Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a PDF content management system (see article below), a discovery document review application, new case management software, document management software for electronic and scanned files, and a contract automation and management system. Don't miss the next issue.
PDF Software Built From the Ground Up for Law Firms
By Neil J. Squillante
The legal profession relies heavily on PDF technology. Most lawyers would agree that it's Pretty Darn Fantastic. But here's the thing. Lawyers picked up on PDF years after the first PDF applications appeared. Those early vendors have since tacked on legal-friendly features but the marketplace seems ripe for a PDF suite built from the ground up for the legal profession.
pdfDocs Desktop 2.2 ... in One Sentence
DocsCorps' pdfDocs Desktop 2.2 is a PDF content management system that includes features such as PDF creation, collation, annotation, redaction, and file splitting, and integrates with major document management systems.
The Killer Feature
In a classic TV spot, the owner of a donut franchise grumbled every morning about it being "time to make the donuts." Of course, this grind meant fresh donuts every day for customers, the point of the ad.
Similarly, there's no denying the helpfulness of placing multiple documents into a single PDF file (e.g., closing books, deal books, etc.), but doing all that work is a grind.
pdfDocs Desktop's "Binder" technology automates this task. The new version features a number of enhancements. For example, you could always add both PDF and native format files such as Word to the Binder. But now you can edit any native file from within the Binder, a timesaver.
You might find this ability useful for an executive summary describing the contents of the Binder. If the Binder changes, you can quickly update the executive summary.
Other Notable Features
To create a Binder, you can add documents from any source, including document management systems such as Interwoven, NetDocuments, Open Text, and Worldox. You can rearrange files within the Binder using drag and drop.
pdfDocs Desktop's Binder automatically creates a hyperlinked table of contents and keeps it updated when the contents change. To make all the documents appear uniform, you can apply elements in the header and footer such as page numbers, date and time stamps, and information from your document management system such as author, Doc ID, or version.
You can save these header and footer settings for one click use in the future. In fact, you can take this automation even further by saving an existing Binder as a template. Templates can include any security, numbering, and watermark settings.
Speaking of security settings, you can use encryption to prevent users from changing or modifying the content of the documents within the collection, and you can redact confidential or sensitive information.
Also, the new "Snapshot" feature locks down folders and documents within the Binder to prevent others from moving or deleting content within the Binder. Snapshots protect your templates from being changed or modified or having individuals inadvertently remove core documents.
What Else Should You Know?
As part of the Binder creation process, pdfDocs Desktop will generate an Autorun.inf file for you, which makes the resulting PDF file you distribute on CD or DVD foolproof for your clients or whomever -- it'll open automatically when inserted into a computer.
pdfDocs Desktop is part of the pdfDocs Solutions Suite, which sells for $189. You can try it for free. Learn more about pdfDocs Desktop 2.2.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Wednesdays, TechnoLawyer NewsWire is a weekly newsletter that enables you to learn about new technology products and services of interest to legal professionals. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.
