You may have come across the phrase “cloud based” in your search for legal practice management software if you’re presently considering options. Even though cloud computing has been around for a while, many legal firms are still wary of making the transition due to worries about data security, outages, and a perceived loss of power and influence. To make a well-informed decision about which software is best for your organisation, it is essential to get clear answers from potential suppliers regarding whether or not their product is a cloud based legal system.
Technology Prepared for the Future
Legal practices should be acceptable with downtime due to upgrading to newer systems. Since cloud based legal practice management solutions don’t need to be manually updated but updated regularly, your business may quickly adapt to new technological advancements without disrupting your work. Cloud based solutions automatically update when new features are released, saving your business the trouble of planning an “upgrade” and related downtime. Another benefit of automated updates has a system that is always compatible with the most recent versions of all the other online applications your business routinely utilises, such as Microsoft Office 365.
When looking for new talent, most law firms will tell you that their staff are their most valuable asset. Attracting and keeping good employees is critical for every business, whether large or small, established or just starting. Younger lawyers and staff members are accustomed to utilising the internet and mobile devices, so they expect to be able to access their online work and information systems from any location and on any internet-connected device. Younger generations need to understand needing a specific Windows computer with pre-installed applications.
Money-Saving Measures
Typically, the monthly cost of cloud based software solutions is modest and stable. Unlike a cloud based legal practice management system, on-premises systems might cost more due to ongoing expenses such as an Annual Maintenance Plan, hardware upgrades, and general maintenance. While the upfront investment in cloud computing may worry your business, the return on investment (ROI) should outweigh that fear. After the transition to the cloud is complete, the time and money saved working in it will quickly pay for itself.
The ability to work with Microsoft Office 365
You need a system that can keep up with Microsoft’s cloud ambitions if you, like most attorneys, spend a lot of time in Microsoft Office. You probably use a calendar to plan your day, communicate primarily via email, and produce papers as a result of the vast majority of your legal work. These procedures are facilitated by Microsoft Office, namely by Outlook for email, calendar, and contacts and Word for document creation. The best law practice management software will have seamless integration with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Outlook. However, the integration will only last if your practice management system is entirely web-based.
Conclusion
Some people think having their data kept close by makes it safer. Because of safeguards like regular independent security audits and bank-grade data encryption, data kept in the cloud is safer than stored on a local server. When data is encrypted, it becomes much less accessible to hackers and other unauthorised parties. In the case of a disaster, an entirely cloud based legal system will automatically back up all of your data and information to a remote repository that is always online and accessible from anywhere. These are just rare examples of how converting to a cloud based legal practice management system could be advantageous for your business.
