Creating Excel spreadsheets

You can create new Excel spreadsheets directly from within FYI. Add a client and filing information for the document, then select Create to open Microsoft Excel and use all the features of Office to work on your document.

You can also select from a library of templates maintained for your practice. This allows you to create spreadsheets with consistent content and layout. The template can use Merge Fields to populate the document with content from your practice management software.

Creating an Excel spreadsheet

1. From FYI, select the + button in the menu bar.
    
2. Select Spreadsheet from the list of document types. 
   Or, from the workspace, press the shortcut key S for a new spreadsheet.
   The Create Spreadsheet drawer displays on the right-hand side.
   
   
   
   The fields that initially display depend on whether or not you have filing defaults set with a Cabinet and Category selected in your settings, or if these are set as practice filing defaults. When you select the Client, these may change to the filing defaults set for the client. If a template is selected, the Cabinet and Categories may change depending on whether filing defaults have been set up for the template.
    
3. Select the Client and Cabinet.
    
   • Client: Type at least three characters of the client name to display all clients containing those characters, then select the required client.
   • Cabinet: If the selected Client has a default Cabinet, or you have a default for your own settings or for the practice, this is displayed. You can change this if required.
     
     When the Client and Cabinet have been selected, relevant defaults display based on your selections. For example, Categories, Jobs, Tags, and Keywords are all set to display depending on the Cabinet selected.
     
     
      
4. In the drawer, select or enter the filing fields, or change the defaults that are given:
    
   • Change Addressee: If the document is being sent to a different addressee other than the client that it is being filed under, select the Change Addressee link and select the required Client. The document will be filed under the selected Client, but any Merge Fields that are populated in the document will be for the client selected as the Addressee. If an Addressee is selected, when the document is created this shows in the details at the top of the document drawer and this cannot be changed. The Client under which the document is filed can be changed when the document has been created.
   • Template: If required, select a template. If relevant for the selected template, default values for one or more Categories are offered providing a Cabinet is selected that uses the relevant Category or Categories. You can change the value for the Categories if required. 
     • When the document is created from a template, the Template column can be added to the Documents List to display the template used to create a document.
   • Categories: Select the filing Category/Categories for the document, such as Year and Work Type. The Category options that are available may be filtered according to the Cabinet selected.
   • Job: If Jobs are enabled for the selected Cabinet, you can also select a Job for the client.
   • Tags and Keywords: If the selected Cabinet has been enabled for Tags or Keywords you will see these as additional Categories. You can create or select one or more Tags as additional categorisation. You can enter one or more Keywords that can be used when searching for the document.
   • Name: To identify the document internally, the name displays in the lists in FYI. If a default name is provided, for example from the selected template, you can change this.
   • Opening Method after Creating: This option is only included if Co-editing is enabled for your practice. 
     • Select Edit if you want the document to be locked so you are the only person who can edit it, up until you indicate you have finished editing.
     • Select Co-edit if you want the document to be available for more than one user to edit at the same time.
     • Select Do not open to create the spreadsheet without opening it. This is useful, for example, when creating a spreadsheet with a template or if you want to return to it later to make changes.
        
5. Select Create. Microsoft Excel opens in your browser or on your desktop, depending on your Office opening method. You can set the default for how you want to open documents in your profile.
   
   If a template has been selected, merge fields can be used to automatically bring information from your practice management software into the document.
    
6. You can now work on your document.
    
7. Close the document when finished. Your document will be automatically saved and checked into FYI.
    
8. Once Excel is closed, you need to let FYI know you have finished editing the document and save any changes to FYI. In FYI in the drawer, select the I am finished editing button.
   
   
   FYI will sync with Office and the message “Syncing with FYI” shows for up to 30 seconds until your changes have been saved in FYI. This removes the lock on the document and removes the document from your Home - My Edits.
   
   

Change the delivery status

As Excel spreadsheets are generally not used for correspondence the Delivery Status is initially left blank.

You can mark the document as Sent using the Send or Delivery - Mark Sent function. This changes the delivery status to Sent.