Chapter: Administration
Documents
Document types
The types of documents in Legal Notes are best described by the forms available to create them. The available forms are:
- Incoming (for all documents received by the firm - with a few exceptions)
All incoming documents are scanned into containers or records using the "Incoming" form. If the matter is not know, it is allocated to the suspense file until the matter is created. This is created in the same way as a matter, but is classified or given the status of an Administration File.
- Outgoing
Possibly the most important document from a workflow perspective, as it is used to produce all (or the vast bulk) of legal documents produced by the firm for publication - eg letters,
court documents etc). If you are using Legal Word, Legal Notes manages the creation of all documents via Microsoft Word.
- File note
- Jobslip
- Task
Tasks are created in two ways, namely:
1. By creating a new task in the operational database; or
2. By creating an appointment (or invitation) in your calendar, and assigning a matter number to the entry.
Once the matter details document or file has been created, you create a document by reference to its
matter number, using a form appropriate to the task at hand.
Electronic Filing
All outgoing Word documents are created and automatically stored/filed within the Matter database. All incoming documents are easily filed in a Matter db.
Emails are filed within seconds
The existing procedure for scanning hard copies of incoming documents is as follows:
Hard documents are scanned at 300 dpi then OCR'd and optimised. (or use the "reduce size" option)
Scanned documents and documents that come to us electronically are filed by emailing the document to the person who is to file the document and using the "file" option accessed by right clicking the email. There are six options:
1. File an email in a matter database. Click the option and follow the prompts. Best where there are multiple options (see option 6 below).
For an individual email the best way to file it is to:
(a) open it in edit mode and then click the "Select Matter" button
(b) insert matter and tab to the next field.
(c) identify the sender from the drop down list (or if not there add a new sender).
(d) Click the "File" button
2. File an attachment to an email in a matter database.
If you have one email with 20 attachments or 20 emails each with one attachments you select the email or emails as the case may be and select this option.
You are presented with a Form to complete for each attachment. You open the attachment to obtain the relevant information (date, sender recipient etc), complete and save he form. The document is saved to the selected matter and is renamed in the process to reflect the information supplied.
3. File an attachment to an email into an existing Notes document (eg the scanned copy of an outgoing letter).
This option is presently used to simplify the task of storing scanned images of letters and other documents that have left the office by post or have been hand delivered.
Hard copies are not retained. Instead the letter (and all attachments) are scanned and saved to Notes using this option.
4. File Creditor accounts.
Administration. Creditor invoices and receipts are filed to the Creditors db for authorisation and payment.
5. File Accounting records.
Administration: Trust records scanned periodically and saved to the Audit database.
6 File Multiple emails in a matter database. DOES NOT WORK AT PRESENT
Use this option if you have more than one email from the same person on the same matter.
Documents received by mail and file copies of outgoing documents
Unless an incoming document is an original and a Will, Title or similar document, or evidence, it is destroyed after it has been scanned.
If a document is served by email, evidence of this fact is in the email that serves the document.
If a document is served by hand or post, it is scanned in as an attachment to the outgoing document, as the "file copy".
Sub topic: Introduction