Grouping and ungrouping cases

This page specifically deals with grouping and ungrouping between LR cases. Please follow the links below if you were looking for other information related to grouping.

Grouping or Case Association?

Grouping effectively merges cases together. If you want the cases to remain separate or the Lead Case is already at the Confirm for LR Archive screen, it may be more appropriate to use Case Association. Follow this link to find out more about Case Association. 

This page will explain more about grouping and how to use the Ungroup APFs action in the Actions menu on CMS.

Grouping at Intake/Auto-grouping

If you are looking for information about the grouping screen at the Intake stage, follow this link to the Auto-grouping page.

Rules of Grouping

• Grouping will move an APF from one LR case to another.
• Grouping is based on APFs (or deeds) NOT LRS applications.
• If there are multiple LRS applications for 1 APF (e.g. it is a Standard Security over multiple titles) then ALL of those applications will move when you group/ungroup that APF.
• If there are multiple APFs linked to a single LRS application (e.g. a Disposition and Standard Security as 2 deed lines in 1 LRS application) then all APFs that are related to that LRS application will be automatically selected. 
  • If you need to split LRS applications out of an LR case then you will need to use the Remove Applications action. However CMS will no longer have a record of them so only use this for applications that were created in error.
• There’s no limit to the number of APFs that can be grouped/ungrouped.
• There’s no limit to the number of times APFs can be grouped/ungrouped.
• APFs can be grouped together even if they are unrelated (e.g. a set of NPLCs (otherwise known as NOPL) over various titles).
• APFs can be ungrouped into a new case if they require to be split up.
• If the LR case is left with no APFs then it should automatically internally close.
• You should consider which (if any) supporting documents need to move with the APF(s) and select them from the list presented. 
• You can't group/ungroup to LR cases at the Confirm for LR Archive screen.
• You can’t group/ungroup APFs from an INT case until you get to the Grouping Intake screen.
• CMS automatically checks for other existing open cases over the same title number that are not at the Confirm for LR Archive screen for each new case at the Intake stage.
  • If CMS finds a match then the new case will be presented to a user as an INT case with an auto-created LRS application at the Intake Checks screen.
  • It will be up to the user to check that the case is valid and that the existing case that CMS wants to group to is appropriate before proceeding.
  • There is always the option to use the Ungroup APFs action to undo this if necessary.
  • This is explained more fully in the "auto-grouping" page.

How to Group/Ungroup

If you want to move an APF out of an LR case and into either a standalone case or into a different existing case then follow the steps below:

• Select Ungroup APFs from the Actions menu.
• On the Ungroup APFs page, click the Ungroup button beside the APF(s) that you want to move.
  • If there are multiple LRS applications for 1 APF (e.g. it is a Standard Security over multiple titles) then ALL of those applications will move when you group/ungroup that APF.
  • If there are multiple APFs linked to a single LRS application (e.g. a Disposition and Standard Security as 2 deed lines in 1 LRS application) then all APFs that are related to that LRS application will be automatically selected. 
• In the box below, choose whether you want the ungrouped APF(s) to be moved to a new LR case or to a different existing LR case.
  • Choose "As a Standalone case" to create a new LR case with only the selected APF(s).
    • Select the appropriate Product type (Dealing with Whole/ First Registration/ Transfer of Part) from the 'New product type' dropdown list. 
  • Choose "Group with Existing LR case" to move the APF(s) out of this case and into a specific other LR case.
    • Type in the Case ID of the case where you want your APF(s) to move. Click Lookup Case to check the details of the case.
• Once you have chosen where the APF(s) should be moved to then you will be presented with the list of Supporting Documents.
  • Select the Supporting Documents that are relevant to the APF(s) and also need to be moved to the selected case.
  • If all APF(s) in the case have been selected then all Supporting Documents will be automatically selected and you will not have the ability to select/deselect any of them.
• Click Submit
  • If you chose to create a standalone case then you will be presented with this case so that you can transfer it to an appropriate workbasket or continue processing it.
  • If you chose to group APF(s) to an existing case then CMS will display a message stating that the application has been routed appropriately.
    • If that existing case has been taken on by another user then a Case Collaboration note will appear stating that you have added applications.
• If removing the APF(s) means that your original case is now empty then CMS should automatically internally close the case.
• If your original case still contains APFs then it will remain in your My Assignments. Continue to process this case as necessary.