Law Office Technology

How to chose Between Microsoft 365 and Google Apps

A big part of our business is moving legal clients from in-house Microsoft Exchange to the cloud.   When our company does “cloud migrations” we have to decide whether to use Microsoft 365 or Google Apps. 

	365	Google Apps
Cost	$4 per User	$4 per User
Storage	25GB per user	25GB per User
Outlook 2010,2007	Yes	Yes
Outlook 2011*	Yes	No
Direct** Clio Sync	No	Yes
Direct** Amicus Sync	N0	Yes
Direct** PCLaw Sync	N0	No
Direct TimeMatters Sync	Yes	No
Amicus Cloud	Yes	No
Gmail Interface	No	Yes
Web Mail	Yes	Yes
Easy Migration	Yes	Yes

* Outlook 2011 is the Mac Version of Microsoft Outlook.  It is a pain in the ass to deal with.  On my Mac,  I run Parallels and Windows Outlook 2010.   Another thing to consider, if a program says they have Outlook integration, it means Windows Outlook not Mac Outlook.     Hey, if it weren't complicated I would not have a job.

**Direct means that the software syncs via the application and not Outlook.  Clio, Amicus and PCLaw all have applications that you can install in Windows Outlook that syncs To Dos, Contacts, and Calendar.  For each user that wants to sync you have to install this in Outlook and their computers need to be on and Outlook running for the sync to work.  In a Direct Sync Environment,  nothing needs to be on.  Clio and Amicus support a direct sync with Google Apps.  Clio is also working in a Direct Sync with 365.  TimeMatters and Amicus Cloud has a direct sync with 365.  Direct sync is the way to go. 

 

Still confused?  Here are some questions I ask clients during our tech audit:

Are you in a Mac Environment running Outlook 2011?

365

Are you using Clio or Amicus Attorney?

Google Apps

Are your users familiar with Gmail?

Google Apps

Do you hate Microsoft?

Google Apps

Are you running TimeMatters or Amicus Cloud?

365

Do you hate Google?

365

Terrorism could have wiped out all the TimeMatters and PCLaw Consultants in the country

I was in Dallas this week for the LexisNexis Practice Management Conference.  On Thursday, a suspected Terrorist drove a 2001 Ford Explorer into the basement of the Fountain Place building with a bomb inside similar to the one used in Oklahoma city.  He then left the building and dialed a cell phone which he hoped would blow up the bomb. 

Meanwhile most of the PCLaw and TimeMatters consultants were getting certified for the products new versions in the South Tower of the Fairmont Hotel, including yours truly.  Luckily for us,  the FBI had the suspected terrorist in their sites,  and they sold him a fake bomb, kind of like Doc Brown from Back to the Future. 

If not for that hard work of the FBI, who would be able to do verify data integrity anymore? 

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/092409dnmetbombarrest.1b177db8b.html

New Practice Management Implementation Sheet

Created this Practice Management Implementation Sheet, that should be could for anyone implementing some practice management software, weather it is TimeMatters, Clio, Practicemaster, Amicus or anything else.

 

https://www.box.net/shared/static/9h06y5vhjc.pdf

Article in Law Technology News

 

I was quoted and one of my clients featured in the March Issue of Law Technology News.

 

http://www.lawtechnews.com/r5/showkiosk.asp?listing_id=1929932

FYI for those installing TimeMatters in a Vista Environment

Shut off User Control, Install the program and and turn User Control back on.

The Follow Box In TimeMatters

When you create a To Do in Timematters, you can check the box Follow.  For a long time I wondered why you would even give people this option.  If I create a To Do and do not do it, I want it to move to the next day.  I have found out that this is not the case because TimeMatters has two different ways of looking at your To Do List.   You look at your Daily Calender in TimeMatters to see all the To Do's that have follow on them, but you can also just look at your ToDo list and see all your undone To Do's regardless if they have follow marked off.  As a person who has on average 100 undone To Do's at a given time, having the ability to not use Follow and still see all my To Do's is a plus.

TimeMatters and Vista

Here is the following information on TimeMatters and Windows Vista from TimeMatters.

I recommend not upgrading right now, as many program links do not work.  I will keep you posted when I think it is a good ideal to upgrade.

NOW AVAILABLE - SERVICE RELEASE 1A FOR TIME MATTERS® AND BILLING MATTERS® 8.0

Version 8.0 Service Release 1A (SR-1A) for Time Matters and Billing Matters is now available for FREE by download in the Time Matters Service Center (http://www.timematters.com/info/servicerelease).   We encourage all customers to download and install the latest Service Release to ensure you are operating on the most recent version of the software. This Service Release includes enhancements such as: 

• Microsoft® Windows® Vista support
• Microsoft Office 2007 support
• A Timesheet for Time Matters (formerly a Billing Matters only feature)
• COMING SOON! Enhanced PCLaw reporting functionality through the Time Matters link (Available with PCLaw 8.10 release)

TimeMatters Vista WhitePaper.

Selected Important Information from the WhitePaper

Time Matters should be uninstalled prior to the upgrade to Vista. Once the Windows upgrade is complete, Time Matters should then be reinstalled using a new application CD with Service Release 1A.

Microsoft SQL Servers hosting Time Matters Enterprise data must be patched  or upgraded to a new version prior to upgrading to Windows Vista.

o Currently Windows Vista does not have Microsoft SQL Server support.
o Support for SQL Server on Vista will be added with Service Pack 2 of
SQL Server 2005 and/or a later service pack of SQL Server 2000.
Note: If running any other version/edition of Microsoft SQL Server,
please check with Microsoft before proceeding with an upgrade on SQL Server.

Due to the differences between the various editions of Windows Vista, Time Matters only supports the following editions: Windows Vista Business Windows Vista Enterprise Windows Vista Ultimate.

TimeMatters - Videos

We are eagerly putting together TimeMatters Videos for you, but LexisNexis has a couple great videos for your use.  View them here.

Palm Install Issues

I had some trouble getting my palm to hotsync with TimeMatters.  I followed the instructions, but could not get any of the conduits to show up in my hotsync.  I finally called TimeMatters Tech Support and scheduled a call back.  15 Minutes later a extremely helpful Support "Tech" returned my call.  He sent me a program to run, that completely fixed my issue.  So...

1. There can be an issue with HotSync and TimeMatters 8.0, and if you can't get the conduit's to show up, call Tech Support at 800.328.2898.  TimeMatters Techsupport is really, really good.  I have only had to call a few times and they are extremely friendly and helpful.

TimeMatters - Out of the Office Email

File --> Setup --> General --> User Level--> Email --> Set Inbox Options

1. CHECK the box, "Check for new messages every ___ minutes".
2. CHECK the box, "Start Mail Agent at System Setup".
3. This will UnGray "Out of the Office". Click on the "Out of the Office Tab".
4. CHECK the box, "Enable Out of the Office Responder".

You can now setup the subject and the email for your out of office message.  This is much easier then setting it up in outlook.