Transcript
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Convention March 2015 n The Greenbrier
Law Office Management Interchange:
Strategies to Harness the Power of a Paper-less Office Richard J. Serpe
Law Office Management Interchange: Strategies to Harness the Power of a Paper-less Office by Richard Serpe
Benefits of Going Paperless Organizing & Accessing Your Documents Paperless filing systems are remarkably easy to manage and keep organized. Virtual “filing cabinets” allow you to navigate to, or search for, your files within a matter of seconds. Can’t remember where you’ve saved a document? With optical character recognition (OCR) technology, you aren’t restricted to file name searches, but can also search for specific keywords within your document. What if multiple people need access to the same file? No more waiting in line or making unnecessary copies. Digital documents allow two or more people to open the same document at the same time (however, depending on your document management software, only one person can edit the document). When you are finished and are ready to “refile” your document, simply save and close.
Quick and Easy Access to Information Searching through traditional paper filing systems takes time and can become a nightmare when you don’t know where a document has been
Did you know that the average office employee spends an hour a day just searching for information located in paper documents?
filed. Paperless filing systems, on the other hand, give you almost instantaneous access to information.
Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
Assuming that your documents are already text searchable, it should be easy to find a document-- even if you have to search for text that appears inside the document. Text-searchable documents are commonly referred to as OCR’d (optical character recognized). In order to make your documents text searchable, they will need to be processed by OCR software. Many PDF applications (i.e. certain Adobe Acrobat versions) offer this feature; however it has become increasingly popular for scanners to come with built-in OCR software. With searchable text, misfiled documents can easily be found. Not sure if a document exists in your system? Just do a quick search!
Collaboration Paperless systems also allow you to easily collaborate with others, even if you are working outside of the office. As long as you have a computer (or even an iPad) and an internet connection your files can be accessed. Incorporate a video conferencing service like GoToMeeting or WebEx, and you now have the ability to run an efficient business meeting (with your documents) on the run!
Transporting Documents This is an obvious but overlooked bonus to having a paperless system. In large quantities, paper is heavy and cumbersome to haul around. Ever forget that one important binder or document? Now you’re paying a ridiculous amount of money for shipping to have it overnighted. Digital documents can be sent via email, or uploaded to a cloud storage service and simply downloaded. Not only can this be done for free (in most cases), but you now have access to your documents without having to wait an entire day.
Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
Work from Anywhere When you have the ability to access all of your client files from a portable device, such as a laptop or iPad, you can easily work when you are away from the office. Whether you are at home or on vacation, if there is an emergency, you have peace of mind knowing that you can access your data.
What You Need to Get Started 1. Scanner 2. PDF Software 3. System for Managing Your Digital Files
Choosing a Scanner The Multi-Function Device The multi-function device (MFD), also known as multi-function copiers or printers, serves many purposes; printing, copying, scanning, faxing, emailing, etc. Most MFDs are capable of creating PDF, TIFF, and JPEG files, and have built-in optical character recognition (OCR) processing to convert your scanned document into a searchable PDF. MFDs are ideal for offices with large volumes of multipage documents that need to be processed quickly. MFDs are usually setup in a centralized location as the main resource for printing and scanning in an office. This centralized printing setup eliminates the need for desktop printers which can aid in frivolous printing.
Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
The MFD scanning solution contains many of the requirements needed for basic document management and is a good starting point for building your paperless practice. In addition, most law firms already own a MFD making this a low cost solution for going paperless. Desktop Scanners Desktop scanners are a precious resource in a paperless office because they put information immediately into the hands of the user. Without a desktop scanner, the thought of having to get up and run to the scanner every time you come across something that needs to be
Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500
scanned may prevent you from doing so. Before you know it you have piles of paper all around your desk and you can’t find that one important document. The convenience and ease of use in desktop scanning facilitates the discipline needed to manage a paperless office. There are many quality desktop scanners on the market today, but let’s look at one that we are particularly fond of (pictured above). Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500
50 page document feeder
Comes with Adobe Acrobat
Color scanning
Scan directly to Evernote or Google Docs
Wireless scanning
Scans both sides of the document at once
600 dpi x 2
Scans very fast
Max document size 8” x 14”
Automatically deletes blank pages
Duplex Scanning
PC and MAC compatible
Up to 20ppm
Wireless scanning over a network
Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
Currently, the Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 is generally listed between $400-$500. It is important to evaluate whether or not the desktop scanner is a cost-effective solution for your office because they can be expensive. Portable Scanners If you need to scan documents on the go, a portable scanner is what you need. They are not only good for scanning documents when you are away from the office, but also help you manage receipts and business cards while traveling. Throw in piece of software such as
Fujitsu ScanSnap – Portable Scanner
PaperPort Professional by Nuance and you’ll have an ultra-portable document management system. Portable scanners today have many of the same advanced features desktop scanners have, such as duplexing and automatic document feeding (ADF). Many portable scanners allow you to scan directly to a memory card, USB device, or even your iPad - eliminating the need for a laptop. A popular feature today is integrating the ability to scan your documents to cloud services such as Evernote, Dropbox, and Google Drive.
PDF Software Having the ability to convert documents into portable document format (“PDF”) is critical to the success of any paperless practice. Created by Adobe, PDF is the gold standard for converting documents from their original format (think Microsoft Office suite or WordPerfect) to a digital format that can be shared, searched, and stored across computer platforms. If not for PDF, users would be left to share and store documents in their original word processor or other format giving anyone the ability to alter the document.
Another extremely important argument for converting Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
documents to PDF is the security it can provide. PDFs can be secured by encryption, an inability to alter the document, an inability to print or copy it, and other ways that give the author of the document peace of mind knowing their work product is protected.
There are many PDF viewing, creating and conversion applications available in the marketplace today, ranging from free to very expensive. It’s time well spent to fully understand the functionality available with these various software applications.
When assessing which application might be best for you, consider some of these features: Editing Functions PDF software should allow users to make minor corrections without having to first convert a PDF back to its original format. This becomes especially important when creating a PDF file of a scanned document. The software should provide the ability to mark up the document (comment, highlight, strikeout text) to collaborate with others. If editing can be accomplished, there should document signing and securing functionality, and the ability to redact sensitive information. Usability PDF software should create PDFs easily from many different file types and locations. It should be intuitive and easy to use, with an uncluttered workspace.
Bates Tool Having the ability to apply Bates numbers to one or multiple files can be very helpful. Understanding why this represents a best practice will lead to considerations of how you number documents. When documents bear unique sequential numbers or alphanumerical markings, questions about whether they were or were not produced can Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
be avoided. For example, when 2,000 pages of documents are produced in response to a discovery request and they are Bates numbered, there can be no dispute about whether a particular page or set of pages was produced.
A System for Managing Your Digital Files It is likely that the system you are currently using to save your word processing documents can be used for your new paperless system. However, it is important to know that there are software options available to you that offer extremely valuable features when it comes to document management. Document Management Software Document management software (“DMS”) is a software application used to track and store electronic documents. There are numerous such applications on the market today. They incorporate naming conventions with “lock down systems” and have a myriad of other functions. Employing DMS in a firm can circumvent users from developing their own naming protocol, contrary to the firm’s paperless policy. While coupling DMS with a paperless plan is not a necessity, it can be a lifesaver to ensure uniformity, prompt accurate document retrieval, and the ability to access documents remotely. Here are some of the features that can be found in DMS:
Add Files from External Sources Document Imaging Multiple Security Levels Central Document Repository PDF Conversion OCR Capabilities Document Workflows Version Control
Workflow History PDF Merge/Split Search Tools Metadata Search Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
Full-Text Search Integration With Word Processors Integration With Mobile Devices Integration With Email Clients Take note that some DMS are better geared for larger firms and others for
smaller firms. Here are a few of the players:
WORLDOX
Autonomy iManage Worksite
PC Docs
Net Documents
Getting Everyone On Board One important aspect of a successful paperless office is to have buy-in from your colleagues and staff. The resistance of even one person can seriously hinder the success of your paperless system. People trust paper-- Its tangible, its familiar, and its “safe”. When people don’t fully understand or see the usefulness of something, they tend to revert back to what they know works. Here are some tips for getting everyone on board. Training, Training, and More Training This is probably the most important step to getting your staff to let go of their paper files. You can talk about the importance and benefits of going paperless until you’re blue in the face, but if your staff doesn’t fully understand how to apply these concepts or use the technology, all is lost. Be a Role Model Everyone should go through the same training no matter how comfortable they already are with technology. The “paperless leaders” in your firm need to be positive role models. These leaders should be in a position of authority within the firm, and acknowledge that the process may experience some bumps along the way, but the final outcome will well be worth the transition. Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
Keep Your Staff Involved Staff should be involved with the paperless planning process from the onset. Their involvement should be continuous and their opinions should be solicited and heard. It’s no secret that when people have some ownership at stake, they are much more likely to push for a successful outcome as compared to when they are merely told what to do. It’s beneficial for everyone to ensure team buy-in and uniformity. Effectiveness and Compliance Once you have your paperless implementation plan in place, it’s important to have a mechanism to measure how effective your new system is and ensure everyone involved is compliant with your paperless plan. One method to measure the effectiveness of your new system, as well as staff compliance, is to establish a team of individuals from your law firm to meet on a regular basis and provide feedback on what is working, what is not working, and what procedure or workflow may need to be revised to accomplish your desired result. Soliciting input from your team will keep the lines of communication open, ensure your processes and workflows are revised as needed, give everyone “by-in”, and result in better service to your clients. Getting Rid of the Physical Files Once you have implemented your paperless process and are confident it’s working, you should begin to eliminate physical files. Keeping your paper files only tempts those wedded to paper to deviate from the plan!
Conclusion The benefits of going paperless are endless. With the proper planning, hardware, software, and training you can transform your life and your practice by relying less on paper.
Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC – Virginia Trial Lawyers Association 2015 Convention
