CompDocs
Adds Redline Tracking and Metadata Stripping to PerfectLaw
DMS
December, 2004
Law firm profits revolve around giving sound advice and
sharing valuable knowledge. This information giving and sharing
is usually via documents, and thus, quality service means
quality document processing.
Document processing includes constantly sending documents
back and forth between parties for changes and approvals.
Most firms today are totally reliant on email and some type
of document management system or Document Management System
(DMS).
Unfortunately, there are two major problems
with most DMSs. First, stand-alone redlining products such
as CompareRite and Word’s document compare feature,
make DMS version tracking nearly impossible.
For example, to compare two documents or versions stored
in a DMS, the user must find and load them from the standalone
product before redlining or document comparing can even begin.
The steps required are far too clumsy and time consuming
for most lawyers, which is why many attorneys still compare
documents manually. Moreover, if you need to save and track
the redlined documents themselves, users must devise their
own naming conventions because the standalone redliner is
rarely integrated with the DMS.
A second problem firms face today is that many attorneys
are unwittingly violating client confidentially when they
email Word documents, especially redlined documents.
This happens because when users edit, redline, and save
Word documents, metadata (which includes any confidential
comments, deletions, edits, etc.) is automatically saved
within the document itself. While this metadata is essential
to the operation of Word and other redlining products, many
lawyers do not realize that even though confidential metadata
does not show on the printed document, it is easily revealed
when the document has been emailed to others. To avoid sending
sensitive information or violating client confidentially,
all metadata must be stripped from the document before emailing.
To solve both problems and supercharge the revision workflow
process, PerfectLaw has developed CompDocs, a redline-tracking
feature that make redlining quick, easy and strips all metadata
via a “Save to PDF” function. In addition CompDocs
supports a “Save in Word” format function that
preserves the metadata.
Comparing versions or documents with PerfectLaw CompDocs
is very easy. Simply highlight any two documents or two versions
of the same document found in a matter folder or any PerfectLaw
search window. Then right-click and the CompDoc redline is
not only displayed instantly in Word for user review, but
is saved and profiled automatically to the PerfectLaw DMS,
while being stripped of sensitive metadata.
CompDocs tracking is fully automated as a result of the DMS
profiling and naming conventions used to store the document.
There is a slight difference in the conventions used for
DMS version comparisons with the same document number, versus
comparing two DMS documents with different Document numbers.
Finding and tracking redline documents is easy because CompDoc
names always begin with ** or *** while the names of actual
documents do not.
CompDocs helps firms fight costs by minimizing the professional
time required to create and revise documents. CompDocs does
this effectively by creating, saving, profiling and tracking
redline documents instantly and effortlessly, while stripping
metadata.
The integration of CompDocs with Microsoft Word makes this
especially easy since Word users will require little or no
training. Firms will find that CompDocs immediately increases
attorney productivity and makes costly revision errors and
overlooked changes from antiquated document processing methods
a thing of the past.
Contact PerfectLaw today for a demonstration on how CompDocs
works and immediately discover its many benefits.
About PerfectLaw® Software
PerfectLaw, a leader in the All-in-One office automation
marketplace, combines matter, contact, document and case
management in the Front Office with full-featured Back
Office billing, accounting and report writing. PerfectLaw
is a true 32-bit SQL software product that provides the
latest innovations to law firms and legal departments nationwide.
PerfectLaw is the only fully integrated suite that does
not require integration with other products for front and
back office operations. All you need is an email program
and word processor, that’s it. For more information
on PerfectLaw and it’s products, visit the PerfectLaw
website at http://www.perfectlaw.com.
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PerfectLaw
releases feature-rich new version of All-in-One® Software
Suite
May, 2004
PerfectLaw Software of Miami, FL has
released the latest versions of its All-in-One® Suite
of products for Front and Back Office. New features for
Back Office include: billing guideline compliance features,
20 new financial management reports, all-in-one bank reconciliation,
enhanced indexing and profiling for PDF and HTML reports.
Front Office suite improvements and new features include:
contact filtering, relationship approval workflow that
enhances conflict resolution, Extranet Portal with collaborative
security, 2-way Active Synchronization with MS Outlook
and much more.
About PerfectLaw Software
PerfectLaw All-in-One®, combines matter, contact, case
management and document assembly/management in the Front
Office with full-featured Back Office timekeeping, billing,
accounting and report writing. PerfectLaw is a true 32-bit
SQL software product that provides the latest innovations
to law firms and legal departments nationwide. PerfectLaw
is the only fully integrated suite that does not require
integration with other products for front and back office
operations. All you need is an email program and word processor,
that’s it.
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PerfectLaw
welcomes new firms to our family
April, 2004
PerfectLaw Software reports that several
firms have recently chosen PerfectLaw as their time, billing
and accounting software including Funkhouser Vegosen Liebman & Dunn Ltd. based
in Chicago, IL. Several firms have also chosen the PerfectLaw
All-in-One® Software suite for both Back Office (time,
billing and account) and Front Office (case and document
management) including Roth, Powell, Pearson & Hosley,
P.A. of Winter Park, FL.
About PerfectLaw Software
PerfectLaw, combines matter, contact, case/document management
and assembly in the Front Office with full-featured Back
Office timekeeping, billing, accounting and report writing
to create an All-in-One® integrated suite of products.
PerfectLaw is the only fully integrated suite that does
not require integration with other products for front and
back office operations.
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A PerfectLaw client
featured as a firm on the leading edge of utilizing technology
Concord, NH - October 13, 2003
One of our PerfectLaw clients, Gallagher,
Callahan & Gartrell in
Concord, NH is featured in the August, September issue of Law
Office Computing as a firm on the leading edge of utilizing
technology. The article, "A New Way of Thinking",
highlight's the firms innovative use of technology in developing
and servicing client relationships. (click
here to view entire article)
Official Release...
Contact: Erik W. Taylor (800) 528-1181
Law Firm Website Takes National Honors
gcglaw.com recognized as one of top four sites
CONCORD, NH - The website of Gallagher,
Callahan & Gartrell
has been chosen as one of the top law firm websites in the
country by Law Office Computing as part of the magazine's
Annual Best Law Office Web Site Contest. The firm's website
is featured in the magazine's October/November issue.
According to Law Office Computing magazine,
the contest is conducted to "highlight those firms whose approach
to utilization of the Internet stands at the forefront of
innovation and value-added content." The firm's website
was only one of four recognized in the small firm category
by a panel of independent experts. The web site was evaluated
on its aesthetics, ease of use, quality of content, unique
features and search engine effectiveness.
"We believe that everything we do
has substantial relationship-building
value," said Donald Pfundstein, managing director in
charge of business
development for the firm. "What we are selling is not
simply a result,
process or product. We are selling an experience - the total
experience of a relationship with us. Our website is an important
part of that process."
Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell is
a multidisciplinary government and
regulatory law firm serving clients with markets in New Hampshire
and New England.
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PerfectLaw
Announces the Release of the Mega-Research Engine
Miami, FL – April 2003
PerfectLaw has announced the release of its Mega-Research
Engine, MRE. The MRE allows users to search several databases
on the Web at once, including, Lexis-Nexis, West Group, Google,
Yahoo, Altavista and all the major Web databases for Cases,
Statutes, or Shepardized citations while simultaneously searching
the firm’s databases of profiled documents.
The MRE user interface starts with the research session
window that allows users to enter the search text, establish
search conditions, select the web sites or search engines
to use, and the client and matter linked to the search. The
complete session criteria is automatically stored into the
SQL PerfectLaw database when executing the research providing
users a fast and easy way to always reproduce an up-to-date
search with a simple click. Additionally, the session provides
history mechanism for even faster re-execution of recent
searches.
Executing a session search opens the
browser window showing a typical Web browser with additional
menus, controls and buttons. The user can jump from one
database to another by simply scrolling the list of databases,
browse the resulting pages as well as save and profile
any desired page either as a Web Archive file containing
all the elements of the selected page or the result content
as pure text into the firm’s Document Management
Database for later reference. By closing the browser window,
the MRE automatically creates an entry in the PerfectLaw
Billing system corresponding to the research session so
the firm can accurately pass along the costs of session
research time to the client. After the time entry is generated,
the session window appears again to start another session
or to close the MRE.
Many popular websites such as Lexis,
West Group, Google, Yahoo, Altavista and other search engines
have their own search languages. To improve search consistency
and reduce errors, the MRE lets users define searches with
a single “Consistent
Grammar” that is automatically translated into the
dialect of each targeted website.
The MRE works also in conjunction with
the PerfectLaw Data Browser to provide the firm with the
most advanced knowledgebase tool yet. The PerfectLaw Data
Browser can be used to search among stored research sessions
regardless of matter with the power of regular expressions
based on dates, key words, issues and sub issues in common.
This means users can retrieve the work product of fellow
workers from the knowledgebase. Hence, users reuse MRE
research sessions and find prior research criteria or profiled
documents without wasting time “re-doing” searches
others have already completed.
Moreover, the MRE lets users automatically repeat searches
and update the knowledgebase with new citations and other
info. And the MRE automatically organizes research work and
maintains a research audit trail of the work. Users can print
complete case research histories for any matter showing what
was searched for and what was found.
By knowledgebase sharing, the MRE increases research productivity
and improves the quality of research in other ways. For example,
it reduces redundant research, brings your team up to speed
quickly by sharing research documents and notes, eliminates
the need to manually cut and paste from the web, and makes
it easy to review your research chronologically months down
the road.
About PerfectLaw Software
PerfectLaw, a leader in the All-in-One® office automation
marketplace, combines matter, contact, document and case
management in the Front Office with full-featured Back
Office billing, accounting and report writing. PerfectLaw
is a true 32-bit SQL software product that provides the
latest innovations to law firms and legal departments nationwide.
PerfectLaw is the only fully integrated suite that does
not require integration with other products for front and
back office operations. All you need is an email program
and word processor, that’s it.
PerfectLaw® Software
(800) 749-6200
www.perfectlaw.com
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PerfectLaw® Releases
Active PLSync: Event Driven Two-Way Synchronization with
Exchange 2000
Miami - January, 2003
PerfectLaw releases Active PLSync which supports
Real-time Event Driven two-way synchronization with Microsoft
Exchange 2000 for Contacts, Appointments, and Tasks.
Once you enter an appointment or phone number in Microsoft
Outlook, it appears instantly in PerfectLaw and vise versa.
This means no more sync delays or latency since Active PLSync
synchronizes PerfectLaw data, MS-Outlook, and the firm's
SQL database instantly as event occur.
Active PLSync has been secretly tested by select law firms
nationwide for 4 months and is certified, running for firms
with as many as 300 users, and now fully released to the
public.
Active PLSync is easily implemented. Just install one DLL
on Exchange and one on the MS-SQL server. No additional hardware
is required.
PerfectLaw users can also install a private PIM, (Personal
Information Manager) database of contacts, appointment, and
To-Dos or tasks in addition to the firm-wide database. Active
PLSync will also synchronize these private databases real-time
with Outlook.
Windows CE, Palm Pilot and many other hand-held devices
synchronize with Outlook. Therefore, you automatically have
2-way access to PerfectLaw data on these popular devices
using wireless, cellular and infrared technology.
Also, Active PLSync works with MS-Outlook running on Citrix
MetaFrame or Terminal Services. This means remote users can
synchronize their PDAs without running Outlook on a local
PC.
Now, Outlook can be used to manage ALL your dates, times,
and contacts in one place by the day, week or month. No more
wasting time on double entry between your Outlook address
book, calendar, and your firm's SQL database. PerfectLaw
Active PLSync takes care of everything.
The system requirements for Active PLSync are simply SQL
Server 7.0 or later, Exchange 2000 server or later and PerfectLaw
AIM® 5.6 or later. Disk space and workstation requirements
are those necessary to support Exchange and PerfectLaw®.
PerfectLaw®, a leader in the All-in-One®
office automation marketplace, combines matter, contact,
document and case management in the Front Office with full-featured
Back Office billing, accounting and report writing. PerfectLaw® is
a true 32-bit SQL software product that provides the latest
innovations to law firms and legal departments nationwide.
PerfectLaw®
is the only fully integrated suite that does not require
integration with other products for front and back office
operations. All you need is an email program and word processor,
that's it.
PerfectLaw® Software
(800) 749-6200
www.perfectlaw.com
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Multi-Office
Firms Choose PerfectLaw®
September, 2002
Several multi-office firms have purchased
PerfectLaw® Front and Back Office Software recently for
billing, accounting, document and case management for all
their offices. These include, Conroy, Simberg, Ganon, Krevans & Abel with
7 offices and 240 users, Kubicki Draper, P.A. with 9 offices
and 200 users, and Stephens, Lynn, Klein, Lacava, Hoffman & Puya,
P.A. with 5 offices and 150 users.
Multi-Office firms require client server
software designed specifically to power wide-area networks
in real-time with a ‘matched software suite’ for all Front & Back
office operations. Real-time support means that when anyone
updates the database by creating a bill, scheduling an appointment,
changing a contact address, or editing a document from any
office, the changes are immediately stored in the home office
data center and are INSTANTLY available in all offices.
“Real-time design is essential to eliminating delays,
errors and other problems associated with older wide-area
networks that synchronize dissimilar databases and pass database
records back and forth between database servers located in
different cities,” says Erick Gonzalez, IT manager
at Kubicki Draper, P.A. Synchronization delays, often minutes
and sometimes hours, means users make decisions with stale
information.
“In short, we wanted software that runs efficiently
under Microsoft Terminal Server or Citrix thin-client technology,” says
Gonzalez. “This technology allows all servers and databases
including the Microsoft SQL server to reside in the home
office where they are easier to administer.“
“We also wanted a ‘matched software suite’ for
all Front and Back office operations because it’s easier
to install, easier to learn, and easier to administer with
remote offices. PerfectLaw® Software was chosen not only because
of functionality and advanced technology, but also because
of the advantages of single database, ‘matched software’,” say
Gonzalez.
Advantages of a Matched Suite for the Total Office Software.
A ‘matched suite’ for Front and Back office is
very different from the hodgepodge approaches that take dissimilar
software and databases and try to integrate them. “Integration
always proves to be the weak link,” says Gonzalez.
A ‘matched suite’ ideally includes all functions
and applications, such as time and billing, accounting, report
writing, conflict, document assembly/management, and case/matter
management and is developed using a single programming technology,
single user interface with a common look and feel, single
on-line help technology and a single, common database.
A ‘matched suite’ is modular so that workgroups
like the accounting staff and practice groups each have their
own applications and user interface with their own functionality,
security, and menu/toolbar system. However, everyone works
with the one database.
There are numerous advantages to a ‘matched suite’ including
greater efficiency, no double entry, less training, less
conversion, quicker startup, lower cost AND NO NEED FOR INTEGRATION
OR SYNCHRONIZATION.
The advantages are even greater for multi-office firms when
the ‘matched software’ runs efficiently on thin-client
technology. This means any and all offices operate from a
single database located in the home office and users can
do anything or everything from any office and all users are
governed by the same access constraints and security model
regardless of location.
Moreover, matched thin-client software is controlled centrally.
Database management, security management, on-line computerized
training, software upgrades and installation are ALL centrally
controlled.
‘Matched software’ gives
the firm the power of a single database, i.e. the power
of an All-In-One matter folder that contains:
- ALL documents including litigation and research documents,
copies of bills and statements;
- ALL matter ledger records including trust, prepaid, and
billing, write-off, accounts receivable, and work-in-process
fee and cost ledgers;
- ALL contact information including parties such as clients,
adjusters, experts, billing contacts with phone numbers
and addressees regardless of who entered the data or what
location it was entered;
- ALL docket and calendar appointments, tasks, critical
dates, and history.
And the billing and accounting staff have access to everything
entered by attorneys and secretaries through the Front office
suite including:
- Time slips and pre-bill edits;
- Check requests and expense vouchers;
- Contact information such as contacts and billing party
data.
In addition, there is no need for the billing and accounting
staff to send each other or store reams of paperwork, since
everything is maintained in one database and everyone has
access to what they are allowed to see.
The disadvantages of mismatched software, on the other hand,
are many and include:
- Finger pointing among vendors when
database integration doesn’t work;
- Never resolving database errors and delays because integrated
databases are never up-to-date and integration is often
little more than one system sending records to the other;
- Timing problems restoring multiple databases from backups.
- Since ‘matched software’ has
only one database, the problems of database integration
never occur.
“Beware of the integration hype that attempts to cover-up
mismatched software suites and dissimilar databases,” says
Marc Adler, PerfectLaw® National Sales Manager. "PerfectLaw®
is the most powerful and advanced single vendor, All-in-One
Software Suite that includes Time and Billing, Accounting,
Case/Matter Management (CMS), Document Management (DMS),
and Document Assembly with no re-labeling," says Adler.
About PerfectLaw® Software
PerfectLaw® , a leader in the All-in-One® office automation
marketplace, combines matter, contact, and document management
in the Front Office with full-featured Back Office billing
and accounting. It is the only fully integrated suite that
doesn’t require integration with other products for
timekeeper calendaring and case management. PerfectLaw®
strives to supply the legal industry with the latest innovations
in technology.
PerfectLaw® Software
(800) 749-6200
www.perfectlaw.com
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PerfectLaw® Officially
Launches Data Browser - Advanced Search Engine
Official Launch - June, 2002
Pre-Release - Miami – January, 2002
Law firms and legal departments can have
a "sneak peek" of
the new PerfectLaw® Data Browser search engine at the upcoming
National ALA Conference in San Antonio, Texas. PerfectLaw®
Software will officially launch the new PerfectLaw® Data Browser
on June 1.
With the PerfectLaw® Data Browser, searching for information
is efficient and accurate. Since the Data Browser does not
require knowledge of the SQL language as most SQL search
engine do, anyone can perform a database search quickly and
accurately. The learning curve is dramatically reduced, efficiency
and productivity is increased. Users are no longer required
to have a strong technical or computer language background
to be able to execute an accurate search.
Additional benefits:
- Search for any information stored in the case management
systems including names, documents, appointments, clients,
and matters
- Users can save search filter "favorites" for
subsequent searches
- Search results tables can be modified, exported, printed
and emailed
- Search results table modifications can be saved as part
of a search filter so modifications appear in subsequent
searches
- Users can refer to search history to re-execute a prior
search easily
- Search results can be linked to the Attorney Diary and
the Report Writer for report production
The Data Browser eliminates the need
to type complex SQL queries without losing the power of
SQL searching and database engines. Any information stored
in the case management system including names, documents,
and appointments can be found using a simple search without
the need to know the SQL language or so-called "natural language queries" which
are often so long and syntactically complicated that wizards
must be used for efficiency - these wizards add several steps
and sometimes does not generate the results a user may want.
With the PerfectLaw® Data Browser, you
simply enter the text you wish to search and within seconds
a results table is generated. Users can save search filter "favorites" for
subsequent searches, refer to search "history" and
rearrange the search results table to appear to a user's
liking. Search results tables can be emailed, printed and
exported to Excel. Search favorites can be linked to the
Attorney Diary for quick reference, and the search results
data can be linked the Report Writer for report production.
About PerfectLaw® Software
PerfectLaw®, a leader in the All-in-One® office automation
marketplace, combines matter, contact, document and case
management in the Front Office with full-featured Back Office
billing, accounting and report writing. PerfectLaw® is
a true 32-bit SQL software product that provides the latest
innovations to law firms and legal departments nationwide.
PerfectLaw®
is the only fully integrated suite that does not require
integration with other products for front and back office
operations. All you need is an email program and word processor,
that's it.
PerfectLaw® Software
(800) 749-6200
www.perfectlaw.com
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PerfectLaw®
Announces: Remote Office Services
Miami- March 6, 2001
PerfectLaw® is pleased to announce the immediate availability
of ROS - Remote Office Services. ROS is a service where firms
pay a monthly fee to use third party hardware and software,
that allows attorneys and legal professionals to access any
and all PerfectLaw® applications and data from any location
with Internet access, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Additionally
wireless access is available for over 3000 cities nationwide.
ROS is ideal for law firms that do not want to purchase
expensive high-speed remote access software or hardware.
Additionally, this service can also act as a Fail Safe backup
service in case of a catastrophic failure of the server in
the law office.
Virtually, no hardware, infrastructure or personal training
is required for this Remote Office Service. Users only need
to pay a remote access service charge. This service charge
entitles users to the following features and benefits:
- A professionally setup and managed Application Server
located in a secure data center,
- 24/7 monitoring and Helpdesk support,
- 99.5% measured Service Level Agreement,
- Fully secure access to your own onsite database in your
law office,
- High speed Internet access,
- Full firewall and encryption security protection and
optional back-up service.
PerfectLaw®, a leader in the All-in-One®
office automation marketplace, combines matter, contact,
and document management in the Front Office with full-featured
Back Office billing and accounting. PerfectLaw® is
a true 32-bit SQL software product that provides the latest
innovations to law firms and legal departments nationwide.
PerfectLaw®
offers wireless connectivity, and collaborative case information
(peer-to-peer) technology. It is the only fully integrated
suite that doesn’t
require integration with other products for front and back
office operations.
PerfectLaw® Software
(800) 749-6200
www.perfectlaw.com |
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