First 90 days on Neutly: Solo trial to steady state

Before week one: what “ready” means

Steady state is not “every feature turned on.” It is: parties can book or you can open a file quickly, both sides get fair reminders, intake and fees are tracked on one matter record, and you know where to look on Home when something is overdue.

Neutly does not mediate disputes, host live video, or replace your accreditation obligations. It is administrative software for booking through close. Plan one half-day block per week for setup in the first month; skip that and the trial feels like another inbox.

• Practice timezone and locale set correctly—session labels follow the practice calendar, not each viewer’s browser
• Half-day and full-day fees configured if you use traditional block scheduling (you can add other models later under Settings)
• Stripe Connect is separate from platform subscription; parties pay your practice, not Neutly

Week 1: Profile, rates, and open date

Complete the setup checklist in order: mediator profile, session fees, first bookable dates, then share your booking link. Tax, privacy, and Connect can follow once you have a realistic calendar.

Write session descriptions parties will actually read—length, format (in person / hybrid / online), and what happens after they book. Lawyers forward booking links; vague copy generates clarification emails you wanted to avoid.

• Upload accreditation details you are comfortable showing publicly
• Set minimum notice and cancellation rules that match your terms of engagement
• Block holidays using your practice timezone, not ad hoc calendar blocks only

Week 2: Booking live on your site and in referrals

Put your personal booking page on your website Contact or Book page, or share the direct link in email signatures and referral letters. Test on mobile: most parties book from a phone.

If your website builder blocks embeds, a button that opens the Neutly booking page in a new tab is fine—the same availability and fee disclosure apply.

• Run a test booking with a colleague email so you see confirmation, consent, and intake timing
• Decide whether new bookings require your approval or auto-confirm—approval adds control, adds inbox work
• Copy the embed snippet from Appointments; no developer required for standard sites

Week 3: Intake, documents, and party links

Open your test matter and walk both “sides” through onboarding links. Each party should see only their steps—not the other side’s intake answers or payment status.

Configure intake sections you truly need for your matter types. Shorter forms get higher completion; you can request position papers through document upload rather than duplicating questions.

• Check reminder emails for tone—they are mediator-branded, not generic SaaS
• Confirm document upload works on mobile photo capture for parties without scanners
• Staff file Overview should show per-party progress: consented, intake, paid

Week 4: Fees, Connect, and payment reminders

Connect Stripe so party session fees route to your Connect account. Platform subscription (Solo) and party fee collection are independent—Connect can be “ready” while you are still on trial, and vice versa.

Send a test payment request on your sandbox matter. Note how split requests work when each side pays a share versus a single payer.

• Billing clerk access is a Practice feature—on Solo, fee admin stays with you
• Parties never pay Neutly; line items are your practice fees
• Unpaid session fees should surface on Home so you are not chasing manually on session eve

Weeks 5–6: First live matter, booking to session

Run your first real matter using the same path as the test: booking or staff-created file, consent where required, intake, documents, payment, then session logistics. Resist parallel spreadsheets—duplicate records are where reminders get missed.

Use encrypted notes and matter timeline for caucus-sensitive detail; do not put privileged content in fields parties might receive by mistake.

• Virtual sessions: paste your video platform links; Neutly coordinates logistics but does not host live mediation
• Session times display with practice timezone abbreviation for all staff and party views
• Close only when your workflow is truly finished—cancelled-before-heard is a different path

Weeks 7–8: First referred matter (Solo realities)

When a lawyer refers clients, you still open the matter in Neutly and send party links. On Solo there is no read-only lawyer portal—expect email or phone updates unless you upgrade to Practice.

Ask referring firms what they need: intake completion, fee status, session date, brief receipt. You can export or share screenshots, but that is manual compared with Practice portal access.

• Secure brief upload for lawyers is a Practice entitlement—email remains common on Solo
• Solo supports two principal disputants per matter; larger multi-party disputes need Practice (Duo)
• Keep a simple referral log if CRM features are not yet in your workflow

Weeks 9–12: Steady-state habits

Check Home Action Inbox daily: overdue sessions, unpaid fees, intake gaps, consent pending, failed emails. That list replaces morning “inbox archaeology.”

Calendar stays the place for availability edits and waitlist offers—not a second operational dashboard on Home.

• Review enquiry holds before they expire if you use enquiries for pre-booking qualification
• Refresh booking copy when your rates or session types change
• Archive or close matters so active counts stay within Solo limits (40 active matters)

When to upgrade from Solo to Practice

Upgrade when the friction cost exceeds the subscription step-up: a second mediator seat, regular lawyer referrals expecting portal access, co-mediator cases, three or more principal disputants, directory listing, SMS reminders, or you are brushing against matter or storage limits.

Upgrade is self-serve in Account. Existing matters, party links, and booking slugs continue—no migration project.

• Practice supports up to four mediators per practice (soft cap)—each with personal booking slug and Connect
• Practice-wide booking link lets parties choose among colleagues when several are bookable
• Panel tier is separate: registry volume and institutional workflows are sales-led

Honest product limits (read before you over-promise)

Neutly does not select court neutrals, run marketplace matching, or provide legal advice to parties. AI features, if enabled, are staff-controlled and must not replace professional judgment.

Deep court registry automation, insurer/funder portals, and native video are limited or Panel-scoped. Accounting integrations push paid invoices when configured—they do not replace trust accounting in your practice management tools.

Discovery, neutral selection, and agreement-to-mediate workflows that happen off-platform stay off-platform; Neutly starts where booking and file work begin.