Export from iManage Without a Server — No Infrastructure Required

If you're an IT admin or support tech at a law firm, you know the drill: a partner announces they're leaving, HR sends you an urgent request, and you need every document from that lawyer's matters exported — ideally yesterday, often to a USB drive. You start evaluating export tools and immediately hit a wall of server requirements, networking approvals, and multi-week deployment timelines.

For a task as straightforward as "get these documents out of iManage," that's an absurd amount of infrastructure overhead.

The Server Infrastructure Problem

Most iManage export tools on the market are built as server-side applications or cloud-hosted services. This means:

• Web server provisioning — You need a server to host the application
• Networking approvals — Firewall rules, proxy configurations, security review
• REST API OAuth configuration — Register the application in Control Centre with OAuth credentials
• Ongoing maintenance — Server patching, certificate renewals, monitoring

Tools like Bundledocs route documents through cloud infrastructure. DocAuto's server-side deployment requires a web server. Both require IT to navigate procurement, networking, and change management processes before a single document gets exported.

For small to mid-size firms, this overhead is disproportionate to the task at hand.

MatterExport: A Desktop App, Not a Server

MatterExport is built as a Windows desktop application. It installs on a single machine, connects to iManage via the REST API, and runs locally. This is a deliberate architectural choice — and it's the #1 reason firms choose MatterExport over alternatives.

What "desktop app" means in practice:

• No web server — Nothing to provision, configure, or maintain
• No networking approvals — No firewall rules, no proxy changes, no security review for server infrastructure
• Runs on one machine — Install on a single Windows workstation or laptop
• Trivial Control Centre setup — Cloud: install from the approved apps list (one click). On-prem: import a manifest file (~30 seconds)
• Works with on-premises and cloud iManage — Supports both deployment models via the REST API
• Minutes to deploy — Download, install, configure in Control Centre, export

MatterExport connects to your iManage Work 10 server via the REST API using your existing credentials. The same permissions model applies — users can only access what they're authorized to see. Built by UC Logic, a certified iManage partner with 20+ years of iManage specialisation.

Control Centre Setup: Easier Than You Think

Some firms assume that any REST API tool means a complex Control Centre configuration. With MatterExport, the setup is genuinely trivial:

iManage Cloud: Go to Control Centre, find MatterExport in the approved apps list, click install. Done. One click.

iManage On-Premises: Import the MatterExport manifest file into Control Centre. This takes approximately 30 seconds.

That's it. No OAuth client secrets to generate, no redirect URLs to configure, no firewall rules to update. The manifest or approved app handles all the configuration automatically.

Is MatterExport Secure?

Yes. This is the question firms ask first, and it's the right question.

MatterExport uses the same authentication, authorization, and audit trail as any iManage Work 10 client. It doesn't bypass any security controls. It doesn't create new access pathways. It simply provides a better export interface using the standard iManage REST API.

Additionally, all exported data stays local. Documents travel directly from the iManage server to the user's machine. Nothing passes through MatterExport's servers, third-party cloud infrastructure, or any external system. For firms with strict data handling requirements, this is often the deciding factor. See our tool comparison for how this differs from cloud-based alternatives.

The Desktop App Advantage

Being a desktop app isn't a limitation — it's a feature. Here's why:

• Fast evaluation — Download the free trial and test it in minutes, not weeks
• Same-day purchase — Buy with a credit card at $1,200/year for 10 seats. No sales cycle, no procurement delays
• No ongoing infrastructure — Nothing to patch, monitor, or maintain on a server
• Easy deployment — Standard Windows installer. Deploy via SCCM, Intune, or manual install
• Portable — Install on a laptop, take it to the lawyer's office, export to USB on the spot

When a departing lawyer's documents need to be exported urgently, the last thing you want is a multi-week server provisioning process standing between you and the export.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does MatterExport require any server-side installation?

No. MatterExport is a standalone Windows desktop app (x64) that runs entirely on the user's machine. There is no server component, no cloud dependency, and no changes needed to your iManage server configuration beyond the one-time Control Centre setup (approved app or manifest import).

What if my firm blocks software installation?

MatterExport requires a standard Windows installation. If your firm restricts software installs, IT can deploy it via your existing software distribution tools (SCCM, Intune, etc.) like any other desktop application.

Does MatterExport require the iManage desktop client?

No. MatterExport is completely standalone. It connects directly to your iManage Work 10 server via the REST API without needing the iManage desktop client installed on the same machine.

The Bottom Line

If your firm uses iManage Work 10 (on-premises or cloud), MatterExport gives your IT team a fast, no-infrastructure path to exporting documents. Desktop app, no server, trivial Control Centre setup, same-day purchase. Download the free trial (10 documents per folder, no license needed) and start exporting in minutes.

Read about how MatterExport bypasses the 9,999 document limit, or see the complete 2026 guide to bulk exporting from iManage.