PracticeMaster-Software That Grows With You
 PracticeMaster is a practice management software package that has its origins in the mid-1980's as a DOS program. Developed by Software Technology Inc, it is designed to integrate with the Tabs3 billing system as well as third party software packages.
While the software has many features, it does not require you to use all of them. Instead, it allows a firm to start with its key features and then grow with your firm in the direction of your practice.
Features included in PracticeMaster Basic:
- Advanced Calendaring
- Tabs3 Integration
- QuickBooks Integration
- Outlook Integration
- Palm Handheld Integration
- Track Client Information
- Time Tracking
- Document Tracking
- E-Mail Integration
- Reports
A firm starting out with Practice Management software might first want to focus on a better calendar/contact solution than Outlook. The primary problem many firms have with Outlook (or other email based calendar/contact solutions) is that it is designed to be a personal solution, rather than a group solution. While it is true that calendar/contact information can be shared in email-based packages, information is more difficult to obtain and filter.
With just a click or two, a firm can use PracticeMaster as an individual calendar, firm calendar, case calendar or activity calendar. A group of people can overlay their calendars to see when free time is available for all to schedule a meeting. An attorney could see the trial calendar for ALL cases in the firm.
A useable contact system is the next most common need. In an email based system such as Outlook, users usually keep their own personal contact lists, often resulting in duplication of names, address and phone numbers. This is not very efficient. To avoid duplication and outdated information changes to a contact's information must be universal and instant. PracticeMaster's Related Parties provides this. Related Parties is a shared database and therefore can be seen by all users. When one person updates/adds information, the entire firm will see the changes instantly.
Another feature of PracticeMaster Related Parties is that they can be linked to all other records including the Calendar, Cases Information, Notes, Email, etc. By viewing the Related Party, all the other records with which this person is associated with can also be viewed
Additionaly all contact and calendar information can be easily downloaded to a PDA. In fact, a user could have not only their calendar but also the calendars for other members of their group on their PDA. Which calendars are downloaded is left to the discretion of the individual user.
Having easy access to truly shared calendar and contact information makes PracticeMaster invaluable, even to those with relatively simple needs. For some, these features are all that is needed to warrant the purchase. But the future will bring greater demands. This is no problem for PracticeMaster. Simple case information such as Judge, Notes, Phone records, Research Records through West or Lexis, Email and more are available in PracticeMaster Basic.
Later, as even more efficiency and features are needed, PracticeMaster Basic can be upgraded to PracticeMaster Premier. This adds a list of additional features such as document assembly, calendar plans, Briefcase, and Area of Practices being the most prominent.
Added Features of PracticeMaster Premier:
- Document Assembly
- Calendar Plans (and CompuLaw Court Rules integration)
- Area of Practice Templates
- Briefcase
- Much More
Document assembly is one of the advanced features in PracticeMaster that can really make life easier. Why would a firm want document assembly? Traditionally, older documents are opened from a previous case and new case information is inserted as needed. Most, if not all, of this information resides in or can reside in the database of PracticeMaster. PracticeMaster can insert this information into the document. This is a real time saver, especially for those flat fee or contingency cases in which working less hours to produce the same document means more to the bottom line.
PracticeMaster document assembly has the ability to auto create a fee entry and calendar item after the document is completed. For example, sending out a request for document production can automatically add a reminder to the calendar to check for receipt of the documents.
Calendar Plans is another way to use PracticeMaster to create a list of calendar items from a single point of reference such as a trial date or initial client meeting. While PracticeMaster allows a firm to create their own calendar plans, it also allows for the use of any of the many CompuLaw calendar rules subscriptions. This allows you to keep up with the court rules in the various courts, be they state or federal.
For laptop users who need to take more information with them than the PDA can offer, PracticeMaster Premier comes with a Briefcase program. This feature allows the user to check out ALL the data (or a select set of records) to the laptop. While out of the office, the laptop user can add, edit and delete information. Once back in the office, the Briefcase is synchronized to the main database. This synchronization takes place down to the field level. This means a user in the office can add a note and change the phone number on a case, while the laptop user added another note and changed the case contact name out of the office. ALL the information is retained and updated for both users.
PracticeMaster can be customized based to a Firm's own practice. The Area of Practice (AOP) feature allows the firm to add additional databases based on the type of case. This makes sense as different types of cases require unique pieces of information. For example, a Bankruptcy case will have a list of assets, creditors, etc., while a Personal Injury case will have a list of medical records, doctors, insurance, etc. You do not need to see the screens for a Personal Injury case when the case is a Bankruptcy proceding.
No two firms are exactly alike. The customization of PracticeMaster cannot be matched. The firm is in complete control, both of the information tracked in the database and how the information is presented on the screen.
PracticeMaster even allows a firm to create completely new database structures with very few restrictions. A firm could add additional fields to any of the screens. For example, if a case requires a place to record the FIN or Social Security number, which is not part of the default installation, adding the field takes just a few clicks. In no time at all, the field is added to the case screen.
PracticeMaster is one of the leading practice management software packages on the market. With PracticeMaster any firm can afford powerful and flexible software designed to increase productivity and profitability.
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