Note: Templates in Lupl are now called Solutions. This is mostly a cosmetic and UX change, while the core functionality has not changed.
Overview
When building Solutions in Lupl, understanding how anchor dates and task dependencies (relative dates) work together is key to creating flexible, time-saving workflows.
This guide explains:
- How dates behave when creating a matter from a Solution;
- How to design Solutions with relative dates so dates automatically adjust when dependencies shift.
Key Concepts
1. Matter Start Date = Primary Anchor Date
When you create a new matter from a Solution, Lupl automatically uses the matter start date as the main anchor point.
Think of this as:
“Day 0” of the project
All dates in the matter's workstreams are treated as "Day X" from that anchor point.
When saving existing matters as Solutions, you can adjust the anchor date under Advanced Options to work with the dates in your workstreams. You can think of it as the date you'd like the matter to have started on.
For example, if the first Due Date starts on September 30th and you want this Due Date to always be +7 days after the matter creation date, set the anchor date to September 23rd.
2. Fixed Dates vs. Relative Dates
| Date Type | What This Means | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed date | A specific Due Date is set. | Will not change automatically. |
| Relative date | Due Date is calculated +/- a specified number of days or weeks from a dependency task or key date. | Automatically adjusts when the dependency changes. |
Relative dates can be set from within the cell of a date column by toggling from Calendar Date to Relative Date. They can be set relative to other tasks, relative to a date in a different column for other tasks or relative to key dates.
The key benefits of setting dependencies include:
- Scheduling accuracy. Particularly where there are defined sequences of steps or legislative and procedural timeframes to adhere to.
- Efficiency. Update one task and all other dependencies will update automatically.
- Risk management. Avoids bottlenecks and resource allocation issues.
Any dependencies set up in your matter will be saved when creating a Solution from the matter. All dates, whether they are fixed or relative, are saved in the Solution with relative spacing to the anchor date at the time of Solution creation.
FAQs
What happened to Templates in Lupl?
All your existing templates are unimpacted; the only difference is that they're referred to as Solutions.
As part of Lupl's product evolution to include automated and agentic workflows, we believe that Solutions best moniker to describe the scope of what templates can now include.
How do I set up my template so that dates are automatically set relative to the date a matter is created from the template?
- Set up your workstreams with the dates for each task appropriately spaced in compliance with regulations, firm/client policies or expectations. We recommend using relative dates where you can, particularly for fixed timeframes (e.g. court filing deadlines).
- When you're ready to solution, consider the expected start date for the matter relative to the first due date in your workstreams. If that expected start date (i.e. the anchor date) is earlier or later than the matter creation date (you can check this under Details in the matter), you can adjust it under Advanced Options > Anchor date when saving the matter as a Solution.
Does it matter if my anchor date is in the past?
No, what matters is the relationship between that date and the tasks in the workstream.
Why is my anchor date set to September 2024?
This will be the date you created the matter you have been refining for your Solution. Often, it takes time to review a matter before templating. Simply adjust the date so that the start date for new matters created from the Solution will work sensibly with the dates in your workstreams.
What is the effect of setting the anchor date earlier or later?
Think of the anchor date as “Day 0.” All task dates are calculated as offsets from that day.
Earlier anchor date → tasks are pushed further into the future after the matter is created.
Later anchor date → tasks appear sooner after the matter is created.
In other words, moving the anchor date changes where Workstream and Key Dates sit relative to "Day 0", the date the matter was created.
What happens if I change the matter start date or a key date after the matter is created?
If tasks use relative dates, Lupl will automatically recalculate dependent due dates based on the updated start date or dependency.
Tasks with fixed dates will not change unless you manually update them.
This allows you to safely adjust timelines while preserving any hard deadlines that must stay fixed.
Need Help?
If you still have questions or you'd like some help in getting set up, reach out to your Lupl lead or support@lupl.com.