Attach an Existing File

There are several ways to add an attachment. One method is to use the Attach to TAM option to attach a received email using the TAM Outlook Add-In. Alternatively, you can drag and drop items (files or emails) directly onto a screen, you can locate the client first, or you can use the Efiling Router.

Important! When closing Home Base, Applied TAM verifies that all temporary files are deleted, and all attachments are closed. If any attachments are open, the Open Attachments window displays listing the attachment files that are open. To exit Applied TAM, all attachments must be closed. See the Introduction to TAM article for more information.

TAM Outlook Add-In: Attach to TAM

If you are using the TAM Outlook Add-In, you can attach received messages into TAM. When attaching received email messages, you can attach each email individually or combine them into a single attachment.

Quickly and easily attach one or more received email messages to Applied TAM directly from your Outlook Inbox, or any other mail folder,  by selecting the Attach to TAM option in the Outlook ribbon. You can also attach the email you have open in the same way.

Attaching a single email message

The following workflow is applicable only when attaching a single received Outlook email message to TAM.

  1. In your Microsoft Outlook Inbox (or another mail folder), select an email message. You can also follow these steps to attach an email message you are viewing in the Reading Pane.
  2. Click Attach to TAM in the Home ribbon. If Applied TAM is not already open, you are prompted to log in. This login only gives you access to the Attachment Detail window. You must launch TAM separately to perform any other work in the system.
  3. In the Attachment Detail window that displays, select the Entity Type from the dropdown menu.
  4. Enter the Entity Code. If you do not know the Entity Code, hover over the field and press [F4] to look it up:
    1. If necessary, select the Include Inactive checkbox to include any inactive accounts to the list.
    2. Select the Code for the account with the contacts you want to add and click OK.
  5. If you selected the Entity Type of Customer or Prospect, you can select a Policy to attach the email. The Entity Type of Customer also has the option to select a Claim to attach the email.
  6. If necessary, you can attach the email to an existing Activity or Attachment from the Activity/Attachment frame:
    1. Select either the Activity or the Attachment radio button.
    2. Enter the Code or hover over the field with your cursor and press [F4] to open the list of Activities or Attachments for the Entity Code you selected. Select the Activity or Attachment you want from the list.
    3. Click OK. The Date, Time, and Description for the Activity or Attachment is added to the corresponding fields.
  7. You must enter a Category in the corresponding field within the Attachment Details frame. Hover over the Category field and press [F4] to open the Attachment Category list of values. Click on the Value from the list and then click OK.
  8. If necessary, enter a Subcategory.
  9. Enter a Description for the email message you are attaching.
  10. The Create Activity checkbox is preselected from the Options frame and cannot be changed. However, you may to select the Client Viewable checkbox if you want the email you are attaching to be accessible by a client.
  11. Selecting the Delete from Inbox checkbox removes the email from your Inbox and moves it to your Deleted Items folder upon attachment to TAM.
  12. Click OK to attach the email and open the New Activity Detail screen. Complete the necessary details for the activity and click OK.

Click Cancel to close the Attachment Detail window without attaching the email.

Attaching multiple email messages

Use the following workflows to attach multiple received email messages from Outlook to one or more existing TAM accounts. All checkboxes in the Apply settings to all files frame are selected by default, which means that all email messages selected will be combined into a single attachment. If you deselect the Group Files and Attach To checkboxes, you can route the attachment of each email message separately.

Combining multiple email messages into a single attachment

You must leave the Group Files checkbox selected to combine all email messages into a single attachment. The Attach To checkbox defaults as selected and cannot be changed.

  1. In your Microsoft Outlook Inbox (or another mail folder), select more than one email message.

  2. Click Attach to TAM in the Home ribbon. If Applied TAM is not already open, you are prompted to log in. This login only gives you access to the Attachment Detail window. You must launch TAM separately to perform any other work in the system.

  3. All selected email messages display in the Files list; the Subject line of each message is used as the corresponding filename.

  4. If necessary, you can deselect the Details checkbox but you will have to enter a separate Category and Description for each file in the Attachment Details frame.

  5. In the Attach To frame, select the Entity Type from the dropdown.

  6. Enter the Entity Code. If you do not know the Entity Code, hover over the field and press [F4] to look it up:

    1. If necessary, select the Include Inactive checkbox to include any inactive accounts to the list.

    2. Select the Code for the account with the contacts you want to add and click OK.

  7. If you selected the Entity Type of Customer or Prospect, you have the option to select a Policy to attach the email. The Entity Type of Customer also has the option to select a Claim to attach the email.

  8. If necessary, you can attach the email to an existing Activity or Attachment from the Activity/Attachment frame:

    1. Select either the Activity or the Attachment radio button.

    2. Enter the Code or hover over the field with your cursor and press [F4] to open the list of Activities or Attachments for the Entity Code you selected. Select the Activity or Attachment you want from the list.

    3. Click OK. The Date, Time, and Description for the Activity or Attachment is added to the corresponding fields.

  9. From the Attachment Details frame, you must enter a Category and Description. If you deselected the Details checkbox in the Apply settings to all files frame, you must click on each file in the list and enter the Category and Description separately for each file.

  10. Your selections in the Options frame apply to all files regardless if they are being attached individually or as a group:

  11. Selecting the Delete from Inbox checkbox removes the email from your Inbox and moves it to your Deleted Items folder upon attachment to TAM.

  12. Click OK to attach the email and open the New Activity Detail screen. Complete the necessary details for the activity and click OK.

Click Cancel to close the Attachment Detail window without attaching the email.

Selecting multiple email messages and routing each as a separate attachment

You must deselect the Group Files and the Attach To checkboxes to attach each email message separately. Remember, you must complete the Attach To, Activity/Attachment, and Attachment Details sections for each message included in the Files list.

  1. In your Microsoft Outlook Inbox (or another mail folder), select more than one email message.

  2. Click Attach to TAM in the Home ribbon. If Applied TAM is not already open, you are prompted to log in. This login only gives you access to the Attachment Detail window. You must launch TAM separately to perform any other work in the system.

  3. All selected email messages display in the Files list; the Subject line of each message is used as the corresponding filename.

  4. To attach each email separately, you must deselect the Group Files and Attach To checkboxes.

  5. If necessary, you can deselect the Details checkbox but you must enter a separate Category and Description for each file in the Attachment Details frame.

  6. Select a file from the Files list and complete the following:

    1. In the Attach To frame, select the Entity Type from the dropdown.

    2. Enter the Entity Code. If you do not know the Entity Code, hover over the field and press [F4] to look it up:

      1. If necessary, select the Include Inactive checkbox to include any inactive accounts to the list.

      2. Select the Code for the account with the contacts you want to add and click OK.

    3. If you selected the Entity Type of Customer or Prospect, you have the option to select a Policy to attach the email. The Entity Type of Customer also has the option to select a Claim to attach the email.

    4. If necessary, you can attach the email to an existing Activity or Attachment from the Activity/Attachment frame:

      1. Select either the Activity or the Attachment radio button.

      2. Enter the Code or hover over the field with your cursor and press [F4] to open the list of Activities or Attachments for the Entity Code you selected. Select the Activity or Attachment you want from the list.

      3. Click OK. The Date, Time, and Description for the Activity or Attachment is added to the corresponding fields.

    5. From the Attachment Details frame, you must enter a Category and Description. If you deselected the Details checkbox in the Apply settings to all files frame, you must enter the Category and Description separately for each file.

    6. Select the next file from the Files list and repeat these steps for each file in the list.

  7. Your selections in the Options frame apply to all files regardless if they are being attached individually or as a group:

  8. Selecting the Delete from Inbox checkbox removes the email from your Inbox and moves it to your Deleted Items folder upon attachment to TAM.

  9. Click OK to attach the email and open the New Activity Detail screen. Complete the necessary details for the activity and click OK.

Click Cancel to close the Attachment Detail window without attaching the email.

Drag and Drop

Drag and drop is the best way to add attachments. You can drag files into Applied TAM from any folder on your computer or you can drag email from Outlook or Lotus Notes, or Applied TAM's Email area. You can drop the files onto the Client List, Policy List, or Claims List.

  1. Locate and click the item (account, claim, or policy) to which you want the file to be attached.
  2. Find the file (on your computer) or the email (in Outlook/Lotus Notes) that you want to attach. You can select multiple items by pressing [Ctrl]  as you click the files you wish to attach.
  3. Drag the files or emails and drop them onto the Account List, Claims List, or Policy List in Applied TAM. The Efiling - File Router window displays.
  4. Enter the Routing Information and click Attach Files when you are done.
  5. Click OK to close the attachment confirmation screen.
  6. To close the File Router, click Close.

Locate the Client First

  1. At Home Base, click Clients & Files.
  2. Select the entity type from the dropdown menu.
  3. Select the desired account in the list.
  4. Click the Attachment List button.
  5. Click the Add button below the button bar and select Attach an Existing File.
  6. Use the Browse button to locate the directory or folder in which the file is saved.
  7. From the Available Files list, select the file(s) you wish to attach and use the arrow(s) to move your selection to the Selected Files list.

    Note:
    To open a file in either list before attaching it, double click the file. Double clicking a file in these lists does not move the file from one list to the other. You must use the arrows to move files here.
  8. Click Next.
  9. Enter the Routing Information and click Attach Files when you are done.
  10. If you chose to enter an activity, enter the Activity information and click OK. Click OK to confirm the activity entry.
  11. Click OK to close the attachment confirmation screen.
  12. If you want to add more attachments, repeat steps 6 through 11. To close the File Router, click Close.

Efiling Router

Use the Efiling File Router to attach an existing file to an entity in Clients & Files. The File Router can be accessed from the Attachment List in Clients & Files or from Home Base.

Note: Accessing the File Router from the Attachment List enables the selected client's Entity Type and Entity Code to default into the Attach To frame.

  1. Open the Efiling File Router.
  2. If the file you want to attach does not appear in the Available Files list, use the Browse button to locate the directory or folder in which it is saved.
  3. From the Available Files list, select the file(s) you wish to attach and use the arrow(s) to move your selection to the Selected Files list.

    Note:
    To open a file in either list before attaching it, double click the file. Double clicking a file in these lists does not move the file from one list to the other. You must use the arrows to move files here.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Enter the Routing Information and click Attach Files when you are done.
  6. If you chose to enter an activity, enter the Activity information and click OK. Click OK to confirm the activity entry.
  7. Click OK to close the attachment confirmation screen.
  8. If you want to add more attachments, repeat steps 2 through 7. To close the File Router, click Close.