Entering Value Notes

In certain instances, you may wish to further explain a Value entry or add comments to the individual item using a Value Note. This tab window is almost identical to Case Notes and Provider Notes. If using the Needles Time Tracking feature with the Value tab, Value Notes with the topic of "Time Entry" are attached to the time entry value items that are automatically created from a timecard.

• List View
• Detail View
• Adding a Value Note
• Modifying a Value Note
• Deleting a Value Note
• Saving a Value Note
• Printing Value Notes

List View

If Value Notes already exist for the Value item, clicking on the View/Edit Notes button on the header band of the Value item will display the last Value Note in Detail View. Clicking on the View List Button on the Detail View all notes attached to the Value item. In List View, a header band is displayed showing the total number of Value Note items and a View Value button to return to the Value item. Below the header band is the list of value note items displayed in a grid containing the default columns: Entry ID, Staff, Date, Topic, and Note. Additional columns can be inserted into the grid using the Column Chooser option from the menu when right-clicking a column heading. Each Value Note item attached to the value item will be displayed as a row in the grid. Double-clicking a row will open the detail view of the selected Value Note item.

When a note has been added for a Value item, the icon on the View/Edit Notes will display a red pushpin on the icon showing that notes are attached.

Detail View

The Header Band across the top of the Value Note Detail View of a Value Note item will display several options. Return to the Value Note List View using the View List button. Click the View Value Item button to return to the detail view of the attached value item. If the Rich Text feature has been enabled in the Default Firm Preferences, the Display as Rich Text button will also be displayed. Clicking the button will convert the note text to rich text allowing greater formatting capabilities. Once in rich text format, the button will toggle to Display as Plain Text to return the content of the note to plain text, if desired. Navigation buttons are available to quickly page through the different Value Notes. The Provider Name, Service From Date and the Total Amount of the selected Value item will display at for reference at the top of a Value Note. This data is read-only and can only be altered on the detail view of a Value item.

Adding a Value Note

To add a new Value Note to a Value item,

1. Click the View/Edit Notes button on the Header Band in the detail view of a Value item. If this is the first Value Note for the selected Value item, a blank Value Note entry screen will display.
2. If Value Notes already exist for the Value item, the last Value Note will display. Click on the Add button on the Case ribbon to open a new blank Value Note entry screen.
3. The current date and time will populate the Date field. Click on the Calendar icon or click into the field to enter a different date or a new time if needed.

A future date is not allowed and will trigger a validation warning.

4. The Staff field will pre-fill with the Staff Code of the currently logged  user by default but may be changed by clicking the Staff dropdown. All active staff codes from the Staff Directory will be listed.
5. Select a Topic from the dropdown list in order to save the Value note. Topics are defined in the Value Note Topics Mini Directory. The Topic field is required, and a validation warning will display when attempting to save a note without a Topic.
6. Enter the desired note text into the text field. If rich text is enabled, click on the Display as Rich Text button to convert the note text to rich text. Apply any rich text formatting as desired. Use the spellchecker on the note text by clicking the Spellcheck icon on the Quick Access Toolbar.
7. Click on the Save button on the Case ribbon to save changes to the Value Note.
8. Click on the View Value button to return to the Value item or click on the View List button to return to the list of Value Notes.

Modifying a Value Note

To modify a Value Note attached to a Value item,

1. From the Value Tab List View, click the View/Edit Notes icon in the Notes column. From the Value Detail View, click on the Value/Edit Notes button on the Header Band of the selected Value item. The last Value Note attached to the Value item will display.
2. If the last Value Note is not the note needing modification, click the View List button on the header band to return to the list of Value Notes. Once in the Value Note List View, double-click the row of the note requiring changes to open it.
3. Click on the Calendar icon or click into the field to enter a different date or a new time if needed.

A future date is not allowed and will trigger a validation warning.

4. Click on the Staff dropdown listing to change the Staff Code.
5. Select a Topic from the dropdown list to change the Note Topic. Topics are defined in the Value Note Topics Mini Directory. The Topic field is required, and a validation warning will display when attempting to save a note without a Topic.
6. Enter any changes to the desired note text into the text field. If rich text is enabled, click on the Display as Rich Text button to convert the note text to rich text. Apply any rich text formatting as desired.
7. If the note is already in rich text and you wish to convert it back to plain text, click on the Display as Plain Text  button on the header band. The Display as Plain Text warning message will display to warn that all rich text formatting will be lost and the changes cannot be reversed.

• Click Yes to continue and convert the rich text to plain text.
• Click No to cancel the conversion and leave the note text as rich text.

8. Click on the Save button on the Case ribbon to save changes to the Case Note.
9. Click on the View List button to return to the list of Case Notes.

Deleting a Value Note

Deleting in List View

One or multiple Value Note items can be deleted while in the list view. To delete one or more Value Note items from the Value Notes list view:

1. Select the desired Value Note item or use CTRL + CLICK to select multiple Value Note items.
2. Click the Delete button on the Case ribbon. The Delete Value Notes Entry warning message will display.

3. Click the Yes button to delete the selected Value Note items or click No to cancel the delete process. If Yes was clicked, the selected Value Note items will be removed from the Value Notes list view, and the total number of Value Note items on the header band will decrease by the number of selected items.
4. Click the Save button on the Case ribbon to keep your changes.

Deleting in Detail View

A single Value Note item can be deleted at one time while in the detail view. To delete the current Value Note item while in the detail view:

1. Click the Delete button on the Case ribbon while in the detail view of the Value Note item to be deleted. The Delete Value Note Entry warning message will display.

2. Click the Yes button to delete the Value Note item or click No to cancel the delete process. If Yes was clicked, the current Value Note entry will be deleted and the detail view of the next Value Note entry will be displayed. The total number of Value Note items on the header band will decrease by one to reflect the deletion.
3. Click the Save button on the Case ribbon to keep your changes.

Saving a Value Note

The Value Note Topic field is required in order to save a Value Note item and will display a red validation border and icon until a valid Note Topic is selected. Mouseover the validation icon to display the reason for the error.

If Save is triggered from any of the following scenarios and the Value Note Topic field is blank, the corresponding Invalid Data message will display.

• Clicking the Save button.
• Clicking any of the navigation arrows.
• Clicking the View List button.
• Selecting another Case Folder tab.
• Closing the Case Folder.
• Closing Needles.

1. Click OK to return to the Value Note item and enter the missing information.
2. Click on the Save button on the Case ribbon to save the Value Note item.

Printing Value Notes

There are multiple ways to print Value Note items. The List View and Detail View of the Value Notes tab can be printed. Multiple standard reports based on Value Note items are available, and your firm can write their own user defined Value Notes reports and save them to the Reports Library.

Printing the List View

A list of Value Note items in a case can be printed using the options in the Hamburger menu of the grid to print or export the current grid view.

Columns can be repositioned and other columns can be added or removed from the grid using the column chooser. Use the filter row to only display the rows you wish to print. Change the sort order by clicking on column headings.

To print the list of Value Note items in a case,

1. While viewing the list of Value Note items in the Value Notes List View, click the Hamburger icon in the upper left corner of the grid. A popup menu will display.

2.  Select the Print option from the hamburger menu. The Print Preview window will display the grid list report.

Other options available on the hamburger menu include exporting the current grid view in the desired format. This allows for exporting directly to a file while bypassing the Print Preview step.

3. From the Print Preview window, click on the appropriate ribbon buttons to search, print, send or export the report.

Printing the Detail View

To print the Detail View of a single Value Note item,

1. While in the detail view of a Value Note item, click on the Print button on the Quick Access Toolbar (located either above or below the ribbon).

2. The Print Preview window will display a complete replica of the full screen for the single item. Click on the appropriate ribbon buttons to search, print, send or export the report.

Printing Using the Reports for Tab Option

To run any of the standard Needles reports relating to the Value Tab,

1. Click on the Reports for Tab button on the Case ribbon. The Report Selection Window will display a list of available reports organized by Report Category.

You will need the proper permissions to access the available reports. If using the Needles Time Tracking feature with Value, the Time reports will also be included.

2. Double-click the desired report from the list of reports OR select the desired report and click the OK button. The report will display in a new tab window within Needles.

The Text Search Within Value Notes report will locate value notes containing specific words or phrases.  

3. On the Parameters pane, select any of the desired options on which the report should filter.

If the report contains a parameter for the case number, it will be pre-populated with the number of the active case being displayed when the Reports for Tab button was clicked.

4. Click the Submit button to run the report. The selected report will display in the Print Preview Tab window.

Click the Reset button to reset the fields to the last selections when the Submit button was clicked.

7. From the Print Preview window, click on the appropriate ribbon buttons to search, print, send or export the report.

Printing From the Report Library

Reports can also be run from the Report Library. To access the Report Library,

1. Click the Reports ribbon in Needles.
2. Click the Report Library button on the Reports ribbon.
3. Select the tab on the left-hand side of the Report Library to select a report type, such as Settlement Memos or Time reports. The Reports tab will contain the Needles Standard Reports as well as any user defined reports your firm has written.

You will need the proper permissions to access the available reports.

4. Double-click the desired report from the list of reports. You can also select the desired report and click the Run this report icon above the reports grid. The selected report will display in a new tab window within Needles.
5. On the Parameters pane, select the desired options on which you would like the report to filter.

6. Click the Submit button to run the report. The report will display in the tab window. Some standard reports may provide bookmarks to assist in quick navigation. Click on bookmarks in the convenient Document Map in the lower left corner of the Print Preview window to easily navigate to the specified section of the report.

Click the Reset button to reset the fields to the last selections when the Submit button was clicked.

7. From the Print Preview window, click on the appropriate ribbon buttons to search, print, send or export the report.