CounselLink Answer Center for Clients

Using CounselLink Add-in for Word

  • Updated

This article covers the following:

Displaying the Add-in for Word

You can open the LexisNexis® CounselLink® add-in from the Home ribbon in Microsoft® Word to work with matters or monitor pending activities. Sign in using your standard CounselLink credentials or SSO (if enabled).

  1. Select the Home ribbon in Word.

    • From the Desktop version of Word, the CounselLink add-in displays in the LexisNexis group.

    • From the Web version of Word, select the Ellipsis to display your add-ins.

  2. Click the CounselLink icon. The CounselLink add-in panel displays on the right side of the current document.

  3. Sign in to CounselLink:

    Use Your CounselLink Credentials

    1. Enter your CounselLink Username.

    2. Click Continue.
    3. Enter your Password.
    4. Click Sign In. The CounselLink homepage displays.

    Use Single Sign-on (SSO)

    The CounselLink Add-in for Word only supports SSO using SAML 2.0.

    1. Click Sign In With SSO.

    2. Enter your Email address.
    3. Click Submit. The CounselLink homepage displays.

Your sign-in is retained, so the next time you open the add-in you will typically be signed in. For added security, you can sign out when finished.

Click the Sign-Out icon next to your user name.

When finished, you can close the panel to free space in the Word window.

Customizing the Homepage Tiles in the Add-in

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Homepage tiles (colored boxes) allow you to monitor saved searches and pending activities while working in Word.

  • Four tiles display by default.
  • You can configure up to eight tiles.

  1. Hover over a tile to reveal the gear icon.

  2. Click the gear icon.

  3. Select the saved search to display. The tile updates and shows a current record count.

Adding a Tile

  1. Click the Add a New Tile (+) icon. A new tile is added to the homepage.

  2. Hover over the tile to reveal the gear icon.

  3. Click the gear icon.
  4. Select the saved search to display. The tile updates and shows a current record count.

Removing a Tile

  1. Hover over a tile you previously added.

  2. Click the gear icon.

  3. Click Remove Selected Tile.

    You cannot remove the original four tiles, but you can change which saved search each tile displays.

Viewing Matter Details

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You can view matter details and saved documents directly in the add-in panel. If needed, open the matter in CounselLink to perform additional actions.

  1. From the Menu icon, click Matters.

    The Matters Search panel displays with either the My Matters or All Matters tab active.

    • My Matters - Matters you marked as favorites (star icon on the Matter Overview page in CounselLink).
    • All Matters - All matters you have permission to view based on your office and role assignments.
  2. Click Filter, select a filter, then click Apply.

  3. Hover over a matter in the list, then click the Ellipsis to display the list of actions.

    • Add Journal - Add a journal entry to track activities and communications.
    • Add File or Link - Upload a file or add an external link (supported file types up to 100 MB).
    • Upload this Word Document - Add the current Word document to the matter.
    • Open in CounselLink - Open the Matter Overview page in a new browser window.
  4. Click a matter to view:
    • Details - The matter details in a read-only view.
    • Documents - The documents for the matter.

Adding Documents

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A “document” refers to any supported file type. Each file is limited to 100 MB, but there is no limit to the number of documents you can add to a matter.

You can add documents using either drag-and-drop (if supported) or the Add File or Link option.

Option 1: Drag and Drop Documents to a Matter (Desktop only)

Drag-and-drop is supported only when using:

  • Word Desktop (Microsoft 365), and
  • Windows 10 version 1903 or later
  1. Navigate to view the matter in the CounselLink add-in.

  2. To add to the parent (root) folder: drag and drop file(s) from Windows Explorer onto the matter in the matter list.

  3. To add the document to a folder:
    • Click the Documents tab.

    • Drag and drop file(s) into the target folder.

If no confirmation banner appears, the file(s) were not added. Confirm you meet the desktop/Windows requirements above, or use the manual upload method.

Option 2: Add a File or Link 

  1. Hover over the matter in the Matter list.
  2. Click the Ellipsis.
  3. Click on the Add File or Link. The Add Documents panel displays.
  4. Choose one of the following:

    • External Link – Enter the full URL if the file is stored on a web server.

    • Select files… – Browse to upload a file from your device.

  5. Complete the Document Details section.
    • Add a Document Name.
    • Confirm Related To displays the correct matter name.
    • Optional: Select a Folder.
    • Review and adjust defaults for Category, Owner, Shared, and Access Level.
    • Optional: Add a Revision number or description.
    • Optional: Select a Status.
    • Optional: Add a Description.

    • Optional: Enter Keywords to describe the document.

      Keywords are used as meta tags to make searching for the documents faster.

  6. Click Upload Documents. A confirmation banner displays.

Editing Matter Documents

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Word documents previously saved to CounselLink can be opened, revised, and saved again directly from the add-in. For other file types, you cannot edit the content in Word, but you can update Document Details.

Edit a Word Document

  1. Open the matter and go to the Documents tab.

  2. Locate the document, hover over it, and click the ellipsis.

  3. Click Documents to display the list of documents and folders.

  4. Click Edit Document. 
  5. Optional: Clear the checkbox if you do not want to check out the document (lock it) during editing.
  6. Click Edit Document in Word. The document opens in a new Word window.
  7. Revise the document as needed.
  8. Save the revised document locally (the add-in requires a local save).
  9. Return to the add-in panel and review/update Document Details as needed.
  10. Optional: Enter a Revision number or description to save the document as a new version.
  11. Click Save Changes. The Check In Document panel displays.

  12. Optional: Add a comment and choose a status.

  13. Click Save. 

The document is saved and the lock is released. If a new version was created, both the previous and new versions appear on the Versions tab.

Revise Document Details

  1. Open the matter and go to the Documents tab.

  2. Click Documents.

  3. Hover over the document.

  4. Click Ellipsis.

  5. Click Edit Document Details. The Edit Document panel displays.

  6. Review the Document Details and make any required changes.

    CounselLink determines your permissions to edit the document's details. You cannot change the Owner or the matter to which the document is Related To. These changes can be made from CounselLink.

  7. Click Save Changes.

Checking Out/In Documents

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Checking out a document locks it so other users cannot edit or delete it while checked out. Check in the document to release the lock when finished.

Users assigned to the Document Administrator role can override a lock on any document.

Check Out a Document

  1. Navigate to the Documents tab of the Matter in the CounselLink add-in for Word.
  2. Locate the document.
  3. Hover over the document.

  4. Click Ellipsis.

  5. Select Check Out Document.

Check In a Document

  1. Navigate to the Documents tab of the Matter in the CounselLink add-in for Word.
  2. Locate the document.
  3. Hover over the document.

  4. Click Ellipsis.

  5. Click Check In Document.
  6. Optional: Before checking in:
    • Click Select File to upload a new version.
    • Enter a note in Comment.
    • Select a Status from the drop-down list.
    • Clear the checkbox to release the lock (if applicable). This is typically enabled by default to release the lock upon check-in.

  7. Click Save. A confirmation banner displays.

Downloading Documents

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You can download matter documents you have permission to view. A copy is saved to your device’s default download location; the original remains in CounselLink.

Download the Current Version

  1. Open the matter and go to the Documents tab.
  2. Select the matter to view the matter details.

  3. Click Documents. 

  4. Hover over the document.

  5. Click the Ellipsis.

  6. Click Download Document. A copy of the document is downloaded to your computer.

Download a Prior Version of a Document

  1. Open the matter and go to the Documents tab.
  2. Select the matter to view the matter details.
  3. Click Documents. 
  4. Click the document name.

  5. Select the Versions tab.

  6. Click the document name. A copy of the document is downloaded to your computer.

Uploading the Current Word Document

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You can upload the currently open Word document to a matter from the add-in.

As soon as the document is added, any user with permission to access matter documents can view it.

This feature is not available when using Mozilla Firefox to access the web-based version of Word, due to technical limitations.

To Upload the Current Word Document to a Matter:

  1. Confirm all recent changes to the Word document have been saved.
  2. Open the matter list in the add-in.
  3. Hover over the matter.

  4. Click the Ellipsis. 

  5. Click Upload this Word Document. The Upload Current Word Documents panel displays.
  6. Complete the Document Details section.
    • Add a Document Name.
    • Confirm Related To displays the correct matter name.
    • Optional: Select a Folder.
    • Review and adjust defaults for Category, Owner, Shared, and Access Level.
    • Optional: Add a Revision number or description.
    • Optional: Select a Status.
    • Optional: Add a Description.
    • Optional: Enter Keywords to describe the document.
  7. Click Upload Document. A confirmation banner displays.

Managing Document Preferences

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Your CounselLink profile includes default document preferences for categorization and sharing. These preferences are applied automatically to documents uploaded through the add-in. You can override preferences during upload or later by editing Document Details.

  1. Click the Menu icon.

  2. Select Settings.

  3. Review and update defaults as needed:
    • Category – Default document category
    • Owner - Document owner (retains full document control)
    • Shared - Whether outside counsel can view the document (default is No)
    • Access - Who can view the document externally:
      • Private - Only the document owner and Document Administrators

      • Public - All corporate matter participants; if Shared = Yes, both corporate and law firm matter participants

        Setting Public by default can unintentionally expose documents to all law firms on the same matter.

  4. Click Save. 

Adding Journal Entries

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You can add journal entries to track communications or add a file note. You can attach supported files (up to 100 MB each), including audio/video clips, images, and documents. Journal entries created in the add-in are visible to client matter participants in CounselLink. You can choose whether to share journal entries with law firms.

  1. Hover over the matter in the Matter list.

  2. Click the Ellipsis icon.

  3. Click Add Journal. 

  4. Enter a Subject.
  5. Confirm the Date, or change it.
  6. Optional: Enter a Description.
  7. Optional: Choose a Category.
  8. Optional: Mark the Share with Law Firms check box to share the journal entry with law firms who have access to this matter.
  9. Optional: Add attachments:

    • Click Select files… to browse and upload files, or

    • Drag and drop files into the Attachments area (Desktop Word only; Windows 10 version 1903 or later).

  10. Click Save.