First Steps

You've installed SafeAppeals—now let's set up your first case and explore the key features.

Video Tutorials

Prefer watching? Check out our YouTube channel for step-by-step video guides on getting started with SafeAppeals.

Step 1: Create Your First Case Workspace

SafeAppeals organizes your work into workspaces—folders on your computer that contain your case files, documents, and research.

  1. Open SafeAppeals
  2. Click File → Open Folder (or press Ctrl+K Ctrl+O)
  3. Create a new folder for your case (e.g., "Smith v. WorkSafe 2025")
  4. Select the folder to open it

Tip: Create a dedicated folder for each case. This keeps your research, drafts, and documents organized and makes it easier for the AI to understand your case context.

Step 2: Save as a Workspace

Important: After opening your folder, save it as a workspace file. This unlocks powerful features and ensures your settings persist between sessions.

  1. Click File → Save Workspace As...
  2. Save the .code-workspace file in your case folder's root
  3. Name it something like Smith-v-WorkSafe.code-workspace

What You Get with a Workspace

  • →Persistent Settings — Your AI provider, model preferences, and editor settings are saved per-case
  • →Quick Launch — Double-click the workspace file to open SafeAppeals with your case ready
  • →Multi-Folder Support — Add multiple folders (e.g., shared templates, reference materials) to one workspace
  • →Task Configurations — Set up custom tasks and build processes for your workflow
  • →Extension Recommendations — Recommend extensions for team members working on the same case

Your folder structure should look like:

📁 Smith v. WorkSafe 2025/
├── 📄 Smith-v-WorkSafe.code-workspace  ← Workspace file
├── 📁 Medical Records/
├── 📁 Evidence/
├── 📁 Correspondence/
├── 📁 Drafts/
└── 📁 Research/

Pro tip: Pin the workspace file to your Windows taskbar or create a desktop shortcut. Next time you need to work on the case, just click it to launch SafeAppeals with everything ready.

Step 3: Configure AI Provider

Before you can use the AI assistant, you need to configure your AI provider:

  1. Press Ctrl+, to open Settings
  2. Navigate to the Void Settings section
  3. Choose your AI provider:
    • Safe Appeals Cloud — Sign in with Google (requires purchased credits)
    • OpenAI — Enter your OpenAI API key
    • Anthropic — Enter your Anthropic API key
    • Google — Enter your Google AI API key
  4. Select your preferred model (Claude Sonnet 4.5 recommended for legal work)

Step 4: Start a Conversation

The AI assistant lives in the sidebar. Here's how to start chatting:

  1. Click the Void icon in the left sidebar (or press Ctrl+L)
  2. Type your question or request in the chat input
  3. Press Enter to send

Example Prompts to Try

"What are the common grounds for appealing a denied workers' compensation claim?"

"Summarize the key requirements for proving a work-related injury"

"Help me draft an introduction for my appeal letter"

"What evidence should I gather for a repetitive strain injury claim?"

Step 5: Create Your First Document

SafeAppeals can help you create and edit appeal documents. Watch the video tutorial for a visual walkthrough.

  1. Right-click in the File Explorer sidebar
  2. Select New File
  3. Name it with a .md extension for Markdown or .docx for Word documents
  4. Start writing, or ask the AI to help draft content

Using AI to Write

Select any text in your document and press Ctrl+K to open the quick edit panel. Describe what changes you want, and the AI will suggest edits.

Quick Edit Examples

  • → "Make this paragraph more formal"
  • → "Add a citation for this claim"
  • → "Expand on this point with more detail"
  • → "Fix any grammar issues"

Understanding Chat Modes

SafeAppeals has three specialized chat modes for legal work:

Drafting Mode

Interactive document creation with AI guidance. Includes access to document editing, RAG search, and timeline tools.

When to use: Use when creating or editing appeal documents, letters, and briefs. The AI can directly edit your documents.

Research Mode

Deep policy and case document analysis. Enables comprehensive search and analysis tools without risky actions.

When to use: Use for in-depth legal research, policy analysis, and case precedent discovery. Safe for exploratory work.

Case Manager Mode

Proactive case workflow management with full tool access. The AI can take autonomous actions to manage your case.

When to use: Use for complex, multi-step tasks like organizing case files, analyzing all evidence, or managing your entire appeal workflow.

You can change modes using the dropdown in the chat sidebar. The mode affects which tools the AI can use and how proactively it works.

Next Steps

Now that you're set up, explore these topics:

AI Assistant GuideCase ManagementKeyboard Shortcuts