This template applies the four-block method — THE THINGS, THE LINKS, THE STATES, THE NUMBERS — to the firm whose raw material is the case file: consulting, expert work, independent professions. It's filled in for an expert firm with three practitioners: the example shows how to describe the thread of a matter, from opening to closing, without ever describing a screen.
To adapt it, follow your own practice: what triggers the opening of a matter, who handles it, what moves it forward, what allows closing. The STATES block is decisive: your real processing stages, in the order they follow, in the words the firm already uses.
Filled with your vocabulary, this text briefs a developer — or is submitted as-is to Blueprint Maker, which turns it into an application plan you validate, then a generated application: database, screens, dashboard and demo data.
The template to copy
My business: expert firm, three practitioners, around thirty active matters at any time. THINGS tracked: - Clients (company or name, contact, sector) - Matters (reference, subject, opening date, delivery deadline, practitioner in charge, agreed fee amount) - Acts (date, nature — meeting, analysis, drafting, travel —, duration, short report) - Deadlines (date, nature — delivery, hearing, filing, follow-up —, related matter) - Practitioners (name, role) LINKS: - A matter belongs to a client. - An act attaches to a matter. - A deadline attaches to a matter. - A matter has one practitioner in charge. STATES of a matter: open, in progress, awaiting documents, awaiting client, to invoice, closed. NUMBERS to see every Monday: - Deadlines in the next 15 days - Matters waiting (documents or client) for more than 15 days - Time spent per matter this month - Matters to invoice
Adapting this template to your firm
- Your unit of work: replace "matter" with case, engagement or study — keep the word your firm uses, it will structure the screens.
- Waiting states: distinguishing "awaiting documents" from "awaiting client" prevents the file that sleeps with no designated owner — often the tool's first payoff.
- Time spent: the Acts entity gives the per-matter record. If you bill by time, add an hourly rate per practitioner; if you work fixed-fee, the record drives profitability tracking.
- Conflicts of interest and confidentiality: if your rules require it, add an "opposing party" field on the matter — a name search will surface it before a new matter is opened.
- The compliant invoice is made in your invoicing tool: the "to invoice" state exists so nothing slips, not to issue the invoice.