Lots of news to catch-up with, including the first signs that Microsoft Office 365 is entering the frame as a potential game-changer. This week’s new product launchers are Intapp + Workshare + Traveling Coaches + Lucid IQ + Nikec Solutions + LexisNexis + SearchFlow + Microsystems + Bighand + Esquire Innovations.
• Intapp has announced a new initiative with Microsoft to help law firms get more out of Office 365 using Intapp Integration Builder. Intapp is expanding its decade-long collaboration with Microsoft as part of a broader effort to support firms as they adopt cloud services. New enhancements to Integration Builder – including integration templates for Microsoft OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online – will provide firms with centralized control over content, user and process management across on-premises and cloud-based systems necessary for efficient business operations.
“Expanding Intapp Integration Builder’s existing support for Microsoft cloud services is a natural step in our ongoing collaboration,” said Laura Marino, vice president of product management, Intapp. “Today, over 420 organizations are using Integration Builder to connect applications and manage data across their environments. Our joint initiative with Microsoft helps us deliver the ease of use, visibility and control that these organizations have come to expect as they incorporate cloud services like Microsoft Office 365 into their overall IT architecture.”
The new templates – which will become available as part of the Integration Builder 5.0 release later this year – will make it straightforward for firms to manage, track and automate synchronization of files across on-premises and cloud-based systems. Integration Builder templates will also enable automated user provisioning and workspace provisioning on specific matters – improving efficiency, accuracy and governance for IT.
“Integration Builder has a long track record as the trusted application integration and data management platform for the legal industry. We’re pleased to work with Intapp to help law firms easily incorporate Microsoft Office 365 into their environment and provide lawyers with the significant benefits these cloud services provide,” said Nishan DeSilva, senior director within Microsoft’s Legal and Corporate Affairs group.
Intapp told the Insider: “We’re very excited about the endorsement from Microsoft – extending our decade-long partnership to the cloud! In the past, we’ve worked with Microsoft to develop extensions for Wall Builder to help firms secure and manage access to SharePoint both on premises and in the cloud. Regarding Integration Builder and the cloud – Intapp has partnered with several cloud vendors to offer the ability to easily propagate content from ECM systems like HP WorkSite and SharePoint to cloud services like Box via Integration Builder.”
• Workshare has announced the launch of its next-generation application, Professional 9, which remasters DeltaView. Using the intuitive application, users benefit from dramatically faster review cycles, increased accuracy, and simple collaboration from anywhere, and any device. For legal teams needing to be productive on the move, Professional 9 helps them to reinvent the way they work to remain competitive.
Interestingly Workshare has announced its integration with Microsoft Office 365, providing Microsoft users with a full set of collaboration functionality to increase productivity. The integration of Workshare’s desktop and cloud collaboration tool, Professional 9, will enable firms to meet the increasing demand for cloud-based applications in the legal sector. Workshare say that 96% of legal professionals requiring access to content on the move, there is a growing need for legal firms and corporate counsels to implement desktop as well as mobile and cloud-first tools. By providing Office 365 users with collaboration features, the integration enables users to be more mobile and productive, while allowing them to work with the way they are accustomed to. The integration will enable faster turnaround on documents, enriching the usability of Office 365 by allowing users to access, compare, and collaborate securely from any device.
Nishan DeSilva, senior director within Microsoft’s Legal and Corporate Affairs group added “Workshare has been a long-time Microsoft partner – building a range of applications that integrate with the Office suite. We are excited about Workshare’s integration with Office 365, which addresses the rising demand for cloud-based applications in the legal sector.”
Finally, Workshare has announced its integration with HP LinkSite, HP Autonomy’s cloud-based solution for secure document sharing. HP LinkSite enables users to securely share and collaborate with other attorneys and clients on HP WorkSite documents. The partnership builds upon Workshare’s existing integrations with HP Worksite and other leading Document Management Systems (DMS) and Enterprise Content Management (ECM) applications deployed in the legal sector.
• Staying with Office 365, Traveling Coaches has announced a partnership with Microsoft for their new document management system for lawyers Matter Center for Office 365, works with Office 365 and allows legal professional to secure, find, organize and collaborate on files within the familiar Office environment. Read more at www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/productivity/mattercenter.aspx Traveling Coaches user adoption materials and consulting services will provide the framework and tools law firms need to successfully engage, prepare and support users through the transition to Matter Center for Office 365.
In other new product launches…
• Lucid IQ, creators of the cloud-based CaseManagerPro case and matter management platform, announce today the latest release of its software. CaseManagerPro v3.8 introduces its HTML5 document review module for users who access the platform on the go, new time and billing features, enhanced calendar management, and other updates that address the needs of their diverse clientele. The HTML5 document review application provides remote access to document files residing on CaseManagerPro via browser interface from PCs, iPads, smart phones and other devices. More than 300 different file types are accurately rendered without downloading the file or source application. Combined with existing DMS features of CaseManagerPro the capacity and ease of centralized document collection, processing, tracking and reporting have never been greater. lucidiq.com
• Nikec Solutions has launched Nikec Binder Express (see illustration), a lite version of Nikec Binder Professional for smaller firms. The initiative will allow individuals and businesses of all sizes to take their first steps in using digital ring binders and quickly improve the way they work with electronic documents. Unlike Nikec Binder Professional which favours workflow automation and integrates with third parties applications, inc DMS. Recognising that digital documents exist in a wide range of formats, Nikec Binder Express allows users to collate all types of document including pdfs, spreadsheets, videos, images, html pages and more in a single convenient file. This makes searching for and browsing documents quick and easy while eliminating the need for users to open multiple applications. Nikec Binder Express can be trialled for 15 days, then purchased online from Nikec Store – please visit https://www.nikecstore.com/en/nikec-binder#try-it
• LexisNexis Legal & Professional announced today that it has launched a new, intuitive user interface for its dynamic next-generation legal information service, Lexis Advance, along with feature and functionality enhancements that will give users a more efficient and personalized research experience. Lexis Advance now features a significantly streamlined workflow across all steps of the research process and is responsively designed to offer the same experience across any device – computer, tablet or smartphone.
The refreshed interface presents content and resources in a clean and accessible manner, while keeping popular features and functionality at users’ fingertips. Available resources can now be viewed instantly, without clicking on multiple screens, and additional insights and support tools are just one click away. The intuitive search capabilities have been streamlined, with sophisticated yet intuitive pre-filtering allowing users to narrow their search in fewer steps. “The redesign of Lexis Advance is guided by the principle of power in simplicity, and based on extensive dialogue with customers,” said Marty Kilmer, vice president of Product Platforms at LexisNexis. “We’ve built a consistent, unified experience across devices that allows user to browse, navigate, read and scroll through their information more easily and quickly act on relevant insights.” There’s a fully story on the new interface here Launch of Lexis Advance New Interface
• SearchFlow is rolling out a new mapping solution which promises to make the search process for conveyancers easier and more efficient. Using the latest technology, the innovative new map function has been designed based on the needs of lawyers and feedback from customers. The new map is easier to mark up and allows for greater accuracy thanks to its list of new features, including aerial views, the addition of hectares measurement, clearer graphics and extended scales for an enhanced zoom function. The enhanced mapping solution also gives users several options for pin-pointing the search area required – manually or automated – to offer greater flexibility and convenience.
“We know our customers are extremely busy and that convenience is a priority. The new mapping function is one of several steps that we’re taking to enhance the ordering experience for customers,” comments John Pickford, Managing Director of SearchFlow. “Part of our wider promise to make lawyers’ lives easier, we’ve worked with our conveyancing customers to understand what they need and how we can make the search process more efficient. This bespoke mapping solution is more accurate, easier and faster to use.” SearchFlow’s new mapping solution will be rolled out to SearchFlow customers through September, October and November.
• Microsystems has released Version 3.0 of EagleEye, its agreement checker software. EagleEye automates the review of agreements to ensure legal work product is complete, consistent and free of ambiguity. This significantly reduces document turnaround time, enabling lawyers and their support teams to focus on legal strategy and content. In addition to a fully updated interface and workflow enhancements, EagleEye 3.0 features Smart Settings: built-in system intelligence which performs an initial assessment on each document and helps lawyers easily tune the system specifically for their document, ensuring greater accuracy of the agreement checker solution. microsystems.com
• BigHand and its subsidiary Esquire Innovations is now previewing version 2 of their total workflow productivity suite, featuring Esquire’s new iCreate 7 EP2 release and BigHand’s 4.5 enterprise digital dictation solution. Version 2 of the total workflow productivity solution further enhances the workflow between digital dictation and transcription and smart templates, powerful numbering, streamlined formatting, document renovation and styles best practices. “This next phase of product integration represents a true leap in efficiency for BigHand and iCreate clients. The ability to seamlessly take content dictated by a lawyer, convert it to text and populate it directly into a law firms’ standardized templates, and then dynamically style the document with just a few clicks will dramatically increase efficiency and improve quality. Additionally, integrating the profiling information between BigHand and iCreate allows better visibility to the attorney on the status of the work in progress,” said BigHand North America president Eric Wangler.
