Case Statuses & Archiving Procedures

Statuses are how you keep the firm’s workload visible and manageable.

Case Statuses and Meta Statuses are how you keep your firm’s workload visible, organized, and manageable in Prima.Law. Together, they answer two critical questions for every case:

What stage is this case in? (Status)
Who is the case waiting on right now? (Meta Status)

When used correctly, statuses turn your case list into a living dashboard rather than a static archive of files.

Understanding the Difference Between Status and Meta Status

Although they are assigned in the same places, Status and Meta Status serve different purposes and should not be used interchangeably.

Case Status

Status represents the stage of work the case is currently in. It reflects internal progress and workflow movement.

Examples include:

Not Assigned
Intake
Case Production
On Hold
Filed
Awaiting Decision
Approved
Denied

A case’s status should change as work progresses.

Meta Status

Meta Status represents who the case is waiting on. It explains why a case is paused or progressing slowly.

Common examples include:

Client
Attorney
Law Office
Government
Court

Meta Status adds context that a regular status alone cannot provide.

Why Status and Meta Status Work Best Together

Using both fields together gives you immediate clarity.

For example:

Status: Case Production
Meta Status: Client

This tells you the case is active, but progress is blocked waiting for the client.

Another example:

Status: Filed
Meta Status: Government

This indicates the case is complete on your end and pending agency action.

Without Meta Status, these distinctions would require opening the case or reading notes.

Where to Assign Statuses and Meta Statuses

You can assign or update Status and Meta Status from two places:

The Case Page
The Case Management Board

Both locations stay fully synchronized.

Who Can Manage Statuses and Meta Statuses

Not every user can create, modify, or delete statuses and meta statuses. These actions are controlled by permissions and are typically restricted to administrators or management roles.

Administrators can configure these permissions by navigating to:

Administrator Panel
Management Permissions

From there, you can control which users are allowed to:

Create, modify, or delete case statuses
Create, modify, or delete meta statuses
Rename table columns

This ensures consistency in how statuses are used across the firm and prevents accidental changes to active workflows.

Where Statuses and Meta Statuses Are Managed

Statuses and meta statuses are managed primarily from the Case Management Board.

On the board, click any column that allows assigning a Status or Meta Status. This opens a dropdown menu where you can:

Search for an existing status
Assign a status or meta status to a case
Remove a status by selecting None
Create a new status or meta status

Selecting Add Status opens the Create New Status interface.

Creating and Editing Statuses and Meta Statuses

When creating a new status or meta status, you can configure:

Status name and label
Tag color
Text color (light or dark)
Custom colors using a color picker or color code

Once saved, the new status or meta status becomes immediately available throughout the system.

You can:

Assign it from the Case Management Board
Assign it from individual Case Pages
Apply it to open or closed cases

Newly created statuses appear at the bottom of the dropdown list by default. You can reorder statuses and meta statuses directly from the Case Management Board to match your preferred workflow.

Assigning Status and Meta Status from the Case Page

Statuses and meta statuses can also be assigned directly from the Case Page.

At the top of the Case Page, use the Case Management section to select:

Status
Meta Status
Priority

Any status or meta status created on the board will be available here automatically.

Managing Statuses from the Case Management Board

The Case Management Board is where statuses are configured and operationalized.

From the board, you can:

Create new statuses
Rename existing statuses
Reorder statuses
Group cases visually by status

Statuses created here become available everywhere in Prima.Law.

Meta Statuses are applied at the case level and used primarily for filtering, grouping, and reporting.

Using Statuses and Meta Statuses as a Daily Workflow Engine

When used consistently, statuses allow you to run your day directly from the board.

You can:

See which cases are actively in production
Identify stalled cases immediately
Filter cases by both Status and Meta Status
Prioritize work without opening individual case files

This prevents cases from silently stalling.

Best Practices for Status and Meta Status Usage

Use Status to reflect internal progress, not delays
Use Meta Status to explain delays or waiting points
Update Meta Status whenever responsibility shifts
Avoid overloading Status with meaning Meta Status already provides
Train staff to update both fields as part of routine case activity

Statuses should evolve as the case evolves.

Closing and Archiving Cases Correctly

Do Not Delete Cases to Clean Up

Deleting cases removes valuable history and reporting data. Instead, cases should be closed.

Closing a Case

Closing a case:

Preserves all history
Keeps the case searchable
Removes it from active workflows

You can still assign a meaningful final Status to closed cases, such as Approved or Denied.

Why Closing Matters

Closed cases:

Remain available for audits and reporting
Retain documents, communications, and billing records
Do not clutter active case views

Closing is the correct way to archive completed matters.

Final Notes

Statuses and Meta Statuses are simple fields with powerful impact. When used consistently, they eliminate guesswork, reduce internal communication friction, and give you a real-time picture of your firm’s workload. Treat them as operational tools, not optional labels, and your case management will stay clean and predictable.