| The problem with paper is that it is | | | | documents that could be stored |
| simply too expensive to handle. Posting, | | | | electronically. |
| printing, filing, copying it for others | | | | If we adopt these changes then we |
| - expenses we can all do without. The | | | | benefit not only ourselves but all our |
| beauty of paperless systems is that | | | | successors on the planet and in our own |
| files of information can be held in a | | | | small technological way help avert the |
| central place and looked at by anyone | | | | disaster of climate change. |
| you want to look at them. Taking files | | | | One of the biggest culprits, when it |
| home to work on them has to become a | | | | comes to paper storage, is MS Outlook |
| thing of the past. | | | | (TM) . It accumulates a lot of |
| Did you know that avoiding printing | | | | information that is passed from one |
| copies of emails and a 10% decrease in | | | | person to another and each person in an |
| paper post worldwide saves millions of | | | | attempt to store it may print it out. |
| tonnes of carbon emissions every year? | | | | The problem is then multiplied many |
| So why do we continue to post bills, | | | | times. |
| cards, letters, brochures that have to | | | | The answer is to integrate case |
| be flown, driven, and walked to their | | | | management into Outlook. |
| destinations? | | | | Microsoft has for some time urged |
| So we need to develop systems that make | | | | developers to push their products into |
| using screen based files as easy as | | | | Outlook as add ins and some |
| using paper files, where the file can be | | | | manufacturers of legal case management |
| searched easily and quickly and where | | | | systems have done exactly that. The |
| the file contains all the information | | | | benefits are enormous in that users that |
| that we need. Once such a software need | | | | know and 'love' Outlook are instantly |
| has been developed we as users have to | | | | familiar and need little training to use |
| be become comfortable using it. | | | | the new systems. Since Outlook is part |
| Case management has been in the legal | | | | of the email solution, and integrated to |
| market for years serving applications | | | | the phone using TAPI, the file being |
| such as Conveyancing, Personal Injury, | | | | stored inside outlook is a natural |
| Probate, Criminal Billing and general | | | | extension. Some software houses have |
| litigation so well. A typical personal | | | | gone further and integrated digital |
| injury transaction can generate over | | | | dictation into Outlook as well meaning |
| 10,000 pages of documentation that has | | | | that the solution becomes a complete |
| to be stored, copied, and distributed. | | | | communications centre. |
| Case management software can help avoid | | | | The point is that we all need to make a |
| this huge expense. | | | | contribution to saving the planet and if |
| This type of software now has to focus | | | | that contribution can also save money |
| on paper based systems outside the legal | | | | and time and makes our lives easier, |
| market. Accountants, doctors, small | | | | then saving the planet becomes more |
| businesses all store paper based files | | | | attractive all of a sudden! |
| and they account for a huge number of | | | | |