abacus first steps names matters & notes.pdf

Welcome to First Step Webinars

• Your presenter will be with you shortly.

• Please print out the presentation for note-taking purposes at:

http://abacuslaw.com/client-center/training

Matters, Names and Notes

Brand Value: Our software can be customized to meet any need!

Objectives

The program is matter-centric. Best practice: supply as much detail when entering information. Be consistent.

• Best Practices • Names • Conflict of Interest • Matters • Notes • Timers • Text Macros • Linking Documents • Linking Emails

Intake Forms Intake Forms Manager is used to control Intake Forms. Matters>Intake Forms>Intake Form Manager.

Intake Forms Intake Forms create your Case and Client records, links them correctly and calendars your initial tasks all from one screen.

Save Draft you can save a partially completed intake form and then return to it later.

Timer if you need to track the time spent while doing an intake there is now a built-in timer.

Now your buttons are always visible instead of having to scroll to the bottom of the intake screen.

Intake Forms

Intake Forms when you want to select an intake form they are now sub-sorted by law type instead of in a single long list.

Intake Form

We now have a Matter, Client and other parties as well as the initial new case tasks.

Conflict of Interest Enter last names of the people for who you want to find any reference to in your database.

Run to run the Conflict of Interest check.

Load Names will load previous names that have been checked.

Load Hits will load the previous hits (potential conflicts) that have been found.

Setup to input specific search criteria.

INSTRUCTIONAL BREAK POINT

“making Clients happy Worldwide!”

Extra Databases gives you the ability to have extra databases for information tracking without having to create a field for every variable.

Names

If you are creating a business record, put the business name in the Last name field.

ID number unique record number. Let Abacus assign the number.

Label fields 1 through 4 (and City, St, Zip) are used for your mailing labels.

Class classify this person: Client, Defendant, Expert, Judge, etc.

Atty responsible attorney/owner.

Open Date when record created.

Tabs Setup hide or rename your standard tabs.

Active active name? Y/N

Index how the name records are currently being sorted.

Right Click here for more options

Names Options

Add from Clipboard will copy name and address text from any program. First, copy the record from another program and then select Add from Clipboard.

Delete will delete the contact and all of the notes that are attached.

Browse will open the Names Browse list to many names all at once.

Open another Name window is used to open multiple Name records.

Find is used to search for particular records faster.

Send E-Mail will send an email to all names in a query if one is selected.

Show Map will launch Googlemaps, Mapquest or Yahoo and show the contact location.

Query is used to pull records from the database.

Clone will make a duplicate record except for the ID Number.

Names – Useful Tips with ID Numbers

• They are 12 characters/letters long. • They will increment by 1. • If you use a ID numbering scheme that includes a hyphen,

Abacus will increment the number after the hyphen. For example, 2033-1000, will go to 2033-1001.

• Since the ID is alphanumeric, a list will sort alphabetically, not numerically

Names Browse The Names Browse list is capable of being sorted. To do so, click on the column heading.

To resize the Columns or the Preview Window, left-click and hold on the edges of the desired target and drag the mouse.

INSTRUCTIONAL BREAK POINT

“making Clients happy Worldwide!”

Matters – Your Cases/Files/Projects

Matter Proper Name format is Last, First vs. Opp Party.

The File/Case # your internal ID number

Attorney Who code for attorney responsible for the Matter.

Case Code is the code indicating the type of law.

Court court where the matter will be handled.

Court Case # number assigned by the court.

Opened date file opened.

Closed date file closed

Matters – Your Cases/Files/Projects

Matter Proper Name format is Last, First vs. Opp Party.

The File/Case # your internal ID number

Attorney Who code for attorney responsible for the Matter.

Case Code is the code indicating the type of law.

Court court where the matter will be handled.

Court Case # number assigned by the court.

Opened date file opened.

Closed date file closed

Accounting users with permission can instantly access accounting information.

P.A.L.S. provide customized screens and databases for your specific practice areas.

This is an example of our Family Law P.A.L.S. Screen for divorce cases. There are currently 15 practice specific P.A.L.S. available.

Matters Options

Clone this record will make a duplicate record except for the case number.

Delete will delete the contact and all of the notes that are attached.

Browse will open the Matters Browse list to all matters all at once.

Open another Matter window is used to open multiple Matters.

Find is used to search for particular records faster.

Intake Forms used to create the Matter. parties (Names), and tasks (Events) all in one screen.

Query is used to pull records from the database.

Matters Browse The Matters Browse list is capable of being sorted. To do so, click on the column heading.

To resize the Columns or the Preview Window, left-click and hold on the edges of the desired target and drag the mouse.

INSTRUCTIONAL BREAK POINT

“making Clients happy Worldwide!”

Linking Records Linked Information. Each tab shows only the information related to or LINKED that record.

Linking Records

Linked Names. From the Matter window, click on Linked Names. To add a name, click on Add link. Select the name and click OK. Then, select the link type and click OK.

To make a Matter accessible in Accounting, select desired Billing Party Name and enter BILLTO as the link type.

Notes

Enter text you are looking for here.

Click the Add button to add a Note.

Click on the Notes tab to view records that were added either in Matters or Names.

You can only Bill Notes from the Matter screen, not from Names screen.

You can Bill directly from the Note screen.

Timer

Use the Green/Red buttons to start/stop the Timer.

Use the Grey button to reset the Timer to zero.

Remember, the Timer rounds DOWN to the closest minute.

Be sure each Timekeeper has been setup as a Who Code in Abacus Law. Go to File/Setup/ Codes, find Who codes near the bottom. After that is done, then you will want to go to Abacus Accounting and enter each Timekeeper Rate under File/Setup/Timekeeper Codes Post to stop the Timer and have

the minutes entered automatically.

Edit to return to the note you were entering.

Text Macros

Type describes the type of note this is.

Hours time spent on task.

Enter your note in the yellow area.

Private will make visible only to the Operator who entered it.

Phone is used to record a phone number.

Spell check checks spelling.

Bill Matter Notes.

Click the clock icon (Timer).

Next see next note.

Previous see prior note.

Text Macros

When adding a note, hit F5 while your cursor is in the yellow text box and the Abacus Text Macros will launch. F5

Text Macros There are 2 types of Macros: a simple one that uses the Description as the text and cannot exceed 75 characters and a Macro that points to a text file that can be as long as you want.

INSTRUCTIONAL BREAK POINT

“making Clients happy Worldwide!”

Emails

New to open a new Email.

Email that are sent and received from Outlook will display here. Also, any emails that are linked in this window can be billed as a Time Ticket by highlighting the Email and select the bill button.

Send Email window allows you to enter in any CC & BCC emails, as well as use QuickForms for quick Emails.

Emails

This email is already filled by the quick form, addressed to the client and has the case name in the subject line.

Click Send

Emails

The Link to Abacus box will show the Name and Matter that this email will be copied and linked to.

Emails

The email has been sent, saved, and copied to the Matter and Name.

INSTRUCTIONAL BREAK POINT

“making Clients happy Worldwide!”

Linking Documents

Open open the highlighted document.

Add button to link a document.

Edit to change information about linked document.

Delete will delete the link to the document.

Print print the document

Scan works with Adobe scanners.

Bill bill the highlighted document.

How to add Save and Log to Abacus

1. Start Microsoft Word 2. Go to Open, to open a document 3. Browse to the Abacus\V(XX)\Programs Folder 4. If using Word 2007 or later, select

AbacusWordmacros.dotm - if not then use abinst.dot

5. If there is a security warning make sure to set Macro Security to low.

6. Close and restart Word, the Save and Log to Abacus Feature will be under the File drop-down menu or the Office Button.

Microsoft Word

1. Start Word Perfect 2. Select Tools>Macro>Play 3. Set list files of Type to *.WCM 4. Browse to the Abacus\V(XX)\Programs Folder 5. Select WP7INST.WCM (for Version 7) or

WP8INST.WCM (Version 8) 6. Select Install and OK. 7. Exit and Restart Word Perfect. The Save and

Log to Abacus Macro will be located under the File Drop-Down Menu.

Word Perfect

Click Add to add a link to a document.

Full Path where on your computer/network is the document stored. Document locations should have same mapping for all users.

Type document type.

Where is physical document located.

Notes notes about the document.

Linking Documents with the Add Button

Box# if physical document is in box.

Name & Matter which records the document is linked to.

Linking Documents An easy way to link a document is to drag and drop. Just drag a file from Windows and drop it on the Link Document Preview Pane.

FINAL REVIEW

“making Clients happy Worldwide!”

professionalservices@abacuslaw.com

Data Import

Dynamic Data Capture

Name and Matter Screen Design

Extra Databases

Workflow and Court Rules

Reports

Automated Form Documents

Practice Area Legal Solutions (PALS)

Firm Branding

Custom Invoices

Helpful TidBits

• Thank you for attending our First Step Class on Names, Matters & Notes.

• Remember to visit www.abacuslaw.com/kb

• My email address is: dhilgeman@abacuslaw.com

• Tech Support can be reached @ 1-800-488-3334