USING EVENTS TO AUTOMATE LEGALSUITE

INTRODUCTION

LegalSuite has the ability to automatically generate a number of “tasks” (e.g. billing the client, inserting File Notes and/or Reminders and notifying Parties).

These tasks are defined in the Document screen (Fig 1) and were “triggered” when the document was assembled.

Fig 1: Automated tasks associated with a Document

This system works well in most cases, but there are a number of situations which require tasks to be generated which have no relevance to a document. In these cases, LegalSuite fell short – there was no way to automate a task unless it was linked to the production of a document.

EVENTS

In the latest version of LegalSuite (Ver 4.908), we have added a new feature called “Events”. An Event is a totally user-defined occurrence which can trigger Tasks such as inserting Fee Notes, File Notes, Reminders as well as notifying Parties and Employees.

Fig 2 : Events can trigger numerous Tasks

Events can be triggered by:

· A System Event (e.g. New Matter created,)

· An Accounting Event (e.g. Receipt received)

· Document Assembled

· Stage Reached

· Alerts

· Reminder Completed

· Manually (i.e. the user triggers and event)

When an Event is triggered, it simply executes the Tasks associated with it (See Fig 2).

Tasks: Besides inserting Fee Notes, File Notes and Reminders one can also add Notifications to an Event (i.e. Employees and/or Parties can be emailed or SMS’ed when an “Event” is triggered). Advanced users can even define a SQL script as a task.

CONDITIONAL EVENT EXECUTION

You can define certain “conditions” when and if a certain Event should be triggered.

For example, if you want to be notified whenever a large Bond Instruction is received, you could create an Event like the one below (Fig 3).

Fig 3: Send a message to the Conveyancing Partner when a large Bond Instruction is received

This Event will be triggered whenever a Matter is inserted BUT ONLY if the Capital Amount of the bond is greater than R1 million.

CONCLUSION

The creation and implementation of Events is left up to the user, but the possibilities are endless and limited purely by one’s imagination and specific needs.

If used correctly, Events could automate numerous tasks that previously were impossible to achieve and greatly assist a legal practitioner to manage a large number of Matters simultaneously.