We’re thrilled to introduce Matter Record, a breakthrough feature in Smarter Drafter Pro that...
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3 minute read
Earlier this month, we introduced the Matter Record and described it as one source of truth for every matter.
That post focused on how Matter Record changes day-to-day drafting: capture information once, reuse it across every document in the matter, and eliminate the rekeying that slows teams down and introduces errors.
Today, we’re closing out the year by delivering the next, and arguably most important, step in that journey. Matter Record is now fully accessible via API.
With the release of the Matter Record APIs on our Developer Portal, Smarter Drafter Pro can now draw in any structured data relating to a matter - regardless of where that data lives or how it was originally captured.
This is a significant product milestone for us, and a foundational capability for firms moving toward truly data-driven document assembly.
From One Source of Truth to an Open Data Backbone
In the original Matter Record announcement, we positioned it as the data backbone that allows Smarter Drafter Pro to reuse information across documents within the same matter. That foundation is already in place. The Matter Record APIs now open it up, allowing any upstream system to read from and write to the Matter Record directly.
Practice management systems, CRMs, intake tools, and other line-of-business applications can now push structured data into Smarter Drafter Pro (and retrieve it) without duplicating entry or maintaining parallel data stores. If the data exists anywhere in your organisation, it can now be structured, stored, and reused through the Matter Record.
From Form-Led to Data-Led Assembly
Smarter Drafter Pro offers a robust, configurable intake experience, but we also recognise that intake doesn’t always start in one place. Many firms already capture matter data in upstream systems they trust. The Matter Record APIs give firms the flexibility to choose how and where data is captured, while ensuring it flows into Smarter Drafter Pro in a consistent and structured way. Where the data already exists, documents can be assembled directly from the Matter Record, reducing or removing the need for form-filling altogether.
At that point, Smarter Drafter Pro shifts from being form-led to being data-led. Teams review outputs instead of typing answers. Assembly becomes deterministic, repeatable, and far easier to scale across a firm.
Matter Record APIs Available Now in the Developer Portal
Assembly Without Rekeying
Most workflows don’t involve a single document. They involve document packs, sequences, and bundles where the same information appears again and again. Matter Record already removed rekeying between documents. With APIs, it now removes rekeying into the system as well.
When a complete data set exists upstream, Smarter Drafter Pro can assemble documents directly from that data. No duplicated questions. No parallel data stores. No manual reconciliation. This is what enables zero-touch assembly for complex, high-volume work — with Smarter Drafter Pro handling structure and logic, and upstream systems remaining the system of record.
A Foundation, Not a Finish Line
This release isn’t about a single integration or endpoint count. It’s about establishing a foundation. Matter Record APIs enable:
- true data-driven document assembly
- cleaner, more resilient integrations
- consistent reuse of information across large, multi-document workflows
- expansion beyond legal into adjacent professional and regulated industries
More APIs are already planned, including user provisioning and identity integrations, but this release sets the direction clearly: Smarter Drafter Pro is designed to be driven by data, not constrained by interfaces.
A Note for Technical TeamsFor firms with in-house developers, integration partners, or technical consultants, the Matter Record APIs expose the full Matter Record model, including:
Together, these APIs allow Smarter Drafter Pro to act as a neutral assembly layer that sits on top of existing systems, rather than forcing firms to change how or where they capture information. This mirrors how Matter Record works internally: field aliases describe what the data is, record types describe who or what it belongs to, and the combination ensures the right information appears in the right place, every time. |
Ending the Year Where It Counts
As we head into the new year, this is the kind of progress we care most about delivering. Not surface-level features, but capabilities that quietly change what’s possible at scale. To know more, check out:
- Our original Matter Record blog
- The Smarter Drafter Pro Developer Portal
Please contact the Smarter Drafter Team at team@smarterdrafter.com.au if you would like to enable the API in your firm.
