Efficiency

Used a Word template for generating invoices. Manually plugged in data for each bill, a very time consuming process.

Hand wrote schedule into paper calendar, a time intensive process that caused coordination problems. Had to synchronize calendars manually and needed to hold meetings just for this activity.

Entered time into QuickBooks and had a separate program for trust accounting. Lack of integration lead to double entry and wasted time.

Telephone messages were written by hand and were often misplaced or overlooked. Because of this, calls were frequently not returned, leading to upset clients and lost billable hours .

Unable to see timeline of upcoming events for open cases.

Everyone is now capturing a lot more time using Abacus' case management, calendaring and timer. Bills are sent out much faster than before.

All the little things - client messages, reminders, letters, notes, and time entries - that used to get lost are now secure and easy to retrieve.

Abacus' accounting works very well and its integration is excellent - no more double entry. For example, when the firm writes a check from the trust account to the court clerk, Abacus takes care of balancing everything - no need to make multiple entries or worry about reconciling balances in different programs.

Billing is easy and straightforward. All time is accurately captured.

Able to easily see the calendar for each case, making prioritization fast.

Client Service

Unable to immediately access client information.

When responding to clients over the phone, able to immediately pull up previous bills, case information, case notes, and calendared events.

Case Load

Didn't have the capacity to handle any increase in case load.

Abacus has given firm the ability to handle more cases.

Decision Making

Responded slowly and had difficulty prioritizing work.

Use Abacus' reports in weekly meetings to prioritize work and make timely decisions.