Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a corporate messaging service that automatically saves discussions and shared documents to NetDocuments (see article below). In addition, you'll find links to the previous 11 TL NewsWire features, including our coverage of a Microsoft Word add-in that scores your briefs and offers a spellchecker-like tool which suggests corrections and stylistic improvements, cloud software for paperless deposition exhibits that gives you precise control over what the deponent sees and which can generate a hyperlinked report of all marked exhibits, and much more. Don't miss the next issue.
Email makes a lot of sense for communicating with clients thanks to its interoperability across organizations. But internal email is a different story. The sheer volume can bury important client messages and prevent them from being filed or shared. Since you're all in the same organization, corporate messaging offers a better alternative — except that it usually creates another location to manage.
NetDocuments ndThread … in One Sentence
Just launched, NetDocuments' ndThread is a secure messaging service embedded within NetDocuments' cloud platform with apps for Windows, Mac, Web, iOS, and Android.
The Killer Feature
ndThread builds on the recent launch of ndMail (for storing email and attachments) to ensure that you'll find all information related to a matter in one location in NetDocuments. This also guarantees a unified platform for communication and collaboration while incorporating NetDocuments global search functionality.
ndThread came to NetDocuments via its acquisition of ThreadKM late last year. Dan Hauck, former CEO of ThreadKM and current VP of Product and User Experience at NetDocuments, spearheaded the project to incorporate ndThread into the NetDocuments platform for matter and topic-based messaging.
ndThread offers a zero-configuration experience on several fronts. For example, there's no initial setup because everyone in your firm can use their NetDocuments identity to login and use ndThread. Furthermore, there's no concern about threaded discussions becoming information silos because ndThread automatically saves and categorizes conversations in the correct matter within NetDocuments' matter, client, or topic-based workspaces.
"NetDocuments' ability to quickly incorporate the ThreadKM technology into its global cloud service speaks to its incredible power and efficiency," says Hauck. "The same encryption, security, compliance, indexing, and search functionality of NetDocuments' robust service now extends to all aspects of ndThread, reducing the need for law firms to rely on outside technologies to quickly and effectively communicate."
Other Notable Features
ndThread offers two ways to communicate with colleagues — direct messages and workspace discussions. Direct messages work like text messages except that you don't need to maintain an address book. Workspaces in ndThread mirror workspaces in NetDocuments and facilitate a conversation among members of a client team, practice group, committee, etc. Notification icons inform you of unread messages (you can also receive email or push notifications).
Workspaces can contain multiple private or open "threads" alongside other matter-related documents and email (e.g., a partners-only discussion). When a new team member joins a workspace, they gain access to all past discussions and documents, helping them get up to speed.
Most of the time, you'll reference documents already stored in NetDocuments. If you add a new document from elsewhere, ndThread asks you to fill out a profile and saves it into the same workspace in NetDocuments. Once a document resides in ndThread, you can use annotation tools to collaborate on it. These annotations reside in a nondestructive layer on top of the document. Collaborating in this fashion brings everyone to the same file, eliminating the drudgery of merging competing redlines or commentary sent in email messages or attachments.
What Else Should You Know?
"We started looking at ThreadKM as an innovative alternative to traditional email communication before the NetDocuments acquisition," says David Pray, Chief Transformation Officer at Bailey & Glasser LLP. "Now having ndThread as part of the NetDocuments platform presents a win-win scenario. We look forward to immediately leveraging ndThread as part of our NetDocuments platform investment." Learn more about ndThread.
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