Auto-folders

Why this matters

ImmCase automatically creates a folder structure for every applicant and every case. You don't have to "New folder for García" — when you create applicant García, their folder already exists. When you open a case for García, the case subfolder is created too.

This guarantees every file in the practice follows the same tree: if a colleague hands you a case, you know exactly where their documents are without having to guess where that person put them.

The canonical structure

ImmCase uses this tree for every applicant:

Contacts/
  └── García, María (CON251)/
        ├── Cases/
        │     └── PR Express Entry (CAS118)/
        │           ├── Applicant documents/
        │           ├── Spouse documents/
        │           ├── IMM forms/
        │           ├── IRCC responses/
        │           └── ...
        ├── Cases/
        │     └── Work permit (CAS087)/
        │           └── ...
        ├── Identification/
        │     ├── Passports/
        │     ├── Previous visas/
        │     └── Other IDs/
        └── Applicant documents (no specific case)/

The exact tree may vary slightly by practice configuration, but the principle holds: one applicant → their cases → files for each case.

When they're created

• Applicant folder: when you create the applicant. Immediate.
• Case folder: when you create the case. Hangs off the applicant folder.
• Default case subfolders: when you create the case. ImmCase creates the standard subfolders (Applicant documents, IMM forms, etc.) per the configured template.

If an applicant was created before your practice had ImmCase and is missing folders, an administrator can run a command to fill missing folders without affecting existing files.

Why you shouldn't create your own folders in "weird" places

It's tempting for a tidy person to create their own structure ("I prefer by month" or "I group by visa type"). But there are three reasons to resist:

1. Your colleague can't find your files. If you go on vacation or change practices, the next consultant loses time searching.
2. Reports break. Some compliance reports count files per canonical folder. If files live elsewhere, reports get it wrong.
3. Automations break. Some workflows (notify IRCC, generate packages) look for files in canonical folders. If they're elsewhere, they don't find them.

Follow the structure. If you need extra organization, create it as subfolders inside the canonical ones, not in parallel.

When an applicant has several cases

Each case has its own subfolder under Cases/. Common documents (applicant passport, applicant proof of funds) can live in a top-level applicant folder (not case-specific) or in each case subfolder.

The convention: documents that change rarely (applicant ID) go in the applicant folder; case-specific documents (employment offer letter for this LMIA) go in the case subfolder.

Rename and move

• Renaming the applicant folder happens when you rename the applicant (not the folder directly). If you change "García, María" to "García López, María", the folder updates itself.
• Renaming the case folder happens when you rename the case (or change its type). Same: the record change reflects in the folder.
• Don't move auto-folders manually. If you do, ImmCase can't find them and creates new ones — you end up with two copies.

Watch out for

• Don't delete an auto-folder. If you do, ImmCase may create it again but you lose the files it held. To "hide" a finished case, archive the case (change status to Closed), don't delete its folder.
• Documents in companies and eForms also have their own structures. A company has its folder; an eForm stays in the case subfolder. Don't move them between structures.
• Spaces and special characters in names can cause problems with WebDAV. If you're going to mount the tree on your desktop (see WebDAV), ask your administrator to avoid weird characters in names.

Where to next

• OnlyOffice — edit Office documents inside the browser.
• WebDAV — mount the file tree on your desktop.