Within a legal practice, productivity can be the difference between success and failure because it affects everything from client satisfaction to profitability. When staff members are productive, they are better able to efficiently provide clients with the services they need. This improved efficiency results in cost-cutting and may eventually lead to increased profits.
As law firm leaders seek to improve productivity within their practices, they should look to the benefits of legal technology. Many software options on the market include features that can help attorneys and firm support members perform their tasks in a more productive manner.
If you aren’t sure what to look for, here are 7 legal software features that can give law firms a productivity boost:
1) Project Management Tools
Legal project management breaks individual projects down into various stages for better organization and administration of each step. It allows attorneys to proactively plan a matter for greater efficiency.
When implementing legal project management, attorneys need access to tools that help them consider all of the necessary components for reaching the overall goal and identify the best direction for implementation. They also need the ability to oversee the progress of tasks completed and set budgetary boundaries.
TimeSolv legal billing software provides the project management features that law firms need, including the ability to:
- Break down each matter into specific tasks
- Set milestones
- Assign timekeepers to each task
- Define budgets for each timekeeper to complete the task
- Seamlessly utilize flat fee billing options
2) Reporting Functions
Any successful business leader needs the ability to assess the health of their business for effective planning and strategizing. When law firms continuously move in the wrong direction, it hurts productivity and frustrates firm members. Reporting functions allow attorneys to run various reports that demonstrate the health of the law firm. Armed with this information, firm leaders can determine where to effectively and efficiently focus resources and efforts.
With TimeSolv’s reporting functions, law firms can instantly run more than 30 reports regarding everything from finances and matter timelines to productivity and marketing efforts.
3) Streamlined Invoicing
Invoicing is often the most challenging task undertaken within a law firm. It can be unreasonably time-consuming without the right software, forcing attorneys and staff members to spend an exorbitant amount of time sifting through time records and creating billing statements from scratch.
This puts a huge strain on productivity, especially if the work is being completed by the higher-ranking members of the firm. These attorneys should be working on billable tasks and case management, not invoices.
With the right invoicing software, law firms can streamline invoicing procedures to be handled in a timely manner by the most appropriate members of the firm. The most effective invoicing features include:
- Customizable templates
- Split billing options
- Batch invoicing
- Scheduled invoicing
- Electronic billing
- Adjustable invoicing tools
- Efficient approval processes
4) Integration
Many lawyers utilize various software options in the management of their legal practices. Integration capabilities allow firms to input information in one platform and sync the data with other software. These features save valuable time and reduce delay within the firm, creating a more productive atmosphere where employee, client, and other financial information is correct and updated with the minimum amount of effort.
With TimeSolv legal billing, law firms can utilize integration features designed for such platforms as:
- QuickBooks
- Microsoft 365
- NetDocuments
- Dropbox
- Xero Accounting
- Account Edge
5) Time Tracking
Any successful law firm must have productive time tracking procedures in place. Without effective time tracking, firm leaders cannot review how time is being spent, which is necessary to promote maximum productivity. Recording every minute means more revenue for the firm, and with the right time tracking software, firms never have to lose a single minute of time.
TimeSolv legal time tracking software is designed to help lawyers track time from anywhere, on any smart device, at any time of day… even when offline. It also allows users to run multiple timers in order to track several tasks simultaneously. With TimeSolv, lawyers and law firms can promote productivity using generated data about how many hours are being billed daily, weekly, and monthly.
6) Cloud Storage
The increased mobility of legal practice requires greater accessibility for improved productivity. A necessary component to meet this need is cloud storage, which provides authorized law firms with the ability to access firm data without cumbersome and inefficient restrictions. The cloud removes the physical barriers around the firm’s data, so attorneys no longer have to be within the physical office to work on matters and access client documents.
With the right cloud-based software, attorneys can quickly and securely retrieve data they need when and where they need it. This higher level of accessibility translates to improved productivity for all members of your firm.
For years, TimeSolv has been leading the way in cloud-based legal technology. They pride themselves on providing services that are reliable, highly available, and highly secure.
7) Automation Tools
The right legal time tracking software improves law firm productivity by making it easier and more efficient to complete common tasks. Automation is the use of technology-enabled systems to perform law office processes and procedures with minimal human assistance. Automation software can streamline a law office for maximum productivity and service delivery.
TimeSolv has created a document automation system that allows attorneys to quickly and easily insert client and matter information into the letters they send out frequently. It allows attorneys to replace the time-consuming tasks of manually assembling repetitive documents with an efficient automated process.
Giving Firm’s a Productivity Boost
In a law firm, productivity and profitability go hand-in-hand. That’s why it’s so important to choose software options that boost productivity and efficiency. To learn more about how TimeSolv’s features can make your law practice more efficient, click here for a free trial.
About Erika Winston:
Erika Winston is a freelance writer with a passion for law. Through her business, Personal Touch Edits, she helps legal professionals deliver effective written messages. Erika is a regular contributor to TimeSolv and a variety of other publications.