NetDocuments - Aug/Sept '02

NetDocuments

One of the key considerations in determining how to handle documents in a paper-intensive case is based on how to make the documents available. If you are involved in a case with multiple clients and law firms in different cities or countries, you don’t want to have to think about compatibility issues with various platforms. However, you do want security for the documents you make available. NetDocuments gives you a solution to that problem by providing something similar to having your own network on the Internet.

NetDocuments can make your documents available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from any Internet-connected PC or any handheld device or Web-enabled phone. You can truly work anywhere — at work, at home or at a client’s site. There is no hassle with expensive proprietary software to purchase or major front-end hassles with integrating a document management system.

NetDocuments backs up your information by storing your documents in three locations: a commercial data bank, a local document server on your LAN (local area network) and the Echo directory on your hard drive. That is a good backup and is better than most internal firm networks can offer. It also ensures the safety of your documents in case of any type of disaster.

It takes little time to become familiar with the NetDocuments menu and to navigate through the services offered. With a common-sense approach to its directory structure, you can create virtual file cabinets and folders within each cabinet or you simply can use NetDocuments to create a NetBinder to assimilate your documents for e-mail to your clients, colleagues or opposing counsel. Unlike most document management systems, you get the total package without having to purchase separate modules for knowledge management, disaster recovery, searching component or e-mail integration.

Maneuvering through a cabinet in NetDocuments to pull up a file is as easy as working within your own network. You don’t have to check out a file, make changes, save it and then update it to the repository. From your account in NetDocuments, you can access the original document by clicking on the file and the associated application on your PC will open the file. Then you can revise the document and save it directly back to the repository. There is no downloading or uploading required. You also have the same version control features as with most other systems with the ability to select a version as the official version.

Adding documents to your NetDocuments service can be done by importing from other applications or even other document management systems. You can create your own documents or scan documents directly into your cabinets. NetDocuments is easily integrated with any Hewlett-Packard scanner allowing you to scan into your NetDocuments account. It’s also compatible with many other scanners such as Visioneer, Canon, Xerox and others.

So, NetDocuments is great in storing and retrieving your documents from its service. There are two kinds of searching capabilities in the program: simple and advanced. A simple search can be done with a global search across geographical offices or libraries of every document’s content, name or profile field that you have access privileges to read. If you want to narrow the search to a particular case or cabinet, the advanced search is broken down into several fields you can choose from to fine-tune your search. What you will like most about the searching feature is it’s fast. You are not bogged down by multiple LANs or heavy network activity. The only thing that will slow you down is your Internet connection. For best results, use a DSL (digital subscriber line) connection. NetDocuments requires Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher. Netscape Communicator is no longer supported by NetDocuments.

NetDocuments is an excellent document management service. Although it’s more expensive than some document management systems, there are multiple price levels to suit your needs. The price is based on amount of storage and number of users.

It also includes support, disaster recovery, Extranet Deal Rooms and backup. Service Account Users are provided a personal “My Cabinet” space with 3MB of storage. Also, individual users who are not Service Account Users can receive a NetBinder or NetEnvelope to share documents with existing users and get a personal “My Cabinet” space with 3MB of storage.

NetDocuments can answer the needs for collaboration as well as resolving conflicts of offices using various platforms. You can almost do this without bothering your network administrator, unless, of course, the Internet connection goes down. It’s also versatile and can support a small firm with three users and 5,000 documents up to a large firm with more than 200 users and 10 million documents.

NetDocuments
(888) 297-2736
www.netdocuments.com

Price: Based on storage capacity amount and number of users. Starting at less than $500 per user, per year with quantity discounts for volume purchases.

Windows 95/98/Me/2000/NT and Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher

Reviewed by Milton Hooper, a litigation support specialist in Macon, Ga.

Aug/Sept '02 Issue

PROS
You can access documents from anywhere with Internet access.

CONS
If you don’t have a fast Internet connection, it will not be any faster than a LAN (local area network) connection.

VERDICT
NetDocuments is for the law office that needs answers for collaboration as well as resolving conflicts involving different offices using various platforms.