How to Create a “Recycle Bin” for ProLaw Events (and Save Yourself a Headache!)

Have you ever had a user accidentally (or intentionally!) delete an important event in ProLaw, only to realize later that the document or information is gone forever? If you allow users the ability to delete events, they are permanently deleted. For a document, recovering it often means going through the process of locating it in your last system backup—not ideal!

Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to prevent this permanent deletion and create a safety net, or a “Recycle Bin,” right within ProLaw.

Step 1: Update the Security Class

The first line of defense is to restrict the ability to permanently delete events.

1. Navigate to Dashboard – Tools – Setup.
2. Open the Security Class that your users belong to.
3. Go to the Events Tab.
4. Uncheck the delete options (or tailor them to your specific needs).

• Pro-Tip: On the General Tab of the Security Class, you can allow users to delete only the entries they made within the last X amount of minutes. This allows for correcting immediate mistakes!

Step 2: Establish the “Recycle Bin” Event Class

Restricting permanent deletion is great, but now users can’t clean up their own unwanted events. The solution? A dedicated “Recycle Bin” where unwanted events can be placed, instead of being truly deleted.

1. Create a new Event Class folder in Events and name it something clear, like “Recycle Bin.”
2. Instruct your users that instead of deleting an event, they should simply drag and drop their unwanted events onto this new “Recycle Bin” folder.

Now, if a user changes their mind or needs a document back, the event is safely contained and not permanently erased.

Step 3: Clear Out the Bin (Transferring to a Holding Matter)

The “Recycle Bin” folder will eventually get cluttered. To keep your active Matters clean, you can periodically move these stored events to a centralized, non-active holding Matter.

1. From the Dashboard, click on Events.
2. You will need to search for the events currently residing in your “Recycle Bin” Event Class.
3. Once the events are displayed, use the “Transfer All Events to Another Matter” option.
4. Select a Matter specifically created for holding old, discarded events. You may have to create this.

This keeps your Matters tidy while ensuring the events and their documents are still somewhere in the system.

Step 4: Simple Recovery When Needed

If a user needs a document or event back:

1. Navigate to Dashboard – Events.
2. Search your special holding Matter (or whichever Matter you transferred them to).
3. Once the event is found, select it.
4. Use the “Transfer Event to Another Matter” option to move it back to the active Matter where it belongs.

By implementing this simple four-step process, you create a robust safety mechanism that mimics a computer’s Recycle Bin, preventing permanent data loss and making document recovery a quick, in-house task rather than a search through backups.

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