ENVISION FINANCIAL MATTER CASE DOCUMENT CRM PRACTICE. The complete practice management solution for your firm

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1 ENVISION FINANCIAL MATTER CASE DOCUMENT CRM PRACTICE The complete practice management solution for your firm

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3 MANY CHALLENGES ONE SOLUTION Staying ahead of the competition, gaining and retaining clients, and running a smooth and profitable practice are just some of the challenges your firm must face in today s market. To succeed, you need complete solutions that keep all of your processes, people, and information working together, not separately. That s where Thomson Reuters Elite Envision comes in. Envision* is one of the most comprehensive, front-and back-office business tools available to help legal and professional services firms manage their entire practice. It is built on Microsoft SQL Server and accessed through a tight integration with Microsoft Office or an intuitive Web interface. The user-friendly, rich Web portal is easy to support and administer and allows your staff more options for doing their work from wherever they are. No longer do you need to sacrifice some departments for the benefit of others. Envision provides workflows and processes that increase efficiencies in both critical and strategic management areas of your firm. What s more, it delivers business advantage to all roles in the firm, helping members do their jobs efficiently and productively. Envision is part of Thomson Reuters Elite, which offers a complete enterprise business management solution to run all operational aspects of your firm, including business development, risk management, client and matter management, and financial management. As a complete, truly integrated legal practice, financial, and client relationship management solution, Envision provides the superior tools you need to keep every area of your business running smarter and more effectively. Envision has helped us produce much better management of accounts, providing good figures for time costs and efficient billing, resulting in better returns on our bills. We feel that in the first two or three years this effectively paid for our investment in Envision. Envision Benefits Simpler processes and workflows Increased firm efficiency Boosted lawyer productivity Greater overall profitability Streamlined information flow to users Improved decision-making EASY ACCESS MAKES US UNIQUE One of the unique properties of Envision is its tight integration with Microsoft Office, which lets lawyers perform their daily project management functions in the programmes in which they feel comfortable, such as Outlook and Word. Through a seamless set of extensions, busy lawyers can record and view time, maintain and manage contacts and clients, and perform end-to-end billing directly from within Outlook and Word. And, by harnessing the power of Microsoft Exchange, fee earners can work offline without a network or an Internet connection and then use automated synchronisation when they reconnect to the corporate network. It s In The Cloud For those firms that want to take advantage of the significant cost savings of cloud computing, we offer Envision in the cloud. With cloud computing you do not need to purchase your own infrastructure or specialist software, you can operate with fewer IT resources, and you do not have to deal with the perennial task of upgrading. You can increase and decrease your use in line with demand whilst taking advantage of the best and latest technology. Michael Kinnear IT Manager Pemberton Greenish * formerly known as Pilgrim LawSoft 3

4 CONNECT WITH ONE TECHNOLOGY Envision makes it possible to use a full-service solution without sacrificing quality. You no longer need to put up with solutions that work really well in some areas and inefficiently in others. Envision runs as one integrated suite, so there is no need to piece together separate applications. What s more, because it s built on the latest standard Microsoft technologies with a system architecture ideally suited to superb WAN performance, Envision helps firms with multiple office locations stay connected through the same applications. These connections are further enhanced by the capability to work offline without a network. Envision knows how important it is for your fee earners to be able to stay mobile and work remotely. By utilizing Microsoft Exchange, fee earners can work from wherever they are, with or without an Internet connection, and with automated sychronisation updating their work later once they reconnect to the corporate network. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT At its core, Envision delivers a strong, reliable financial management module that includes time-keeping and billing, client and matter account information, purchase ledger, asset register, and matter and performance monitoring. Efficiently monitor real-time financial performance Gather data at both the client and matter level View KPI data to measure all aspects of performance, including utilisation, realisation, and profitability at the firm, office, department, team, or individual fee earner levels both in text and graphical forms Quickly gain information from easy-to-digest screens with drill-down functionality Assess each case s possible profitability levels before take-on Easily create workflows with the simple drag-and-drop feature of the Graphical Designer Envision

5 A TIME AND BILLING TURNAROUND CASE STUDY Prior to 2005, Pemberton Greenish, a property law firm providing legal services to companies and individuals, faced a number of problems with their accounts and time keeping system. Poor time recording throughout the firm, ad hoc billing, and a lack of integration with document management were issues that held the office back from fully automating their financial management. We wanted our system to help with our compliance. We wanted one place to go for everything and therefore required a truly integrated system, said Michael Kinnear, IT Manager. Offering that truly integrated system, Envision was the one-stop shop they were looking for. In addition, the Web interface was a big selling point. Using all of the Envision modules, including the workflow engine for Client & Matter Inception, the firm saw a good turnaround in the quality of the bills they produced. Envision let them set individual client rates for fee earners and groups of fee earners. So when they produced their billing guide, it greatly helped fee earners with their time recording and faster billing. Envision has helped us produce much better management of accounts, providing good figures for time costs and efficient billing, resulting in better returns on our bills. We feel that in the first two or three years, this effectively paid for our investment in Envision, said Kinnear. In addition, he said, they have much better information available on their system, which aids them in matter management. Also, having better document management saves them time in searching for the information they need. 5

6 AUTOMATE AND MAXIMISE MATTER MANAGEMENT Matter Management provides the core electronic file and is the hub for all client activity within the firm. One easy-to-read screen offers all the necessary information with the option to drill down to more detailed data. Granular workflow supports matter inception, anti-money laundering, file closure, and document assembly. Monitors targets in real time Automation enables you to reallocate resources for higher efficiency You can manage s, view full matter histories, generate task lists, and easily retrieve all necessary client and contact information Financial matter data can be viewed without leaving the programme Workflow screens provide you with visibility so you can easily delegate tasks Details allow you to assign resources to the most granular of tasks Client documentation can be readily managed from the Envision portal, including reviewing of destruction dates and requesting their retrieval from storage CASE MANAGEMENT Automate the entire legal process associated with certain specialist types of legal work with the Case Management solution, which maximises case throughput whilst ensuring high quality and uniform output. Case Management powerfully leverages Envision s BPM capabilities and is available with a number of pre-designed, work-type specific solutions. Both single and interdependent tasks can be automated to easily manage case workflows Desktop performance monitors allow you to view firm performance against target at any time Out-of-the box solutions include Debt Collection, Residential Conveyancing, Plot Sales, Probate, Personal Injury, Remortgage, and Repossession (UK only) Graphical Workflow Designer lets you amend out-of-the box applications or create new ones to fit your needs and meet client demands Risk register can be amended for any client at any stage in the case Tasks can be easily communicated for successful completion Envision

7 SOLVING THE INFORMATION BACKLOG CASE STUDY Providing commercial law services for almost 200 years, Watson Burton LLP is no stranger to delivering high-quality advice, outstanding results, and exceptional service. But the one thing they were lacking prior to 2005 was efficiency and automation in their internal processes. Reporting was done on a monthly basis with no real-time information, and all time recording was entered manually on paper, with the finance department having to key in the information. With continued, rapid growth, they realised they needed to implement full practice management facilities across the firm. After careful consideration, the firm implemented the full spectrum of Envision, including Envision Xtra, the extranet add-on module. What they liked best about Envision, according to Jonathan Smith, IT Manager, was the intuitive Web interface in addition to the rich set of features with everything in one integrated product. They believed that all of the lawyers would be able to use it easily. They were right. Fee earners took to electronic time recording quickly: within the first fortnight of going live, they had around 99% of their lawyers electronically recording their time. As well as improving time reporting, one of the biggest benefits they ve seen is an increase in access to information. They are now able to create tailored reports, particularly regarding performance, with options to drill down quickly to specific information. They also easily run reports on top clients and additional business development. Envision has helped the firm streamline and improve their operations, including their whole matter creation process, with huge time saving benefits. Having workflow and extranet access in place has enabled them to be more flexible and innovative with commercial terms for clients, resulting in improved client relations. 7

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9 TRACK INTEGRAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT Document Management lets you easily store and retrieve all your case documents in order to create a comprehensive virtual file. Powerful functionality supports full text searching, document workspaces, versioning, all file types, check-in/ check-out features, and more. High quality, standardised documents are easily created Word documents and s can be saved to the correct record with minimal input Relevant documents can be readily located All document types, including s, Word documents, images, presentations, and spreadsheets, are stored and retrieved Version control ensures the quality and integrity of the firm s intellectual property s can be dragged and dropped into the relevant files directly from within Microsoft Outlook Document bundles to be swiftly and easily compiled for a number of purposes, including court bundles and deal bibles using the Bundle Builder module CRM & MARKETING Manage and administer your firm s principle marketing functions with ease. CRM & Marketing lets you manage contacts, assist with groupings, create mailshots, and administer event management. The CRM uses the same database as the rest of the system, so the required data is already entered. Marketing functions are now an integral part of your firm s Envision user community, tasks are easy to complete, and you are no longer reliant on users inputting data as a separate function. Unlimited details for all entities can be tracked, including contacts, clients, prospects, experts, suppliers, intermediaries, referrers, staff, and other third parties Contact data are entered and maintained directly through Microsoft Outlook As people do their work, they can organise events painlessly with automatic data input Mine relationships between contacts to identify business development and cross-selling opportunities Candidates can be easily targeted and invitation replies and attendances monitored Analyses of income generated versus effort and monies expended are fed through to the Practice Management solution Ensures that you adhere to all the regulations that surround client take-up 9

10 DELIVERING BUSINESS ADVANTAGE TO ALL ROLES As a Thomson Reuters Elite solution built on an integrated workflow engine, Envision can handle multiple front- and back-office functions for complete process management. No matter what your role in the firm, Envision has the features and benefits to help make your job more efficient. Envision for Managers As a manager, you need to measure business performance and manage workloads to meet client expectations. Envision lets you look at data in multiple dimensions to analyse performance in the way that suits your needs. Review staff utilisation ratios and work schedules and quickly reallocate tasks to ensure consistent operations across the department. Make sure best practices are implemented across the firm by sharing necessary intellectual property with those who need it. Envision for Fee Earners Now you can manage all of your day-to-day tasks in one easy-to-use system. Many of your practice, document, and case management functions are available directly from Microsoft Office, so you don t have to switch applications. In addition, you can record and view time through after-the-fact electronic time sheets, by on-screen stop-clocks, or turn Outlook appointments and tasks into time entries. And once time is captured, it can be turned into bills. Envision for Case Handlers and Case Managers Complete high volumes of specialist legal work whilst maintaining best practice standards and exceeding client expectations. You can monitor workloads through multiple views of individuals and teams current and future projects. At any time, you can reallocate tasks or entire cases directly from the desktop to ensure even work distribution and consistent staff utilisation. Envision for Marketing and Business Development Managers Envision supports your firm in its CRM, contact management, marketing, and business development activities, maximising business opportunities whilst ensuring that existing relationships are maintained and nurtured. With a 360-degree view of your contacts and relationships, you can easily identify your firm s most valuable clients based on billings, receipts, profitability, or volume. Envision

11 YOUR PARTNER for SUCCESS Thomson Reuters Elite offers an end-to-end enterprise business management solution that allows law firms and professional services organisations to run all operational aspects of their firms, including business development, risk management, client and matter management, and financial management. As an industry leader for organisations across the globe, we understand the business and financial aspects of firm operations, and we have the tools to streamline processes, improve efficiencies, and provide the flexibility you need to change and grow your business. Overall, the whole integrated package with an easy to use Web-based interface made it quite an easy choice for our firm. Jonathan Smith IT Manager Watson Burton LLP For more information about Envision, please call +44 (0) (U.K.) or +61 (2) (Australia) or visit envision.elite.com. 11

12 Envision headquarters 96 Commercial Quay Edinburgh EH6 6LL United Kingdom thomson Reuters Elite Sydney headquarters Level 10, 60 Margaret Street Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia envision.elite.com 2013 Thomson Reuters W INT/5-13