Uploading a Creditor Matrix

(Based on CM/ECF Version 2.2 and Netscape Version 4.7)

GENERAL INFO.	This should be done immediately after case opening. A creditor matrix contains the names and addresses of the creditors. This information is used for traditional noticing by U.S. Mail and for entering Proof of Claim information, when applicable. It is not used when choosing filers of pleadings. Creditors listed on the matrix do not receive “Notices of Electronic Filing” by e-mail. The creditor matrix must be in an ASCII text format (usually a .txt file) before it can be uploaded. All other documents in CM/ECF will be in a .pdf format. As an attorney, you will only be able to upload a creditor matrix one time as part of the case opening process. Creditors added later will have to be by “Amendment to Schedules” and there will be a filing fee due. The new creditors’ names and addresses must be submitted to the court in .txt format on diskette. Court personnel will then have to add the additional creditors to the creditor records for that case. Processing creditor matrices is limited to the menu item under Creditor Maintenance, there is no “batch” processing, so this limits the loading of creditors to one case at a time.
STEP 1	Log in to the CM System using your ECF Login and Password if you aren’t already logged in. NOTE: You should already be logged in because this step needs to be taken immediately after you complete the filing of the petition.
STEP 2	Click on “Bankruptcy” in the blue menu bar at the top of the screen.
STEP 3	Click on “Creditor Maintenance” in the list of Bankruptcy Events.
STEP 4	The “Creditor Maintenance” Menu will display. Attorneys cannot currently “Enter individual creditors” nor can they “Edit creditors”. Click on “Upload a creditor matrix file”.
STEP 5	The “Creditor Processing – Upload a File Method” screen will now display. Enter the case number in yy-nnnnn format (including the hyphen) or accept the default if the case number is the same as the bankruptcy case you just finished opening. NOTE: Click the browser’s button and enter the correct case number if the system prompts that you have entered an invalid case number.
STEP 6	Click the button.
STEP 7	The “Load Creditor Information” screen appears next.
STEP 8	Click the button to search for your .txt documents.
STEP 9	A “File Upload” window will open. Click the button next to the “Look in” field. Double click on the “3 ½ Floppy (A:) drive for this training case. NOTE: At your law firm, the .txt documents will probably be stored on a network drive or on your computer’s “C:/” drive.
STEP 10	The contents of the A:/ drive appear. Double click on the “Bankruptcy Cases” folder.
STEP 11	The contents of the “Bankruptcy Cases” folder will display. Double click on the “Onassis_Jacqueline” folder.
STEP 12	The “Onassis_Jacqueline” folder contents will display, but it will appear to be empty. Click the drop down arrow next to and change the type from HTML to “All Files (*.*)”
STEP 13	Now the .pdf and .txt files will all appear. Right click on the .txt creditor list that you wish to upload. For the training case, that will be the “Onassis_Jacqueline_Creditors.txt” file. On the shortcut menu that appears, click “Open”.
STEP 14	The creditor list .txt file opens in Notepad. Verify that this is the correct list of creditors. Make any necessary corrections to the matrix information and save the changes. Count the number of creditors in the matrix. Click the button to close Notepad.
STEP 15	The .txt document will now appear in the “File Name” field. Click the button in the “File Upload” dialog box or double click the .txt file to select the document.
STEP 16	The path of the document will now be inserted in the field next to the browse button.
STEP 17	Click the button to continue uploading the creditor matrix.
STEP 18	The “Add Creditors” screen will appear. Verify that the correct number of creditors is being added. Click the browser’s button and research the error if the total number of creditors entered is not the same as the total number of creditors on the submitted matrix.
STEP 19	Click the button to complete the upload.
CREDITORS RECEIPT SCREEN	The “Creditors Receipt” screen will display confirming the case number and the number of creditors added.
STEP 20	At this point, you could click on the hyperlink “Return to Creditor Maintenance Menu” to upload a creditor matrix for another bankruptcy case. If there are no other matrices to add, click on “Logout” or select another option on the main menu bar if you need to electronically file more pleadings.