Organizing Matter Documents with Folders

Legal matters generate large volumes of documents that must remain easy to find, navigate, and manage over time. The Folders for Documents feature lets you create a structured folder hierarchy directly inside each matter, so your team can apply consistent document management practices and find what they need quickly — no more scrolling through a flat, unsorted list.

✅ Prerequisites / Getting Started

Before using folders in a matter, make sure the following conditions are met:

• You have access to the matter in DiliTrust Matters.
• To view and navigate folders, you need at least a Can View permission on the matter.
• To create, rename, move, or delete folders, you need a Can Edit permission on the matter.
• To set up default folder templates for a matter type, you need administrator access to the Configuration area.

✨ How Folders Work — Key Concepts

Folders in Matters work much like folders on your computer:

• Folders and subfolders can be nested to any depth.
• Each folder name must be unique within its level (two folders at the same level cannot share the same name).
• Folder names can be between 1 and 128 characters.
• The document list always displays folders first (sorted alphabetically), then documents (sorted alphabetically). You can re-sort the list by clicking any column header.
• You can navigate into a folder by clicking on it, and navigate back up using the breadcrumb path at the top.

Each folder displays the following information in the table:

• Name — the folder's name.
• Uploaded on — the date the folder was created.
• Last update — the last time the folder was renamed or its contents changed.
• Size — the number of items (documents and subfolders) directly inside the folder (subfolder contents are not counted).

⭐ Step-by-Step Guide: Managing Folders in a Matter

All folder actions are available from the Documents tab of any matter.

Creating a Folder

1. Open the matter and go to the Documents tab.
2. Click the New Folder button (or the equivalent action button in the toolbar).
3. In the popup that appears, enter a name for your folder (1–128 characters). The name must be unique at the level where you are creating it.
4. Choose where to place it: at the current level, inside an existing folder, or at any level of the existing hierarchy.
5. Confirm to create the folder.

To create a subfolder, first navigate into the parent folder, then repeat the same steps above.

Renaming a Folder

1. Locate the folder you want to rename.
2. Open the action menu on the folder row and select Rename.
3. Enter the new name. It must be unique at the same level.
4. Confirm to save the change.

Moving a Folder or Document

1. Select the folder(s) or document(s) you want to move. You can select multiple items at once for a bulk move.
2. Open the action menu and select Move.
3. In the popup, browse the folder hierarchy and select the destination folder.
4. Confirm. If an item with the same name already exists at the destination, a suffix (2) is automatically added to preserve uniqueness (e.g., "My Folder" becomes "My Folder (2)").

Deleting a Folder

1. Select the folder(s) you want to delete. Bulk deletion is supported.
2. Open the action menu and select Delete.
3. A confirmation dialog will appear — read it carefully. Deleting a folder permanently deletes all of its contents, including all documents, subfolders, and their contents.
4. Confirm to proceed.

Downloading a Folder

1. Select the folder(s) or document(s) you want to download. Bulk download is supported.
2. Open the action menu and select Download.
3. A .zip fileis generated and downloaded automatically:
   • When downloading a single folder, the zip is named [folder_name].zip.
   • When downloading in bulk, all selected items are combined into a single zip named Date_downloadID_Documents.zip.
   • Empty folders are not included in the zip.

⭐ Setting Up Default Folders for a Matter Type (Administrators)

If your organization follows a standard document classification structure, you can define a default folder template for each matter type. This template is automatically applied whenever a new matter of that type is created — saving your team the effort of rebuilding the same folder structure every time.

How to configure default folders

1. Go to Configuration in the main navigation.
2. Select Matter Types.
3. Click on the matter type you want to configure.
4. Open the Documents tab.
5. Build your folder tree: add as many folders and subfolders as needed. Folders at the same level are sorted alphabetically by default.
6. Save your changes.

Important: default folder templates only apply to new matters created after the template is configured. Existing matters are not affected, and future changes to the template are not retroactively applied.

Once default folders are created on a matter, they behave exactly like any other folder: users with edit rights can rename or delete them as needed.

✨ Tips & Best Practices

• Use default folder templates on your most common matter types to ensure every new matter starts with a consistent, ready-to-use structure. This saves time and improves team-wide consistency.
• Keep folder names short and descriptive — names that are immediately recognizable help colleagues find documents faster without opening each folder.
• Use the breadcrumb navigation at the top of the document list to quickly jump back to any parent folder in your hierarchy.
• Before deleting a folder, make sure you have verified or relocated any documents inside it — deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.
• Use bulk move and bulk download to reorganize or export multiple items at once, saving significant time on larger matters.
• Sort by column (Name, Date, Size) to quickly locate folders or documents in a busy matter.

❌ Limitations & Known Constraints

• Folder names must be unique at the same level. You cannot have two folders with the same name inside the same parent folder or at the root level.
• Deleting a folder is permanent. There is no recycle bin or undo option — all contents (documents and subfolders at any depth) are permanently removed upon confirmation.
• Default folder templates do not apply retroactively. If you update the template on a matter type, existing matters keep their current folder structure unchanged.
• Empty folders are excluded from downloads. When generating a zip, only folders that contain at least one document (at any depth) are included.
• Folder creation and management require edit rights. Users with view-only access on a matter can browse and download folders but cannot create, rename, move, or delete them.
• Name conflicts on move are resolved automatically. If a moved item conflicts with an existing item name, a "(2)" suffix is appended — this behavior is automatic and cannot be customized.

❓ FAQ

Can I create folders inside folders (subfolders)?

Yes. You can nest folders to any depth. Simply navigate into an existing folder and create a new folder from there.

What happens to the documents inside a folder I delete?

All documents and subfolders inside a deleted folder are permanently deleted as well. You will be asked to confirm before deletion takes effect. Make sure to move any important documents before deleting a folder.

I moved a folder and its name changed to "My Folder (2)". Why?

A folder with the same name already existed at the destination. DiliTrust automatically adds a "(2)" suffix to preserve the uniqueness of names. You can rename the folder afterwards if needed.

Will my existing matters get the new default folders I configured on a matter type?

No. Default folder templates only apply to matters created after the template is set up. Existing matters are not affected and must be updated manually if needed.

Why are some folders missing from the zip I downloaded?

Empty folders (folders with no documents inside, at any depth) are automatically excluded from zip downloads. Only folders containing at least one document are included.

Can I re-order folders manually instead of alphabetically?

Yes. You can drag and drop folders at the same level to set a custom order. Once at least one folder has been manually repositioned, you can switch between Alphabetical and Manual position sort orders using the sort options in the document list.

Can I set up default folders for my matter types if I'm not an administrator?

No. Configuring default folder templates for matter types requires administrator access to the Configuration area. Contact your DiliTrust administrator if you need a default structure set up.

Is there a limit on how many folders or subfolders I can create?

There is no hard limit on the number of subfolders or depth of nesting. You can build as deep a hierarchy as your organization needs.