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