Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a new integrated accounting, billing, and practice management system (see article below), a utility for defensibly saving Web pages for use as evidence, an online contract drafting tool, an iPad app for presenting exhibits, and an online project management system. Don't miss the next issue.
Find Critical Client Information at the Speed of Thought
What do Facebook and Google know about you? A lot but don't expect them to tell you. The same could be said of many practice management systems. Thanks to all the data they collect, they know a lot about your practice, but it can seem like they don't tell you everything — or at least make it difficult to find what you need. Even worse, you may not know what you need to know. An industry giant has tackled this issue in the latest release of its practice management system, aiming to give you quick, intuitive access to critical client information.
Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Version 16 … in One Sentence
Software Technology, Inc.'s (STI's) Tabs3 and PracticeMaster together comprise an integrated billing and practice management system for solo, small, and midsize law firms (the products are available separately as well).
The Killer Feature
All practice management software improves on the piles of paper some law offices still rely upon (some firms never got the memo about the 1980s ending). According to STI, the newest release of PracticeMaster makes access to critical client and matter information so fast you can pull it up on the fly during a phone call.
Enter the new PracticeMaster Matter Manager, which gives you access to all contact information for everyone involved in a case. Even better, you can view all recent matter activity such as documents, email, meetings, and notes.
A "Convert to Fee" button enables you to create a billable time entry for any activity. Speaking of billing, you can also view current balance, last statement date, last payment, trust account balances, etc.
You access your favorite practice management tools via a customizable toolbar, which means you can add to Matter Manager's functionality to suit your needs. You can also use custom colors to make certain information such as deadlines more noticeable.
"Matter Manager is the best way to keep case information organized," STI Presdient Dan Berlin told us. "When a client calls and asks about the status of their case, Matter Manager displays all of the information you need so that you can answer their questions right away."
Other Notable Features
The new version of PracticeMaster includes additional timesavers such as Workflows to automate procedures and reduce risk. For example, PracticeMaster can automatically generate an engagement letter when you create a new client or matter.
Tabs3 also received its fair share of attention from the development team. You can batch email personalized statements to clients. The new Client Inactivity Report prevents cases from falling through the cracks by listing cases with no recent activity using parameters you define.
What Else Should You Know?
Tabs3 and PracticeMaster run on Windows. Pricing starts at $295 for a single user. Learn more about Tabs3 and PracticeMaster version 16.
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.
