TechnoLawyer: TL NewsWire

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers legal billing software with automatic time capture (see article below), an online marketing service for lawyers who don't have time to write articles for their blog, an iPhone calendar app, and a gadget that works in conjunction with an iPhone app for tracking the location of anything. Don't miss the next issue.

DON'T LET BILLABLE TIME SLIP AWAY

Consultants and lawyers both dislike the billable hour, but for completely different reasons. Consultants want lawyers to slap a price tag on their services (e.g., $3 million for an antitrust lawsuit brought against you by the government — appeal not included). By contrast, lawyers think the billable hour works just fine given the unpredictable nature of most legal work such as litigation. But lawyers dislike keeping track of their billable time.

Sage Timeslips 2014 … in One Sentence

Launched earlier this month, Sage Timeslips 2014 (Timeslips) is billing software designed principally for law firms.

The Killer Feature

The new version of Timeslips includes a companion Windows application that automatically tracks your time in the background as you work. Timeslips can organize the collected time by application (e.g., Google Chrome, Microsoft Word) or by custom groups that you create (e.g., client/matter). You can exclude applications such as games from being tracked.

You can create time entries for all active windows on the fly before closing them. You can also display all unbilled activities. For the latter method, you can combine related time captures using drag and drop with your mouse (e.g., time spent working on the same brief at various times over the course of a day).

Other Notable Features

Last year, Sage added a calendar to Timeslips. In the new version, the calendar now syncs with other computers as well as with your smartphone and tablet (syncing doesn't require Microsoft Exchange).

Timeslips' new Slip Entry and Slip List features are designed to enhance your billing workflow by streamlining both the creation and review of time entries. Slip Entry places everything require for a time entry into one dialog box. You can create presets for the most common settings. The Slip List enables you to review time entries by date range, client/matter, etc. This enables you to see if you're within budget, and quickly approve or adjust time entries so that you can create and send bills.

If you use QuickBooks or Sage 50 for accounting, you can take advantage of the new Sage TAL Pro, which provides bidirectional data transfer and an audit trail. This technology eliminates the need for double entry. The audit trail enables you to see all data transfers and reverse any if necessary. You can designate what to transfer and whether it should occur automatically or manually.

What Else Should You Know?

Timeslips runs on Windows Vista or later. Pricing for new customers starts at $499.99 for one computer with volume discounts available. Upgrade pricing starts at $399.99 for one computer. Learn more about Sage Timeslips 2014.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers an iPad and Mac app for both freeform and structured notes (see article below), a purse that keeps your smartphone charged, an iPad app for reviewing and annotating video depositions, and strategic planning software. Don't miss the next issue.

TAKE NOTE OF EVERYTHING

Gertrude Stein may have been right about roses, but her famous quote doesn't apply to notes according to at least one app developer. This company feels that "notes" encompass both freeform information as well as more specialized or structured information such as annotations, outlines, tasks, etc. Regardless of whether you agree that the latter qualify as "notes," it makes sense to keep all of this data at your fingertips in one searchable app that syncs across your devices.

NoteSuite 2.0 … in One Sentence

Launched last week, Theory's NoteSuite 2.0 (previously known as Projectbook) is an iPad and Mac app for taking, organizing, and searching different types of "notes."

The Killer Feature

NoteSuite enables you to import documents and photos in popular formats such as Pages, PDF, and Word. Once imported, you can annotate a document — add comments, highlight and strikethrough text, add bookmarks, draw, use arrows and other symbols, and more. NoteSuite converts Pages and Word documents into PDF format for annotations.

Other Notable Features

In addition to importing documents from local media, you can also import them from Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box. Because NoteSuite uses standard document formats instead of its own proprietary database, you can likewise export your data as needed. The company claims that this gives NoteSuite a significant edge over competitors such as Evernote.

Regarding freeform notes, NoteSuite supports both handwritten and typed notes on the same page. You can record audio as you take notes, and later select a portion of your notes to hear the accompanying audio clip.

As intimated above, NoteSuite supports capturing information in special formats. For example, you'll find a To-Do Manager with features such as alerts, due dates, recurring tasks, parent-children hierarchies for multistep tasks, task delegation, and optional calendar integration. If you assign deadlines to your tasks, the Today and This Week views enable you to focus on your most urgent tasks. Alternatively, you can apply tags and then view all tasks with a given tag (e.g., client/matter). To-Do Manager complies with "Getting Things Done" if you use that methodology.

Thanks to a special feature, NoteSuite facilitates electronic signatures. The signatories sign their name in a large box after which NoteSuite shrinks their signatures to fit in the allotted space in the document. Other features include full-text searching, web clippings, and the ability to work offline.

What Else Should You Know?

Currently, NoteSuite syncs via iCloud only. The company plans to support other sync services in the future. It's also working on an iPhone app. The iPad app costs $4.99; the Mac app costs $9.99 (the company periodically offers limited-time discounts). NoteSuite is free for those who previously purchased Projectbook. Learn more about NoteSuite 2.0.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers an iPad app for transcript management and review (see article below), a comparison shopping tool for smartphones, the RSS reader that most closely approximates Google Reader, and a cloud collaboration application with Android and iPhone apps. Don't miss the next issue.

TRANSCRIPT REVIEW ON YOUR IPAD AND YOUR PC

The chief difference between the PC and the iPad is that the former has the edge for text input while the latter offers a superior reading experience. Reviewing and annotating deposition and trial transcripts falls into both realms, which explains why it makes sense to have both desktop software and a companion iPad app.

LexisNexis TextMap App for iPad … in One Sentence

Launched last week, LexisNexis TextMap App for iPad (TextMap for iPad) enables you to manage and annotate transcripts from anywhere, and integrates with TextMap for Windows PCs.

The Killer Feature

Once you have a transcript loaded in TextMap for iPad, you can select testimony using the line numbers and apply one or more issues and/or annotations.

When you finish reviewing a transcript, you email the updates to yourself or someone else on your team for importing into the desktop version of TextMap. This works the same in reverse — you can email transcripts from TextMap on your PC to your iPad. This simple import/export mechanism minimizes the time needed to train your lawyers and staff since everyone knows how to use email.

Other Notable Features

In an industry first, TextMap for iPad doesn't require you to create all the issues you may need for your review in the desktop software. Instead, you can create new issues in the iPad app on the fly. There's no need to worry about being stymied if you're away from your office. Any new issues you create in the app get emailed back and imported into the desktop version of TextMap along with your annotations.

Similarly, if you already performed some work on a transcript in TextMap on your PC, the issues you applied and annotations you wrote will appear in TextMap for iPad, enabling you to seamlessly continue working on a transcript if you have to leave the office before you finish.

TextMap for iPad provides search functionality so that you can find all instances of a key word or phrase, reducing the time required to complete your review. The app also contains all the exhibits from a deposition, which you can view for reference. The app links to the exhibits from the corresponding testimony.

"Our new iPad app enables litigators to work more efficiently by reducing the amount of time and effort to review and manage transcripts," LexisNexis Litigation Tools & Professional Services Senior Director Mike Hahn told us. "Any litigation team member with an iPad and the designated permissions can take their work product mobile by importing multiple transcripts onto their iPads, quickly finding and reviewing specific sections of transcripts, and annotating those transcripts."

What Else Should You Know?

TextMap for iPad is free from the App Store. It requires TextMap 6.2 or later on your Windows PC. Learn more about TextMap for iPad.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a cloud application for automating the creation of QDRO and related documents (see article below), timeline creation and presentation software, an iOS calendar app, and an online meeting and presentation service. Don't miss the next issue.

AUTOMATE YOUR QDRO PREPARATION AND GET HELP FROM SPECIALISTS

A spouse seeking your assistance for a divorce wants you to provide top-notch service, especially when drafting the Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) if one or both parties has significant retirement benefits. Regardless of whom you represent in the divorce, this document is on par with a multibillion dollar merger agreement as far as the former couple is concerned. Accordingly, you want to make sure you nail every last detail so it can't hurt to automate the process and obtain the help of a QDRO specialist as needed.

QdroDesk … in One Sentence

Pension Appraisers' QdroDesk is a cloud application that automates the preparation of QDROs and associated documents.

The Killer Feature

Pension Appraisers has provided QDRO-related consulting services since 1989. QdroDesk incorporates the company's expertise to make QDRO preparation more accessible and affordable. QdroDesk walks you through an interview about your client's situation that takes into account all applicable federal and state laws, the marital or property settlement agreement, and conforms to plan guidelines.

When you finish, a QdroDesk specialist runs your QDRO through a nine-point review process to check for common errors and omissions, the correct plan name, verification of jurisdictional requirements, etc. to ensure court and plan approval. You can export the final document in both Word and PDF formats. If you run into any problems, you can obtain email and telephone assistance from a QDRO specialist.

"Wrapping up the division of retirement accounts upon divorce is greatly simplified with QdroDesk," Pension Appraisers' President Theodore K. Long, Jr. told us. "Whether attorneys use QdroDesk or send their clients directly to us, the benefits of instant QDRO delivery, full document control, and an experienced staff eliminates the hassles that come with lengthy delivery periods and communication barriers."

Other Notable Features

QdroDesk provides an explanation for each question. You can use QdroDesk in a linear manner or skip questions and return later if you don't currently have the information you need. The software will let you know which questions you skipped so that you can finish the QDRO. There's no time limit on completing a QDRO once you start the process. QdroDesk saves your work in progress until you're ready to complete the preparation process.

QdroDesk encompasses all types of plans, including defined benefit, defined contribution, federal government, military, railroad, state, local and municipal, and school systems for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

What Else Should You Know?

QdroDesk costs $299 per QDRO, including unlimited email and telephone support. Pension Appraisers offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. QdroDesk works in all modern web browsers on Windows PCs and Macs. Learn more about QdroDesk.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers an automatic time capture app for smartphones (see article below), litigation support software with predictive coding, an online wealth management service, and an iPad app for intraoffice messaging. Don't miss the next issue.

AUTOMATIC TIME CAPTURE ON YOUR SMARTPHONE

Early this century, people began ditching their landlines because cellular service had become good enough and far more convenient. Modern smartphones accelerated this development. Today, the concept of a "home" telephone seems quaint. While most lawyers haven't ditched their office telephones yet, they use their smartphones a lot — even when they're in the office. Of course, a smartphone isn't just a telephone. It's a computer that can run apps, including one that may persuade you to ditch your "work" telephone.

Calls Accountant … in One Sentence

Launched earlier this year, Executive Business Services' Calls Accountant is an Android app for automatically tracking your billable time.

The Killer Feature

Law firms often charge different billing rates depending on the matter, task or person. Calls Accountant enables you to enter a standard billing rate for all telephone calls or a different rate for specific clients. Additionally, you can use the same rate or create a different rate for in-person meetings and other activities. After the initial setup, Calls Accountant doesn't require any input from you to record a billable telephone call. Tracking in-person meetings or other activities ("sessions" as the app refers to them) begin calculating with a tap.

Other Notable Features

When you make or receive a call, Calls Accountant automatically tracks the time spent if you have designated that person as a billable contact. The app enables you to record the exact time or round up to the next minute depending on your law firm's policies.

Since you typically always have your smartphone with you, Calls Accountant can also track other billable time such as meetings and travel with one tap. As intimated above, you can set a different rate for these billable activities than for telephone calls if necessary.

You can add notes to your time entries, including with the help of one of the many macro apps available for Android so that you can type just a few letters to add a standard description or UTBMS code. Calls Accountant provides real-time reports so that you can see the amount billed (time and dollars) for any contact, period of time (day, week, month, etc.), or activity (calls, meetings, etc.).

"As busy professionals, lawyers are always on the move and spend a lot of time on the phone," Executive Business Services CEO Joseph Shurance told us. "This equates to lots of inbound and outbound calls. With so many deadlines and tasks on their minds such as court appearances, deal closings, etc., lawyers often forget to track each call and its duration. This leads to lost revenue. Calls Accountant takes care of tracking this billable time so that lawyers can focus on their work and get paid for it."

What Else Should You Know?

When you're ready to bill clients, Calls Accountant enables you to export your time entries in CSV format for importing into your billing system. Depending on your preference, you can email this file, copy it to your computer or save it in a cloud storage account such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Some export methods may require another app (e.g., the Dropbox app for exporting to your Dropbox account). Learn more about Calls Accountant.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers an iPad note-taking app that takes security seriously (see article below), an iPhone app for creating lists (including checklists), a service for paperless deposition exhibits, and client relationship management software. Don't miss the next issue.

THE LEGAL IPAD

Most people stop taking notes in their last class in college — well, at least fast and furious notes. By contrast, many lawyers take notes in this manner for their entire career. While the legal pad and other paper note-taking "systems" are not yet in the hearse en route to their grave plots between the addressograph and typewriter, an increasing number of lawyers take notes on their iPads. As the apps improve, more lawyers ditch their pens for styluses.

Penultimate 4.1 … in One Sentence

Launched last month, Penultimate 4.1 is an iPad note-taking app.

The Killer Feature

All smart lawyers protect their computers, including their iPads, with a login. But a single login is insufficient to protect sensitive information — like your notes for example. Realizing this security need, Evernote added an optional passcode lock feature to the new version of Penultimate.

In addition to securing your notes, this feature enables you to create multiple accounts. Thus, you could share an iPad with someone or more likely create an account for each client or at least one for work and one for personal use.

Other Notable Features

Penultimate is part of the Evernote empire. The app is free but unlocking all of its functionality requires an Evernote Premium account, which costs $45 per year. For example, only those with Evernote Premium accounts can use the new passcode feature.

Also, Penultimate includes three paper styles. If you have an Evernote Premium account, you can use all seven collections. Otherwise, each collection ranges in price from 99 cents to $2.99 via an in-app purchase.

Most notably, an Evernote Premium account enables you to sync your notes so that you can access and search them in Evernote, which is available on every platform (unlike Penultimate). Yes, you read that right — Evernote can make your handwritten notes searchable.

What Else Should You Know?

Penultimate's core note-taking features don't require an Evernote Premium account. These include multiple pen tips and colors from which you can choose, notebooks into which you can place notes for organization, and the ability to email or export notes in PDF format. Learn more about Penultimate 4.1.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a cloud time-tracking application for lawyers (see article below), an add-on for Microsoft Office 2010 and 2013, an automation app for iPad and iPhone, and an email marketing and newsletter service. Don't miss the next issue.

BILL YOUR TIME IN REALTIME

Notwithstanding all of the management consultants trying to kill it, the billable hour has proven durable. Therefore, instead of trying to replace it, law firms may find themselves better served by mastering it. Some claim the secret lies in contemporaneous time capture. But jotting down notes on paper is prone to error not to mention unbecoming of a modern lawyer.

Attorney Timekeeper … in One Sentence

Launched last month, Attorney Timekeeper is a cloud time-tracking application for lawyers.

The Killer Feature

Attorney Timekeeper lists your most recent matters on the right side of the screen (you can edit this list and add new matters). To the left is a timer and below is a text box into which you enter a description of your work. This text box has two other tabs — one for for internal notes, and one that lists a history of all your time entries.

You keep Attorney Timekeeper open all day so that you can contemporaneously capture your time. It works in mobile web browsers so instead of using your desktop web browser, you can use an iPad or smartphone. You can export time entries in CSV format for importing into your accounting or billing software for creating invoices.

Attorney Timekeeper is designed to minimize clicks (or taps). For example, if you're drafting an agreement for the Smith matter and you receive a telephone call about the Jones matter, one click will stop the timer on the former and start it on the latter. After the telephone call, you click on the Smith matter and resume work on the agreement. Attorney Timekeeper automatically enters the last description for the Jones matter, which you can change if necessary. Instead of switching from matter to matter, you can stop the current timer when you need to take a break, write an internal note, etc.

Other Notable Features

With Attorney Timekeeper, you can automatically import time spent on mobile telephone calls from your AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon account. You then decide if each call is billable or not. The company is working on support for other carriers.

Attorney Timekeeper enables you to customize each matter. For example, some clients may require UTBMS task and activity codes on their bills while others may not. Other settings include the time increment, whether the timer should start when you click on a matter or require a second click on the "Start" button, whether to enter time manually instead of using the timer, etc.

The application offers a number of reports, including Billing Effectiveness Percentage, which is total billed hours divided by total hours worked. You can give everyone access to this report to create a friendly competition. There's also an Annual Planner so that lawyers with an annual billable hours quota can track their progress.

What Else Should You Know?

The "Hide" and "Unhide" buttons enable you to quickly hide and restore your screen for privacy. If you leave your office, you can lock your screen, which requires your password to make visible again. Pricing ranges from $34.45 to $49.95 per month per timekeeper depending on the number of timekeepers. Annual plans also exist at a lower monthly cost. Learn more about Attorney Timekeeper.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers an iPad app for analyzing your web presence and comparing it to law firms with which you compete (see article below), a WiFi surveillance camera, a searchable online database of tens of thousands of rates for legal services, and software for accessing the file system of iPads and iPhones. Don't miss the next issue.

COMPARE YOUR WEB PRESENCE TO THAT OF YOUR COMPETITORS

Having a web site nowadays is just table stakes. For your web site to help you win new clients, it must rank well in Google and other search engines. You should also leverage legal directories and social media. To prevent wasting time and money, you must continually analyze data to identify areas for improvement. Furthermore, online marketing is a zero sum game so you must also keep track of your competitors. Large law firms hire one or more people for their market intelligence needs. By contrast, most small law firms can't afford these salaries. Fortunately, you can track all of this data and more with a new iPad app.

Martindale-Hubbell Competitive Essentials … in One Sentence

Launched in March, Martindale-Hubbell Competitive Essentials enables you to analyze your law firm's web presence, and compare it to that of your competitors.

The Killer Feature

When you open the app, you see a dashboard with all your key metrics. For example, the number of visits to your web site, Lawyers.com and Martindale-Hubbell profiles, and Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts. At a glance, you can also see your domain authority and search engine rank for key web pages (including inbound links, the most important "signal" Google uses for ranking). If you haven't completed your Lawyers.com and Martindale-Hubbell profiles, the dashboard informs you as to how much remains unfinished and provides optimization tips.

Other Notable Features

From this dashboard, you can begin drilling down further. For example, you can see how your web site ranks on Google for keyword searches (e.g., Hamptons real estate lawyer). You can also obtain statistics for your social media accounts, and see how many leads you've obtained and their origin.

As its name suggests, Martindale-Hubbell Competitive Essentials enables you to compare your web presence to that of your competitors. You start by finding your competitors and saving them to your account. You can quickly add law firms you already know about, and then find others by searching within your geographic area and by practice areas. Once you create a list of competitors, you can compare all of your statistics (see above) to theirs. Once you know your relative status, you can take action to improve.

"The ability to easily see where your law firm ranks online against your competition can help you understand which aspects of your marketing plan are working well and where you need to engage in some fine-tuning so that you can bring in more new business," LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Director, Acquisition Marketing Lydia Pickens told us.

What Else Should You Know?

You can download Martindale-Hubbell Competitive Essentials from the App Store for free. However, the app requires a Lawyers.com Professional Profile (as opposed to a free Lawyers.com profile) so you'll want to create a Lawyers.com Professional Profile first if you don't currently have one before using the app. Learn more about Martindale-Hubbell Competitive Essentials.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a document and records management system (see article below), an iPhone keyboard case, a cloud file server, and a text automation app for the iPad and iPhone. Don't miss the next issue.

GO PAPERLESS FASTER THAN EVER

Document management is so important for every law firm that it has spawned more cliches than a politician. For example, law firms "drowning in paper" desperately want to go "paperless." Many of the solutions designed to help law firms get from one cliche to the other cost an "arm and a leg" and require you to be a "rocket scientist."

FileCenter Professional 8 … in One Sentence

Launched this month, Lucion Technologies' FileCenter Professional 8 is a document management system with PDF and scanning tools that doesn't require a consultant to set up.

The Killer Feature

Many document management systems support scanning as an afterthought if at all. By contrast, FileCenter Professional captures all your documents, including those that arrive on paper. Accordingly, it offers multiple scanning technologies, each of which is aimed at a particular need of law firms.

For example "In-Place Scanning" enables you to scan directly into a designated client/matter "drawer" in image-only or searchable PDF format (FileCenter Professional uses a file cabinet metaphor). "Scanning Profiles" automate scanning jobs by applying presets such as resolution, optical character recognition, document format, and where to file scanned documents. It can even name your scanned documents automatically.

Scanning Profiles works in conjunction with "Document Separators" to automate large scanning jobs. Using this technology, when you scan a stack of documents, FileCenter Professional automatically splits them apart and files them for you, naming each document appropriately.

"Our new scanning features stem from spending many hours talking to lawyers who use previous versions of FileCenter Professional, and studying their scanning workflows," Lucion CEO Jeff Pickard told us. "As lawyers ourselves, we understand that law firms have unique requirements so we crafted FileCenter Professional 8 to be the most elegant and efficient tool available to meet these needs."

Other Notable Features

Also new in FileCenter Professional, you can edit and clean up your scans. The new image editing tools work on any PDF or TIFF scan, including those you scanned prior to using FileCenter Professional. The new Inbox provides a flexible workspace into which you can import documents from virtually any source — digital cameras, network scanners, portable scanners, etc.

FileCenter Professional requires minimal configuration because it overlays your current file and folder structure while enhancing functionality beyond that which Windows provides. For example, the software has long provided filename templates and reusable folder layouts. In the new version, you can also set up "Custom Lists" of common terms to draw from when you name a file. Thus, you can build filenames for new documents faster.

In addition to organizing your scans, FileCenter Professional also organizes the documents you and your colleagues create in Microsoft Word and other programs as well as client-related email. And it can eliminate the need for standalone PDF software thanks to advanced PDF tools such as combining PDF documents, annotating and editing them, digital signatures, form filling, and more. Other features include the ability to view documents in virtually any file format, and search the full text of your documents using advanced tools such as Boolean queries.

What Else Should You Know?

FileCenter Professional costs $199.95 with volume discounts available. FileCenter, which lacks some of the features in the Professional version, costs $49.95. Learn more about FileCenter Pro 8.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers business intelligence and cost recovery software for your printers (see article below), an application for defensibly capturing evidence on the web, a task manager for teams, and an iPhone communications app. Don't miss the next issue.

TAKE CONTROL OF PRINTING COSTS

Many lawyers misunderstand cost recovery technology. They think it's only for law firms that charge separately for telephone calls, faxes, and copies. However, this data has many other uses, including determining hourly or fixed fees, identifying your costliest clients, matters, and employees, tracking the time spent on telephone calls for accurate billing entries, and more. This is called business intelligence. Until now, one activity has flown under the radar despite its growing cost — printing documents.

The Count for Prints … in One Sentence

Launching today, Lex Systems' The Count for Prints tracks the usage of all the printers in your law firm.

The Killer Feature

The Count for Prints works with both network and standalone printers. It doesn't just track the number of printouts by client/matter and user. You can also create rules and restrict access to optimize printer usage and reduce costs. For example, you can route jobs to designated printers depending on their nature — number of pages, draft or final version, type of paper, client/matter, user, etc.

If you charge for prints or use the data to bake the costs into your hourly or flat fees, The Count for Prints includes a pricing table for assigning a value to each print job according to your firm's policies. Pricing can vary depending on the attributes enumerated above. The Count for Prints can keep your lawyers and staff apprised of their printer usage so that they print more judiciously.

"In the early days of PCs, users would just print their work product," Lex Systems President Owen Rice told us. "Nowadays, lawyers also print documents they used to duplicate using a copier thanks to the popularity of scanners and the paperless office movement. Accordingly, printer usage has increased. By controlling access to each printer, routing large jobs to high-capacity printers, and accounting for all print jobs, The Count for Prints reduces paper usage and toner costs, making printing more cost effective."

Other Notable Features

In addition to The Count for Prints, Lex Systems also offers The Count for Copies, The Count for Faxes, and The Count for Calls. All modules consist of software that runs on off-the-shelf PCs. There's no proprietary hardware to license or purchase. Lex Systems guides you through the installation process and provides training.

To track an activity, you can enter client/matter and other required information from your computer or from a PC or tablet connected to a device such as a copier or printer — whichever makes more sense. You can use a mix of both input options.

The Count integrates with all major accounting systems, eliminating the need to export and import data. All captured data remains within your law firm on a central server. Lex Systems claims that anyone can learn how to use its administrative tools (you need not be an IT professional). However, the company provides unlimited support and training at no additional cost if you need help.

What Else Should You Know?

Lex Systems charges an annual fee for The Count that depends on which modules you use. Learn more about The Count for Prints.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.