Six Considerations in Choosing an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Solution for your Legal Practice

By Ian Llado, Account Manager, Optical Image Technology

(Note: This article was originally published in the May 2008 edition of document eNotes)

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Law offices often face obstacles in their effort to provide the best possible service for their clients. Increased workloads, escalating costs, and challenges associated with paper processes can test even the most adept practice. Administrative processes such as HR, accounting, and payroll can be bogged down by paper as well.

Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software can guarantee that legal contracts, records, and documents are no longer lost or misplaced. It simplifies case management and litigation support, making documents available with the click of a mouse. At the same time, ECM makes your entire practice more efficient and productive by eliminating your dependence on paper files. If your organization is considering a transition to ECM, it may be helpful to consider six questions in an effort to find the software product that is the best fit for your practice:

1. Will the system be easy to use?

Law offices are steeped in a tradition of paper. And let’s face it: not everyone in your practice is comfortable with the idea of installing new technology. One of your biggest hurdles in transitioning to electronic processes may be overcoming your end-users’ fears of change.

Consider an ECM system that is intuitive, and is able to accommodate users with a wide range of abilities. Involve end users in the process. Communicate with them, and determine how an ECM system can help them work more efficiently. Provide appropriate training. But most importantly, bear in mind that a system that is easy to use can change apprehensive attitudes and quell the fears that are associated with change.

2. Does it integrate with my existing software?

A good ECM system must have the capability to integrate with (and store) information from every division of a law practice—not just client records. Look for an ECM solution that will allow you to get the most out of your existing investment in technology. ECM software allows you to centrally store emails, faxes, documents, voice files, etc., making them accessible to authorized personnel with the click of a mouse. At the same time, ECM should permit access to specialized stand-alone applications. Make sure that a prospective system has the ability to integrate with your administrative, practice management, billing, time accounting, case management, HR, and other software installations.

A prospective system should have the capacity to electronically store hiring and termination records, certification information, personnel files, and any other administrative documents that help the practice run more efficiently. It should facilitate instant access to records from any Web browser. A system that is capable of addressing all of these business areas will allow your organization to focus more on billable tasks, saving you time, resources, and money.

3. What factors should I consider in terms of functionality?

Indexing and retrieval

Consider an ECM solution that provides your practice with the ability to index information in a way that is meaningful to everyone in your organization. Whether information is needed by attorneys, legal assistants, clerks, or other administrative personnel, a prospective system should offer the capability for immediate retrieval without difficulty. The ability to index your information in a meaningful way not only eliminates the frustration associated with unsuccessful document retrieval; it also ensures that you will be able to produce information on demand in cases of e-discovery.

Workflow

Workflow is one of the most valuable — and powerful — tools associated with ECM. It electronically forwards the right information to the right people at the right time, wherever and whenever they need it, without jeopardizing clients’ privacy rights. Workflow enables you to automate processes that involve a large number of routine tasks, such as approvals, denials, past due notices, and signatures on documents. Papers that traditionally need to be handled by numerous people or departments can instead be routed and processed automatically. Workflow improves accuracy, eliminates paper shuffling, reduces errors, shortens cycle times, and decreases your operational costs. It can significantly improve efficiency for practices of all sizes. Workflow empowers a document management system to be dynamic rather than static, and helps organizations to optimize efficiency.

A Web-based system

Whether your organization is a small practice or large firm with multiple branches, having one central information system that can be accessed from anywhere at any time is no longer a mere luxury. Web-based document management and workflow adds immediate access from any Web browser to anyone with proper rights, anywhere, at any time. Attorneys have instant, simultaneous access to client records for consultations. Client information is no longer lost, misplaced, or duplicated. Users can retrieve information and automatically flow any stored document or object that requires action to those who need it, including remittance, emails, faxes, documents, payroll information, voice files, and wav files, to name a few.

Scalability

Many large law firms choose to roll out their transition to electronic records gradually. They start in one department and slowly work their way towards an enterprise-wide installation. Be sure to ask prospective solution providers whether their software has the capacity to fulfill your volume requirements. If your practice is considering expansion, will a proposed software solution be able to keep pace with future growth? Conversely, if you have a small practice, find out whether a software solution that is popular for large firms is appropriate for you.

Automation of retention and destruction schedules

Government mandates require specific records to be kept for a specified period of time. An ECM solution that allows organizations to automate retention and destruction schedules removes the potential for accidental premature deletion of records, and guarantees that records are purged after they are no longer required to be kept. A robust system should also permit older records to be migrated to less-expensive storage media so that they do not slow the retrieval of information that is still current.

4. Will an ECM solution help my organization comply with SOX and other regulations?

The implementation of ECM software by itself does not automatically impart compliance. Rather, it enables you to automate and standardize your existing compliance measures. In doing so, your practice or firm can demonstrate that it is implementing accountability measures. Confidentiality, which is nearly impossible to guarantee under a paper-based system, is assured for both your clients and your staff when your organization transitions to electronic processes.

When considering regulatory compliance, it is important to carefully consider a product’s security measures as well as its audit capabilities. Ask prospective vendors whether their products can be configured to automatically retain or purge records, and whether their software is capable of producing the audit trails that are required to meet industry regulations as well as your practice’s needs. A document management system must have the ability to quantitatively ensure that only persons who are preauthorized to have access are permitted to retrieve, view, annotate, or otherwise work on client files.

5. Does the solution offer security, system monitoring, and reporting options?

System monitoring tools help you to increase productivity, avoid system failures, and enhance application control. Although all computer systems face potential problems (overloads, system failures, back-ups, etc.), an ECM system should offer tools to identify potential problems before they become serious. Access to real-time information related to your system’s performance enables you to identify bottlenecks, slowdowns, and other potential issues. Some systems even have the ability to automatically email, call, or page administrators in the event of critical error. The ability to address potential problems proactively translates into better services for your clients and staff.

6. Does my prospective vendor understand my needs?

This is critical to a successful ECM implementation. Be certain that the vendors whom you are considering have a high level of expertise in both the technical and the business realm. Make sure that your expectations are clearly communicated. A prospective vendor should have the knowledge and experience to implement not only a technical solution to address your specific needs, but also a change management plan to ensure success. Confirm that a prospective vendor has the resources available to assist with consulting, set-up, staff training, integration, and maintenance — especially as your practice grows and your solution needs to adapt.

To find out more about how document management software can increase efficiency in your law office or firm, please contact Optical Image Technology (http://www.docfinity.com) at 814.238.0038 or email info@docfinity.com.

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