By Sara Skiff | Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Coming today to TechnoFeature: Do you use Outlook? Do you use Outlook to manage your law firm? Do you find it inadequate because it organizes information by contact rather than by client/matter? Gavel & Gown's Credenza is an Outlook add-on that gives Outlook the features of a practice management system, including organization of your documents and email by client/matter. It also handle billing chores, including posting of time entries to accounting systems. But how does it stack up against dedicated case management systems? We asked practice management expert Diane Ebersole to use Credenza for a few months and report back. In this TechnoFeature article, she reviews Credenza top to bottom.
How to Receive TechnoFeature
Our flagship newsletter never disappoints thanks to its in-depth reporting by leading legal technology and practice management experts, many of whom have become "household names" in the legal profession. It's in TechnoFeature that you'll find our oft-quoted formal product reviews and accompanying TechnoScore ratings. The TechnoFeature newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, May 7, 2010
Coming today to
Fat Friday: Bryan Keenan compares the iPhone to Windows Mobile, Emery Wang reviews PracticeMaster, Robert Rice explains how RAID saved his bacon, Tom Trottier shares a TimeMap diagram and illustration tip, and Frank River discusses how practice management software can boost your growth. Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Fat Friday
Our most serendipitous offering, Fat Friday consists of unsolicited contributions by TechnoLawyer members. You'll no doubt enjoy it because of its mix of interesting topics and genuinely useful knowledge, including brutally honest product reviews and informative how-tos. The Fat Friday newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, May 7, 2010
Coming today to
Fat Friday: Bryan Keenan compares the iPhone to Windows Mobile Phone, Emery Wang reviews PracticeMaster for document assembly, Robert Rice explains how RAID saved his law firm, Frank Rivera compares off-the-shelf practice management systems with homegrown systems, and Tom Trottier shares a tip about the best format for diagrams that you export from TimeMap or similar programs. Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Fat Friday
Our most serendipitous offering, Fat Friday consists of unsolicited contributions by TechnoLawyer members. You'll no doubt enjoy it because of its mix of interesting topics and genuinely useful knowledge, including brutally honest product reviews and informative how-tos. The Fat Friday newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Sara Skiff | Thursday, April 29, 2010
Coming today to Answers to Questions: Thomas Stirewalt shares his advice for firms upgrading to Windows 7, Joseph Myers discusses the process of syncing case management software to an iPhone, Gray Strickland reviews OpenOffice, Charlotte Quiroz shares her experience with Timeslips address violation errors, and James Terry reviews PaperPort and OmniPage on Windows Vista. Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Answers to Questions
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In Answers to Questions, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The Answers to Questions newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, April 23, 2010
Coming today to
Fat Friday: Sarkis Babachanian reviews Daylite and Billings for practice management on a Mac, Fred Pharis reviews Copernic Desktop Search, Paul Purdue reviews PracticeMaster for document assembly, Laura Calloway reviews Casemaker for legal research, and John Banker shares more business lunch etiquette. Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Fat Friday
Our most serendipitous offering, Fat Friday consists of unsolicited contributions by TechnoLawyer members. You'll no doubt enjoy it because of its mix of interesting topics and genuinely useful knowledge, including brutally honest product reviews and informative how-tos. The Fat Friday newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Sara Skiff | Thursday, April 22, 2010
Coming today to Answers to Questions: Jason Havens discusses why and how his firm switched to Macs, J Homel shares his strategy for handling retainer fees, Ruth Laura Edlund explains how to best use Time Matters Messenger, Frank Lanigan reviews DictaNet for phone dictation, and Simon Kogan discusses dual monitors. Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Answers to Questions
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In Answers to Questions, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The Answers to Questions newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Neil Squillante | Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers an accounting and practice management system (see article below), a mobile dictation and transcription app, a hosted service for processing eDiscovery documents, a Google Apps add-on for collaboration, and brainstorming and mind mapping software. Don't miss the next issue.
Can Your Billing and Practice Management System Do That?
Times are still tough. Law firms like yours need every possible operational advantage. This means getting paid faster and with greater operational efficiency. So put your existing software products on the witness stand and give them a thorough cross examination. For example, can your billing and accounting software process credit cards? Can your practice management system integrate with a hosted Exchange server? Do you know which clients are profitable and which ones are a financial burden?
Tabs3 and PracticeMaster version 15.3 … in One Sentence
Software Technology's Tabs3 and PracticeMaster version 15.3 comprise an integrated suite of software products that offer billing, practice management, check writing, and general ledger and trust accounting.
The Killer Feature
Paper or plastic? You may want to start asking your clients this question, paper referring to a check and plastic referring to a credit card.
The new version of Tabs3 can process credit card transactions in both the general ledger and trust accounts depending on how and when you process payments and retainers. The new trust accounts integration enables you to comply with ethical rules required by your state bar.
Also, Tabs3 uses First National Merchant Solutions (FNMS) for processing and settlement. Thanks to the installed base of Tabs3 users, Software Technology has worked out favorable discount rates. FNMS deposits your credit card transaction into any bank account you choose. Thus, you need not open up any new bank accounts.
Other Notable Features
Software Technology also focused on email integration in version 15.3. PracticeMaster has integrated with Outlook and Microsoft Exchange going back several versions. However, the new version of PracticeMaster now integrates with hosted Exchange servers, which an increasing number of small and midsize firms use.
Generally, PracticeMaster offers client and case information, shared calendars, conflict checking, customizable data entry forms for specific practice areas, time tracking, document tracking, instant messaging, and integration with CompuLaw Court Rules.
Notable Tabs3 features include batch exporting of bills to individual PDF files, reports that rank clients by billings, WIP, write offs, and more, flexible billing options for virtually any arrangement, and compensation rules for fee distribution.
What Else Should You Know?
Pricing for Tabs3 starts at $295. Pricing for PracticeMaster starts at $150 (Basic) or $295 (Premier). Learn more about Tabs3 and PracticeMaster version 15.3.
How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Sara Skiff | Thursday, April 1, 2010
Coming today to Answers to Questions: Mike Maple reviews Pro Tempus practice management software, Simon Kogan reviews CaseMap, Caren Schwartz compares Garmin and TomTom GPS PNDs, and also provides some GPS PND purchasing tips, Jennifer Stiller reviews PDF Converter Pro 5, and Steve Loewy reviews Timeslips and how he resolved its address violation errors. Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Answers to Questions
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In Answers to Questions, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The Answers to Questions newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Sara Skiff | Thursday, March 18, 2010
Coming today to Answers to Questions: Douglas Thomas shares his thoughts on fee retainers and billing, Thomas Hutto reviews AudioWav MobileMic for BlackBerry, NCH for transcription equipment, and JMDictate (now Dictamus) for iPhone, Tom Raftery reviews Garmin GPS for BlackBerry, Alan Press discusses his Mac/PC office setup, and Simon Laurent reviews Amicus Attorney 2009 Premium Edition and Amicus Accounting. Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Answers to Questions
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In Answers to Questions, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The Answers to Questions newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
By Sara Skiff | Thursday, March 11, 2010
Coming today to Answers to Questions: Joe Dipierro compares Copernic Desktop Search with Windows XP's built-in indexing service, Gail Hill reviews Microsoft Word's mail merge function, and Mark Slate shares his thoughts on the perfect practice management software (which doesn't yet exist but may soon). Don't miss this issue.
How to Receive Answers to Questions
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In Answers to Questions, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The Answers to Questions newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
