Replica RLS - Oct/Nov '98

Replica RLS

Looking for an affordable litigation support system? Replica RLS lets you store images and text, and index it all into one easy-to-manage system, for less than $1,000.

To begin inputting your documents into Replica, you must first create a Case Fileroom. Filerooms are designated graphically by a file cabinet icon; use it to file documents just as you would a real file cabinet with paper documents. A Case Fileroom can contain the information for one case or be used for several cases. I found that the Fileroom method for placing my scan-ned documents was very helpful because it was easy to identify how I wanted to organize my documents as if I were doing it with the actual paper.

When you're finished setting up your Fileroom, you can begin processing documents. All of the scanned documents are placed in an in-basket, used to temporarily store documents prior to index coding. Documents in the in-basket can be viewed, searched and indexed. Imported documents are programmed to be placed in the in-basket by default unless you highlight a designated Fileroom.

Once in a Fileroom, you are free to create your own folders as you would if you were dealing with the paper documents. In my copy of Replica, I set up folders for exhibits and testimonies.

Replica indexing gives you the basic coding information such as document name, document beginning and ending numbers, document date, document type, document description and document flags. You are also provided with a few optional fields for tagging your files as necessary.

Searching in Replica is easy; simply click on the binocular icon on the button bar to perform your search and produce a search results list. You can formulate your searches using phonic searching, stemming, natural language searching and fuzzy searching.

The desktop set-up in Replica is perhaps one of the least cluttered that I have seen. It offers a very clear view to maneuver. You also have the ability to annotate documents with electronic highlights and sticky notes.

The only drawback to Replica is that it does not offer you the ability to scan documents directly into the software. You must use a third-party imaging and OCR software package in conjunction with Replica. But you can still import and full-text index large volumes of documents -- up to 50,000 pages per day. After your documents are converted and saved as an image file to a drive, they can easily be imported into Replica.

Overall, Replica is a good software package if you're looking for a program that is not complex to grasp and is moderately priced compared to some other programs on the market.

Mirror Systems Inc.
(503) 282-1285
www.mirrorsys.com
Windows 95, NT

$995 (single user)

Reviewed by Milton Hooper, computer specialist, U.S. Attorney General's Office, Macon, Ga.

Oct/Nov '98 Issue

PROS
Very easy to learn and use; excellent users manual.

CONS
Must use third-party scanning software.

VERDICT
A good, moderately priced litigation support solution.