Spotlight: PracticeMaster Indexes

July 2023    Tags: Filters, Indexes, PracticeMaster, QuickViews, Reports

What are indexes, and how can they help your firm? The indexes in PracticeMaster control the order in which records are displayed on the List tab of each file. There are two types of indexes: temporary and permanent.

• Permanent indexes are set up in File Maintenance, are available to everyone, are not removed when closing files, and can be used for more than just column sorting, such as helping make filters faster. Additionally, you can select up to four sorts for each permanent index. For example, in the Client file you could create an index that will first sort by State, then City, then Area of Practice, and then Client ID.
• Temporary indexes are created “on the fly” whenever you click on a column heading on the List tab, if that field does not already have a permanent index. Temporary indexes are available only to the user who created them and are removed as soon as the file is closed.

Although both indexes are shown in the Sort By group of the Quick Clicks pane, temporary indexes are indicated by an asterisk (*).

Why use permanent indexes?

• When creating a temporary index, PracticeMaster must look at all of the records and then sort them accordingly. Permanent indexes are already created, and thus are pre-sorted. Clicking on columns that have permanent indexes takes significantly less time for the records to refresh than when sorting using a temporary index.
• Once a permanent index is created, everyone can use it to quickly sort their records.
• Permanent indexes can be used in QuickViews. When creating a QuickView, both the Default Sort (which field/column to sort on) and Show Smart tabs by settings use permanent indexes in order to sort your records.
• Using a filter to target which records are displayed can be faster if the field you are filtering on is indexed.
• Report Writer reports can be faster when using a Primary Index.

Adding a permanent index

1. In the Quick Launch, search for and select “File Maintenance.”
2. Select the file for which you want to add a permanent index.
3. From the Index tab, click the  (New) button.
   1. Enter an Index ID for the new index.
   2. Enter a Description.
   3. Select the desired Sort Order(s).
   4. Click Done.
4. Close the File Maintenance window.

If users are frequently using temporary indexes, create permanent indexes to help save time when sorting columns. For more in-depth information on indexes, visit Knowledge Base Article R11487, “Working with Indexes, Filters, and QuickViews.”