As I assist law firms around the country with Time Matters, I am surprised at how many firms do not take advantage of the Time Matters document management system.  Document management is the most underutilized component of Time Matters for several reasons.  Some users have been convinced that they need a product “dedicated” to document management because Time Matters lacks many of the features found in such a product.  Others are not aware of the feature or do know how to start implementing it.  Still others believe that it would be too difficult to convert their existing documents to the system.

Document management systems increase productivity and efficiency in a number of ways.  By organizing documents in a systemic and logical directory structure, a large amount of previously wasted time can be recovered.  In part, this is due to the fact that users no longer save documents to varying directory paths and the fact that some documents will inevitably be lost or saved to incorrect locations.  A document management system makes documents searchable and retrievable on a firm-wide basis.  In firms without document management almost every attorney, paralegal, and legal assistant wastes time – sometimes up to an hour per day, every day – attempting to locate documents and other file information.

For those not familiar with document management software, such systems feature components that allow users to save and organize documents and files.  Typically, document management systems allow files to be saved to a specific directory path, based on the client and/or matter.  Profile indexing, or the ability to search for documents based on type, author or other criteria is another common feature.  Full-text indexing allows users to search for documents based on text within those documents.  Other features include the ability to save documents to the system directly from a word processor, the ability to automatically name or number documents, and the ability to save non-document files to the system.

Time Matters includes all of these features.  Files may be saved to directory path five levels deep including client, matter and twelve items.  Documents may be automatically named using over twenty-five different criteria including sequential numbers.  Full-text and profile indexing are included with over sixteen profiled fields.  Files can be saved directly from Word and WordPerfect and Time Matters allows files of any type to be saved to the system.  Because Time Matters offers all of these features, most law firms using the program do not need any other document management system.

Time Matters document management works with Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect.  When Time Matters is installed, the installation routine will recognize any word processors installed on the computer.  As part of the installation, several buttons are added to the toolbar of each word processor.  One button, TM Open, accesses the Time Matters Document List, from which documents can be opened or searched.  Another button is TM Save, which saves documents created in the word processor to the Time Matters document management system.

This makes getting started with Time Matters document management very easy for firms already using Time Matters case management.  Clicking TM Save will open a Time Matters Document Form.  This form is similar to most other Time Matters screens and most users have no trouble understanding how to provide the necessary information.  Completing just a few fields on the form provides enough information for Time Matters to know where to save the document and how to name it.

The program makes it easy to convert existing documents to the new document management system.  All previously saved documents for a single matter may be dragged and dropped into the Document List or Matter List.  These documents are profiled and linked to the appropriate Time Matters file.  It takes time to move all of a firm’s documents and most start by converting files for the most important active cases.

There are a few features available in other document management systems that are not found in Time Matters.  For example, most systems allow users to save files directly from Excel, PowerPoint and other popular programs.  With Time Matters, any type of file can be added to the system but only Word and WordPerfect files can be saved directly from the parent program.  Update 11/19/2008 The current version of Time Matters allows direct saves to Word, WordPerfect, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat.  Another missing feature is “forced” saving.  In a forced save setting, users cannot save any file unless they do so through their document management system.

Most firms will not find the lack of these features a great hindrance.  The sizable majority of files are word processing documents and the slightly different process used to save files of other types is quite simple.  If desired, forced saving is accomplished the old fashioned way – create a firm policy and enforce it!

These perceived drawbacks of Time Matters document management are greatly outweighed by the benefits.  If your firm already uses Time Matters for case management, the document management component can be implemented at no additional cost and with almost no user training required.  If one of the primary reasons to use document management is to increase efficiency, what is more efficient than users having one program to handle document management as well as almost every other important law office process?  The time necessary to train and support users is significantly reduced when there is only one application in the mix.

Time Matters document management makes sense from a cost perspective as well. The document management component is included in all versions and even the Enterprise Edition, the most expensive and powerful version of the program, costs less per user than most standalone document management applications.  It simply does not make economic sense to purchase and support two applications at more than double the cost when one application can perform all of necessary functions.

Implementing any document management system will provide your firm with greater organization and increased efficiency.  With Time Matters document management these benefits are combined with a case management system that will manage much more than documents.  If your firm is thinking about implementing document management or case management, consider one program that does both very well.