How to Export and Migrate Matters from iManage — IT Guide

Whether a lawyer is departing and you need their documents exported to a USB drive, you're migrating matters to a new firm's iManage environment, or you're archiving closed matters, exporting from iManage can be surprisingly difficult — especially for large matters with tens of thousands of documents.

This guide walks you through the process step by step, covering the common pain points (document limits, long paths, folder structure preservation) and how to avoid them.

Before You Start

You'll need:

• Access to an iManage Work 10 server (on-premises or cloud) — MatterExport connects via the REST API
• MatterExport — download the free trial (exports up to 10 documents per folder, no license needed to evaluate)
• Control Centre access — Cloud: install MatterExport from the approved apps list (one click). On-prem: import the manifest file (~30 seconds)
• Sufficient disk space on your local drive, USB, or network share for the exported files

A quick sizing estimate: average document size in iManage is roughly 200KB-500KB. A 10,000-document matter will typically require 2-5GB of disk space. A 100,000-document matter may need 20-50GB.

Step 1: Search for the Lawyer's Matters

Open MatterExport and search for the matters you need to export. MatterExport lets you search by lawyer name, client code, or matter number — making it easy to find everything associated with a departing lawyer.

You can export from:

• An entire workspace (matter)
• A specific folder, subfolder, or tab within a workspace
• Search results across multiple matters
• Multiple workspaces queued in sequence

Step 2: Choose Your Export Options

Select your destination folder (local drive, USB, network share) and configure export options:

• Folder structure — Preserve the iManage hierarchy (recommended) or flatten to a single folder
• Metadata — MatterExport generates CSV metadata files and HTML export reports containing document profile properties (author, dates, document type, custom fields), cumulative across export runs — providing a structured audit trail
• Versions — Export the latest version only, or include all document versions for complete version history preservation
• File naming — Filenames are derived from document profile descriptions (not cryptic IDs), keeping exports readable and navigable

For migration projects, we recommend preserving the full hierarchy with metadata and all versions. For departing lawyer handovers, latest versions with the original folder structure and CSV metadata are usually sufficient.

Step 3: Start the Export

Click export and let MatterExport handle the rest. Unlike native iManage export, there's no 9,999 document limit — matters with 100,000+ documents export in a single job.

MatterExport also handles long file paths automatically, so no files are silently skipped or truncated.

Typical export times:

Matter Size	Approximate Time
1,000 documents	2-5 minutes
10,000 documents	15-30 minutes
50,000 documents	1-2 hours
100,000+ documents	3-5 hours

Step 4: Verify the Export

MatterExport provides a detailed HTML export report showing:

• Total documents exported vs total in the source workspace
• Any files that couldn't be exported (with specific reasons)
• Files with long paths that were handled via extended-length path support
• Export duration and total data size

This report serves as an audit trail — essential for regulatory exports and migration verification.

Common Use Cases

Lawyer Departure (The #1 Use Case)

This is the most common reason firms export from iManage — accounting for roughly 40% of all exports we've seen. A lawyer is leaving, and their matters need to be exported, often to a USB drive or network share, often under tight deadlines.

With MatterExport: search by the lawyer's name, queue all their matters, export to USB. Done in one session. No server infrastructure needed — it's a desktop app that runs on one machine.

Firm Migration (Export + Import)

When a lawyer joins a new firm, the matters they brought need to be imported into the new firm's iManage environment. This is a two-step process:

1. Export at the old firm — Use MatterExport to export all matters with CSV metadata and folder structure preserved
2. Remap matter numbers — Open the CSV metadata files in Excel or use a SQL script to remap old matter numbers to the new firm's matter numbering scheme
3. Import at the new firm — Use MatterExport Pro to import from CSV manifests, ZIP archives, or PST/Outlook archives into the new iManage environment, including version importing for complete matter handover

Note: The import capability requires a separate MatterExport Pro license. Standard MatterExport handles export only; Pro adds CSV, ZIP, and PST import with version support.

Matter Closing / Archival

When closing a matter, firms typically need a local archive that can be stored on a network drive, external media, or cold storage. The archive should be a complete, navigable copy of the matter as it existed in iManage — including all document versions and CSV metadata files plus an HTML export report for compliance purposes.

Regulatory / Litigation Response

When you need to produce documents for a regulatory body or opposing counsel, completeness is critical. Missing even a few documents can have legal consequences. MatterExport's HTML export report provides documented proof that the export is complete.

Client File Transfer

When transferring files to a client or co-counsel at the end of an engagement, you need the complete matter with structure intact. Export with MatterExport, then share via your firm's preferred secure transfer method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I export directly to a USB drive or network share?

Yes. MatterExport supports exporting to any location accessible from your Windows machine — local drives, USB drives, mapped network drives, and UNC paths. Long path support works for all destination types.

How do I export multiple matters at once?

MatterExport supports batch queuing. Search by lawyer, client code, or matter number, add multiple matters to the export queue, configure options for each, and start the batch. Exports run sequentially, and you get an HTML report for each matter when complete.

Does the export include emails stored in iManage?

Yes. Emails stored in iManage (typically as .msg or .eml files) are exported like any other document, with their folder location and metadata preserved.

What if I need to re-export a matter that's changed?

You can re-export at any time. MatterExport exports the current state of the matter. For incremental updates, you can compare the new export against the previous one using standard file comparison tools.

Pricing and Getting Started

MatterExport's free trial exports up to 10 documents per folder — enough to verify compatibility with your iManage environment and validate that folder structures, metadata, and long paths are handled correctly.

The full license is $1,200/year for 10 seats. You can purchase same-day with a credit card or generate a pro-forma invoice for your procurement team — no sales calls needed. Minutes, not weeks.

See how MatterExport compares to alternatives in our iManage export tool comparison.