Setting Up Smart Screens

Smart Screens give Abacus the ability to automatically change the appearance of windows based on the type of name or matter displayed. For example, you might design a screen that is applicable to divorce cases. You would not want to use this screen when dealing with all matters – it would have fields that did not fit other cases. If you assign this screen to a DIVORCE case code, then every time you select to work with a divorce matter, the screen designated for divorce will be used to design the Matter window.

To enable the Smart Screen feature, you must assign codes to screens. You can assign a Name screen to Class codes or a Matter screen to Case codes.

1. From the Screens window, select the screen to which you want to assign a code or codes.
   
   
   
   
2. Click Assign Codes. The Valid CLASS Entries window appears if you are working with a Name screen; the Valid WHAT Entries window appears if you are working with a Event screen; the Valid CASECODE Entries window appears if you are working with a Matter screen.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Select the code or codes you want to assign to the screen and click OK.

You can also assign a record directly to a screen, regardless of type. To do this, with the record open, select Window > Screens > Select a Screen. Select the screen you want to assign and click OK.

Opening the Screens Window

You can open the Screens window in one of two ways:

1. Select File > Setup > User-defined Screens and select the type of screen you want to work with (Name, Event or Matter).
   
   

or

1. Select File > Setup > User Preferences.
   
   
   
   
2. The User Preferences window appears.
3. Select the Appearance tab.
   
   
   
   
4. Under Screens, click the button for the type of data entry screens you want to manage (Name, Event, or Matter).
   
   
   
   
5. Select the screen you would like to use as a default.