Post on 05-Dec-2014
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11 Keys to Successful LegalDocument Handling
Gone are the days when law firms couldafford to employ extensive administrativestaff focused purely on the handling andstorage of documents. From copying,faxing, scanning, and filing documents to delivering to lawyers and court houses, the traditional process for document handling is tedious, time consuming, and expensive.
Leading law firms are adopting solutionsto automate and streamline the handling,routing, distribution, and storage of theirdocuments, making employees moreefficient, saving the firm costs associatedwith document delivery and storage, andinsuring complete accessibility of theirdocuments where lawyers want themand when they need them.
The time is now and the technology isavailable. Whether you are embarkingon your first document handling solution or expanding from an existingfoundation, there are 11 key areas tofocus on to ensure success.
11 Keys to SuccessfulLegal Document Handling
Define Document LifecyclesFirst, determine where documents need to
be distributed, if they need to be saved to
your document management system, have
any special classifications, security needs,
and when, if at all, they may need to be
deleted.
Make Documents Accessible Yet SafeConsider the organizational value and
ease of sharing when paper documents are
stored along with the existing electronic
documents in a matter-centric system –
storing in this manner and following
business continuity best practices
significantly lessens downtime and loss
in case of a disaster.
Follow Best Practices and Reduce Storage CostsLess paper means fewer boxes and less real-
estate for storage – The best method to
address the transition from paper to elec-
tronic is one that captures paper documents,
automatically profiles them, and files them
within a matter-centric document manage-
ment system in a single step. Once there,
they can easily be delivered to other desti-
nations (e-mail, fax, network folders, etc.).
Simplify the Desktop Experience and Maximize ProductivityIt's not only the document process that
needs refining. The need for simplified
access to content — most often overlooked
— is so your staff achieves the benefit and
value of the processes and matter content
being stored. Matter-centricity provides the
electronic equivalent to the way paper is
stored today, and it can easily be integrated
into familiar desktop user applications such
as Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office.
Don’t Overlook the Value ofIntegrated PDF Capabilities Simple and reliable PDF creation and
conversion needs to be considered when
evaluating available solutions — eFiling
usually necessitates a PDF conversion tool.
Make sure there is no need for additional
PDF creation tools when you are identifying
the right systems. Leveraging the PDF format
also delivers greater document compression
— saving on storage requirements.
Reduce Your Runners; Provide Anytime, Anywhere AccessDocuments…from the mail room to
the offices; from the fax machine to the part-
ners; from the firm to the courthouse … the
list goes on. Matter-centric based systems
deliver an organizational foundation that
enables easy access remotely, from synchro-
nized matter files, Internet-based access, or
directly from a mobile PDA like a
BlackBerry – increasing the firm’s efficiency
and ensuring real-time information is being
accessed.
Why Waste Time Looking for Lost Documents?Choose document capture solutions that
automatically OCR your documents. For
every document, 19 copies are made, 1 in
20 are lost, and 150 hours per year are
wasted looking for lost documents. If the
documents were electronic, text-searchable,
and stored in your document management
system – imagine the time you would save.
Make Copiers/Printers “Green-Button Simple”Copiers and printers can be the paper
on-ramps to your document management
systems. One button scans on highly
distributed systems put the power in the
hands of your users.
If You Must Repeat the Same Actionwith Each Document – STOPRepetitive processes lend themselves readily
for productivity increases. Why copy, fax, or
courier different documents to the same
groups of people when it can be automated
and done once?
If Work is Done for a Client, of Course it’s Billable.Integrate a cost recovery system and bill for
document capture and distribution — it will
pay for itself. For every copy you once made
and for every courier service used, clients
were billed. As this functionality moves to
automated processes, clients still should to
be billed for this time.
Training Time? – Eliminate ItImplement solutions that rely on your
existing infrastructure and application
environments that are familiar and friendly
to your end users. If you build it and it isn’t
easy, they will not come.
Interwoven and Omtool – Together Addressing the Keys to Successful Legal Document Handling
A comprehensive document handling
solution requires tight integration between
document management systems and
document capture technologies. Together,
Interwoven and Omtool provide a complete
solution to handle all documents, including
both paper and electronic documents or
the combination of both (i.e. mixed-mode
documents).
About AccuRouteAccuRoute is a document capture,
conversion, and distribution platform
combining the best of the digital and paper
worlds – allowing for a simple, efficient,
and controlled electronic distribution into
a variety of information systems simul-
taneously. Implementation provides a cost-
effective, practical approach to document
distribution in even the most complex and
heterogeneous environment.
About WorkSiteInterwoven WorkSite is the leading
collaborative document management
solution for law firms worldwide. WorkSite
out-of-the-box provides extensive matter-
centric document management capabilities
that integrate seamlessly with Microsoft
solutions including, Microsoft Office,
Outlook, and SharePoint. A highly extensive
document management system, WorkSite
supports geographically dispersed team
collaboration, mobile access, extranet
access for clients, and records management
capabilities, as well as many more
capabilities to address firm-wide document
needs.
Let Us Help You Navigate the 11 Steps to Successful LegalDocument Management
About Omtool, Ltd.Omtool, Ltd. is a leading provider of
document handling solutions that simplify
the integration of paper and electronic
documents in enterprise information
management systems. Omtool solutions are
used worldwide by businesses in document-
intensive industries that demand secure
handling, integration, and tracking of
documents in full compliance with a range
of regulatory requirements.
About Interwoven, Inc.Interwoven is a global leader in content
management solutions. Interwoven’s
software and services enable organizations
to effectively leverage content to drive
business growth by improving the customer
experience, increasing collaboration, and
streamlining business processes in dynamic
environments. Our unique approach
combines user-friendly simplicity with
robust IT performance and scalability to
unlock the value of content.
Omtool, Ltd.6 Riverside DriveAndover, MA 01810
Tel: 888.466.8665Sales: 800.886.7845Fax: 978.659.1300www.omtool.com
Interwoven, Inc.803 11th AvenueSunnyvale, CA 94089
Tel: 408.774.2000Sales: 408.530.5800Fax: 408.774.2002www.interwoven.com