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Why Generic Project Management Tools Fall Short for Law Firms 

Ab Saraswat

Ab Saraswat

Why Generic Project Management Tools Fall Short for Law Firms 
In this article

    The biggest challenges in managing work are fragmented workflows, where emails are stored in one place, task lists in another, and documents in a separate location. Generic project management tools only bridge part of the gap, resulting in friction and a lack of adoption.

    Lawyers want a platform that: (1) connects to their core systems (DMS, Calendar, PMS); (2) is available where they work; and (3) improves their existing workflow but feels familiar without needing to learn new heuristics (simplicity in design and experience).

    Smartsheet, Monday, and other generic project management tools serve many teams well. However, legal work has specific requirements that generic platforms struggle to address effectively. This post explains why purpose-built legal platforms like Lupl are gaining traction.

    TL;DR

    General platforms can manage tasks, but legal work runs on documents and matters. When the task tool sits outside the DMS, you get version drift, access gaps, and constant switching between windows. Lupl keeps documents in iManage or NetDocuments, links every task to the record, and fits how lawyers already work. The result is less risk, less friction, and higher adoption.

    The core problem

    Documents are the work product, precedents, and tightly controlled access. Matters move through checklists, dates, and approvals. The DMS holds the truth. If your task tool is not DMS first, you split the work. You manage tasks in one place and hunt for documents in another.

    That split creates predictable problems. Version drift creeps in when people edit the wrong file. Security drifts because DMS permissions and task tool permissions do not match. Focus drops as lawyers bounce between tabs to find links and confirm versions. Admin grows as teams rekey intake data, copy and paste links, and rebuild the same checklists for each matter. Adoption stalls because the interface asks lawyers to think like project managers.

    Smartsheet and Monday are built to serve many scenarios. That reach is useful, and it is also a constraint for legal work. Legal teams need a matter model, DMS alignment, and a user experience that feels native and intuitive to a lawyer.

    Two advantages that change outcomes

    1) Your IP stays where it belongs. Documents remain in the DMS. Version history, retention, and security stay intact. There are no shadow repositories to manage or clean up.

    2) Your workflow is not fragmented. Tasks, timelines, checklists, and documents live together. You open the task, open the right document, and work. You spend less time hunting for links and reconciling changes.

    What lawyers want from a task management platform

    Lawyers want a platform that mirrors the progression of their matters. The unit of work is the matter. Each matter has distinct phases, tasks, due dates, assigned owners, and associated documents. A legal first platform links those parts without copying the documents out of the DMS.

    Email and deadlines must be in the flow, so delegation from and visibility of deadlines in Outlook are present. Users want to be able to bring existing checklists and trackers from Excel and Word into the platform without rekeying. Governance should follow the matter, with permissions that inherit from the DMS and an audit-friendly activity trail. Finally, there needs to be depth to adapt as the requirements grow, whether through automation or API availability to connect to systems like Intapp, Elite, or Aderant.

    How Lupl fits

    Lupl is matter-centric and DMS-first. Documents stay in iManage or NetDocuments.

    We focus heavily on a familiar UI/UX that resembles a task list, with columns, tasks, due dates, owners, notes, and attachments. Lawyers can move work on day one because the interface matches familiar mental models.

    Automations reduce manual steps. You can route approvals, set reminders, and post updates to your teams. Outlook integration means that tasks can be created from the inbox, and deadlines overlay neatly with existing calendar commitments.

    Templates help you start fast. Use a closing checklist, a litigation phase plan, a regulatory steps template, or an investigations tracker. Keep them as is or tailor them to your firm.

    A day in the life, two paths

    Generic platform path. You start by creating a project or board. The default templates speak to sales or marketing, not legal work. You add columns and statuses, then try to attach the right documents. Links have to be manually created in the DMS, pasted into the platform, and routinely updated. You bounce to the DMS to find the record, confirm the version, and fix permissions. After a few cycles, the grid looks busy, but the work still lives somewhere else.

    Lupl path. You open the matter. The language and layout are familiar. Tasks, dates, owners, and checklists sit next to the documents in iManage or NetDocuments. Templates are playbooks for real estate, litigation, or regulatory work. From an email in Outlook, you delegate work in 3 clicks, which is added to the relevant matter, and keep moving. You edit the record, save, and the task, owner, and timeline update automatically.

    Quick comparison

    RequirementLuplSmartsheetMonday
    Documents stay in iManage or NetDocumentsNativeLink or custom setupLink or custom setup
    Audit-friendly activity trailNativeCustom model requiredCustom model required
    Scenario templatesNativeBuild or marketplaceBuild or marketplace
    Intake to task flowNativePossible with heavy customizationPossible with heavy customization
    Permissions align with DMSNativeNot availableNot available
    Outlook and Teams add-inNativePossible with connectorsPossible with connectors
    Audit friendly activity trailNativeVaries by setupVaries by setup
    External sharing optionsNativePossible with setupPossible with setup

    Smartsheet and Monday can achieve parts of this with time, add-ons, and weeks of professional services work. For most firms, the gap is the model. Legal needs a DMS first design and a matter-centric experience.

    Making the transition

    We already have a generic platform. Keep it for other teams and connect where useful. Use Lupl for legal work so documents stay in the DMS and work stays in one place.

    Lawyers are not asking for this. The pain hides in small moments. People hunt for the right version, copy and paste links, and re-key data. Handoffs slip. These moments compound into hours. You do not need more features. You need the work and the documents together, inside the matter.

    Senior lawyers will not use it. Do not force new habits. Keep email at the center. A partner can forward an email to the matter or delegate from their inbox. An assistant can update tasks on their behalf. The task still links to the DMS record, so work moves without extra steps. Practice heads and senior partners yearn for updates on key clients or practice capacity.

    Adoption plan that works

    Start small and prove value fast. Map the current steps and the document touchpoints. Configure a template in Lupl. Connect your DMS and Outlook. Run a sprint with a small group that includes a senior lawyer and their team. Measure cycle time, handoffs, and rework. Capture plain language feedback. Roll out the template and automations practice-wide, then add more templates over time and expand.

    Buyer checklist

    Use this list when you evaluate options.

    • Do documents stay in iManage or NetDocuments without creating a copy?
    • Do permissions inherit from the DMS?
    • Does intake create tasks and timelines automatically?
    • Does the tool integrate Outlook, Teams, and Copilot into the matter?
    • Is there an API to create matters from Intapp, Elite, or Aderant?
    • Can templates be easily configured for legal work?
    • Can lawyers use it on day one with minimal training and without learning project management theory?
    • Can assistants and LPMs manage work on behalf of lawyers without extra steps?

    Smartsheet and Monday are generic platforms built to serve many scenarios. They are useful for many teams. Legal work has different needs. A law firm first platform like Lupl fits those needs with less risk and less friction.

    Call to action

    If you want your legal work to live where the work happens, see Lupl in action. Request a demo. We will map two of your workflows, connect your DMS, and put a live matter in motion.

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      # Lupl Workstream Design Principles: A Practical Guide to Legal Project Management for Lawyers Legal project management works when your setup is simple, ownership is clear, and statuses are unambiguous. This guide shows how to turn existing processes and checklists into a lean, reliable Workstream. Lupl is the legal project management platform for law firms, making it easy and intuitive to apply these principles. It also supports moving your work from Excel, Word tables, or if you are transitioning from Microsoft Planner, Smartsheet, or Monday. You will learn what belongs in a Workstream, a Task, or a Step, and which columns to use. If you want practical project management for lawyers, start here. **Excerpt:** Legal project management works when ownership, dates, and statuses are clear. This guide shows lawyers how to turn checklists into Lupl Workstreams with the right columns, Tasks, and Steps. Use it to standardize project management for lawyers, reduce follow ups, and move matters to done. --- ## How to organize your work with Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps are three different types of objects in Lupl. They form a simple hierarchy. Workstreams contain Tasks. Tasks may contain optional Steps. This hierarchy aligns with standard project management. In project management, you break work into projects, deliverables, and subtasks. Lupl adapts this for lawyers by using Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps. This makes it easier to map legal processes to a structure that teams can track and manage. * **Workstream.** Use when you have many similar or related items to track over time. Think of the Workstream as the table. * Examples: closing checklist, court deadlines, pretrial preparation, regulatory obligations, due diligence, local counsel management. * **Task.** A high level unit of legal work. A key deliverable with an owner and a due date. Tasks are the rows. * Examples: File motion. Prepare Shareholder Agreement. Submit Q3 report. * **Step.** An optional short checklist inside a single Task. Steps roll up to the parent Task. * Examples: Draft. QC. Partner review. E file. Serve. ### Quick test * If it can be overdue by itself, make it a Task. * If it only helps complete a Task, make it a Step. * If you need different columns or owners, create a separate Workstream. --- ## Do you need to track everything in Lupl Not every detail needs to be tracked in a project management system. The principle is to capture what drives accountability and progress. In Lupl, that means focusing on deliverables, not every micro action. * Use the level of detail you would bring to a weekly team meeting agenda. * Position Tasks as key deliverables. Treat Steps as optional micro tasks to show progress. * Example: You need client instructions. Do not add a Task for "Email client to request a call." Just make the call. If the client approves a key deliverable on the call, mark that item Approved in Lupl so the team has visibility. --- ## Start with the Core 5 columns Columns are the backbone of a Workstream. They define what information is tracked for each Task. In project management terms, these are your core metadata fields. They keep everyone aligned without overcomplicating the table. Keep the table narrow. You can add later. These five work across most legal project management use cases. 1. **Title.** Start with a verb. Example: File answer to complaint. 2. **Status.** Five to seven clear choices. Example: Not started, In progress, For review, For approval, Done. 3. **Assignee.** One named owner per row. If you add multiple assignees for collaboration, still name a primary owner. 4. **Due date.** One date per row. 5. **Type or Category.** Show different kinds of work in one table. Example: Filing, Discovery, Signature, Approval. **Priority.** Add only if you actively triage by priority each week. If added, keep it simple: High, Medium, Low. --- ## Add up to three Helper columns Lupl includes a set of pre made columns you can use out of the box. These allow you to customize Workstreams around different phases or stages of a matter. They also let you map how you already track transactional work, litigation, or other processes. Helper columns are optional fields that add context. In task management, these are similar to tags or attributes you use to sort and filter work. The key is to only add what you will update and use. Pick only what you will use. Stop when you reach three. * Party or Counterparty * Jurisdiction or Court * Phase * Approver * Approval, status or yes or no * Signature status * Risk, RAG * Amount or Number * External ID or Client ID * Document or Link * Docket number * Client entity **Guidance** * For Task Workstreams, prefer Approver, Approval, Risk. The rest are more common in Custom Workstreams. * Aim for eight columns or fewer in your main table. Put detail in the Task description, attachments, or Steps. --- ## Simple rules that keep your table clean Consistency is critical in project management. A cluttered or inconsistent table slows teams down. These rules ensure your Workstream remains usable and clear. * Only add a column people will update during the matter. If it never changes, set a default at the Workstream level or set a default value in the column. * Only add a column you will sort or filter on. If you will not use it to find or group work, leave it out. * If a value changes inside one Task, use Steps. Steps show progress without widening the table. * Keep columns short and structured. Use Description for brief context or instructions. Use Task comments for discussion and decisions. Link to work product in your DMS as the source of truth. * One accountable owner per Task and one due date. You can add collaborators, but always name a primary owner who moves the Task. If different people or dates apply to different parts, split into separate Tasks or capture the handoff as Steps. * Add automations after you lock the design. Finalize columns and status definitions first. Then add simple reminders and escalations that read those fields. --- ## Status hygiene that everyone understands Status is the single most important column in project management. It tells the team where the work stands. Too many options cause confusion. Too few cause misalignment. In Lupl, keep it simple and consistent. * Five to seven statuses are enough. * Use one review gate, For review or For approval. Use both only if your process needs two gates. * One terminal status, Done. This is the end state of the Task. Use Archived only if you report on it or need it for retention workflows. --- ## When to split into multiple Workstreams In project management, it is best practice to separate workstreams when workflows, owners, or audiences diverge. Lupl makes this easy by letting you create multiple Workstreams for one matter. Create a new Workstream if any of the following are true. * You need a different set of columns for a chunk of work. * Ownership or cadence is different, for example daily docketing vs monthly reporting. * The audience or confidentiality needs are different. **Signal** * If half your rows leave several columns blank, you are mixing processes. Split the table. --- ## Decision tree, three quick questions Use this quick framework to decide where an item belongs. This is the same principle used in task management software, adapted for legal workflows. 1. Is this a list of similar items over time, or a discrete phase of the matter * Yes. Create a Workstream. 2. Can it be overdue by itself, and does it need an owner * Yes. Create a Task. 3. Is it a step to finish a Task and not tracked on its own * Yes. Create a Step. --- ## Common mistakes to avoid Many project management failures come from overdesigning or misusing the structure. Avoid these mistakes to keep your Workstreams lean and effective. * Wide tables with many optional columns. Keep it to eight or fewer. * Two columns for the same idea, for example Status and Phase that overlap. Merge or define clearly. * More than one approval gate when one would do. It slows work and confuses owners. * Mixing unrelated processes in one table, for example signatures and invoice approvals. --- ## Build your first Workstream Building a Workstream is like setting up a project board. Keep it light, pilot it, then refine. Lupl is designed to let you do this quickly without heavy admin work. 1. Write the Workstream purpose in one sentence. 2. Add the Core 5 columns. 3. Add at most three Helpers you will use. 4. Define clear Status meanings in plain words. 5. Set defaults for any value that repeats on most rows, for example Jurisdiction. 6. Add two light automations, a due soon reminder and an overdue nudge. 7. Pilot for one week and adjust. --- ## Where this fits in legal project management Use these principles to standardize project management for lawyers across matters. Keep structures consistent. Reuse column sets and status definitions. Your team will find work faster, reduce follow ups, and close loops on time. --- ### On page SEO helpers * Suggested title tag. Lupl Workstream Design Principles, Practical Legal Project Management for Lawyers * Suggested meta description. Learn how to design lean Lupl Workstreams for legal project management. Get clear rules for Tasks, Steps, statuses, and columns to run matters with confidence. * Suggested URL slug. legal-project-management-for-lawyers-workstream-design

      Lupl Workstream Design Principles: A Practical Guide to Legal Project Management for Lawyers

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