Manage partner organizations and external agencies to track relationships, link them to clients and cases, and maintain a centralized directory of your agency's external contacts.

### Overview

- **What it is:** The **Organizations** module lets you create and manage profiles for external agencies, partner organizations, service providers, and other entities your agency works with.
- **Why it matters:** Courts and agencies frequently collaborate with treatment providers, law enforcement, attorneys, and community organizations. Centralizing this information improves coordination and provides a clear record of organizational relationships.
- **Who uses it:** Agency administrators, case managers, and staff who coordinate with external organizations or need to reference partner agency details.
- **Expected outcomes:** A comprehensive directory of partner organizations, clear linkages between organizations and client/case records, and easy tracking of organizational activity.

### Prerequisites

- An active eCourtDate agency account
- Role with permission to manage organizations
- Knowledge of the organization's basic details (name, type, contact information)

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Access the Organizations Module

1. Click **Organizations** from the main navigation.
2. Browse the list of existing organizations or click **Create Organization** to create a new entry.

#### Step 2: Create an Organization Profile

1. Click **Create Organization**.
2. Enter the organization name in the **Name** field.
3. Select the **Organization Type** from the dropdown (such as treatment provider, law enforcement, legal services, or community organization).
4. Enter the organization's contact information, including address, phone number, and email.
5. Add any relevant notes in the **Notes** field.
6. Click **Save** to create the organization profile.

#### Step 3: Link an Organization to Clients

1. Open an existing organization profile.
2. Click the **Clients** tab to view linked client records.
3. Click **Link Client** and search for the client you want to associate.
4. Select the client from the search results and confirm the link.
5. The client now appears in the organization's **Clients** tab.

#### Step 4: Link an Organization to Cases or Events

1. Open an organization profile.
2. Click the **Cases** or **Events** tab.
3. Click **Link Case** or **Link Event** and search for the relevant record.
4. Select the record from the search results and confirm.
5. The linked case or event now appears on the organization's profile.

#### Step 5: Categorize Organizations by Type

1. Navigate to **Organizations** from the main navigation.
2. Use the **Type** filter to view organizations by category.
3. To change an organization's type, open its profile, select a new value from the **Organization Type** dropdown, and click **Save**.

#### Step 6: Track Organization Activity

1. Open an organization profile.
2. Click the **Activity** tab to view a log of all interactions, changes, and linked records.
3. Use this log to review the organization's engagement history with your agency.

### What to Expect

New organizations appear in the directory immediately after saving. Links to clients, cases, and events are reflected in real time on both the organization profile and the associated record. Activity logs update automatically as changes occur.

### Best Practices

- Use consistent naming conventions for organizations to avoid duplicate entries (for example, always include the full legal name).
- Categorize organizations by type to make filtering and reporting easier.
- Keep contact information current by reviewing organization profiles periodically.
- Link organizations to all relevant client and case records to maintain a complete picture of external relationships.
- Use the activity log to track engagement history before reaching out to a partner organization.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I link one organization to multiple clients or cases?**
A: Yes. An organization can be linked to as many clients, cases, and events as needed. Each link appears on both the organization's profile and the associated record.

**Q: How do I merge duplicate organization records?**
A: If you find duplicate entries, review both profiles to determine which has the most complete information. Update the preferred record with any missing details, re-link associated clients and cases, and then delete the duplicate.

**Q: Can external organizations access the system?**
A: Organization profiles are internal records managed by your agency. External organizations do not have direct access to the eCourtDate system unless you configure portal access for them separately.

**Q: What organization types are available?**
A: Common types include treatment provider, law enforcement, legal services, community organization, and government agency. Your agency administrator can configure additional types in the settings.

**Q: Can I export a list of organizations?**
A: Yes. Navigate to **Organizations**, apply any desired filters, and click **Export** to download the list as a CSV file.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Duplicate organization records appear in the directory.
**Symptoms:** Multiple entries exist for the same organization with slightly different names or details.
**Solution:** Search for the organization name before creating a new record. If duplicates already exist, consolidate information into one profile, re-link all associated records, and delete the extra entry.

**Issue:** Unable to link an organization to a client or case.
**Symptoms:** The search returns no results when trying to link a record.
**Solution:** Verify that the client or case record exists in the system. Check your spelling and try searching by different criteria (such as case number or client ID). Ensure you have the necessary permissions to manage organization links.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to Manage Cases](/how-to-manage-cases)
- [How to Manage Addresses](/how-to-manage-addresses)