Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a document assembly program for storing and using collections of frequently-used phrases (see article below), a Microsoft Word document assembly add-on for creating sets of documents, an iPhone email app with automated actions, and a WiFi electrical outlet for controlling devices with your smartphone. Don't miss the next issue.
TYPE LESS, WRITE MORE
You've got 168 hours per week. You can bill and/or free up more of these hours in several ways, delegation being the most obvious. Hoever, you need to spend some time in front of a computer no matter how much you delegate. Therefore, software can also make you more efficient. In fact, the more you delegate, the more likely you'll use your computer in the exact same way every time — for example sending a draft document to a client. Similarly, those to whom you delegate should deliver work product that looks like you created it.
PhraseExpander Professional 4.0 … in One Sentence
Launched recently, Nagarsoft's PhraseExpander Professional 4.0 (PhraseExpander) is a document assembly program that enables you to enter stored text into any Windows program using shortcuts.
The Killer Feature
Unlike traditional document assembly programs, PhraseExpander requires no programming. Instead, you copy and paste or type your phrases and corresponding mnemonic shortcuts.
As your collection of shortcuts grows, you and your staff will likely forget how to invoke some of them or forget if a specific phrase exists in PhraseExpander.
To address this issue, PhraseExpander's new Quick Find enables you to search for phrases and shortcuts. It displays results as you start typing. You can select the phrase you want to insert as soon as it appears. A keyboard command of your choosing opens Quick Find in any program.
Other Notable Features
PhraseExpander addresses another obvious issue — organization. The new version enables you to organize phrases in multilevel groups. For example, you might create a group for each type of legal document you often create. Another new organizational tool displays phrases that have changed, the phrases you use the most, and duplicate phrases.
Phrases can contain macros such as equations and variables as well as forms if you want more power. For example, you can string together several phrases within a phrase. Similarly, you can create document templates to ensure consistency throughout your firm.
Other features include a spellchecker to prevent errors when creating phrases, a calendar tool for entering dates, and the ability to modify phrases on the fly when you need to make some tweaks.
What Else Should You Know?
You can share phrases and templates with everyone in your firm. Your colleagues can customize PhraseExpander to suit their preferences. Integrations with Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive enable you to both backup and use your collection of phrases on multiple computers. The company provides a free video training course to help you get started. Pricing starts at $149 with volume discounts available. A more limited Standard version starts at $59. Learn more about PhraseExpander Professional 4.0.
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