A competing product (Clio, see clio.com) has a web-based UI and has solved this problem. When you click on a document stored by Clio, a native application program launches on your computer to open the document. When you close the document in the application program, the revised document is stored back in Clio. I don't know how they manage this, but I tested the product when I was looking for docketing software. Unfortunately, their docketing software is not designed for patent practitioners, so it wasn't suitable.

Clio's web site describes two facilities: Clio Drive (apparently a virtual drive - "Create, access, and share your matter-related files right from your desktop and securely sync them to Clio using our virtual drive experience. No need to download or reupload. Open files from the web for easy document editing.") and Clio Launcher ("... to easily open files from your web app into programs like Microsoft Word, Adobe Reader, and more. Any updates you make will be saved on your desktop and in the cloud.")

Another competing product (maybe DocketTrack or maybe another package I tested, but I can't remember which one) also solved the problem. This package requires running a (I'll call it a "helper") program that seems to communicate with the server, so that when you click on a document, you select "download" or something like that, and the server sends the document to the helper program, which then launches a local native application program to edit the document. Once the application program closes the document, the helper program sends the modified document back to the server for storage in the cloud. I found AppColl superior to the competing product in many ways, except for this ability to handle documents.

I have suggested (including screenshots) to AppColl that they investigate operation of these competing products and consider building similar functionality.

-George

@ChristianS9906 After posting this, I noticed that task types now include a "deleted" task status that can be selected for the auto-close behavior. I initially thought that maybe AppColl would cause tasks with such status to automatically delete themselves when they auto-close (which would pretty much reach a similar end result to the above). But then I tested it, and it seems like all it does is close the task out as "deleted." The task sticks around, however.

😞

I'd suggest allowing the admin to select a default folder. For example, the default could be "WorkInProgress" everytime you want to upload a new document or create a form letter within a task.

@gregg_appcoll That sounds good.

Thank you for the input. These are good ideas. We will pass this onto engineering for consideration.

@gregg_appcoll Thanks, I think it's working. I'm doing Examiner {Matter.Examiner(ToTitleCase, LastWord)} to change "Examiner John A SMITH" to "Examiner Smith".

Gregg, yes it does. But I start from the Reports module, generate a report, then change it, I have to enter the report name in full, since the drop-down wasn't used.

Hi Angela,

This should help. While it's not automatic, it will allow you to make these changes whenever you change the personnel of matters. Thanks.

00f505cc-eea2-47a3-b960-eb9a11841ef8-image.png

Thank you for pointing this out George. We will get this taken care of and let you know when done.

@Timothy Several people requested that syntax be added to enable conditional selection of field contents, such as when a first field is null. See the thread at https://forum.appcoll.com/topic/201/syntax-for-alternate-field-when-a-first-field-is-blank. I, for one, still would like to see such syntax added. For one thing, it would alleviate the need for one-off special fields, such as {Matter.ClientContact.NicknameOrFirst}, in that we users could program our own such fields.

Also see this thread (https://forum.appcoll.com/topic/204/add-calculations-if-then-logic-and-database-queries-to-template-fields?_=1704255780781) on a related topic.

@gregg_appcoll said in Additional Date and Text Fields on Task Level:

@KimG5166 this is on our list of future projects. We will make an announcement when this has been added. We hope this helps.

Any update on this @gregg_appcoll?

@gregg_appcoll Thanks. How long does it typically take for an issued patent to be available on espcaenet to grab the references cited?

@gregg_appcoll Yes, the issue I pointed out occurs on the "Payments Summary" page, which is the first page of my invoice and includes the client's mailing address, so it is the first page the client sees when he opens the invoice. Adding some text to clarify that the "Items through..." date covers payments and retainers (but not billing items) would be helpful. Thanks.
In addition, it would be nice to have the invoice (perhaps optionally) show the period covered, i.e. the cut-off date.
George

This feature is really important and should be prioritized. It is causing many manual work around on our end and that is disappointing.

Thanks for the suggestion. We will certainly pass this on to engineering.

@BrandonK6644 Whoops, loos like I had the same idea, but a few weeks later https://forum.appcoll.com/topic/343/set-task-background-color-based-on-taskstatus?_=1748361445416

Hi Catherine,

This has been added to your account. We hope this helps.

HI Rebecca,

We have added this to our list of items to address. We will certainly let you know when this has been added.

Currently, there is no limit.

Yes, Invention Manager and Prosecution Manager integrate perfectly with one another. Integrating both products gives full view of all IP from start to finish.