (the case is "accepted" at the disposition step of intake).

Testing

After completing these steps, a site is ready to send and/or receive electronic case transfers. You should test your configuration by sending a test case to another organization and/or receiving a test case.

Information Transferred

Information in system fields and select custom fields is transferred. Site administrators control which custom fields have information transferred.

Custom Fields

The Admin > Field Transfers feature allows a site to send selected custom fields (previously known as "site specific fields") to any site (or sites) it can etransfer to. The receiving site(s) then have the option to accept those fields, adding them to the site's database. Once sent and accepted, the value(s) of those custom fields will be transferred if the sending site has set the fields to Allow Transfer.

Notes Created by Notes Generic Block

Notes created by this block are case notes on a matter, and as such, will transfer along with other case notes. However, the text will not appear on the receiving site in a Notes Generic block set to the same note type. The note type on all transferred notes is set to "Import Notes", therefore a corresponding block on the receiving site will not recognize the note as being the type it is supposed to display. The note will display in the Case Notes on the receiving site's case.

System Fields

Information in the following fields is transferred by default.

The person making a transfer can deselect (not send) some of this information during the process of starting a transfer.

Other field values may be transferred if a site is part of a particular state or some other group.

Bare field names are shown below to avoid confusion if a site has changed the Short Name of a field.

'first',
'last',
'middle',
'suffix',
'organization_name',
'ssn',
'dob',
'race',
'initial_legal_problem_category',
'legal_problem_code',
'special_legal_problem_code',
'date_open',
'close_date',
'close_reason',
'funding_codes',
'county',
'dispute_county',
'outcomes',
'family_over_18',
'family_under_18',
'phone_fax',
'email',
'organization_name',
'a_number',
'citizenship_status',
'immigration_status',
'marital_status',
'language',
'gender',
'unique_id',
'ethnicity',
'hud_9902_ethnicity',
'addr1',
'addr2',
'apt_num',
'city',
'state',
'zip',
'mail_addr1',
'mail_addr2',
'mail_city',
'mail_state',
'mail_zip',
'phone_business',
'phone_business_note',
'phone_business_safe',
'phone_home',
'phone_home_note',
'phone_home_safe',
'phone_mobile',
'phone_mobile_note',
'phone_mobile_safe',
'phone_fax',
'phone_fax_note',
'phone_fax_safe',
'phone_other',
'phone_other_note',
'phone_other_safe',
'preferred_phone',
'interpreter_needed',
'asset_assistance',
'living_arrangement',
'handicapped',
'veteran',
'intake_date',
'secondary_elig_compliant',
'percentage_of_poverty',
'financial_compliant',
'financial_compliant_override',
'financial_override_reason',
'financial_override_date',
'lookup_congressional_district_id',
'lookup_state_legislature_district_lower_id',
'lookup_state_legislature_district_upper_id',
'safe_home',
'disaster',
'time_of_day',
'intake_type',
'domestic_violence',
'how_referred' (eff. 2022-05-13),
'attorney_hired' (eff. 2022-05-13)
'visa_number' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'visa_exp_date' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'citizenship_status' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'immigration_status' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'interpreter   (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_first' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_middle' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_last' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_suffix' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_addr1' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_add2' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_city' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_state' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_zip' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_phone' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_contact_type' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_contact_notes' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_phone' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_phone_note' (eff. 2022-09-09)
'add_phone2'
'add_phone2_note'
'add_postal_code'
'birth_country'
'residence_country'
'country_citizenship'
'country_of_origin'
'cause_number'

In addition, the following groups of information are transferred:

  • Income
  • Assets
  • Expenses
  • Additional Assistance
  • Family Members
  • Adverse Parties
  • Custodial Status (eff. 2022-05-20)
  • Sentences (concatenated into a note)
  • Charges (concatenated into a note)
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