Is there a plan to improve the Files Module to provide DMS functionality (e.g., directly editing/saving without having to re-upload files, CRM of documents, search file content, etc.)?

Currently, we are not using the File Module because it is too burdensome. For example, uploading a file directly is okay for historical purposes, but not useful for a work in progress. I realize that there is the ability to use a link (instead of uploading a file) to a file saved to a third party cloud storage (i.e., DropBox, Box, OneDrive), but you have to create a shareable link each time, then paste it, then give it a "friendly name". The web version of Word is less functional than the desktop version of Word, so using the link to access the cloud-based file is not always possible (especially when drafting specs that have formulas or images). And unless you go through the extra steps of restricting the shareable link to only people in your organization, there is a security risk that the document could be accessed by anyone if they somehow obtain the link (probably a low risk, but still a risk).

Further, it would be really helpful if there was an Outlook Add-In to integrate with AppColl for convenient saving to the file (or sending from Outlook and then automatically saving to the file). The special email address is too hard to remember and if someone forgets to hit "reply-all" the email is no longer connected to the file.

If there is a plan to address these issues, do you have an estimate for when it will be released?

Would it be possible to add a checkbox next to the Notes field that, when checked, will cause a window to pop up displaying the notes when that matter is first opened, so that the notes can be viewed immediately?

The Notes field is buried far down in the GUI, so it's not always obvious that there's a note to the file. The only issue I can see is that if there are a lot of notes, the window may become overcrowded, and then the importance of one note might be lost, due to the single text box. In that case, maybe just a warning pop-up that there are Notes that need review?

@jonah-soundhound-com I meant in lieu of providing us with supporting foreign law deadlines, if foreign deadline support is not on the road map. Giving users the ability to create more of their own custom matter fields, which tasks can be based on might be a workaround to programming foreign law. Takes the onus off of AppColl to maintain rules associated with foreign law, but still allows non-US-based users to tailor AppColl to their jurisdiction and others.

@MichelleM6342 Can I ask what your goal is for doing this, so I can understand better? We are using the Contributor role to assign tasks to "working" attorneys, while the "supervising" attorney owns the matter, and is therefore responsible for all tasks. The way that you build/run your reports might also factor into getting to your end goal.

Simply adding unlimited (or at least greatly increasing the number of) Custom Fields available to users would be a (easy?) compromise.

I know this is an old topic, but since it's already been addressed, I'm adding to it.

Is it possible to have an option to transfer Task Comments to the Matter Discussion tab? Like a checkbox in the Task? There are times when it would be nice to retain the Task comment for continuity, but only on a selective basis (shouldn't be auto/default). When I close a Task and there are lots of comments that contain relevant information, I'd like to just check a box and have it transfer over. I suppose I could just copy/paste. Or is there already this kind of functionality and I'm not seeing it?? Thanks!

@gregg_appcoll sorry, I didn't explain my issue very well. Please see the included examples, which show where the Client Code is viewable in the Client field of a matter instead of the client's name. The only place where you can also see the client's name is when filtering by Client in a search. It would be nice if the client's name also appeared, like in the filter.

@ChristianS9906 That's what I was thinking! I used to use Patricia by Patrix and there was a "add popup" checkbox next to the note(s) where we could decide if we wanted to smack folks in the face with the note, especially for special handling or for high importance notes. Again, checking a box is also a lot more straightforward than creating a special task.

In the Billing Module, the USPTO fees have already been imported and are maintained by clicking the "Load USPTO Fees" button in the Billing Item Templates section.

It would be amazing if you could also include European Patent and Trademark fee schedules, Madrid Trademark fee schedules (although that might be moot given the calculator they employ... or maybe link to the calculator from AppColl, add the variables, and then import the final results???), PCT fee schedules, and then maybe other countries over time, depending on volume or demand?

TL;DR:

1. Please remove the Client Code from reports, unless it appears as a separate column (should NOT replace the Contact/Client name in reports)
2. Stop using the entire Client/Contact name for O matters, and instead use the Client Code (the only way the Client Code field is really useful, unless someone has a use case?)
3. Stop replacing the Client/Contact name in Template letters with the Client Code

The Client Code field has so much potential... but it's more of a pain than a boon, as it is currently coded. For example, if I use a Client Code for a Contact, then all reports and template letters show the Client Code instead of the Client's/Contact's actual name - and I haven't been able to find a way to fix this. The Client Code makes sense as a separate column in a report, but mostly to make up the matter code (Attorney Ref) for Other (O) matters. Having a super long matter reference for an "O" file (i.e. "ACME Cleaning and Disposal Company Limited-O0001-US") is very impractical. Using a Client Code (i.e. "ACME-O0001-US") is much cleaner and easier to read.

Thanks!

@gregg_appcoll sorry, I didn't explain my issue very well. Please see the included examples, which show where the Client Code is viewable in the Client field of a matter instead of the client's name. The only place where you can also see the client's name is when filtering by Client in a search. It would be nice if the client's name also appeared, like in the filter.

I know this is an old topic, but since it's already been addressed, I'm adding to it.

Is it possible to have an option to transfer Task Comments to the Matter Discussion tab? Like a checkbox in the Task? There are times when it would be nice to retain the Task comment for continuity, but only on a selective basis (shouldn't be auto/default). When I close a Task and there are lots of comments that contain relevant information, I'd like to just check a box and have it transfer over. I suppose I could just copy/paste. Or is there already this kind of functionality and I'm not seeing it?? Thanks!

TL;DR:

1. Please remove the Client Code from reports, unless it appears as a separate column (should NOT replace the Contact/Client name in reports)
2. Stop using the entire Client/Contact name for O matters, and instead use the Client Code (the only way the Client Code field is really useful, unless someone has a use case?)
3. Stop replacing the Client/Contact name in Template letters with the Client Code

The Client Code field has so much potential... but it's more of a pain than a boon, as it is currently coded. For example, if I use a Client Code for a Contact, then all reports and template letters show the Client Code instead of the Client's/Contact's actual name - and I haven't been able to find a way to fix this. The Client Code makes sense as a separate column in a report, but mostly to make up the matter code (Attorney Ref) for Other (O) matters. Having a super long matter reference for an "O" file (i.e. "ACME Cleaning and Disposal Company Limited-O0001-US") is very impractical. Using a Client Code (i.e. "ACME-O0001-US") is much cleaner and easier to read.

Thanks!

@MichelleM6342 Can I ask what your goal is for doing this, so I can understand better? We are using the Contributor role to assign tasks to "working" attorneys, while the "supervising" attorney owns the matter, and is therefore responsible for all tasks. The way that you build/run your reports might also factor into getting to your end goal.

@RichardS3059 In that case, I would list this request as a sub-task for expanding the non-US country support.

It seems that the infrasturcture for importing PTO fee schedules is already in place as evidenced by the USPTO fee schedule, so it might be a relatively simple task to program an API to scrape that data from PTOs that are trying to make it easy to share data in this way, especially since fee schedules are publicly available on the general sites (*granted, there are a lot of PTO sites that are horribly designed, and/or that do not allow APIs, but the EUIPO, for example, started a pilot project early last year to develop their APIs, and other countries are (or will be) following suit, as more of the industry moves to paperless, I believe).

So, in our use case, we do not allow professionals to access AppColl because there are too many risks to the data, and maintaining a docket is not the best use of professionals' time. The current permissions settings are not granular enough to give us enough confidence and flexibility to allow professionals to use the system. This means that our professionals are keeping track of time (if the task is not covered by a flat fee), and sending piecemeal reports to our admin, who then manually imports the time into the Billing Module when preparing invoices, and into another system for reconciling all of the compensation stuff that needs to be sorted.

Something that would help us immensely is if we could install a simple applet or barebones app on their local computers to record their billable hours, with the following fields:

• dropdown case picker
• dropdown (or autopicked based on login) user picker
• dropdown task picker (pre-user-defined list of tasks or only tasks marked as "time entries" from the Task Types - I think this is another feature request)
• start/pause button
• stop button
• description/notes textbox
• smart features, like a dropdown list of the last several time entries made by that user, or the most-used time entry value combinations, which would quickly populate the timer fields with the same values as the selected list item, etc.

Then the entries would be immediately synched to AppColl as each time entry is "completed" or maybe just any time the "stop" button is pushed (professionals would have to review their billings to make sure extra charges don't get billed or charges are missed, but they do that anyway, so not any additional burden).

I know this breaks your subscription model, but in our case, at least, the burden that managing AppColl puts on our professionals is a barrier to actually using AppColl, so there's not actually any financial loss. Perhaps other firms have similar use cases. To ensure revenue, this feature can be part of the Pro package, to entice people to upgrade, perhaps?? We would upgrade for this, as it would save our Admin a ton of time!!

In the Billing Module, the USPTO fees have already been imported and are maintained by clicking the "Load USPTO Fees" button in the Billing Item Templates section.

It would be amazing if you could also include European Patent and Trademark fee schedules, Madrid Trademark fee schedules (although that might be moot given the calculator they employ... or maybe link to the calculator from AppColl, add the variables, and then import the final results???), PCT fee schedules, and then maybe other countries over time, depending on volume or demand?

@ChristianS9906 That's what I was thinking! I used to use Patricia by Patrix and there was a "add popup" checkbox next to the note(s) where we could decide if we wanted to smack folks in the face with the note, especially for special handling or for high importance notes. Again, checking a box is also a lot more straightforward than creating a special task.

@GreggH8509 Oh, that's a good idea. A checkbox would be easier from a UX experience, but it's not out of the ordinary and not too much extra effort to make the transient event task. Thank you!

Would it be possible to add a checkbox next to the Notes field that, when checked, will cause a window to pop up displaying the notes when that matter is first opened, so that the notes can be viewed immediately?

The Notes field is buried far down in the GUI, so it's not always obvious that there's a note to the file. The only issue I can see is that if there are a lot of notes, the window may become overcrowded, and then the importance of one note might be lost, due to the single text box. In that case, maybe just a warning pop-up that there are Notes that need review?