Software solutions: the word on the street

So far in this series, we have been looking at the broader principles associated with the selection, purchase, implementation and management of law office automation projects.

Now it is time to move on from generalities to the specifics, and consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of the various categories of system on offer.

Unfortunately, this also means a foray into the TLA jungle, for if there is one thing the legal IT industry likes then it is a good three-letter acronym: PMS (practice management systems), DMS (document management systems) and DDS (digital dictation systems).

These are just some of the technologies we will encounter in the weeks to come.

However, we start with what is still the most widely used application in the law office today - word-processing (or WP) software.

Given that WP systems first appeared in some solicitors' practices more than 25 years ago, you may think there is nothing new to learn.

Certainly, many of the older misconceptions - such as if you taught fee-earners to use word-processors, you could cut back on secretaries - have gone.

Or, to put it another way, there is no commercial logic in employing solicitors as 150-an-hour typists.

Nevertheless, one misunderstanding that remains relates to the issue of whether you should migrate to Microsoft Word as a WP platform.

The background here is that whereas seven or eight years ago WordPerfect was the undisputed market leader in WP software for law firms, now it has been largely supplanted by the rival Word application.

But does it matter? For firms which never exchange WP files with either clients or other practices, it is tempting to think that this is not an issue.

But, do bear in mind two factors.

The first is that almost all new legal software applications are designed to be compatible with Microsoft Word - and only Word.

For example, you may be unable to take advantage of a case management or electronic forms application if you are still running WordPerfect.

And, secondly, when it comes to recruiting secretaries (and even trainee solicitors), you are likely to find that while they are already familiar with Word, you are going to have to run to the expense of providing them with training if you want them to use WordPerfect.

So, forget all those tedious arguments as to which is the 'better' system.

The fact is that, today, Microsoft Word is the industry standard for software applications and secretarial skills and you are just going to have to learn to live with it.

Charles Christian is an independent adviser to the Law Society's software solutions guide