|
|
|
|
| Deal Proof 1.1 | |
 Deal Proof is an
amazing program. It's like having a proofreader at your disposal. It will analyze your
WordPerfect -- and now Word -- documents and highlight within your document, words that
should be defined, words that are defined but not used, mismatched punctuation,
non-conforming phrases and open issues (i.e., blanks for completion, notes, etc.). The latest version of Deal Proof, version 1.1, adds support for Word 97 (when I last reviewed Deal Proof 1.0 -- see the August/September 1998 issue of Law Office Computing -- it worked only with WordPerfect 6.1). Version 1.1 also works with Word 6 and 7 as well as WordPerfect 7 and 8. It supports all versions of Docs Open and version 4.1 of iManage. Previous support existed only for SoftSolutions version 4.1. There are some other changes in this update. Unfortunately, 1.1 is missing the numerical checks found in version 1.0., which would check to ensure that your paragraph numbers were consecutive and that your cross-references were accurate. Although this feature isn't quite as useful if you use auto paragraph numbers and the cross-reference features of either Word or WordPerfect, it would flag errors if you neglected to update your cross-references. I understand that the feature was removed because of too many false positives. It is being improved and should be in the next release, which is supposed to ship soon. When Deal Proof analyzes a document, it inserts colored, hypertext flag markers so you can easily jump to the displayed errors. It will also export error reports to Word or WordPerfect for more detailed reference. A severe limitation I encountered is the inability to recognize and work with long file names (LFNs). This doesn't prevent Deal Proof from analyzing your files, but it does make it more difficult to determine which file to open. For example, if you have several files named "Jones Contractv?.doc" as well as "Jones Contract Amendmentsv?.doc," you may only see something like Jones1.-doc or Jones4.doc in the file list. Which one do you open? Even if you do figure out which one to open, Deal Proof re-saves the original LFN using the short DOS filename -- without keeping a copy of the original LFN file! You then have to rename the file after you are through with Deal Proof. Support for LFN is also supposed to be included in the next release. If you use a capitalized term in a document, and Deal Proof cannot locate a definition, an error is generated advising you to define the term. If you include a definition in your document and then never use the defined term, Deal Proof will also flag the error and advise you so that you can either remove the definition or use the term. I find the mismatched punctuation feature quite handy. Deal Proof has already flagged several instances where a contract did not always have closing parentheses where needed. Those little things are always hard to find and correct by hand. Deal Proof will also peruse your phrases to find non-conforming phrases, helping you ensure the phrases in your document are consistent. For example, you might use the phrase "as may be amended, modified, or supplemented" five times in your agreement, but the sixth time the phrase appears you use "as may be amended, supplemented, or modified" instead. Deal Proof will flag the different version. The last item Deal Proof flags is open issues. These might be blanks left in the document, or notes to yourself surrounded by brackets. You can jump to these locations easily and supply the missing information. If your document references exhibits, Deal Proof will ask if you want to analyze the exhibits at the same time you analyze your main document. Although you should analyze each exhibit separately for the best error checking, Deal Proof will flag consistency errors occurring across the main document as well as all its corresponding exhibits. Deal Proof is optimized to work with contracts, agreements and other similar documents, certificates of incorporation and bylaws, stock and option plans, 401(k) plans, indentures, certificates, notes and receipts. It may work on correspondence, term sheets, memoranda, letter agreements and amendments to agreements. According to Expert Ease, it is not intended to work with prospectuses, offering circulars, business plans, disclosure statements, SEC filings, litigation documents (e.g., court briefs, complaints, motions and discovery documents) or governmental filings. A single copy of Deal Proof is available for $495. Document management modules are available for $50 each. You need Windows 3.1 or higher, 8 MB RAM and 8 MB of disk space to run Deal Proof on your desktop. Of course, Deal Proof doesn't replace human proofreading, but it definitely helps ensure fewer errors. |
Expert Ease Software (800) 488-6996 www.expertease.com Windows (all) $495 By Richard Belthoff, senior corporate counsel, the Compass Group, Charlotte, N.C. PROS CONS VERDICT
|
| Home | | Issue Archive | Resources | About Us | Contact Us | Subscribe | | Subscribers | Advertisers | Updated 09/19/01 |
