@OCCOM BILL,
OCCOM BILL wrote: When you say, “insert all the Abacus information into them” do you mean the client specific information? As in; do you use Abacus for Contact Management, and Abacus in turn has stored Templates that will pre-fill all the client info at the click of a button? And, have you tried it on multiple forms like the Notice of Retainer/letter/envelope example I used above? (I’ve already set up the documents/printer to choose letterhead, plain paper, or envelopes as appropriate.)(Fun day, that.) Or should I be asking your secretary/paralegal these questions? (I’m all of the above + IT and janitor myself.)
Yes. Each new case has specific information related to it. Abacus comes with pre-made intake forms and matter screens, but I modified both for my particular purpose. The intake form automatically creates a contact for both the client and the opposing party, and it also automatically creates links of those parties to the new matter. Opposing counsel also has a contact listing. So does the court, and so does the assigned judge. So, when it comes time to generate a document, I open up the particular matter, then select the form template I want to merge that info into. {Abacus can insert into PDF forms, but I don't use that capability.) I have created a rather extensive set of Microsoft Word templates that have the appropriate codes in place to merge in the info at the click of a button.
As an example, at the initiation of a new matter, I have a particular form that contains about 6 different documents, all in one file. I have other forms that contain both letters and pleadings in the same file.
In Abacus, you have the ability to "link" names to a matter. For instance, I can link my client to the matter as the "Petitioner," and the opposing party can be linked as the "Respondent." Then, when I merge the form, my client has the correct title for the matter, and I have the correct title as "Attorney for
Petitioner," depending on how that is linked to the matter. The correct court, judge, and opposing counsel are also all "linked" to the matter, so the information is inserted appropriately.
I spent quite a few hours in the beginning setting up the codes to be used, and I am constantly adding to my form template directory as a new form is needed.
Quote:I’m also curious if Abacus keeps track of linked contacts… like the ADA, GAL, Judge and clerk’s associated with a particular case, so it can grab their info for a quick pre-fill on a motion mailing as well? Or do you still have to manually pick and print envelopes from the larger database one at a time. It seems to me it would be a relatively simple task for such recurring contacts to be included as links to a contact file where one could just check-off the various recipients of a particular letter or Motion, and have it print an envelope for each automatically along with the conformed copy. Something like this:
Who to?
DA
Client
GAL
Judge
File
Such cross-links would also be handy when yacking on the phone, scheduling and whatnot.
As I said above, these parties can all be linked to the particular matter. Abacus is customizable, and you can add new links based upon their relationship to the case, and you can customize to add relationships that may not come pre-loaded with Abacus (GAL, for example). It is the linking feature that makes Abacus powerful.
I don't use it for mass mailings, but I'm sure it has the capability you are asking about, in some form or another. For example, I print an envelope for each letter, but I don't have abacus create the envelope in the merge process. I just print the envelope by selecting the address that's printed in the letter, then click the "envelope" button in Word to print the envelope. Works for me.
Quote:In your opinion; does the Abacus calendar (or any other BB feature) lend itself to being used as a daily diary as well? For instance; I’d like it if every time a call was placed or received to/from a recognized number (on his BB) that it would record the duration of the call on the appropriate file, to be billed without any additional input from the attorney carrying it. Ideally, I want to find a way to maximize his billing accuracy without asking for a lot of input from him. Sidebar: He currently turns in no daily billing sheet whatsoever; rather he records time directly on files to be billed later. I KNOW lots of time is slipping through the cracks. Don’t most attorneys keep track of their time by the day, rather than just the client? I would have thought time-keeping was the number one priority in this business, and I want to see him billing for everything he does.
I don't know of any BB feature to be a daily diary. Abacus has a function to track calls made, and the length of calls, but I don't use it.
Personally, I keep time on a daily billing sheet. Many, many years ago I used to track it in each file, but can't imagine doing that these days.
Quote:Thanks for letting me pick your brain!
Any time.
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