Record relationships in SimpleLegal are the links between matters, vendors, invoices, legal entities, reviewers, and subscribers that decide who can see each record, who reviews each invoice, and what outside counsel can access in the vendor portal. Some implementation designs label this layer the relate records engine. Whatever you call it, every link you create has two effects: it connects the data, and it can change who has access.
That second effect is the one teams underestimate. A relationship added for reporting convenience can quietly extend access, and a missing relationship can leave an invoice with no reviewer. Getting the model right at configuration saves a long tail of permission tickets after go-live.
What are record relationships in Onit SimpleLegal?
Record relationships in Onit SimpleLegal are the associations between core records, mainly matters, vendors, invoices, and legal entities, together with the reviewers and subscribers attached to them. SimpleLegal uses these associations to determine access, review responsibility, and visibility.
SimpleLegal is Onit’s ELM platform for mid-market legal departments, and its eBilling, matter management, and vendor features all depend on these links. An invoice without a matter cannot be reviewed against a budget. A matter without a vendor never appears in the firm’s portal. A legal entity link can widen who sees a matter.
Which records connect to a matter in SimpleLegal?
A matter in SimpleLegal connects to its vendors, its invoices, its legal entity, and the people assigned to review or follow it. Each connection serves a different purpose, and each should be deliberate.
- Vendors. The law firms and other providers engaged on the matter, which lets them work on it and bill for it.
- Invoices. Every invoice belongs to one matter, which ties spend to budgets, reviewers, and reporting.
- Legal entity. The company or subsidiary the matter relates to, used for reporting and, potentially, access.
- Reviewers and subscribers. The users who approve invoices or receive visibility, assigned at matter level or above.
Write these links down as a simple relationship map before configuration starts: which record links to which, who creates each link, and what access it grants. A one-page map shared with legal operations, IT, and finance prevents most of the disagreements that otherwise surface during user acceptance testing, and it becomes the reference for every later change.
How do reviewers and subscribers work at different levels in SimpleLegal?
Reviewers and subscribers in SimpleLegal can be assigned at the matter, vendor, invoice, matter group, vendor group, or legal entity level, and the level decides what they can see. Choosing the right level is a security decision as much as a workflow one.
- Matter level. Users assigned to a matter can access the matter and its invoices.
- Vendor level. Users assigned to a vendor can access that vendor’s associated invoices without access to the matters themselves.
- Invoice level. Users assigned to a single invoice can access that invoice without access to the related matter.
Group and legal entity assignments apply the same idea at scale. Use matter groups or vendor groups when one reviewer covers dozens of matters or firms, and reserve individual assignments for exceptions. Fewer, broader rules are easier to audit than hundreds of one-off assignments.
How do record relationships control access in SimpleLegal?
Record relationships control access in SimpleLegal because associating records can extend permissions to the users linked to them. Linking a matter to a legal entity, for example, may give users subscribed to that legal entity access to the matter.
- Treat every link as an access decision. Before adding a relationship, confirm which users will gain visibility as a result.
- Apply least privilege. Use invoice-level or vendor-level assignments where a user needs to approve bills without reading matter details.
- Keep confidential matters narrow. For sensitive investigations or employment matters, avoid broad legal entity subscriptions that could expose them.
Role-based security testing catches access problems before go-live. Test from the point of view of each user type, since permission errors are invisible to administrators who can see everything.
What happens when a vendor is assigned to a matter in SimpleLegal?
When a vendor is assigned to a matter in SimpleLegal, the matter automatically appears in Counsel Exchange for that vendor. The firm’s users with Counsel Exchange access can then see the matter and submit invoices against it.
That makes vendor assignment the trigger for outside counsel billing. Assign the vendor as part of engaging the firm, before the first invoice is due, and confirm the firm’s users have Counsel Exchange access. During a rollout, batch the assignments for your first 20 to 50 firms so every active matter is visible before the first billing cycle. A vendor that bills before assignment will not find the matter in the portal, and the invoice either waits or arrives by email. Counsel Exchange is the portal outside counsel use to submit invoices and collaborate with Onit customers, and onboarding law firms to eBilling goes smoothly when firms can see their matters on day one.
How do relationships route invoices for review in SimpleLegal?
Relationships route invoices for review in SimpleLegal by connecting each invoice to the reviewers assigned at its matter, vendor, invoice, group, or legal entity level. Invoice reviewers can then approve or reject the invoice. Followers can be set at the same levels except the invoice itself, where only reviewers can be added from the Reviewers panel on the invoice details page.
- Matter reviewers for matter spend. The Matter Lead or a delegate reviews invoices against the matter’s budget and work.
- Vendor reviewers for firm-wide checks. A legal operations reviewer can check rates and billing guideline compliance across all of a firm’s invoices.
- Fallback coverage. Make sure every invoice that needs approval has at least one reviewer through some relationship, so nothing waits unassigned.
Target 100 percent of approval-required invoices with an assigned reviewer, and report weekly on any that lack one. Unrouted invoices become exceptions, and a 2026 benchmark survey of nearly 200 AP and finance leaders found the average invoice exception rate is 19.9 percent, against 11.8 percent for the best-performing teams. Legal eBilling software routes invoices automatically once the review rules are complete.
How do you prevent orphan and duplicate relationships?
Orphan and duplicate relationships are prevented by validating links at the point of creation and reconciling them on a regular schedule. Both problems distort spend reporting and access.
- Orphan invoices. Hold or reject invoices without a valid matter and vendor, with a target of zero at month end.
- Duplicate vendor records. Merge firms that exist twice under slightly different names before they are assigned to matters.
- Inactive vendors on active matters. Report vendors marked inactive that are still assigned to open matters.
- Closed matters with open invoices. Review these monthly and resolve each under your post-closure invoice policy.
Run these four checks as a monthly reconciliation report. Ten minutes of review each month prevents a quarter-end cleanup that can take days. Legal vendor management starts with one clean record per vendor.
Who should own relationship changes in SimpleLegal?
Relationship changes in SimpleLegal should be owned by a small group of trained administrators, usually two or three people, with every material change recorded. Because links can change access, they deserve the same care as permission changes.
Document which relationships matter most: vendor assignments, legal entity links, and reviewer or subscriber rules at group or entity level. Route requests for those changes through a simple ticket or form, and keep a log of who made each change and when. Review legal entity subscriptions and group-level reviewer rules every quarter, and after any reorganization, since a business unit moving between entities can change who sees its matters.
How do you test SimpleLegal relationships before go-live?
SimpleLegal relationships are tested before go-live by creating each type of link and checking the result from the perspective of every affected user. A typical plan runs 20 to 30 test cases with four to six test users per role.
- Access by level. Confirm matter, vendor, and invoice-level users see exactly what the documented boundaries allow and nothing more.
- Vendor assignment. Assign a test vendor to a matter and confirm it appears in Counsel Exchange and accepts an invoice.
- Legal entity effects. Link a matter to a legal entity and confirm which subscribers gain access, including any you did not expect.
Repeat the access tests after every configuration release that touches reviewers, subscribers, or legal entities.
Conclusion
Record relationships are the wiring behind SimpleLegal’s access, invoice review, and vendor portal. Every link between a matter, vendor, invoice, and legal entity connects data and can extend visibility, so treat each one as a deliberate decision. Assign reviewers and subscribers at the narrowest level that works, assign vendors at engagement so Counsel Exchange is ready, reconcile orphans and duplicates monthly, and keep relationship changes with a small, trained group. Test access from every user’s point of view, and your platform will route work correctly without exposing what it should keep private.
How Basla can help
Basla provides delivery teams for Onit implementation, covering legal technology consulting, business analysis, relationship and permission design, reviewer and subscriber configuration, vendor and Counsel Exchange onboarding support, data migration support, testing, documentation, and hypercare after go-live. The team maps your matters, vendors, legal entities, and review responsibilities into a relationship model, then tests access for every user type before go-live.
Basla has delivered matter management and eBilling across more than ten global jurisdictions, where clear relationship rules kept invoice review and access consistent across regions.
Frequently asked questions
What are record relationships in SimpleLegal?
Record relationships in SimpleLegal are the links between matters, vendors, invoices, legal entities, reviewers, and subscribers. SimpleLegal uses these record relationships to determine access, review responsibility, and visibility.
Is the relate records engine an Onit product feature?
The relate records engine is an architectural label some implementation designs use for the relationship layer. Onit’s public documentation describes the underlying behavior as associations between matters, vendors, invoices, and legal entities.
What can a vendor-level reviewer see in SimpleLegal?
A vendor-level reviewer in SimpleLegal can access that vendor’s associated invoices without access to the related matters. Matter-level reviewers can access both the matter and its invoices.
Why does a matter not appear in Counsel Exchange for a law firm?
A matter appears in Counsel Exchange only after the vendor is assigned to that matter in SimpleLegal. The firm’s users also need Counsel Exchange access before they can submit invoices.
Can linking a legal entity change who sees a matter?
Linking a matter to a legal entity can extend access to users subscribed to that legal entity. Check legal entity subscriptions before linking confidential matters.
How often should SimpleLegal relationships be reconciled?
SimpleLegal relationships should be reconciled monthly for orphan invoices, duplicate vendors, and inactive vendors on active matters. Legal entity and group-level reviewer rules should be reviewed every quarter.
*This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Basla Solutions provides legal technology implementation and support services and does not practice law.*