Law Office Technology

Data Escrow with Clio

When you move your data into the Cloud with a SaaS (Software as a Service) provider there is the perception that you lose control of the data.   Most attorneys are worried about the cloud provider going out of business, suffering a hardware failure, or the inability to move to a competing product in case of a price hike or diminished service.  By sticking with traditionally installed software, all three of these concerns could be avoided.

Clio, a leading cloud based Practice Management Software has a Data Escrow feature that allows you to backup all of your data (including documents) to Amazon Web Services.  This allows a law firm to have complete control of their data while still getting all the benefits of the cloud. 

Setting up Data Escrow

Step 1: Sign up from Amazon Web Services.  Under 5gb of storage is free

Step 2:  Go to Security Credentials –> Access Credentials –> and Create an Access Key ID

Step 3: In Clio go to Settings –> Clio Settings –> Data Escrow

Take the information from Amazon Web Services and plug it in here. 

Viewing Your Data

Step 1: Log into Amazon Account and go to S3

Step 2:  Chose what data you want to view.

Documents contain all the Documents you have uploaded to Clio.  So if you have a Word or PDF  Document that you attached to a Clio File, it is here you can open or download it.

If you go into the Exports Folder, you see the following:

These are CSV’s (Comma Separated Values) of all your data.  This can be viewed in Excel or imported into a new practice management system. 

As you can see from above, if you use Clio or similar products with Data Escrow,  you have full control of you are your client’s data while still having all the benefits of cloud computing. 

How to setup NetDocs to work with a Fujitsu ScanSnap Scanner

NetDocuments has an integration with the popular Fujitsu ScanSnap Scanners. Our firm has been recommending these for years, everyone that has one is a raving fan.

 

Installation of the Link with NetDocuments

 

In NetDocs go to Settings –> Workstation

 

Make sure the first option under Auto Import is selected and make a note of the location of your Auto Import Folder. 

 

In ScanSnap Scan Button Settings make sure the Application is set to Scan to Folder.

Click on the save tab and make sure the Image saving folder is pointed to the NetDocs Auto Import Folder. 

 

Now, when you scan a document, the NetDocs profiler will automatically come up. 

Setup NetDocs to Auto Login

 

 

NetDocuments (NetDocs) is a legal SaaS/Cloud Document Management System (DMS).  When I help firms setup Cloud Based Systems, I try to make the transition as seamless as possible.  If  a document was on a firms  internal network,  they would just open it up through Word.  Therefore if we moved to a Cloud Based System, I don’t want the attorney to have to enter in a password when they attempt to open a document.  If they are using a client’s computer, that is a completely different story.

Besides Documents, NetDocs has a great way of linking with Microsoft Outlook called EMS Folders.  However, the first time you open Outlook, it asks you to enter your NetDocs Username and Password.

 

Fortunately, NetDocs has an automatic login procedure.  You have to go through the simple process of installing a Email Certificate on your computer and then registering it with NetDocs.  Once you do that, no more passwords.   

Step 1: Get a Personal Email Certificate

http://www.instantssl.com/ssl-certificate-products/free-email-certificate.html

Step 2:  Apply for the Certificate

 

Step 3: Get an Email from Comodo and install the cert

Once you click on the above link, the cert will automatically install

Step 4:  Login to NetDocs and Register the Certificate

 

Once this done, you no longer have to supply a password to login. 

Never Install Office 64-bit

 

I was installing the NetDocs Word plugin for a client and kept getting error messages when attempting to use.  I went into Word –> Help  --> About and sure enough they were running the 64-bit of Word (and Office).

That means that the following wont work:

 

• NetDocs Integration
• Amicus Integration
• Worldox Integration
• PCLaw Integration
• Probably every other software you want to integrate

 

So unless you are working with file sizes over 2gb, never install 64-bit office.  It never plays nice.

Your Practice In the Cloud

Your Practice in the Cloud

View more PowerPoint from Lawtopia

 

 

The Mississippi State Bar: Greenville CLE on the Road Program

04/20/2012

Tom O’Connor and Craig Bayer