You can now map fields in Tabs3 CRM intake forms to fields in PracticeMaster Area of Practice (AOP) files. This allows you to create multiple AOP records from a single intake form for information such as witnesses to an accident or beneficiaries on a will.
New PracticeMaster File and Record # columns are now included in the Tabs3 CRM Field mapping window. To create an Area of Practice record from a field, simply select that Area of Practice file in the PracticeMaster File column. If your intake form has fields for multiple records (e.g., a form containing names of multiple witnesses), you can create multiple AOP records by assigning a number to each field in the Record # column. Fields assigned to Record #1 will be included in the first record, Record #2 in the second record, etc.
This feature is available in Version 2024, Build 24.2.26 and later.
PracticeMaster allows you to specify Areas of Practice (or AOPs), which can optionally be assigned to client matters. Knowledge Base Article R11892, “All About Areas of Practice,” provides an overview of the benefits provided by Areas of Practice including information on AOP file definitions, custom fields, custom indexes, category pages in the Client file, template path, and Report Writer definitions.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
Did you know that you can quickly start other Tabs3 Software applications from within any application? Once you have opened one of the Tabs3 Software applications, simply click on the desired application button in the application toolbar! The application toolbar is located at the bottom of the Quick Launch pane.
When starting any application from the application toolbar, the new software will use the same User ID as the current application. An application’s button will not be displayed on the application toolbar if you do not have access rights to that application or if it is not installed on your workstation.
Are you planning on purchasing a new server, or moving from one computer to another? Sometimes it becomes necessary to move the Tabs3 Software from one location on the network to another location. Knowledge Base Article R11895, “Moving Tabs3 Software,” and Knowledge Base Article R11896, “Moving Tabs3 Platinum Software,” walk you through the steps to move the software to a different computer.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
Did you know that you can drag records to move or replicate them in the Graphical Calendar? This makes it easy to reschedule a meeting, or to schedule a continuance.
If you use the Convert to Fee feature, customizing your Convert to Fee Settings can be a time saver!
Default settings can be specified for calendar, email, note, phone, research, timer, and document records via Convert to Fee Settings (In the Quick Launch, search for and select “Convert to Fee Settings”). Settings are saved per user, so each login user has their own default settings. Default settings are broken down by record type (e.g., timer, email, document, etc.) and provide defaults for tcode, timekeeper, description, time to bill, and more.
For example, you can specify the Default Timekeeper setting for each record type to one of the following:
This means that every time you convert a record to a fee, the timekeeper will be automatically entered based on your preferred setting for that record type.
As another example, you can specify a particular tcode, or task-based billing code, for each record type. This means that you could set a default tcode of “14 – Communicate with” for email type journal records, and a default tcode of “10 – Legal research” for research type journal records.
By specifying Convert to Fee Settings, you will have less editing to do when converting records to fees, making this administrative task run quicker and more smoothly.
Tabs3 Cloud is a fully integrated practice management suite that includes Tabs3 Billing, Financials, and PracticeMaster. With Tabs3 Cloud, your Tabs3 Software data is accessible from any internet connection, at any time. Enjoy the freedom to work from your office, home, or on the go, all within a secure environment. Experience the full functionality and data privacy of Tabs3 Software without having to worry about servers or backups.
Knowledge Base Article R11941, “All About Tabs3 Cloud,” includes the benefits of Tabs3 Cloud, what’s included, and how it works, as well as performance, licensing, and general information.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
Do you have a question about PracticeMaster? Any questions that you want to ask have likely been asked by others as well. Because of this, we have created Knowledge Base Article R10588, “PracticeMaster Frequently Asked Questions.” This article provides a list of FAQs grouped by feature, including using and setting up PracticeMaster; printing; clients, contacts, and AOPs; calendar; and journals & documents.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
Do you use the PracticeMaster Matter Manager? Matter Manager presents client and contact information in one easy-to-read window. Emails, phone calls, client notes, documents, and more are organized so that you can see exactly what has been done for the matter and when.
View All Activity for the current matter, or select a specific file from the Record Type Selector such as the matter’s calendar, contacts, documents, fees, journal, or Area of Practice information. If integrated with Tabs3 Billing, you can even view a Billing Summary that includes trust account balances, the current amount due, and the last payment date. Use the Billing Summary to quickly determine the financial value of the case, and convert activities to fees using the (Convert to Fee) button so that nothing gets missed on the client’s monthly statement.
Get the most out of Matter Manager by adding or removing buttons from the Custom Taskbar so that it launches features and reports you use the most.
You will soon find that almost everything you do for a matter in PracticeMaster can be started from Matter Manager. If you want to automatically launch Matter Manager every time you open PracticeMaster, right-click the PracticeMaster desktop icon you use to start the software, select Properties, then add “ /manager” to the end of the Target field.
Matter Manager is a powerful way to track your clients. If you’re not already using it, take a look!
Do you sometimes forget where to access features or reports in the software that you only use occasionally? Use the Quick Launch to find what you need!
The Quick Launch provides a Search Actions field to quickly find actions in the current application. Simply start typing, and a list of possible choices that contain the characters entered will be displayed, allowing you to easily select an action to launch. For example, searching for “check” will include Check for Updates and Data File Integrity Check in the list of options. In addition to the feature names, common acronyms and alternate references are included. For example, searching for “attorney” in Tabs3 Billing will include all references to “timekeeper” in the list such as Timekeeper Information, Timekeeper Productivity Report, etc.
In addition to search capabilities, the Quick Launch displays the most recent actions and matters accessed and provides the ability to pin actions and matters. To pin an action or matter, hover over the item and click the icon. Pinned actions or matters are removed from the Recent Actions or Recent Matters sections and added to the Pinned Actions or Pinned Matters sections. Pinned items can be reordered by dragging them to the desired position in the list. To unpin an action or matter, hover over the item and click the
icon.
Another great feature is the ability to access other applications using the application icons at the bottom of the Quick Launch pane. This provides quick access to all of the Tabs3 Software installed. No need to find the shortcut on your desktop or in the Start menu.
Tip: You can instantly access the Search Actions box by pressing Ctrl+Q.
Tabs3 Cloud is a cloud-based legal billing and financial software solution designed specifically for the way today’s fast-paced, multifaceted law firms operate, and PracticeMaster is now available to provide a complete suite of Tabs3 Software applications!
With this new release, users have more ways to access the powerful features and tools that have transformed the way legal professionals work, in addition to the cloud-based billing and financial tools already accessible in Tabs3 Cloud.
Features include:
Contact Sales at (402) 419-2200 for more information, or sign up for a demo at Tabs3.com/cloud.
Note: Tabs3 Software is available in Tabs3 Cloud or on-premises.
Did you know that there are several record types throughout the software in which you can mark people or accounts as inactive? Selecting the Inactive check box provides the ability to keep the associated history, but removes the ability to accidentally add associated records. You can also typically choose whether or not you want to include inactive people or accounts on lookup windows and reports.
Records in the following files can be marked as inactive:
For more information on marking records inactive, press F1 to open the Help, enter “inactive” on the Index tab, and select the desired topic.
Did you know that the Tabs3 DropBox serves as a temporary holding area for reports and statements that are output as PDF files via the Tabs3 DropBox print option?
The Tabs3 DropBox is automatically started after starting and logging into any Tabs3 Software application. A icon will be shown in the system tray of the taskbar. Clicking the
icon displays the Tabs3 DropBox window. Clicking the
in the title bar of the Tabs3 DropBox window will minimize the Tabs3 DropBox as opposed to closing it.
To send reports and statements to the Tabs3 DropBox, select Tabs3 DropBox from the Print window and click OK. The files sent to Tabs3 DropBox are temporary files that will be removed when all Tabs3 Software is closed. This is perfect for reports that need further action. You can run and review several reports for comparison, or email them to another party for review before printing or saving. This can save you from unnecessary time spent finding, retrieving, and ultimately deleting temporary files.
All of the Tabs3 Software applications use a common Tabs3 DropBox, so all of your files will be accessible from one location. A separate Tabs3 DropBox is maintained for each user. The name of each file is determined by the name of the report. If a report is sent to the Tabs3 DropBox more than once, a number will be appended to the end to differentiate them. For example, if a Client List is run twice, Tabs3 DropBox will display “T3_Client_List.pdf” and “T3_Client_List_1.pdf”. To rename any of the files, right-click on the file and select Rename.
You can also drag and drop files between the Tabs3 DropBox and any Windows folder. Items in the Tabs3 DropBox can be opened, saved, printed, emailed, and deleted either individually or in a group. When emailing Tabs3 DropBox items, your default email application is used to create a new email, and the file(s) selected will be attached. All you need to do is add recipients, your message, and then click Send!
Tabs3 DropBox is a great way to group files for easy handling. All of your files will be in one place for quick review, retention, or removal!
Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster directly integrate with NetDocuments cloud-based document management service! Clients added or modified in Tabs3 Billing, PracticeMaster, or Tabs3 Trust Accounting (Trust) are automatically synchronized to NetDocuments.
The following features are available with NetDocuments:
NetDocuments integration with Tabs3 Billing is available in Version 2024 and later. Configuring firm level integration in Tabs3 Billing requires a PracticeMaster license or PracticeMaster Try Before You Buy license.
For more information on how NetDocuments integrates with Tabs3 Software, see KB Article R11786, “NetDocuments Integration.”
Do you ever wonder how figures on reports are calculated? Sample Report Packs take the mystery out of reporting. Sample reports are available for every Tabs3 Software application and each report is broken down field by field to explain exactly how the information is represented.
Each report consists of three sections: a sample report, the description of the report, and field definitions.
Sample Reports
At least one example is provided for each report so you can see how the report looks. More than one example is shown if there are significant differences in the formatting when different settings are selected.
Description
An overview of each report briefly explains the purpose of the report and provides a summary of available options. You can use the overview to help determine if the report suits your current reporting needs.
Definitions
The Definitions section for each report provides a detailed breakdown of every field available on the report. This may be as simple as a Date field on a report representing “The date the report was printed,” or a calculation based on multiple fields. For example, on the Client Analysis Report, the Effective Rate field shows that it is calculated as “Hourly billing rate based on original hours. (Fees Billed minus Fee Write Offs) divided by Original Hours.”
To access the Report Packs
When this icon is clicked, not only is the report pack opened, but you are taken directly to the page where the report is located. Alternatively, the Tabs3 Report Packs can be accessed via the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Documentation,” Help | Documentation, or Tabs3.com/docs.
Have you ever encountered comments in a Client’s file stating that the client was contacted about their past due balance without any reference as to by who or when? When adding comments to any Memo type field in PracticeMaster, or to the Client Notes field in the Tabs3 Billing Client file, press F5 to automatically insert the current system date, system time, and User ID for the currently logged in user. When pressing F5, the text will be displayed in the following format:
08/15/2024 01:53pm DAWN
F5 is a quick and easy way to take the guesswork out of determining when information was entered, and who entered it.
PracticeMaster has the ability to integrate Calendar and Contact information with Outlook. If your firm uses Microsoft 365 with Exchange Online, the Tabs3 Platinum edition makes integration even smoother.
Knowledge Base Article R11898, “Configuring the PracticeMaster Platinum Exchange Connector for Exchange Online / Microsoft 365,” walks you through configuration and provides frequently asked questions and troubleshooting information.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
In PracticeMaster, you have the option of either showing each group calendar record as individual users, or to combine all users into one record on the graphical calendar. This setting can be toggled in Calendar Properties.
To change whether records are combined in the graphical calendar
In the Platinum edition of PracticeMaster, users can now schedule a rebuild of the Conflict/Contact index, and/or a refresh or rebuild of the Email Attachments and Linked Documents indexes. This allows the search indexes to be rebuilt as a one-time or recurring event, regardless of whether users are currently in any Tabs3 Software application.
To schedule a search rebuild
In a law firm, there can be an overwhelming amount of information to keep track of and work with – case information, contact information, upcoming meetings, research, emails, and documents galore. PracticeMaster can help make you more organized than you’ve ever been before. PracticeMaster provides the tools you need to manage it all.
Calendar – View not just your calendar, but all appointments for everyone in your office. View appointments for a specific client or matter, an employee, or view appointments based on any information in the calendar record such as date, calendar code, and location.
Contacts – Don’t just search your list of contacts; see all the contacts for any matter at a glance, and every matter in which a particular contact is involved.
Document Management – Tell PracticeMaster how you want to name and sort your documents, and then let PracticeMaster do it for you! Quickly see all documents for a case, or different versions of the same kind of documents across all your cases.
Matter Manager – Tie everything for a matter together in one place: calendar records, contacts, email, meeting notes, documents, billing summary, and more!
Conflict of Interest – Determine any potential conflicts by searching files, documents, email attachments, and contacts for key words. Optionally limit results to certain files, and more.
Timers – Use timers to track your time, phone tasks, and research. Switch between timers as needed, and then process timer records into fees!
Filtering – Add filters to your files so that you can easily see only those records that you want to see.
QuickViews – QuickViews combine a filter, column layout, and sort option into a tab at the top of the List tab of any file, which allows you to quickly switch your view depending on the records you are working with. Add Smart tabs to provide an additional level of record sorting.
Integration – Integrate calendar records and contacts with Outlook. Install the PracticeMaster toolbar in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Adobe Reader or Acrobat; Corel WordPerfect; and Ricoh ScanSnap to save documents and research to PracticeMaster, or to create journal entries, calendar entries, or fees from within the other software. Integrate with Tabs3 CRM, LexShare, NetDocuments, and CalendarRules.
Areas of Practice – Areas of Practice provide a way to save separate information for different types of matters, without having the clutter of everything all in one file or set of files.
Report Writer – Create custom reports using the data stored in PracticeMaster.
WorkFlows – Help automate your workload by creating WorkFlows to automatically start tasks or notify other users based on specified events.
Document Assembly – Help automate form letters by creating document templates that pull information from any file in PracticeMaster. Once created, simply select the client and the template, and it does the rest.
For more information about PracticeMaster features or to purchase a license of PracticeMaster, contact your local consultant, or contact our Sales Department at (402) 419-2200.
In the Platinum SQL edition, users can now be linked to their Windows account. Using Windows Authentication instead of passwords allows an easier, more secure, logon experience.
For additional information about using a Windows account, see KB Article R11935, “Using Windows Authentication to Log in to Tabs3 Software.”
Tip: Now that User IDs can be associated with a Windows account, you can use the Windows Task Scheduler to automatically log into Tabs3 Software and perform tasks (such as Data File Integrity Checks) while maintaining security for all users. Additional information about using a Startup Option can be found in KB Article R11034, “Automating Tabs3 Software Maintenance Tasks” or the Help included with Tabs3 Software.
Version 2024 has some great new features to check out!
Tabs3 Platinum Software Highlights
Tabs3 Billing Highlights
PracticeMaster Highlights
Tabs3 Trust Accounting Highlights
Tabs3 Accounts Payable Highlights
Tabs3 Taskbill
For in-depth information on all of the new Version 2024 features, including screenshots, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11947, “Version 2024 Introduction to New Features.” A list with links to all Version 2024 information can be found in R11949, “Version 2024 Information and Resources.”
To download Version 2024, check for updates via the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Check for Updates” or via the Help | Check for Updates menu option, or contact your local consultant.
Filtering is a powerful feature that lets you see only certain records, allowing you to trim your lists down to find information more easily. There are multiple ways to filter lists in Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster.
Search Box
The Search Box allows you to search all fields in the current column layout of the following windows:
You can optionally narrow your search to specific fields by clicking the to the right of the Search box.
Filters Automatically Included in Quick Clicks
In Tabs3 Billing, the Quick Clicks pane in the Client List and Contact List automatically includes the options to show all records for the file or only records that have not been marked Inactive. For example, in the Client List, you have the option to show All Clients or Active Only. Additionally, the Fees, Costs, Payments, and Client Funds Lists include the options to show either Work-in-Process or Archived records.
In PracticeMaster, the Quick Clicks pane in the Client List, Contact List, and Timekeeper List automatically includes the options to show all records for the file or only records that have not been marked Inactive. For example, in the Client List, you have the option to show All Clients or Active Only.
In addition, many Lists include some common filters in the Manage Filters group of the Quick Clicks pane. These filters vary based on the List you have open. For example, in the Tabs3 Billing Statement Manager, there are filters for All Unpaid, Unpaid 91+, and My Clients Unpaid.
Building Custom Filters
The Filter Builder can be used to create custom filters. For example, you can create a simple filter to show clients opened within a certain date range, or statements ran for a specific matter within a certain date range.
To filter clients opened in the last month
Your filter is now available to select in the Filters group of the Quick Clicks pane.
To filter the Statement Manager for statements older than 30 days on a specific matter
Your filter is now available to select in the Filters group of the Quick Clicks pane.
Custom filters can also be more complex, using expressions. For examples of expressions used in filters, see Knowledge Base Article R11515, “Filter Expression Examples.”
Tabs3 Trust Accounting (Trust) is designed to help your firm keep track of the trust accounts you manage.
Trust provides seamless integration with Tabs3 Billing, PracticeMaster, Tabs3 Accounts Payable (AP), and Tabs3 General Ledger (GL).
Trust accounting regulations require strict adherence. Tabs3 Trust Accounting provides peace of mind with the tools to help your firm manage your trust accounts. For more information, contact your local consultant, or contact our Sales Department at sales@tabs3.com.
PracticeMaster allows you to make individual fields required in order to save a record. This is done though File Maintenance.
To make a field required
Keep the following in mind when making a field required:
Besides the many reports included in Tabs3 Software, you have several options for creating your own custom reports.
PracticeMaster
PracticeMaster comes with several built-in reports that will provide insight into the details of your clients, appointments, to-do lists, and pending assignments (e.g., calendar reports, client reports, and task lists). One of PracticeMaster’s most powerful features is a comprehensive Report Writer with the ability to create customized reports based on any information stored in PracticeMaster. You can create basic or complex reports using the Report Wizard or the Report Writer Editor. Furthermore, PracticeMaster comes with a collection of pre-defined reports that can be customized as needed.
Haven’t purchased a license of PracticeMaster yet? Not a problem! You can access the Report Writer using the free license of PracticeMaster that comes with Tabs3 Billing.
For more information on PracticeMaster Report Writer, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11446, “Working with PracticeMaster Report Writer,” or the PracticeMaster Report Writer Guide.
Output to Excel
Information from Tabs3 Software can be copied or printed to Microsoft® Excel. This allows you to rearrange columns as needed or compile data from several areas into one workbook.
For more information on Output to Excel, including a list of reports optimized for Excel output, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11280, “All About Outputting Tabs3 Software Data to Excel.”
Tabs3 Billing Report Writer
Right out of the box, Tabs3 Billing is equipped with more than 50 reports. However, if you need a report that is not already available in Tabs3 Billing, consider purchasing a license of Tabs3 Billing Custom Report Writer. The Tabs3 Billing Report Writer allows users of Tabs3 Billing to define and print reports and forms based on information in Tabs3 Billing. Reports can be saved in a report format or various file formats including fixed or variable length field format, Microsoft Word mail-merge format, WordPerfect merge format, and more. The Forms Writer portion of the software is ideal for printing mailing labels, client file labels, and much more.
For more information on Tabs3 Billing Report Writer, refer to Knowledge Base Article R10394, “Tabs3 Billing Custom Report Writer Product Information.”
GLS Report Writer
Tabs3 General Ledger (GL) automatically includes necessary financial reports such as General Ledger, Trial Balance, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Statement of Cash Flows, Budget Report, and more. However, if you need a report that is not already in GL, consider purchasing a license of General Ledger Custom Report Writer. General Ledger Custom Report Writer is an application that interfaces with GL. It allows users of GL to define and print customized reports based on user defined formulas. Easily create and modify reports such as Current Ratio, Working Capital, Return on Owner’s Equity Ratio, Current Liability, and more. Balances from any balance sheet account (both detail and total accounts) can be used in formulas. Budget Figures, as well as Month-to-Date, Quarter-to-Date, and Year-to-Date balances from income statement accounts (both detail and total accounts) can also be used.
For more information on General Ledger Report Writer, refer to Knowledge Base Article R10395, “Tabs3 General Ledger Custom Report Writer Product Information.”
ODBC Driver
Data files for the Tabs3 Software are ODBC capable. Purchasing a license of the ODBC Driver lets you export data from Tabs3 Billing, PracticeMaster, and Tabs3 Financial software using various third-party ODBC compliant applications such as Crystal Reports Pro Report Writer, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Query. The ODBC driver is written by FairCom Corporation, the manufacturer of the c-tree file storage method used by Tabs3 Software.
For accelerated server-side ODBC performance, consider upgrading to the Platinum SQL edition of Tabs3 Software. Platinum SQL provides detailed access rights for ODBC users and a license of the ODBC driver for each user. For example, one user can have rights to the Tabs3 Billing data files without having access rights to the Tabs3 General Ledger data files. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the SQL ODBC driver are included with the Platinum SQL software.
For more information on ODBC, refer to Knowledge Base Article R10017, “Working with ODBC,” or R11397, “Working with Platinum SQL ODBC Drivers.”
More Info
For more information or to purchase a license of PracticeMaster, Tabs3 Report Writer, General Ledger Report Writer, or an ODBC driver, contact your consultant or Sales at (402) 419-2200.
When a document needs to be reviewed, how is it passed around the office? Is it printed and handed out, or maybe sent via email to everyone for commentary? There is an easier way – use eNotify to send everyone a link to the PracticeMaster record!
How does eNotify work? By clicking the eNotify button when viewing any PracticeMaster record (e.g., document management, calendar, client, fee, journal, etc.), a new Send eNote window is displayed that includes some basic information regarding the linked record, depending on the file from which it was created. The Send eNote window also automatically contains a link to the record. This feature provides a simple way to notify other users of additions or changes to their PracticeMaster records (e.g., address changes, rescheduled meetings, newly scheduled events or tasks, etc.).
When the recipient views the eNote, a link at the bottom of the eNote window can be used to open the referenced record. In the opened record, all fields will be available for review.
eNotify has several other uses, such as making attorneys aware of a new client by eNotifying them with a link to the new client record, or eNotifying a group of users regarding a change in the location, date, or time of a calendar event that is moments away. Using eNotify in these situations can make users aware of changes that they might otherwise find out about too late if they depend solely on email for communication.
eNotify is a fast and easy way to notify users of changes and additions to the PracticeMaster files. Making eNotify part of your daily routine can guarantee that everyone is in the know!
For more information about Platinum features, see Knowledge Base Article R11379, “Platinum Overview.” If you have any questions regarding Platinum features, contact your Tabs3 Software consultant, or call Support at (402) 419-2210.
You can go to a specific date when you’re in the Graphical Calendar or on the Dashboard tab of the Home page.
To go to a specific date
The Microsoft 365 Exchange Connector has been enhanced in PracticeMaster Version 2023 so recurring events created in Outlook will synchronize with the PracticeMaster calendar. This makes it easy to add recurring meetings or events in either Outlook or PracticeMaster.
These events will synchronize as a series of individual calendar events in PracticeMaster. Edits to individual events can be made in PracticeMaster. However, modifying or deleting the entire series must be done in Outlook.
Important: Syncing recurring events created in Outlook with PracticeMaster is only supported when configured to use the Microsoft 365 Exchange Connector. See KB article R11898, “Configuring Platinum Exchange Connector for Exchange Online/Microsoft 365,” for more information.
PracticeMaster includes a Windows Explorer toolbar plug-in that allows you to right-click a file in File Explorer and create a document management record for it. This is helpful when you need to create document management records for files created in an application that doesn’t have a PracticeMaster toolbar or when you need to create document management records for multiple documents.
To install the Windows Explorer Toolbar Plug-in
To create a document management record for a single document
To create document management records for multiple documents
A Check Requests feature is now available in PracticeMaster, which allows users to add a check request for payment on behalf of a client or a work expense. Once the request is approved, users in Tabs3 Accounts Payable or Trust Accounting can create an invoice and generate a check or electronic funds transfer (EFT).
The Check Requests Settings window in PracticeMaster allows you to optionally configure a threshold at which a check request must be reviewed. An advanced option is available to set additional thresholds for which users can review requests, based on the amount. To access the Check Request Settings window, in the PracticeMaster Quick Launch search for and select “Check Request Settings.”
The Check Requests window in PracticeMaster allows users to enter their requests, as well as allows those who can review check requests to approve or deny them. To access the Check Requests window, in the PracticeMaster Quick Launch, search for and select “Check Requests.”
The Check Requests window in Trust and AP shows approved requests and allows users to create Trust Transactions or Invoice/Manual Check entries based on the check request. To access the Check Requests window, in the Trust or AP Quick Launch, search for and select “Check Requests.”
New access rights to Add Operating Check Requests, Add Trust Check Requests, Delete Other Users’ Check Requests, Review Operating Check Requests, Review Trust Check Requests, and Allow Self-Approval of Check Requests have been added. For additional information, see KB Article R11818, “Access Rights.”
This feature is available in Version 2023. For more information about check requests, see KB Article R11923, “Tracking Check Requests.”
The Tabs3 Software provides a wide range of reports, as well as documentation resources to help you get the most out of reports. Information on reports can be found in many places, so where should you look first?
Knowledge Base Article R11793, “Reports Information & Resources,” provides a list of resources with information regarding reports in the Tabs3 Software, making it easy to find what you are looking for. This article includes links to Knowledge Base Articles, Report Packs, Guides, and Videos. You can find information on comparing report information, report analyzation, specialty reports, and more!
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
Firm information can change for many reasons, such as when you move, add partners, or the firm splits. Updating the software with your new information is important so that your firm is accurately represented on statements, checks, and more. Informing Tabs3 Software is also important so that information regarding changes to the software reaches you in a timely manner.
The main changes to firm information are made in System Configuration; however, other changes may also be necessary depending on your use of the software and are outlined below.
System Configuration
You can change your firm’s name, address, phone, website, and Federal ID # in System Configuration’s Firm Information window (File | Open | Firm). Changes to the firm’s name, address, Federal ID #, or phone will prompt you to print and send us a form with the changes. This is so that we can update our records.
Making changes to the Firm Information will automatically change the following information in the software:
Note: When a change to the firm name is made in the Platinum edition, all users must exit the Tabs3 Software before the change will apply to the Tabs3 Software report headings or Trust checks to your firm.
Tabs3 Billing
The following changes to statement information may need to be made in Tabs3 Billing for changes to your firm’s information.
General Ledger (GL)
In GL, the Client Name field in the Edit GLS Client utility (In the Quick Launch, search for and select “Edit GLS Client”) prints as a heading on all GL reports.
Tabs3 Remote
In Tabs3 Remote, the firm name is saved in Customization (Utilities | Customization) and is printed as a heading on all Tabs3 Remote reports.
If your firm information changes, make sure you update all of the necessary areas to help make the transition smooth.
Did you know that some activities are logged in the software, such as when the software is backed up or restored? This information can come in handy when you want to determine when something happened and who initiated it.
A Support Log is available for viewing or printing in every application, but provides different information based on the application. Not all activities are logged, but those that have a high impact are typically included.
To print a Support Log
There are many helpful features in the Support Log. For example, let’s say you are sure that you updated statements last week, but now those transactions are showing as work-in-process again. In Tabs3 Billing, you can print the Support Log and include the Undo Updated Statements feature. When reviewing the report, you will see a list that includes every time the Undo Updated Statements has been run. The following information for each time will also be included: Date, Time, User, Statement, Cnt (Count), Client Range, and Reporting Month. Now you can see who undid the statements and talk to them to find out why.
To view a complete list of what features are included in the Support Log for each application, visit Knowledge Base Article R11288, “Support Log Information.”
You can easily journal multiple email messages using the Outlook Toolbar.
To journal multiple email messages
If you have multiple clients to journal emails for, repeat these steps for each matter.
If your firm needs to more efficiently and effectively track leads, grow prospects, and gain clients, a Client Relationship Management tool like Tabs3 CRM is the solution!
In the 5 Reasons Why Law Firms Need CRM video, you’ll see the many ways that Tabs3 CRM can help automate communications and improve the intake process for prospective clients. From marketing email and text campaigns to customizable intake forms for each area of practice, Tabs3 CRM is sure to help streamline your practice so that you can grow your firm faster.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
Sometimes you want to see more information about a PracticeMaster file, such as whether a field is set to be included on a Conflict of Interest report, or if History Tracking is turned on. Although File Maintenance provides this information, opening it requires users to be out of the software. Instead, run a File Definition Report to get the information you need!
The File Definition Report (In the PracticeMaster Quick Launch, search for and select “File Definition Report”) provides a list of every field in a file, and includes whether the field is protected or required, if history tracking is turned on, if the field is included on a Conflict Report, if the field is restricted, and more. Additionally, the File Definition Report provides a list of indexes set up for the file.
Calendar codes let you specify multiple default values for calendar records, including a default alarm time. For example, you could have a calendar code for meetings with prospective clients that will display an alarm 30 minutes before the meeting. If you already use calendar codes, you can add an alarm time to any existing calendar codes that require alarms. You can also create new calendar codes for these calendar records.
To assign an alarm time to an existing calendar code
To create a new calendar code
We’ve added Tabs3 CRM! Tabs3 CRM (client relationship management) is a new add-on service that will help law firms build their business by tracking and managing potential client leads, and bringing them into PracticeMaster once they are a client. It is used to gather and manage prospective clients from multiple marketing sources. Tabs3 CRM simplifies the process of qualifying leads through customized intake forms and automated communication (via phone, email, and text messages). Once a firm is ready to take on the client, they can easily create a client in PracticeMaster using an import process. Additionally, when integrated with Tabs3 CRM, PracticeMaster Conflict of Interest can optionally check leads in Tabs3 CRM for conflicts.
You can sign up for Tabs3 CRM directly in PracticeMaster. Visit Tabs3.com/Tabs3CRM to learn more and to schedule a demo with a product expert to see how Tabs3 CRM works and help get you started. Additional information about Tabs3 CRM can be found in the following KB Articles:
What are indexes, and how can they help your firm? The indexes in PracticeMaster control the order in which records are displayed on the List tab of each file. There are two types of indexes: temporary and permanent.
Although both indexes are shown in the Sort By group of the Quick Clicks pane, temporary indexes are indicated by an asterisk (*).
Why use permanent indexes?
Adding a permanent index
If users are frequently using temporary indexes, create permanent indexes to help save time when sorting columns. For more in-depth information on indexes, visit Knowledge Base Article R11487, “Working with Indexes, Filters, and QuickViews.”
Displaying the new files that this client can store data in is a setting that can be easily included via Configure Client Pages.
To include Area of Practice tabs in the Client file
This will add the additional tabs to the Client file for the Area of Practice that is assigned to the client.
Version 2023 has some great new features to check out!
Tabs3 Platinum Software Highlights
PracticeMaster Highlights
Tabs3 Software Highlights
For in-depth information on all of the new Version 2023 features, including screenshots, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11925, “Version 2023 Introduction to New Features.” A list with links to all Version 2023 information can be found in R11927, “Version 2023 Information and Resources.”
To download Version 2023, visit Tabs3.com/update or contact your local consultant.
Dashboards are an easy way to get a quick overview of important data. Dashboards can be accessed via the Dashboard tab of the Home Page and provide the following information:
Tabs3 Billing Dashboard – Displays Accounts Receivable and Work-in-Process for each aging period, as well as a Cash Receipts and a Billing History billing widget to compare figures for the past two years. The dashboard can optionally be filtered in Platinum edition applications for one or more timekeepers, categories, or locations.
PracticeMaster Dashboard – Displays the current month’s Calendar, a list of upcoming events, a My Task list that allows you to easily check off completed items, and a Recap of Hours graph. Additionally, buttons to Add Event, Add Task, and Add Fee are included.
Trust Accounting Dashboard – Displays a summary of your firm’s active Bank Accounts and a list of Recent Trust Transactions. Additionally, buttons to Import Bank Transactions, Print Checks, and Add Transactions are included.
Accounts Payable Dashboard – Displays a list of Unpaid Invoices. Additionally, buttons to quickly Print Checks, Post Checks, print a Check Register, and Add Invoices are included.
General Ledger Dashboard – Displays a summary of your firm’s Bank Accounts and a list of Recent Bank Transactions. Additionally, buttons to Import Bank Transactions and Add Journal Entries are included.
With Tabs3 Connect, you can see your entire firm’s calendar, not just your appointments, wherever you are. Because Tabs3 Connect accesses the PracticeMaster calendar back at the office, you can schedule meetings while you’re away, link them to a specific client and matter, and include other people from your office. When others add something to the calendar, you can see it right away from your tablet or smartphone. You can even view your active alarms in Tabs3 Connect to make sure you don’t miss an appointment or critical task.
Tabs3 Connect can optimize your calendar layout based on your device’s available screen space. When viewing the calendar on your smartphone, use the Phone Layout to see entries using the Agenda or Task List view. When viewing the calendar on your tablet or computer, use the Full Layout to see entries using the Agenda, Task List, or Calendar view. The layout can be toggled by clicking the icon in the upper-right corner of the web page.
For more information on Tabs3 Connect, contact your Tabs3 Software consultant, call Support at (402) 419-2210, or visit Knowledge Base Article R11480, “All About Tabs3 Connect.”
If you are new to using lists in Tabs3 Billing or PracticeMaster, creating and using QuickViews can help save you time by filtering and sorting information just the way that you need.
QuickViews are a powerful tool that combines a Filter, Column Layout, and Sort Order. The Using QuickViews video walks you through the process of accessing the QuickView from the Quick Clicks or from a tab at the top of the list, which makes it easy to find the information you are looking for at the click of a button.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
Did you know that you can choose whether or not to print the initials of the user who runs a report on the left side of the footer?
To print the user initials in the report footer
PracticeMaster includes the option to add or remove words from the Exclude List.
To update the Conflict of Interest Exclude List
Note: Your changes to the Exclude List will not take effect until the search indexes have been rebuilt.
Caution: Removing common words from the Exclude List can greatly expand the number of invalid results in a Conflict of Interest Search.
Are you creating forms and letters manually? If so, you’re probably spending too much time on it. Take advantage of PracticeMaster’s document assembly feature instead! Not quite sure where to begin? First, take a look at how many documents your firm assembles and which documents would save you the most time by automating them. Start with those frequently used documents.
Then, take a look at Knowledge Base Article R11447, “Working with PracticeMaster Document Assembly.” This article provides information on how to create a document template, how to assemble a document, FAQs, and more!
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
Quick Alarms can be created without adding a calendar record. Simply enter an Alarm Time and Description, and save. Quick Alarms can only be created for the current day and the user creating it. Additionally, if PracticeMaster is closed on the workstation where the quick alarm was created, the Quick Alarm will be deleted.
To create a Quick Alarm
Did you know that you can quickly get back to the current date in the Daily/Weekly/Monthly Calendar from any other date with a single keystroke?
While in the Daily/Weekly/Monthly Calendar, you could use the horizontal scroll bar to get back to “today” from any other date, or you could navigate through the months on the right. However, the easiest way to get back to the current date is to simply press the Home key.
To see a complete list of keystrokes available in the Daily/Weekly/Monthly Calendar, press F1 while in PracticeMaster. On the Index tab, enter “Calendar” and then select “toolbar” from the list.
The History Tracking feature records the following information each time a record is changed in PracticeMaster:
To view the history of a record
Note: To use history tracking, it must be enabled in PracticeMaster Customization. Additionally, only fields with the Track History check box selected in File Maintenance will be tracked.
Typos happen, and sometimes they happen on a larger scale. When you need to change text in multiple records at once, what can you do? Use PracticeMaster’s Find and Replace! Find and Replace can be used to find text in one or more fields and/or records and optionally replace it – all at once.
You can access the Find and Replace window from any List tab via Edit | Find and Replace, by pressing Ctrl+F, or by selecting Find and Replace from the Take Action group in the Quick Clicks pane. If you want to see which records contain the text you want to find, from the Find and Replace window simply enter the desired text in the Search For field and click Find. The Search Results will list all records in which the text is found as well as the field where the text is located.
To replace text, enter the desired replacement text in the Replace With field. You can then replace each instance individually by clicking the Replace button, or you can replace all instances in the Search Results section by clicking the Replace All button.
Note: Because Find and Replace may not be easily undone, we recommend backing up your data prior to using the Replace All option due to the number of records that may be changed.
The following options in the Find and Replace window can be used to be more precise when searching:
Search Records
In the Search Records section, you can select to search the Current List or Highlighted Records. When selecting Current List, all records on the List tab of the file will be searched. This option takes into account any filters that have been applied to the file. Selecting Highlighted Records will only search those records that are currently highlighted on the List tab.
Search Fields
In the Search Fields section, you can select to search All Fields or Specific Fields. Selecting Specific Fields can help when you only want to find and/or replace text if it is included in certain fields, such as Description or Notes.
Search Options
In the Search Options section, you can select Match Case and/or Find whole word only. Selecting the Match Case check box will only return results that match the case of the text entered in the Search For field. For example, if the Search For field contains “Harry Henderson,” then any instances of “harry henderson,” “Harry henderson,” or “harry Henderson” will not be included in the Search Results section.
Selecting the Find whole word only check box will only return results that match the text in the Search For field exactly. If the check box is cleared, then it will return all words that contain the text in the Search For field. For example, let’s say that “Phil” is entered in the Search For field. If the Find whole word only check box is selected, the Search Results will not contain records with “Phillip,” “Phillips,” “philosophy,” etc. If the check box is cleared, then these words would be included in the Search Results.
Replace Options
In the Replace Options section, you can select Only replace matching text or Replace entire field contents. When selecting the Only replace matching text option, only the text that matches the Search For field will be replaced within the field. Conversely, when selecting the Replace entire field contents option, the entire field’s contents will be replaced by the Replace with text.
Find and Replace is a powerful feature that can find text and/or make changes in hundreds of records at once. Try it out the next time you need to make the same change in multiple records and see how much time you can save.
Sharing files is a cornerstone of running a successful practice. With LexShare, sending files to your clients and requesting client uploads can easily be done with just a few clicks!
The Sending and Requesting Files with LexShare video shows you just how easy it is to manage your files, even when sending large documents that are normally too big to be attached in an email. This video shows you how the file sharing process works, and you’ll be able to see what your clients will see when receiving your shared files or upload requests.
Watch this four-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
PracticeMaster provides one predefined holiday venue: Standard Holidays. This venue allows additional days to be added to it on a yearly basis.
To add days to the Standard Holidays Venue
Note: Only the six predefined holidays in the Standard Holidays venue are perpetual holidays. Any additional holidays must be defined for each year.
The difference between Timekeepers and Users is often confused. So what exactly is the distinction between how timekeepers and users are used in the software?
Users represent anyone who uses the software, or a resource that needs to be scheduled, such as a conference room. Timekeepers represent any person whose time is entered or billed, such as attorneys and paralegals.
You work with timekeepers and users every day, possibly in ways you don’t even realize. Let’s take a look at some different ways timekeepers and users are used in the software below.
Timekeepers can be used to:
Users can be used to:
Because there are such different uses for timekeepers and users, when, how, and why you should add or delete them vary. When adding or deleting timekeepers and users, keep the following in mind:
It is important to note that Tabs3 Billing and Trust are licensed by Timekeeper whereas PracticeMaster, AP, and GL are licensed by User. For more information on timekeeper and user limits, refer to Knowledge Base Article R10788, “Active User Limits.”
Not sure what your timekeeper or user login limits are? These can be found in the About window (in the Quick Launch, search for and select “About”). The About window displays the Active User Limit in each of the applications. In Tabs3 Billing, you can also see the Maximum Timekeeper Limit, and in Trust you can see the Maximum Attorney Limit. For more information about what is contained in the About window, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11865, “Information in the About Window.”
For more information on deleting timekeepers and users, refer to Knowledge Base Articles R10969, “Renumbering vs. Deleting Inactive Timekeepers,” and R10840, “Deleting User IDs.”
Knowing the difference between timekeepers and users can help you know which settings may need to be changed when necessary, as well as when you should add or delete them, or update your license. For more information on timekeeper and users, refer to the Help by pressing F1 from any window.
Ethics are an integral part of any business, but in the field of law they are especially important. Tabs3 Software works to ensure that your firm has the tools to maintain ethical walls in order to protect your clients and cases.
Knowledge Base Article R11459, “Ethical Walls in Tabs3 Software,” discusses how to use Tabs3 Software to create ethical walls in your firm. The Tabs3 Software provides Conflict of Interest searching, the option to make clients secure and accessible by only certain users, the ability to control who sees work by assigning timekeepers, and the ability to set up access profiles to control who can access specific functions of the software.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
In Tabs3 Billing, PracticeMaster, and Tabs3 Connect, the Recap of Hours contains a graph that provides billable and non-billable hours and amounts at-a-glance, with the added ability to also see unprocessed time in PracticeMaster. By default, the bar graph will display the current week, and you can scroll forward and backward in time using the arrows at the top of the graph. Want to review and/or edit fees for a certain day? Simply click on the billable or non-billable time to open the Fee Recap Lookup window, where you can view the fee records or add new records on the fly! In PracticeMaster, click on the unprocessed time to open the Process Timer Records window so you can convert that time into billable fees.
The Recap of Hours can be accessed several ways.
To specify the Default Timekeeper, include a daily target comparison line, and, in PracticeMaster, to include unprocessed timer records, click the icon in the Recap of Hours window.
Although the Recap of Hours will always open to the Default Timekeeper selected, you can also select a different timekeeper for the current session.
Reviewing your time has never been easier!
With the ability for everyone to create their own QuickViews, filters, column layouts, and WorkFlows, these sections in the Quick Clicks pane can start to appear cluttered with other users’ additions, making it harder to find what you need.
There are several ways you can organize items in the Quick Clicks pane. You can drag items around to rearrange the order in which they appear, hide items you don’t use, and create folders into which you can then drag Quick Clicks items. Each of these options are user-specific and will not affect other users.
To rearrange Quick Clicks items
To hide or unhide Quick Clicks items
To create folders for Quick Clicks items
Customizing your Quick Clicks items is easy to do, making sure you have quick access to the items you use.
The Import Data Wizard allows you to import data into any PracticeMaster file, including new contacts.
To use the Import Data Wizard
Note: PracticeMaster requires a text file containing comma-separated values to import. If your spreadsheet is in another format, such as a XLS file, you can save the file as a CSV format using Microsoft Excel or a similar application.
QuickViews provide a powerful way of organizing and finding information. QuickViews combine a filter, column layout, and sort option into a tab at the top of the window. When you change from one QuickView to another, you quickly change which records you see, the columns that are displayed, and the order in which records appear. In PracticeMaster, QuickViews can also include Smart tabs at the bottom of the list to further sort records into groups based on the selected indexed field. You can customize the colors used for QuickViews and Smart tabs. You can share QuickViews for all users as needed or define them for yourself. Once created, you can select a QuickView at the top of the window, or via the Quick Clicks pane.
QuickViews are available for both Platinum and non-Platinum editions of the software; however, they run faster in the Platinum edition of Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster.
Why are QuickViews faster in Platinum? Filters are processed at the server computer, similar to how the Accelerator processes reports. Rather than having to filter the records once they have been received from the server, the workstation receives only the records that have been pre-filtered by the server. This reduces network traffic and allows filtered lists to display considerably faster. Additionally, column sorting is processed at the server, which also improves the speed at which lists are displayed.
For more information about Platinum features, see Knowledge Base Article R11379, “Platinum Overview.” If you have any questions regarding Platinum features, contact your Tabs3 Software consultant, or call Support at (402) 419-2210.
Did you know that you can save reports generated from Tabs3 Software as PDFs? Instead of maintaining folders and/or boxes of paper, store your reports digitally instead!
When printing your reports, there are two ways to save the file as a PDF:
Once you start saving your reports as PDFs, think about saving them as document management records in PracticeMaster. When saved to PracticeMaster, your reports become easily searchable. Worried about security? Assigning documents to a secure client will limit the information available to users. When running a conflict search, any hits belonging to a secure client will display “This is a secure record.”
Tip: Use the Send to PracticeMaster option while in File Explorer to automatically create document management records in PracticeMaster for multiple reports. For more information on the Send to PracticeMaster feature, see Knowledge Base Article R11571, “Document Management Frequently Asked Questions.”
You can use the File Definition Report to get detailed information about the fields and indexes included in a specific data file, including Area of Practice files.
To access the File Definition Report
For more information on interpreting the File Definition Report (and other PracticeMaster reports), see the PracticeMaster Report Pack.
You already know how important it is to check for conflicts of interest in your practice. You are probably already using PracticeMaster’s Conflict of Interest Search, but are you taking full advantage of all of the features?
Conflicts of interest can greatly impact how a firm can operate; therefore, it is important that firms implement specific guidelines regarding when conflict checking must be performed. At the minimum, a conflict search is typically run before taking on a new client or matter, and when a new attorney, paralegal, or other employee joins the firm.
Take the time to review Knowledge Base Article R11445, “Using the PracticeMaster Conflict of Interest Search.” This article provides information on what conflicts and conflict searches are, how to run a conflict search, what the different fields on the Conflict of Interest Search window are, how to customize what shows on the Conflict Report, how to create and search a database of prior conflicts, tips and examples, frequently asked questions, and troubleshooting.
Make sure you don’t miss a conflict. Having firm members review conflict of interest guidelines on a regular basis, including how to use PracticeMaster’s Conflict of Interest Search, helps maintain your firm’s impartiality on every matter.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
When it comes to requesting eSignatures from your clients, LexShare makes it easy to request the information you need, all from within PracticeMaster.
LexShare provides the easiest way to send and receive electronic signatures and files from PracticeMaster. The Requesting eSignatures with LexShare video walks you through the eSignature process, from submitting the request to importing the document back into PracticeMaster.
Watch this four-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
When using the Convert to Fee option in PracticeMaster to create Fees from the PracticeMaster Timer (as well as Calendar, Document, and other Journal records), it uses the billing increment specified for the user.
To configure the Convert to Fee increment for Timer records
Each user who will be using the Convert to Fee option must perform these steps. Users can set increments for Calendar and Document Management records, as well as Email, Note, Phone, Research, and Timer Journal records. Additionally, users can configure the default Tcode or Task Codes, Timekeeper, and Description for converted records.
Integration with LexShare, a secure file sharing and electronic document signing service, has been enhanced in the most recent version of PracticeMaster. LexShare integration allows your clients to easily upload files that you request, or add their electronic signature to a document that you send. The document can then be imported to the PracticeMaster Document Management file.
The Request eSignature, Request File, and Send File actions are available in the Take Action group of the Quick Clicks pane in the Matter Manager, Client file, and Document Management file. These links open a new window where you can send an email to a client or other recipient, allowing them to access, sign, and return documents to your office.
Previously, LexShare integration required the LexShare Add-in for Outlook to perform secure file transfers and electronic signature requests. Beginning with Version 2022 (Build 22.2.10), Outlook is no longer required.
Additional information about using PracticeMaster with LexShare can be found in KB Article R11901, “LexShare Integration.”
Did you know that PracticeMaster integrates with several third-party programs such as Microsoft Outlook and Word? This integration provides the ability to add emails to PracticeMaster as Journal records and documents as Document Management records. Fee and Calendar records can also be added.
To install a toolbar plug-in
The next time you open the third-party program, you will be able to use the toolbar! For more information about Toolbar Plug-ins, press F1 from within PracticeMaster and enter “Toolbar Plug-ins” on the Index tab.
Each user can customize their calendar font settings via Calendar Properties.
To change the font in the PracticeMaster Calendar
Did you know that you can have certain software features automatically run as soon as a Tabs3 Software application is opened? You can use startup options to help automate tasks by entering command line options in the Target field of the desktop shortcut icon.
For example, in Tabs3 Billing you can have the Fee Entry window automatically open, and in PracticeMaster you can have the Matter Manager window automatically open. Other popular startup options include opening the Calendar and the Timer window. Some startup options, such as the Data File Integrity Check, can be automatically started in every application. You can even use a startup option to automatically enter your User ID. If you do not use a password, the Logon window will be bypassed and you will automatically be logged into the software. However, if a password has been set up for the user, the User ID will be filled in and a password will be required.
To add a startup option to PracticeMaster
Multiple startup options can be specified in the Target field if desired. Options must be separated by a space. An example of multiple startup options is:
“C:\Program Files\Tabs3\CM.EXE” /TIMER /CALENDAR /WEEKLY
You can find a complete list of startup options applicable to the application you are working in by searching for “Help Topics” in the Quick Launch. On the Index tab, simply type “Startup Options”. For more information on automating tasks, including startup options, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11034, “Automating Tabs3 Software Maintenance Tasks.”
A virtual field is a field that links to another field in a lookup file. Creating virtual fields provides a way to easily access information included in a lookup file from any other file, such as the Client file, Contact file, etc., which can help minimize double entry in the software. Additionally, virtual fields pull information from the lookup file, but cannot be edited. Virtual fields are read-only. This means that the information will be consistent everywhere the virtual fields are used. Examples of virtual fields include contact information. When you open the Client file, the address, Web Page, phone number, and Email fields are all virtual fields that pull from the Contact lookup file.
Let’s say you have created a lookup file for courts, and you want to display several fields from this lookup file in the Client file. This can be accomplished by using virtual fields. First, you must add a Lookup field to the Client File that will designate which record in the lookup file will be associated with the client. Then you can add one or more virtual fields.
To add a Lookup field to the Client File
To add a virtual field to the same file
You can now use the Form Designer to add the new Lookup and Virtual fields to the Client file. Now, let’s say that down the road you also decide you want some of the information from the lookup file to appear in the Journal, Calendar, or Document Management files. Simply follow the instructions above for the desired file. Each virtual field will pull the information from the lookup file, so the information will always be the same regardless of which file you are accessing.
Once virtual fields have been added to a file, they can also be used in the Report Writer and in filtering data. Take a few minutes to review lookup files you have added to the software, and where the information from these files might be useful. Haven’t added any lookup files yet? Now might be the time to take a look at how your data is set up, and to see how much time lookup files and virtual fields might save you!
Scheduling meetings doesn’t need to be complicated.
With PracticeMaster’s Calendar features, you can easily view everyone’s schedules, add a meeting to the calendar, and notify all attendees with just a few clicks. And when using the Auto Email Notification feature, this process becomes even more streamlined, which can save you time.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
PracticeMaster makes it easy to move all existing documents from the current storage location to a new location by changing the Document Store path. However, PracticeMaster will only move files in Document Management records that have the Automatically Manage Document option selected. Other linked documents in any PracticeMaster record (using a File field type) or unmanaged Document Management records will not be affected.
Tip: To check if there are any Document Management records that are not set to be automatically managed, you can create a filter of “Manage_SW is False” on the List tab of the Document Management window.
To change the Document Store location
If any other codes are included on the Verify Documents Error Report, verify that the Document Management record is correctly set to manage the document, and then re-run the Verify Documents utility (in the Quick Launch, search for and select “Verify Documents”). If the error persists, contact Tabs3 Support for additional assistance.
Integration has been added with LexShare, a secure file sharing and electronic document signing service, which allows your clients to easily upload files that you request, or add their electronic signature to a document that you send. The document can then be imported to the PracticeMaster Document Management file.
The Request eSignature, Request File, and Send File actions are available in the Take Actions group of the Quick Clicks pane throughout PracticeMaster. These links open a new email message in Outlook where the LexShare Outlook Add-in can be used to send a request to the client.
A new Import LexShare Files window is used to import documents that have been uploaded to LexShare as Document Management records in PracticeMaster. The number of documents available for import is displayed on the Import LexShare Files action.
Additional information about using PracticeMaster with the LexShare service can be found in KB Article R11901, “LexShare Integration,” and information on using the LexShare Add-in for Outlook can be found in KB Article R11906, “Using the LexShare Outlook Add-in.” The LexShare Add-in requires Outlook 2019 or later using a hosted version of Exchange.
The LexShare integration is available in Version 2022 (Build 22.2.7) and later.
Whether you are a new user or just have questions about a feature, finding the information you need is easy!
Using the Navigating Help Resources video, you’ll see how easy it is to quickly access relevant information. From the easy to access Help Topics to in-depth guides to helpful Knowledge Base articles and more, Tabs3 Software has all of the resources you need to find new information and learn about various topics!
Watch this four-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
Link text in the Comments field of the Calendar File (or any other Memo type field) will be clickable if it is in the correct format. Include the full URL, starting with “http:”, “https:”, or “www.” with the link text.
Alternatively, you can add a Web Page type field to the Calendar File to store these links. This field type allows you to add a clickable link to the calendar.
To add a Web Page field to the Calendar File
You can now add the new field to the Calendar file via Form Designer. Form Designer can be accessed while on the List tab of any file via Edit | Form Designer.
Creating a new user is now performed via a wizard. Managers can create users in the User Configuration window of System Configuration, or in the Timekeeper Information window of Tabs3 Billing or PracticeMaster.
The Add New User wizard allows you to specify the User ID and optionally enter contact information, specify login credentials, create a timekeeper, configure Tabs3 Connect access, and set additional user rights.
To add a new user in System Configuration
The Add New User wizard is available in Version 2022 (Build 22.2.7) or later.
Securely sharing documents and requesting eSignatures from your clients just got easier using LexShare!
LexShare is a cloud-based service that allows users to share files with your clients and request signatures from them over email, as well as import the signed documents back into the PracticeMaster Document Management file. LexShare’s features are designed with security at its core, which is essential for keeping client information confidential and for staying compliant.
Watch this one-minute video here:
LexShare Integration is available in PracticeMaster Version 2022 (Build 22.2.7) and later.
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
Did you know that you can create a Custom Activity List in PracticeMaster Matter Manager that shows the record types you want to see? For example, you could create a Custom Activity List that shows only Document, Research, and Timer records for any selected matter. Once created, custom activity lists can be viewed in Tabs3 Connect as well.
To create a custom activity list
Now, when you select the new Custom Activity List, you will see only those records types selected for this list.
The Replicate feature is available in many areas of PracticeMaster. This function creates a copy of the currently selected record and then prompts you for any required information (such as a Client ID or Record Type).
To replicate a record
For more information on the Replicate feature, as well as limitations, open the PracticeMaster Help (Press F1) and enter “Replicate” on the Index tab.
Depending on the level of PracticeMaster you have, there may be additional features we have to offer. If you want a quick list of which levels include which features, look no further!
There are four levels of PracticeMaster available. Each of these levels have basic features included; however, more features are included with each level. The following levels of PracticeMaster are available:
Knowledge Base Article R11548, “PracticeMaster Feature Comparison,” provides a table of PracticeMaster features available, broken down by each level of PracticeMaster.
Take a look at your current license of PracticeMaster to see what features you might be missing out on!
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
When was the last time you backed up your Tabs3 Software data and tested the viability of your backup? If your firm was required to restore from a backup right now, how much data would be lost?
Regular backups are critical to the safety of your data. Tabs3 Software automatically prompts you to run a backup when a function cannot be easily reversed or when interruption of a process can cause errors in the data. When prompted to make a backup, review the date and time of the last backup shown on the prompt, and ask yourself how much data will need to be reentered if a restore is required. If you are not comfortable with the amount of work required after restoring, then you should back up your data before going any further. If you regularly find yourself skipping backups because it’s difficult to get every user to exit the software, consider the Platinum edition of Tabs3 Software. The HotBackup feature allows you to make backups while other users are still working in the software and Tabs3 Platinum Software can automatically recover from interruptions to many functions, including Update Statements.
Tabs3 Software provides the ability to back up and restore data from within the software. If you are using the non-Platinum edition of the software, you can keep up to three internal backups with a size limit of 2GB each. If you are using the Platinum edition of the software, backups are practically unlimited! You can keep up to 198 user-defined HotBackups, each limited in size only by the available hard drive space.
But is that enough? Backups made via the Tabs3 Software are considered temporary backups and only include your data files. These backups do not include executable files to run the programs, nor is every file in the Tabs3 Current Working Directory included. We recommend making regular backups of the entire Tabs3 Current Working Directory via a third-party backup program for purposes of recovering from a catastrophic failure, such as flood, theft, server hard drive failure, etc. If you already have a third-party backup in place, make sure that it is periodically tested to verify it is working correctly.
Now may be the perfect time to take a closer look at your current backup strategy and to verify the procedures you have in place. If you cannot take the time to review procedures now, add a reminder to your calendar to review them as soon as possible. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security; backups that don’t restore correctly, or not having a backup, can cost you a great deal in both time and data loss.
For a list of resources on backing your data up and restoring, visit Knowledge Base Article R11524, “Backup/Restore Information Resources.”
Network and hardware failure can cause data corruption in any firm, regardless of preventative measures. Auto-Recovery helps provide peace of mind when faced with these issues.
For example, if you are updating statements and you lose network connectivity in the middle of the update, without Platinum you would have to restore your data and potentially lose many hours of work. Not so with Auto-Recovery! Auto-Recovery monitors the software. When it recognizes a transaction has not completed properly, it rolls back the database to its previous state before the database transaction began.
In the case of Update Statements being interrupted, Auto-Recovery means that if the interruption occurs during the update to client 1240.00’s statement, then all statements prior to client 1240.00 will remain updated, while client 1240.00 will be “rolled back” to the state before you started Update Statements. You will simply receive a message indicating that Update Statements needs to be run again.
This is a powerful feature that can save your firm time and money. Power failures, computer crashes, and network failures can occur on even the best networks. Auto-Recovery helps greatly reduce the impact of these issues.
For more information about Platinum features, see Knowledge Base Article R11379, “Platinum Overview.” If you have any questions regarding Platinum features, contact your local consultant, or call Technical Support at (402) 419-2210.
You can use the Merge Contacts function to combine the contacts, selecting which information to keep from each record.
To merge two contacts
For more information on the Merge Contact utility refer to the Knowledge Base Article R11396, “Merge Contacts Program Simplifies Contact Cleanup.”
Did you know that you can quickly convert Journal, Calendar, and Document Management records into billable fees? Use the Convert to Fee option in PracticeMaster to convert emails, research records, timers, notes, meetings, tasks, documents, and more into fees. Converting records into fees helps make sure your clients are being billed for the time you spend on their matters.
Converting a record to a fee
When you convert a record to a fee, a Convert to Fee window is opened which shows the same fields as the Fee file. If the original record does not contain a Client ID, you will be prompted to select a client before the Convert to Fee window is opened. When applicable, the Date and Description fields are automatically populated from the original record. You can then enter any other information for the fee record such as the Timekeeper, Tcode, Hours to Bill, etc. and save.
There are multiple ways to convert a record into a fee.
When a record is converted to a fee, a new fee is created without removing the record from the Journal, Calendar, or Document Management file.
Convert to Fee Settings
Default settings can be specified for calendar, email, note, phone, research, timer, and document records via Convert to Fee Settings (In the Quick Launch, search for and select “Convert to Fee Settings”). Settings are saved per user, so each login user has their own default settings. Default settings are broken down by record type (e.g., timer, email, document, etc.) and provide defaults for tcode, timekeeper, description, time to bill, and more.
Make sure you don’t have billable time that’s slipping away. Start converting records to fees and see how much additional time you can bill for.
If your firm creates the same documents for clients on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis, it can be a struggle to constantly rewrite and maintain your documents effectively. By using variables to automatically pull information into your commonly used documents, you can save time without the hassle of duplicate entry.
The Intro to Coding Document Assembly Templates video walks you through the basics of creating new templates and coding documents to your specifications. Learn how to insert variables, create logic statements, and automate functions like creating a fee based on the completion of a document.
Watch this five-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
There are multiple ways to prevent PracticeMaster contacts from synchronizing to Outlook. The simplest method is to select the Do Not Sync check box on the contact record.
To prevent a contact from syncing with Outlook
In addition to this method, you can also filter contacts by timekeeper, category, or using a custom filter. See Knowledge Base Article R11488, “Controlling Which Contacts Synchronize Between Outlook and PracticeMaster,” for more information on these additional methods.
You can create a custom index to be used in the Task List via File Maintenance.
To create a custom index for the Task List
You can now select this index for the Task List in Calendar Properties.
What if you had a place in each Tabs3 Software application that allowed you to add your most frequently used icons, and then group them together? With My Actions, you can!
The My Actions page view of the Home Page can be customized to display the features you use most, including reports. You can even create groups of features for easy categorization! My Actions can be customized in Tabs3 Billing, PracticeMaster, Trust Accounting (Trust), Accounts Payable (AP), and General Ledger (GL).
Customizing Actions
Add your favorite features for quick access.
To add an action
You can also add actions by right-clicking an item in Quick Launch and selecting Add to My Actions, or by hovering over an action on the All Actions tab and clicking the star.
To remove an action, click the minus sign on the action you want to remove.
Groups
Groups can be created to help categorize your favorite programs. For example, you could create groups for Daily Tasks, Monthly Reports, or Year-End just to name a few! Assign a color to the folder to make identification easier.
To create a group
You can add actions to an existing group by dragging and dropping an action onto the group icon, or by clicking the group and then clicking the Add Actions button.
To remove a group, click the (Edit Group Properties) icon and click the Delete button.
Although you are more than likely using alarms on your calendar records, you may not be aware of the scope of how alarms can be set and snoozed.
When creating a calendar entry, you can select a preset value for an alarm, enter the desired alarm value, or use natural language, such as “tomorrow 3pm,” “next week,” “next month,” or “Monday.” Optionally select None if you do not want an alarm to be displayed.
Once an alarm becomes due, the PracticeMaster Alarm Notification window is displayed. From this window, you can mark tasks as completed, clear alarms, and snooze alarms. All alarms are displayed in this window, eliminating multiple alarm windows upon opening PracticeMaster. You can elect to snooze one of the alarms, some of the alarms, or all of the alarms at one time.
When snoozing, the PracticeMaster Alarm Notification window includes the same preset intervals as the Calendar record, but also includes “15 Minutes Before,” “10 Minutes Before,” “5 Minutes Before,” “2 Minutes Before,” and “1 Minute Before,” provided the interval does not exceed the amount of time until the record’s Start Time. Snoozed alarms are remembered – this means that once an alarm is snoozed, the alarm will not be displayed again until the snooze time indicated, including when you close and reopen PracticeMaster.
Make sure you don’t miss out on something important by taking advantage of PracticeMaster alarms.
From taking notes about an upcoming meeting, to storing emails, to recording details about a phone conversation, PracticeMaster Journal records are essential for managing your clients and contacts on a daily basis.
The Working with the Journal File video walks you through the process of accessing and creating new records from the Journal File, Matter Manager, Client File and more! Since each type of Journal record is optimized to fit your needs, records like phone tasks or timers can easily be converted to billable time with one click. Additionally, using Tabs3 Connect, you can access your journal information on the go!
Watch this four-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
The font, font style, and font size can be changed for the Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Calendar via Calendar Properties.
To change the font of the Daily Calendar
In Version 2022, all contact information has been consolidated for all Tabs3 Software applications.
The Contact file now includes information for Trust payees, AP vendors, and users, making it easy to update address information in one place, including clients, billing contacts, related parties, vendors, payees, and logon users.
The Contact Information window is available in Tabs3 Billing, PracticeMaster, Trust Accounting, Accounts Payable, and System Configuration. This window now includes a Details button next to the Full Name field for individual contacts, which provides access to separate First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, and Initials fields. To select a contact, the Contact Lookup window has been enhanced for each of these applications, including a SnapShot pane, as well as check boxes at the top making it easy to quickly filter the list to just clients, AP vendors, Trust Payees, etc.
You can update to Version 2022 by going to Tabs3.com/update.
Did you know there is a calculator built into number and amount fields? When your cursor is in any number or amount field, you can use the math operators (+, -, *, /, or =) to add, subtract, multiply, and divide values just as you would on a calculator. When you press Enter, the total of your calculations will be displayed in the field that you are currently in. This feature can be used to easily perform calculations without using a separate calculator. The popup calculator can be accessed from a number or amount field by pressing M or one of the math operators.
The Lock Out All Users feature was designed for exactly this reason. This option allows a user with manager rights to lock out all other users in the Tabs3 Software applications. In addition, users will be able to finish the task they are working on when the Lock Out is initiated, but will receive a Conflicting Activities window if they try to do anything else before they exit.
To initiate Lock Out All Users
The lockout will automatically end at the designated time. Alternatively, you can click Unlock to unlock the software sooner or click the Reset lockout time link to extend the lockout.
When linking is enabled on the PracticeMaster toolbar in Outlook, the email and the journal record in PracticeMaster are linked. This means that after you create a journal, calendar, or fee record from an email in Outlook, clicking the Journal, Calendar, or Fee button on the toolbar again will open the record you created in PracticeMaster instead of creating a new record. By default, linking is enabled.
To configure the default behavior for Record Linking on
For more information regarding the Outlook Toolbar Plug-in, see Knowledge Base Article R11516, “Configuring the PracticeMaster Outlook Plug-in.”
Version 2022 has some great new features to check out!
Unified Contacts
Enhanced Lists
New Filters and QuickViews
1099-NEC Forms
Updated Calendar Code File
Exchange Online Integration
Updated Installer
For in-depth information on all of the new Version 2022 features, including screenshots, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11880, “Version 2022 Introduction to New Features.” A list with links to all Version 2022 information can be found in R11885, “Version 2022 Information and Resources.”
To download Version 2022, visit Tabs3.com/update or contact your local consultant.
All Tabs3 Software applications include navigation features, such as the Home page, Quick Launch pane, and tabbed interface, in addition to the typical menus. Knowledge Base Article R11877, “How to Navigate Through the Tabs3 Software,” discusses these navigation elements, provides information for those updating from prior versions, and answers some frequently asked questions. Information on All Actions, My Actions, the Dashboard, Guided Tour, and the Getting Started Checklist is included.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
When it comes to managing your contacts, Tabs3 Software makes it easy to compare and combine two contacts when duplicate data entry occurs.
Whether the contact records exist for a client, payee, vendor, or user, you can use the Merge Contacts Utility in PracticeMaster to combine two contact records into one. The Using the Merge Contacts Utility video walks you through the process of merging two contacts and provides additional resources for other ways to manage your contacts.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
In Version 2021, we added the ability to go to a specific date when you’re in the Graphical Calendar or on the Dashboard tab of the Home page.
To go to a specific date
The calendar will change to include the specified date.
Do you have a question about the software? Any questions that you want to ask have likely been asked by others as well. Because of this, we have created several Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) articles, and made it easy to access them all in one place.
Knowledge Base Article R11567, “Frequently Asked Questions for All Products,” provides a list of articles answering FAQs. Articles are grouped by general, software features, and version specific questions.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Knowledge Base.”
When asking others to check documents back in to PracticeMaster so you can edit them, do you often hear that they forgot they even had it checked out? This can be remedied by setting up PracticeMaster to show the Overdue Document List for users who have documents checked out and overdue.
To show the Overdue Document List when users log in
Now, when a user has a document checked out past the overdue limit, the Overdue Document List will be shown when they log in, reminding them that they still have documents checked out.
Being able to easily access the eNote window is essential for quick communication. Pinning the eNote icon to your Windows Taskbar makes accessing your eNotes faster than ever!
The Accessing the PracticeMaster eNote Window video covers how to display the eNote icon in your taskbar notification area and how you can organize your icons on the taskbar.
Watch this two-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos in the Quick Launch by searching for and selecting “Training Videos.”
Want to quickly see how many records are selected in a Tabs3 Billing list or on the List tab of a PracticeMaster file? In Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster, a Record Count indicator is shown on the status bar at the bottom of the window. When multiple records are selected, this area will display the text “Selected:” followed by the number of records currently selected. You can use Ctrl+A to select all records, use Shift+click to select a range of records, or use Ctrl+click to select records one by one.
With PracticeMaster, you can use timers to track the time you spend on research, planning, correspondence, and more. However, if you don’t turn timers into fees, you may be missing out on valuable time that can be billed to your clients.
Process Timer Records (from the Quick Launch, search for and select “Process Timer Records”) provides the ability to convert your timer and other journal records into fees. You can optionally process records into individual fees or combine multiple timer records into a single fee, provided the records are for the same client.
To select a record in the Process Timer Records window, click in the column or click the
to place a check mark next to the record. If you want to remove the check mark from a record, click in the
column again or click the
. Once one or more records have been selected:
When clicking the Combine to Fee or Convert to Fee buttons, a Convert to Fee window will be opened, allowing you to edit the Fee before saving. Default Fee values for each record type (Email, Phone, Research, Timer, and more) can be specified via the Convert to Fee Settings utility (from the Quick Launch, search for and select “Convert to Fee Settings”). Specifying default values such as the tcode, timekeeper, description, and minimum time to bill can help streamline your Process Timer Records routine.
If you’re not already using the Process Timer Records feature, consider adding it to your process to help make sure you’re getting paid for your time.
Did you know you can reset the tab order of fields in the PracticeMaster form layout? By default, the order in which fields were added is used as the tab order. However, you can change this order to fit your workflow. When you are in the Form Designer, click the icon. This will display numbers on each field, showing the current tab order. You can now click on the fields in the order you want to tab through, and the numbers will change accordingly.
But what if you need to reset the sequence in the middle? Not a problem! You can set the counter by holding the Ctrl key and then clicking on a field. Although nothing is displayed, the counter will have been set to that number behind the scenes. The next field you click will increment the counter by one and adjust all subsequent fields. For example, let’s say you want to switch fields 8 and 9. First set the counter to 7 by holding the Ctrl key and clicking on field 7. Next, click on field 9 which will be changed to field 8. The old field number 8 will automatically be changed to 9 since there cannot be two fields with the same tab order.
Once changes have been made, click the (Run Form) icon to save changes.
Ready to take the next step in customizing PracticeMaster to fit your practice? We’ve got the solution you need!
The Adding a Field to PracticeMaster video walks you through the process of creating a new field in File Maintenance as well as how to place and adjust your new field’s location using Form Designer. Although this video focuses on the Client File, the same process can be used in any file in PracticeMaster, including Area of Practice files.
Watch this five-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
Is your desk cluttered with sticky notes, miscellaneous pieces of paper, and phone messages? Clear your work area, consolidate your notes, and link them to the appropriate clients and contacts by using the PracticeMaster Journal file!
The following types of records can be added to the Journal file (File | Open | Journal) by clicking the (New) button:
Alternatively, Time Tasks, Phone Tasks, and Research Tasks can be created via the Timer (File | Timer). When integrated with Tabs3 Billing, any Client Notes from Tabs3 Billing (File | Open | Client | Client Notes tab) can also be viewed, but not edited, in the PracticeMaster Journal file.
Not only can you move information from paper to PracticeMaster, but every journal record provides a Client ID and Contact field. This links the record directly to the client’s matter and/or contact for which it applies and allows others to access the same information when they need it. Simply open the Client and/or Contact file and click on the Journal tab to see all journal records pertaining to this client, or select a Journal Page tab (e.g., Email, Phone, Timer, etc.) to see specific record types. You can configure which tabs to display in the Client file by opening Configure Client Pages (Edit | Configure Client Pages) from the List tab, and in the Contact file by opening Configure Contact Pages (Edit | Configure Contact Pages).
Use PracticeMaster to help organize your notes, research, and more – declutter your workspace, and allow others access to valuable information!
When it comes to organizing your clients, transactions, statements, and more, the Quick Clicks pane in Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster provides an easy way to navigate and customize how you interact with records.
The Using Quick Clicks video demonstrates how to utilize filters, QuickViews, and column layouts, which means that you can save time by arranging information in a way that is relevant to you. The Quick Clicks pane is available on all lists and in the Matter Manager.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
Are you interested in creating PracticeMaster reports using the Report Writer, but not sure where to start? Take a look at Knowledge Base Article R11446, “Working with PracticeMaster Report Writer!”
This article walks you through the process of creating a Report Writer report, including planning the report, creating a basic report using the Report Wizard, editing the report using the Report Writer Editor, and optimizing your report. A list of common situations is also provided to help fine tune your report, as well as some troubleshooting scenarios.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Resetting users incorrectly can be a costly practice in terms of lost time and productivity. It is important to realize the risks involved when users reset other users.
If you are using the Platinum edition of Tabs3 Software, performing any exclusive function when other users are in the software is easy. Use the Log Off Users function to safely close any Tabs3 programs that other users have open, even when users are away from their desks, without worrying about data loss. However, performing those same exclusive tasks in the non-Platinum edition with active users in the software requires that you ask each person to close the software because resetting a user who is in the software can have consequences.
Why is resetting a user not recommended? When the software is used, files are opened, saved, and closed by the server as they are requested by the workstation. When a user exits the software improperly, either by an unexpected computer shutdown, or being reset by another user, files that were opened by the server are not closed. Therefore, errors can occur when another user tries to access the same files. Users should always exit the software properly, and the resetting of users should only be performed for specific scenarios.
When is it ok to reset a user?
When resetting a user, a Reset Confirmation window will be displayed. You must select each check box before the Reset Now button is available. This is intentionally designed to help prevent unnecessary resetting of users.
Manager access rights are required in order to reset other users. Users who are not managers can reset themselves, but cannot reset other users.
If you suspect that users are being reset at your firm without first verifying that they are out of the software, there is an easy way to check. Each time a user is reset, an entry is made to the Reset Log (View | Log Files | Reset Log). We strongly recommend that you periodically review the Reset Log to help ensure best practices are being implemented.
For more information on resetting users, check out Knowledge Base Article R10789, “Resetting Users.”
Taking the time to be prepared and educating your employees about resetting users and how to properly exit the software can prevent future problems and save you time and money.
Did you know that you can automate certain tasks in PracticeMaster, such as generating a document when a new client is saved or adding a fee when a calendar record is updated? Using WorkFlows, you can streamline your day by automatically starting designated tasks based on the creation, changes, or deletions of other records.
Watch this four-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
It is important to have a good backup of your data. To ensure that the data from your backup routine is good, you should periodically test your backup system. We recommend that you schedule and perform the testing of your third-party backup procedure periodically throughout the year.
Knowledge Base Article R10456, “Testing Your Backup System,” provides information on different ways to test your backup, including step-by-step instructions to test restoring both a single file and an entire directory, and how to compare restored files using the FC command.
Do you want to be able to back up data throughout the day, helping to ensure you always have a viable backup that requires less reentry of data? HotBackup, a Platinum feature, provides the ability to back up data while users are working! HotBackups can be scheduled, or can be run on demand.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Did you know that the Tabs3 Billing software comes with a one-user “Try Before You Buy” basic license of PracticeMaster that is free to use? If you don’t already use PracticeMaster, this basic license provides the ability to try out PracticeMaster and see how much practice management software will benefit your firm. Think you don’t need dedicated practice management software? If you’re relying on programs not designed for law firms, you’re missing out.
The Try Before You Buy basic license includes:
Give PracticeMaster a chance to change the way your law firm runs by saving time and money using the free one-user “Try Before You Buy” basic license. You’ve got nothing to lose.
For more information about PracticeMaster features included in the “Try Before You Buy” license, also known as PracticeMaster Basic, see Knowledge Base Article R11548, “PracticeMaster Feature Comparison.” If you have any questions regarding PracticeMaster features, contact your local consultant, or contact Technical Support at (402) 419-2210.
When it comes to tracking your matters, accounts receivable, work-in-process, and funds balances at a glance as well as providing quick access to individual entries for fees, costs, payments and more, the Tabs3 Billing Matter Manager can be used to organize your matters all from one place.
See how Tabs3 Billing’s powerful Matter Manager can save you time by making it easy to maintain your clients’ matters.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
Did you know that there are several keyboard shortcuts you can use to quickly adjust the date in any Date field?
Additionally, if either no portion of the date is highlighted or the entire date is highlighted, pressing + (plus) or – (minus) will increase or decrease the day, respectively. However, keep in mind that if any segment of the date is highlighted, pressing + or – will increase or decrease that segment.
PracticeMaster’s Document Management feature is easily configured to automatically name and store linked documents in a centralized location. Document management can play a major role in your everyday workflow by streamlining the process of storing new documents and making it easy to access those documents via Tabs3 Connect, the Client File, Matter Manager, Conflict of Interest Search, and Document Search.
In Customization (Utilities | Customization | Documents tab), you can define how you want your documents to be managed and where the documents are stored. You can create a folder structure up to five folders deep to classify and store your documents. Then you can define how the documents are to be named based on fields in the Client and Document Management files.
When adding Document Management records, they will automatically be named and saved as specified in Customization settings, saving you time and ensuring all documents are saved to the correct location. Document Management records can be created several ways:
Help take your document storage to the next level by using PracticeMaster’s built-in Document Management!
The Knowledge Base is a great resource for more in-depth information on a subject, including overviews, best practices, strategies, troubleshooting, frequently asked questions, and more. To help streamline your research, we have several articles that contain a list of articles related to a particular area of interest. This makes it easy to determine which articles you want to review, and provides a place you can come back to so you can quickly pick up where you left off.
The following articles contain a list of articles on the given subject:
When looking for additional information on these subjects, save yourself some time – skip the searching and check out one of the resource lists above.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
When was the last time you reviewed the fields set up for history tracking in PracticeMaster? History tracking is an optional feature that can be used to maintain a detailed audit trail of all additions and changes to specific fields in a file.
When history tracking is turned on, you can access the Record History window for a particular record one of three ways:
The Record History window shows a list of all changes to the record and can be resized as needed. You can sort records in Field or Date Order, select changes for a specific user, and select changes for a specific field.
Double-click a line item to open the View Field History window. This window shows both the Old Value and the New Value of the field.
Perhaps not all pertinent PracticeMaster fields have been configured for history tracking. You can determine which fields have been set up to track history by printing a File Definition report. From this list, you can identify which fields should be changed. Once you have a list of fields for which you want history to be tracked, you can make the desired changes in File Maintenance.
To print a File Definition report
To enable history tracking on a field
For more information on history tracking, including history file size, things to keep in mind when enabling this feature, and fields for which history tracking cannot be enabled, press F1 from any PracticeMaster window, and on the Index tab enter the keywords “history tracking”.
When it comes to maximizing your billable hours, it’s important to have a reliable timer feature that allows you to easily convert your time into fees.
The Using Timers in PracticeMaster video shows how easy it is to record time spent in meetings, on phone calls, and doing other work, as well as how to quickly convert and process your timer records.
Watch this four-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
When previewing reports, you always get the best formatted view of the information for reading. However, when saving a report to an .html or .txt file, you may see different formatting or missing text. So how do you get better output? By using the Optimize for Print to File setting.
When selecting to Optimize for Print to File, the software will make adjustments that help with formatting and eliminate clipping problems. This can help significantly when printing to .html or .txt format.
To Optimize for Print to File
The next time you print a report to a file, try selecting Optimize for Print to File and see the difference it makes.
Note: We do not recommend selecting this option for your normal printing jobs because of adjustments made to avoid clipping problems. When saving output to a file, the best solution is to configure a special printer for print-to-file output.
Want to see all of the new features in Version 2021? Check out Knowledge Base Article R11860, “Version 2021 Introduction to New Features!”
This article provides information on each new feature. Features are listed by program and include screenshots and links to additional information when applicable. Each time we add a new feature to Version 2021, this article is updated so that you can get the information you need to begin using the feature.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Drill-down capabilities provide the ability to quickly access data while previewing reports. Additionally, drilldown is available in entry lists (WIP only), the Tabs3 Billing Matter Manager, PracticeMaster Matter Manager, and Tabs3 Billing Recap of Hours.
For a complete list of reports and features with drill-down capabilities, refer to Knowledge Base Article R10646, “Drill-Down Features in the Software.”
Tabs3 Software occasionally links to external files that can contain sensitive information, such as contact information, bank balances, or payment information. Some firms will restrict access to those files by setting the access rights on the folders where those files are maintained to prevent access by users who do not require such information.
Knowledge Base Article R11841, “Folders with Special Rights,” discusses the access rights that can be adjusted, and provides some best practices for maintaining these locations.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
In Version 2020, multiple improvements have been made to the Lock Out All Users feature (File | Lockout All Users). This feature can be useful when you want to keep others from logging in while you perform maintenance.
Note: These feature enhancements are included in Version 20.3.4.
Have you started using the great new navigation features, or are you still using Task Folders? If you’re using Quick Launch, All Actions, and My Actions, then you already know that we provide several customizable ways to access the features you need whether they’re tasks you perform every day, only once a year, or somewhere in the middle.
Theme Settings
The following options for navigating the software can be turned on or off via View | Theme Settings.
When selected, the Quick Launch can be used to search for a feature, pin frequently accessed actions and matters, or quickly access a recent action or matter.
When selected, the Home Page adds options for quickly accessing features and information:
Other Navigation
The menus in each application provide access to all of the features in the application.
Many keyboard shortcuts are included in the software for power users. Keyboard shortcuts can help save time by keeping your hands on the keyboard more, instead of repeatedly moving to and from the mouse.
For more information on these navigation features and more, check out the Navigating Through Tabs3 Software Video. If you’re not using these navigation features, you’re missing out!
Did you know that the autofill feature allows you to type in certain fields in order to quickly find what you’re looking for?
All fields with lookup windows have autofill capabilities. As you enter characters into a lookup field, the field will autofill based on the information entered. The first available result will be displayed as highlighted text, with additional characters entered replacing the autofill and updating the results.
When an autofill suggestion exists, a list of possible choices matching the characters entered will also be displayed, allowing you to easily select the entry you want to complete the field. For records that use an identifier, such as the Client ID field for Client records (Tabs3 Billing, PracticeMaster, and Tabs3 Trust Accounting) or User/Group field for Calendar records (PracticeMaster), a second column will be shown containing additional information about the record (e.g., the client’s Name and Work Description, or the User Name).
Note: This feature can be disabled by selecting the Disable Autofill for all lookup fields check box in User Configuration (System Configuration | File | Open | Users).
When it comes to creating documents for your clients, manually entering all of the necessary information can be tedious. That’s where PracticeMaster’s Word Document Assembly feature can help!
PracticeMaster allows you to quickly and easily assemble individualized documents in Microsoft Word using templates to fit your firm’s needs.
Watch this two-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
If you need to find data in PracticeMaster based on just a word or phrase, we have you covered! There are several ways to search in PracticeMaster to find what you need.
Search Box
The search box, which is available on the List tab for all files, the Matter Manager, and the Graphical Calendar, can be used to quickly search for all records that contain a specific string of text in any of the fields included in the currently selected column layout. You can optionally search for different text in multiple fields at one time. You can enter text directly in the Search List field, or click the button to show a list of fields for more specific searching. If the desired field is not shown, click the Fields button for a list of all fields in the current column layout.
Conflict of Interest
PracticeMaster’s Conflict of Interest Search (Search | Conflict of Interest Search) provides robust searching capabilities including whole word or partial word searching and word order, phonetic searching, and record drill-down capabilities on reports.
Files searched in PracticeMaster include the Client file, Contact file, fee transactions, cost transactions, Calendar, Journal (including email records, call logs, research tasks, and phone timer records), Document Management (including linked documents), and Area of Practice files. If PracticeMaster is integrated with Tabs3, all fields in PracticeMaster that exist in both programs (such as Miscellaneous Lines in the client file), will contain information from Tabs3 in addition to existing information in PracticeMaster.
Note: A field must be marked as Include in Conflict Search in File Maintenance (Maintenance | File Maintenance) in order to be included in the Conflict of Interest Search.
Document Search
The Document Search program (Search | Document Search) is a powerful program used to search the contents of Document Management documents, email attachments, and linked documents associated with PracticeMaster records. Although the Conflict of Interest also searches documents, the Document Search provides additional options to narrow your search to specific clients, document types, and/or users.
Searching capabilities include whole word or partial word searching; phonetic, stemming, and fuzzy searching; and record drill-down capabilities on reports.
Contact Search
The Contact Search (Search | Contact Search) helps you quickly find a single contact so that you can drill down to a phone number or other information for the contact. This search only looks for hits in Contact fields. Searching capabilities include partial word searching, phonetic searching, and record drill-down capabilities on reports.
Note: A field must be marked as Include in Contact Search in File Maintenance (Maintenance | File Maintenance) in order to be included in the Contact Search.
Find and Replace
On any List tab, the Find and Replace program (Edit | Find and Replace) can be used to find one or more records containing specific text, and optionally replace the text with a new value. You can search the current list or just highlighted records, all fields or specific fields.
Find and Replace is a quick and easy alternative to updating multiple records with the same information one by one.
Data can always be found using the various search options in PracticeMaster. Learn more about the various PracticeMaster search features in the PracticeMaster Search Guide.
Want to know who backed up the data last and when, or who restored it? You can easily confirm who performed these actions and many more.
The Support Log (View | Log Files | Support Log) can help you determine which processes were run at what time by which user. This log is present for each application, including System Configuration. When running a Support Log, you can optionally specify a date range and/or select specific users. Manager users can access support logs for all applications at the same time via System Configuration (View | Support Log).
Every application includes the options to see when Back Up Data, Data File Integrity Check, and Reindex Files were run, in addition to when data was last restored and updates were last installed, and more. Each application also has information logged that is specific to the application, and although information included can vary, each feature includes who ran it and when it was run. The following are some of the features that are tracked in the Support Log:
Tabs3 Billing
PracticeMaster
Trust Accounting
Accounts Payable
General Ledger
With these tools in place, it is easy to quickly assess the various software events that occurred while you were out. This allows you to remain up to speed, even after a well-deserved vacation. More information regarding the Support Log is provided in Knowledge Base Article R11288, “Support Log Information,” and in each program’s “Support Log” Help topic.
If your firm works with multiple areas of law, it can be difficult to organize your client’s information for each type of case. That’s why using customizable Area of Practice pages can work for you!
Using PracticeMaster’s Area of Practice feature, you can store and organize matter information unique to a specific area of law, making it easy to locate and track the details that matter to you most.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
Time Zones are here! Beginning in Version 2020, you can specify your time zone or set it automatically as per Windows settings (Calendar | Calendar Properties). Additionally, time zones can be changed for individual calendar records. Calendar records will be shown relative to the local time for each user. The PracticeMaster Calendar, PracticeMaster Dashboard, and Tabs3 Connect Calendar all utilize the time zone setting on the device where records are being accessed. This also provides a more seamless integration of calendar records with Microsoft Outlook.
Tabs3 Connect also now supports time zones for calendar events and tasks. Tabs3 Connect will display new calendar records relative to the local time of the device. Tabs3 Connect allows you to specify a time zone when adding an event or task to the calendar, allowing you to schedule something back at the office or for another location.
Note: Only users converting from previous versions of the software need to enable the time zone feature (Utilities | Time Zone Configuration). It is enabled by default for new systems.
Update to Version 20.2.6 to start using time zones.
Additional information on how PracticeMaster handles time zones for calendar events and tasks can be found in KB Article R11836, “PracticeMaster Time Zone Overview,” or the Help included with PracticeMaster. Click here to view the “Enabling Time Zones in PracticeMaster” training video.
We have just added several new features! Use the Check for Updates feature (Help | Check for Updates) to make sure you are running the most recent release of Version 2020.
Update to Version 20.2.6 to access the following:
For more information on these great new features, as well as a detailed list of all new features in Version 2020, check out Knowledge Base Article R11812, “Version 2020 Introduction to New Features.”
What is the Client Inactivity Report, and why should you use it? The Client Inactivity Report can be used to identify clients and matters with no activity in a specified time frame, which can help keep clients from slipping through the cracks. This report allows you to do the following:
A Client Inactivity Report can be run in both Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster; however, each program provides unique options to run the report.
To run a Client Inactivity Report
Note: By default, the Client Inactivity Report is set to only include clients that are currently active and do not have a Date Closed specified. However, this setting can be changed. From the Client tab, click the Select Status button and select the desired option(s).
When was the last time you backed up your Tabs3 and PracticeMaster data and tested the viability of your backup? If your firm had to restore from a backup right now, would any data be lost? Regular backups are critical for your firm to make and maintain properly.
Internal Backups
Tabs3 Software ensures you are provided the opportunity to backup when needed.
Third Party Backups
We also recommend making regular backups of the entire Tabs3 program directory via a third-party backup program.
Now may be the perfect time to take a closer look at your current backup strategy and to verify the procedures you have in place. If you cannot take the time to review procedures now, add a reminder to your calendar to review them as soon as possible. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security; backups that don’t restore correctly, or not having a backup, can cost you a great deal in both time and data loss.
For a list of resources on backing your data up and restoring, visit Knowledge Base Article R11524, “Backup/Restore Information Resources.”
Did you know that there are many ways in which you can filter your data in order to make it easier to find what you need?
If you aren’t already filtering, you may not know where to begin. Knowledge Base Article R11645, “Resources for Filtering Data,” provides a list of articles for both beginners and advanced users – everything you need to start filtering, create advanced filters, or to troubleshoot unexpected results.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Did you know that you can add tabs to the Client, Contact, and Journal files that are specific to an Area of Practice, Contact Category, or Journal Type?
These tabs are called category pages. Category pages are a special type of page that is only shown in the Editor window when the selected client or record is associated with that category. You can use the Form Designer to customize how the pages will look.
Setting up a category page provides a way of showing only those fields that are relevant to the selected “category,” thus reducing the number of visible pages.
In order to create a category page, you must first add any fields specific to the category page to the associated file using File Maintenance (e.g., add the desired fields to the Contact file). Once the fields have been added, the category page and fields must be added to the data entry window using the Form Designer.
To create a category page
Additional information regarding category pages can be found in Knowledge Base Article R10566, “Category Pages in PracticeMaster.”
As your firm deals with the spread of COVID-19, we want to help you prepare to work from home.
Resources for working from home can be found at Tabs3.com/WorkFromHome.
Tabs3 remains committed to providing top rated customer support, and are available to help. As usual, Technical Support can be reached at (402) 419-2210, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday.
Beginning in Version 2020, you can now select whether you want the Newsletter Reminder window to pop up each month or not! Once you have updated to Version 20.1.5 or later, the Newsletter Delivery Options window will be displayed when logging in. You can select to either subscribe to the Email Newsletter, or to have the Newsletter Reminder window continue to open after the 14th of each month.
You can always change your mind later. Newsletter Delivery Options can be accessed via the Delivery Options button on the Newsletter Reminder window as well as via the Help | Internet Resources | Newsletter Delivery Options menu.
Every time you open a new matter, what other tasks do you need accomplished? Many items on your to-do list are likely predictable and repetitive. There are people to email, documents to collect, records to update, and the list goes on. Although PracticeMaster can’t do everything on your to-do list, WorkFlows automate many tasks so that you can spend more of your time on the things that need your personal attention.
PracticeMaster WorkFlows react to tasks or activities and start a chain of events that you define in advance. For example, every time you schedule a client meeting, you can use a WorkFlow to assemble an email to the client with meeting details and directions to your office.
You can use WorkFlows to help make sure your office procedures are always followed. For example, if it is your policy that internal meetings are not billed to a client, set up a WorkFlow that will display a popup message when an employee converts an internal meeting to a fee: “You have billed for an internal meeting. Please confirm this is correct.”
WorkFlows can help you keep clients and colleagues informed. When an important milestone in a matter is reached, such as a deposition or court date is set, a WorkFlow can make sure you email all staff and clients involved to let them know. It can also schedule the next calendar milestone, update fields in a file, such as date last contacted or a change to the status, and more. If you use PracticeMaster Platinum, WorkFlows can also send eNotes (with linked PracticeMaster records) around the office to keep everyone on the same page.
WorkFlows are highly customizable and nearly limitless. Each WorkFlow can launch up to 10 activities, including adding or changing records, processing calendar plan templates, running reports, starting a backup, and more. WorkFlows can also create the scenario(s) that will launch additional WorkFlows. WorkFlows can be automatic, with or without confirming that the WorkFlow will launch. You also have the option to set up a user activated WorkFlow that launches when you manually activate it.
Other examples of WorkFlows:
For more information and ideas on WorkFlows that you can use in your office (including instructions for setting them up), check out article R11307, “All About WorkFlows,” in our Knowledge Base.
If you haven’t updated to Version 2020 yet, you are missing out on some great new features! The following features are only some of the enhancements we made for this version:
LawPay
New Dashboards
Positive Pay
APS Bank Balances
Updated Help
For in-depth information on all of the new Version 2020 features, including screenshots, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11812, “Version 2020 Introduction to New Features.” A list with links to all Version 2020 information can be found in R11814, “Version 2020 Information and Resources.”
To download Version 2020, select Check for Updates from the Help menu, visit Tabs3.com/update, or contact your local consultant.
If you have any questions about the update, please contact your consultant, or contact Technical Support at (402) 419-2210.
Want to be able to quickly tell if the software is up to date? Beginning in Version 2020, when an update to the software is available, a badge is shown on the Check for Updates icon in the Quick Launch pane. This option is available for users who have rights to check for software updates.
Additionally, a notification banner is displayed on the Home Page when an update has been available for 15 or more days. For additional information about updates, see Knowledge Base Article R11804, “Keeping Tabs3 Software Up To Date.”
Want to see all of the new features in Version 2020? Check out Knowledge Base Article R11812, “Version 2020 Introduction to New Features!”
This article provides information on each new feature, both big and small. Features are listed by program and include screenshots and links to additional information when applicable. Each time we add a new feature to Version 2020, this article is updated so that you can get the information you need to begin using the feature.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Are you familiar with everything the Platinum version of the software offers? Platinum provides many great features including Tabs3 Connect, the ability to back up the software while others are working in the software, accelerated features, auto-recovery if errors occur, eNotes, special report options, and more.
Knowledge Base Article R11379, “Platinum Overview,” provides information on why we recommend everyone be on Platinum, how Platinum works, key features, frequently asked questions, and more.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Version 2020 has been released, and there are many great new features! The following features are only some of the enhancements we made for this version:
LawPay
New Dashboards
Positive Pay
APS Bank Balances
Updated Help
For in-depth information on all of the new Version 2020 features, including screenshots, refer to Knowledge Base Article R11812, “Version 2020 Introduction to New Features.” A list with links to all Version 2020 information can be found in R11814, “Version 2020 Information and Resources.”
To download Version 2020, select Check for Updates from the Help menu, visit Tabs3.com/update, or contact your local consultant.
If you have any questions about the update, please contact your consultant, or contact Technical Support at (402) 419-2210.
PracticeMaster provides integration with Microsoft® Outlook®, which is the standard for office email. Calendar and contacts can be synchronized between PracticeMaster and Outlook. Using the Outlook Toolbar Plug-in provides the ability to create PracticeMaster calendar records, fees, and journal entries for any email in Outlook.
So where can you get more information on these great features? Knowledge Base Article R11482, “Resources for Integrating PracticeMaster with Outlook,” provides a list of articles regarding the integration.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
You access sensitive client information on a daily basis, and may even have access to information that others in the firm do not. You know that maintaining client confidentiality is crucial, but who might have access to all of that data? The following features are built into the software, helping maintain client security and confidentiality.
For more information on these features, as well as more security features, see Knowledge Base Article R11717, “Security Resources.”
Various log files are maintained by different Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software products. These log files can be used as tools for troubleshooting errors and problems using Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software.
Knowledge Base Article R10013, “Log Files in Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Software,” contains a comprehensive list of the various log files and a brief description of the information contained in each file. Log files track errors encountered when running Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software as well as the date and time when a particular function was performed. Most log files can be accessed using any text editor such as Microsoft Notepad or WordPad.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
When entering fees in PracticeMaster, an automatic WorkFlow can be configured with a filter to only trigger when fee descriptions exceed 300 characters for a specific range of matters or clients.
To create a WorkFlow that prompts the user when a fee description is too long
You now have a WorkFlow that is automatically triggered when the length of a fee description exceeds a set number of characters for a particular Client ID range. A prompt is displayed letting the user know that the description is too long for that client and reopens the record for editing.
Note: WorkFlows are a PracticeMaster-only feature. Fees entered or edited in Tabs3 will not trigger the WorkFlow.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
Do you have Access Profiles set up? Access Profiles help with security by controlling what functions each user can access in the software. The Access Profiles training video walks you through creating a new access profile that limits a user to certain Tabs3 Billing functions. Once you know the basics of setting up one Access Profile, you can set up the profiles you need for your firm.
Watch this three-and-a-half-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
Although we strive to provide superior documentation in our Help files, Knowledge Base, and Guides, we know that sometimes you want direct guidance with a human touch. Technical Support can be reached by phone or email! We are here to help, so reach out to us. Here are some examples of items we regularly assist our clients with:
Phone and email support are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central Time). We can be reached by phone at (402) 419-2210 or by email via Tabs3.com/support. And don’t forget! Technical Support is included with your maintenance or subscription plan at no additional cost – so give us a call!
To determine whether an email address is associated with a client or contact, PracticeMaster utilizes a cross-reference file that is updated each time you journal an email from Outlook into PracticeMaster. The cross-reference file tracks associations between a particular email address and the Client and/or Contact to whom an email to or from that address was saved. You can control this behavior using the settings for the Outlook Plug-in in PracticeMaster. When the PracticeMaster Outlook Plug-in is installed, there are a few options designed to simplify the process of journaling emails from Outlook. Two of those options determine whether the Client ID and Contact fields are automatically populated in the new journal record.
Note: The Client ID and Contact fields are handled separately in these scenarios (e.g., if the email address has a client but not a contact associated with it, then only the Client ID field will be prefilled).
In order to change these settings, you must uninstall the Outlook Plug-in, make your changes, and then reinstall the Outlook Plug-in for the changes to take effect.
To make changes to the prefill options for the Outlook Plug-in
Synchronization of records from Outlook to PracticeMaster depends on how Outlook integration is configured. If Outlook integration has been configured for automatic synchronization from Outlook to PracticeMaster, records that you add or modify in Outlook will synchronize to PracticeMaster immediately upon being saved.
If that’s not the behavior you are seeing, the first consideration is how the integration is configured. You can access the Outlook configuration settings by clicking the Maintenance menu in PracticeMaster, then pointing to Integration and selecting Outlook Synchronization.
On the Calendar tab, verify the following settings to ensure that automatic synchronization is properly configured:
If you’ve confirmed that the integration is properly configured for automatic synchronization, then verify that the status bar at the bottom of the PracticeMaster window is not displaying an “Outlook Synchronization Suspended” message. This message indicates that synchronization has been halted and user intervention is required. To resolve the suspended synchronization, click the message in the PracticeMaster status bar. You will then be prompted to perform the required action.
Most commonly, “Outlook Synchronization Suspended” messages are the result of the confirmation threshold being set too low on the Synchronization Options tab of the Outlook Synchronization window. This setting is designed to alert you when an unusually large number of records are being synchronized, and may need to be modified depending on how many records are normally added for you by other users.
If you have verified all of the above settings and the calendar items are still not synchronizing to PracticeMaster, contact Technical Support at (402) 419-2210.
A WorkFlow can be set up to create a People record every time a contact is added with a Category of Witness. When a People record is created, it requires a Client ID be selected for it to proceed. Once the Client ID is selected, the record can be created and saved automatically or be left open for additional information to be added before saving the record.
To automatically create a People record based on a Witness Contact Category
You now have a WorkFlow that will automatically create a People record for you when a contact is added as a Witness.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
In most data entry files, like the Journal, Document Management, and Calendar files, you can easily change the Client ID by opening a record and changing it or via the Change Client ID feature. However, before now, there wasn’t a way to change the Client ID for a fee or cost in PracticeMaster without deleting the record and starting over. We recently enhanced Version 19 so that you can now use the Change Client ID feature in the PracticeMaster Fee and Cost files!
The Change Client ID feature can be used for one record, or multiple selected records. Additionally, you have the option to update the rate based on the selected client, which will automatically recalculate the amount of the transaction(s). The Change Client ID features can be accessed via the following:
When you change the Client ID of a record that has been processed into a fee, the linked fee’s Client ID will also be changed.
PracticeMaster can integrate with any local installation of Microsoft Outlook. If you’re using Office 365, you can install Outlook locally. PracticeMaster’s integration with Outlook relies on the local mail profile and therefore should be unaffected by the location of the Exchange Server.
When integrating Calendar and/or Contact records between PracticeMaster and Outlook, Tabs3 recommends having a conversation with your IT Department or whoever will be performing the migration before migrating to a new Exchange Server. In order to plan the migration process, they will need to review our Knowledge Base Article R11731, “Exchange Migration Best Practices,” before migrating to ensure a smooth transition to the new Exchange server.
To assist in your conversation with IT, there are two important questions that need to be asked prior to migrating:
Will we still have Outlook installed locally on the same workstation as PracticeMaster?
Why this is important: PracticeMaster requires a local copy of Outlook installed on the same workstation in order to integrate. A web-based version of Outlook, or an installation on another instance of Windows will not integrate successfully.
Can you configure and include custom fields as part of the Exchange migration process?
Why this is important: PracticeMaster uses custom fields in Outlook to store information relating to PracticeMaster in Outlook records. Examples of this include:
If this information is not passed to the new Exchange server, the first time PracticeMaster is synchronized with Outlook using the new server, duplicate calendar and contact records will be synchronized back to PracticeMaster, and all of the journal, calendar, and fee information for each email will be lost.
Once you have confirmed that “yes” is the answer to both questions, you’ll need to prepare for the migration. There are two main steps you must take prior to migrating:
Additionally, we recommend that you migrate all of your firm’s users to the new Exchange server at once rather than individually or a few at a time. This prevents problems caused by users on different Exchange servers entering calendar records for each other in PracticeMaster.
Note: It is important to review our Knowledge Base Article R11731, “Exchange Migration Best Practices,” prior to migration, as this article provides complete instructions for successfully migrating your Exchange server.
Did you know that software updates are included with maintenance at no additional charge? Our maintenance plan is best known for its first class technical support; however, there are more benefits to having maintenance!
The following benefits are included for firms on maintenance:
If you’re considering not renewing your maintenance, consider how losing access to new versions, new features, and technical updates may affect your firm. Staying on maintenance not only ensures that you have someone to call for help, but that you have access to the most up-to-date software.
Are you taking full advantage of the PracticeMaster Quick Clicks Pane? The Quick Clicks pane provides single-click access to a variety of features that will help you navigate your data files, including many of your common activities. For example, if you want to quickly convert a few timer records into fees, you can select the desired records in the List tab of the Journal file, and then click Convert to Fee in the Take Action group of the Quick Clicks pane.
The Quick Clicks pane is available in all PracticeMaster data files and Matter Manager, and is organized into the following groups:
Note: The image to the right shows the Quick Clicks pane for the Client file.
The Quick Clicks pane is also customizable via Manage Quick Clicks. Add, edit, or delete QuickViews, Filters, and Column Layouts; create folders; move items around within each group; and determine which items are shown or hidden! The Manage Quick Clicks window can be accessed via the (Manage) icon in the WorkFlow, Filter, Column Layout, and Customize Current View sections of the Quick Clicks Pane.
The ability to access features and information that you can organize is key, and the Quick Clicks pane helps make it quick and easy to find what you need, without scrolling through what you don’t need.
WorkFlows can take advantage of filtering to ensure they only run when they’re intended to. Filters are used to limit the records you want to display or select and can be used to limit the records shown in PracticeMaster files, Report Writer, Word Document Assembly, Outlook Synchronization, and WorkFlows. Filters can be simple comparisons, or advanced expressions capable of complex functionality.
Let’s take a look at the Filter Editor, and then a few scenarios where you might want to add a filter to your WorkFlows. To add a filter to your WorkFlow, open your WorkFlow via Maintenance | WorkFlows. In the WorkFlow Definition window, select Filtered Records, and click the Filter button.
In the Filter Editor, you can click New Row to add a simple row, or click New Advanced Row to create a more complex filter.
Below are a few scenarios where filtering the records that run the WorkFlow can help prevent the WorkFlow from running too often.
Scenario 1
Whenever we add a new Contact, our WorkFlow to create a new client record always triggers. However, we only need it to run when the contact has a Contact Category of “Client”.
To create a filter so the WorkFlow only triggers for a Contact Category of “Client”
Scenario 2
I have a WorkFlow that starts a fee record when we save a Document Management record. However, we don’t need fees to be created for documents with a DocType of “LTTR”.
To create a filter so the WorkFlow won’t trigger for a DocType of “LTTR”
Scenario 3
Our firm has a WorkFlow that recreates calendar records every time they’re deleted to prevent employees from accidentally deleting other people’s appointments. However, we do not want it to run when employees delete their own records.
This is a slightly more complicated scenario, but we can add an Advanced Row to compare the User ID assigned to the Calendar record with the User ID that is currently logged in by utilizing the UserID$ function. The UserID$ function always specifies the User ID logged into the software.
To create a filter so that employees can delete their own calendar records
For more information on filter expressions, including using them in WorkFlows, take a look at Knowledge Base Article R11493, “All About Expressions.”
Not only can you easily search for any actions, file, or report in the software via Search Actions, but you can also customize the Quick Launch pane to always show your most used actions and most accessed client matters!
The Customizing and using Quick Launch video shows you how to make the most out of the Quick Launch pane. Learn how to pin and unpin the Quick Launch pane, use the Search action feature, pin items to the Pinned Actions and matters to the Pinned Matters groups, move items around, and more!
Quick Launch makes it easy to navigate the software, lets each user customize the contents, and is available in all Tabs3 and PracticeMaster programs.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
If you haven’t tried out QuickViews yet, you haven’t unlocked PracticeMaster’s full potential! PracticeMaster QuickViews provide a powerful way of organizing and finding information in PracticeMaster using the List tab. QuickViews combine a filter, column layout, and an index (default sort) into a tab at the top of the List tab. When you change from one QuickView to another, you quickly change which records you see, the columns that are displayed, and the order in which records appear. QuickViews can also include Smart tabs at the bottom of the List tab to further sort records into groups based on the selected indexed field. For example, when using Smart tabs in the Client file, you can quickly get a list of all clients with tabs for each area of practice, timekeeper, location, and much more!
You can customize the colors used for QuickViews and Smart tabs. You can share QuickViews for all users as needed, or define them for yourself. Once created, you can select a QuickView at the top of the List tab, or via the Quick Clicks pane.
To add a QuickView
Unlimited QuickViews can be created for every file in PracticeMaster, providing the ability to easily view and manage your data in many different ways. The options to organize your data are nearly limitless. For information on QuickViews that are included when PracticeMaster is installed, see Knowledge Base Article R11607, “QuickViews Included in PracticeMaster.” Try out the QuickViews already included, or create your own and see how quickly you find that you can’t work without them!
QuickViews are available for both Platinum and multi-user versions of the software. QuickViews run faster in the Platinum version of PracticeMaster due to the acceleration of filtering and column sorting.
When linking is enabled on the PracticeMaster toolbar in Outlook, the email and the journal record in PracticeMaster are linked. This means that after you create a journal, calendar, or fee record from an email in Outlook, clicking the Journal, Calendar, or Fee button on the toolbar again will open the record you created in PracticeMaster instead of creating a new record. By default, linking is enabled.
When linking is disabled, clicking the Journal, Calendar, or Fee button will create a new record in PracticeMaster instead of opening an existing record. This allows you to create as many records as you need per email.
You can toggle Record Linking off and on for a single email by clicking the Linking On/Linking Off button on the PracticeMaster tab while viewing the email in Outlook.
However, keep in mind that when changing the Linking status, the default settings will determine what happens to the next email. Depending on your settings, turning Linking off may mean that the next email will also default to Linking Off, or it could automatically default back to Linking On.
To configure the default behavior for Record Linking
For more information regarding the Outlook Toolbar Plug-in, see Knowledge Base Article R11516, “Configuring the Outlook Toolbar Plug-in.”
We redesigned the Recap of Hours for Version 19, and included it on the new PracticeMaster Dashboard. Want to see how you can take advantage of this great feature?
The Recap of Hours can be displayed three different ways, and shows both billable and non-billable time, with the option of including unprocessed timer records in PracticeMaster. Check out the Recap of Hours video as it walks you through the new look, new features, and customization options.
Watch this two-minute video here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jn6bJBmKy0&t=41s
Training Videos can be accessed at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access the videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
Did you know that PracticeMaster has a new dashboard in Version 19? The dashboard makes it easy to see your calendar for the day, your upcoming tasks, and a quick recap of the time you entered.
My Calendar
The Calendar widget shows a list of your upcoming events, along with a calendar that can be used to pick a different date. Mouse over an upcoming event to see more details, or click it to open the calendar record for editing. You can quickly add an item and open the full calendar.
My Tasks
The My Tasks widget shows all of your incomplete tasks broken up into sections by due date. This makes it easy to see what needs to be done first.
Recap of Hours
The Recap of Hours widget shows your hours worked compared to your daily target hours. This makes it easy to see the status of your worked hours, including any unprocessed timer records.
Note: The Home page must be selected in the PracticeMaster Theme Settings (View | Theme Settings | Home Page) to view the dashboard.
This can be accomplished by creating a WorkFlow that prompts the user if they’d like it to run when a Document Management record is created with a particular Document Type (e.g., “Form” or “Proposal”). Fee and email values will be entered automatically.
Once the WorkFlow completes, the document can easily be attached to the email.
To automatically create a fee and start an email every time Document Management records are added with certain Document Types
When run, this WorkFlow will start an email to which the document can be attached. To attach the document to the email, select the PracticeMaster tab of the email, click Attach PM Document, and then select the new Document Management record from the list.
Note: This WorkFlow can be created for each Document Type, as needed.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
In Version 19, we added the Attach PM Document button to the PracticeMaster toolbar in Outlook. When composing an email in Outlook, this button is available on the PracticeMaster tab if the PracticeMaster toolbar is installed.
To add multiple managed documents to an outgoing email
You can now finish composing your email and send it. Keep in mind that your or the recipient’s email server may have a limit on the size of attachments that can be included with an email message.
Note: If you only need to send a single managed document to someone, you can also open the document management record in PracticeMaster and click the Send Email option in the Take Action group of the Quick Clicks pane. This will create a new email message in Outlook with the document attached. However, if you need to attach a single managed document to a reply or forwarded email, use the Attach PM Document button instead.
Wondering what all the fuss is over the new look of Version 19, but don’t have time to read up on it? It takes less than two minutes to watch it in action.
The What’s New in Version 19 video provides a quick overview of some of the coolest new features in 19 – the new look and navigation! Watch this video to see how the new font and text size changes the way you view the software. You can also see how to access the features you use most quicker than ever via the Home Page, Tabbed Interface, Quick Launch, and the PracticeMaster Dashboard.
Watch this two-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access Training Videos while in the software by selecting Help | Training Videos.
If you’ve updated to Version 19, then you’re familiar with the new look. But did you know that you can customize it? We introduced several updates to the look of Tabs3 including a new font, larger text size, a tabbed interface, Home page, Quick Launch, and more. Many of these options can be changed via Theme Settings (View | Theme Settings). Let’s take a look at all of the options in the Theme Settings window.
General Settings tab
The General Settings tab of the Theme Settings window allows you to configure what features of the application are shown when you start the software. Theme settings are saved for each user.
The following Navigation options can individually be shown or hidden:
The following Interface options are available
Text Size tab
This can be accomplished by creating a WorkFlow that will automatically trigger whenever a calendar record with a particular calendar code (e.g., “FC”) is marked as completed. The WorkFlow will create a calendar entry populated with field values specified in the WorkFlow itself. For our example, the calendar entry will include the following:
To automatically create the next Calendar entry every time one is completed in the set
You now have a WorkFlow that will create a customized calendar entry based on the completion dates of the prior task. This can be reapplied as many times as is necessary for the series to be completely automated as things are marked completed.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
Tabs3 version 19 has been released, and there are many great new features! The following features are only some of the enhancements we made for this version:
All Tabs3 & PracticeMaster Software
Tabs3
PracticeMaster
General Ledger
Accounts Payable
Trust Accounting
Tabs3 Connect
For in-depth information on all of the new Version 19 features, including screenshots, see the What’s New List or Knowledge Base Article R11744, “Version 19 Introduction to New Features.” A list with links to all Version 19 information can be found in R11746, “Version 19 Information and Resources.”
To download Version 19, select Check for Updates from the Help menu, visit Tabs3.com/support/update/v19upd.html, or contact your local consultant.
If you have any questions about the update, please contact your consultant, or contact Technical Support at (402) 419-2210.
Have you ever wanted to change the size of the windows, menus, page tabs, lists, and messages in the software? How about changing the font face and size on your PracticeMaster forms? Version 19 introduces a new, larger default font in the software and allows you more control over font via new customization options.
Knowledge Base Article R11778, “Customizing Fonts and Colors in Tabs3 Software,” discusses customizing the appearance in Tabs3 and PracticeMaster programs, customizing the printed output, and some common questions and answers. Included in this article is more information on the new Theme Settings, form designer changes, how to manually change the font, and how Windows personalization settings affect the color and font size in Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
We wanted you to know that our family of products has grown – we recently acquired CosmoLex! CosmoLex is a leading provider of cloud legal practice management, billing, and accounting software.
Our three product lines together – Tabs3, Kurent, and CosmoLex – now serve over 100,000 legal professionals in the United States and Canada. By adding CosmoLex to our Kurent and Tabs3 product lines, we now have the most complete offering of billing, financial, and practice management software for solo to midsized law firms; whether you want a desktop or cloud solution.
The following products are now offered by Tabs3 Software:
Want to learn more about what CosmoLex can do for you? Check out this CosmoLex overview video!
As a Tabs3 client this news does not affect you unless you are interested in a cloud product. If you are, please email sales@tabs3.com for more information about Kurent and CosmoLex. For more information on this exciting news, check out our CosmoLex Press Release.
PracticeMaster has the ability to customize which fields synchronize with Outlook. You can select which PracticeMaster field values to display in Outlook’s Subject or Description fields for Calendar records. When synchronizing contacts to Outlook, you can select which PracticeMaster fields to map to their corresponding Outlook fields. These features make it easy to display custom calendar and contact information from PracticeMaster in Outlook.
To specify which fields are displayed in the Subject field of Outlook Calendar records
To specify which fields are displayed in the Description field of Outlook Calendar records
To specify which fields are displayed for Outlook contacts
Any changes to the field settings will trigger a Critical Synchronization. This process updates previously synchronized records to use the new settings.
Working with a lot of data can be time consuming. However, PracticeMaster makes it easy by allowing you to restrict the records shown based on criteria you specify using filters. This powerful feature allows you to deal with just those records that apply to your situation.
The Filtering Overview video demonstrates how to select and clear filters via Quick Clicks on the List tab of data entry windows, how to select and clear filters in the Graphical Calendar, using the Search box, creating a simple filter, and how to rearrange filters in the Quick Clicks pane.
Watch this three-and-a-half minute video here:
Taking advantage of PracticeMaster filters will greatly enhance your ability to quickly and easily find exactly what you need.
Training Videos can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access Training Videos while in the software by selecting Help | Documentation and then clicking the See also link for Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Training Videos.
Did you know that you can press Ctrl+Shift+F to open the Fee file and Ctrl+M to open the Matter Manager or Client Manager? Most people are aware of standard keystrokes, such as Ctrl+S to Save, Ctrl+C to Copy, Ctrl+V to Paste, etc. However, there are many more shortcuts to help save time in Tabs3 and PracticeMaster without your hands leaving the keyboard!
Tabs3 and PracticeMaster provide two lists of keyboard shortcuts and keystrokes to help speed up your data entry. These can each be found via Help in any of our software by pressing F1 and then entering “keyboard shortcuts” and “keystrokes” on the Index tab. We recommend printing these lists out as a reference until you get used to the ones you need most.
Going between keyboard and mouse to access everyday tasks may not seem very time consuming, but the time it takes for those extra clicks can add up. Check out which keyboard shortcuts and keystrokes will save you time today!
A User Activated WorkFlow can be created and then run on selected records in the Client file. By not specifying a User ID in the WorkFlow, and instead having the WorkFlow use the User ID of the currently logged in User, anyone can run the WorkFlow. You can use the Search box or create a filter to display the desired clients prior to running the WorkFlow.
To create a WorkFlow that adds a User ID to the User/Group field of the linked Contact records
This WorkFlow is now ready to be run for selected clients.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
Are you familiar with how the Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software integrates? One of the key features of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software is how tightly our billing, practice management, general ledger, accounts payable, and trust accounting software all work together.
Knowledge Base Article R11143, “Integration Overview of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Software,” provides an overview of how the Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software integrates. Brief information and notes on how each piece integrates are provided for the following:
Tabs3 Billing Software
Tabs3 General Ledger Software (GLS)
Tabs3 Trust Accounting Software (TAS)
Tabs3 Accounts Payable Software (APS)
Take a moment to review how our software integrates and see what will help your daily, weekly, and monthly process!
If you want more details on how integration between various software works, check out our comprehensive Integration Guide at Tabs3.com/docs.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Did you know that you can see who is currently logged into the software? The Active User List shows you who’s in, and which programs they are currently accessing. This can be helpful when you want to get everyone out of the software for maintenance. By accessing the Active User List via View | Active User List, you can see who you need to have close the software.
When opening the Active User List, a window is displayed with all users who are in the currently open software (e.g., if you open the Active User List from PracticeMaster, users in PracticeMaster will be displayed). Additionally, you can see which computer they are logged into, and which file they are accessing in the software. Manager users will also have an All Systems check box and a Reset button. When the All Systems check box is selected, all users in all programs will be listed. The Reset button allows managers to reset a user, which closes the software on that user’s computer. (Note: Resetting users is not recommended in most situations, and should only be used when the user in question is not in the software.)
Manager users can always access the Active User List, but other users can be given access rights, or have access rights removed for this feature.
To add or remove rights to the Active User List
The next time you want to see who is currently in the software, check out the Active User List!
PracticeMaster’s Contact integration with Outlook provides the ability to restrict which contact records synchronize between PracticeMaster and Outlook. When configuring Contact syncing, you can optionally specify to not include Outlook private contacts as well as which contacts are synced to your Outlook folder.
Common filters are based on the User/Group or the Category fields in the Contact file. Alternatively, you can create a custom filter to further narrow which contacts you want to sync to Outlook. Our example will filter contacts based on the User/Group field.
To configure contact synchronization for your User ID to integrate with Outlook
Because a critical setting was changed, you will be required to resynchronize with Outlook before continuing. If prompted to confirm changes, review the list of changes and, once satisfied with the changes, click Synchronize.
Note: If you have any questions regarding the above steps, please contact Tabs3 Technical Support at 402-419-2210 or your IT professional.
For complete information on Outlook Integration, refer to our Outlook Integration Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html.
PracticeMaster Reminders do not synchronize over to Outlook. However, a WorkFlow can be set up that will automatically create additional calendar records as “reminders” in PracticeMaster when a certain calendar code is used. Because we are creating separate calendar records, they will then synchronize over to Outlook.
To create a WorkFlow that adds additional calendar records based on Calendar Code
The specified user will now have an automatic reminder set up for one week prior to a record with a Calendar Code of “Hearing”.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
Determining conflicts in a firm is important. PracticeMaster helps make it easy.
PracticeMaster’s Conflict Search is a powerful tool that can be used to find all occurrences of specified text to help determine if any conflicts are present. Fully indexed files are used, providing lightning-fast search times.
The Conflict of Interest Search video provides information on how to access the Conflict of Interest, examples of a simple search as well as a more complex search, and shows the benefits of the drill-down feature in the Preview window.
By allowing you to search all of your records in seconds and helping you maximize your productivity, the Conflict of Interest Search is one of the ways in which PracticeMaster saves you time. Make sure you’re taking full advantage of this great feature.
Watch this three-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access Training Videos while in the software by selecting Help | Documentation and then clicking the See also link for Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Training Videos.
Did you know that you can easily copy records in PracticeMaster using the Replicate feature? Replicating a record adds a new record that uses most, if not all, of the information from an existing record as a basis for the new record.
When replicating a record, all fields will be copied to the new record with the following exceptions:
Note: If you are integrating with Tabs3 Billing, you will not be able to use the Replicate feature in the Billing System Lookup Files (i.e., Timekeeper, Category, Tcode, Task Code, and Location files).
To Replicate a record
For more information on the Replicate feature, as well as limitations, open the PracticeMaster Help (F1 or Help | Help Topics) and enter “Replicate” on the Index tab.
Is your desk cluttered with sticky notes, miscellaneous pieces of paper, and phone messages? Clear your work area, consolidate your notes, and link them to the appropriate clients and contacts by using the PracticeMaster Journal file!
The following types of records can be added to the Journal file (File | Open | Journal) by clicking the (New) button:
Alternatively, Time Tasks, Phone Tasks, and Research Tasks can be created via the Timer (File | Timer). When integrated with Tabs3, any Client Notes from Tabs3 (File | Open | Client | Client Notes tab) can also be viewed, but not edited, in the PracticeMaster Journal file.
Not only can you move information from paper to PracticeMaster, but every journal record provides a Client ID and Contact field. This links the record directly to the client’s matter and/or contact for which it applies and allows others to access the same information when they need it. Simply open the Client and/or Contact file and click on the Journal tab to see all journal records pertaining to this client, or select a Journal Page tab (e.g., E-mail, Phone, Timer, etc.) to see specific record types. You can configure which tabs to display in the Client file by opening Configure Client Pages (Edit | Configure Client Pages) from the List tab, and in the Contact file by opening Configure Contact Pages (Edit | Configure Contact Pages).
Use PracticeMaster to help organize your notes, research, and more – unclutter your workspace and allow others access to valuable information!
We are pleased to announce that we have selected ProCirrus as our Preferred National Cloud Hosting Partner. Hosting providers like ProCirrus can make managing your technology much easier. Instead of installing and maintaining programs like Tabs3 on your server, you login to the programs from a secure website that ProCirrus maintains. ProCirrus is a full-service cloud hosting company that specializes in providing hosting services for the legal industry. You can find more information about ProCirrus on their website at:
“We are very excited to become the Preferred National Cloud Hosting Partner for Tabs3 Software and combine their feature-rich applications with our full-service cloud,” said Dan LeBaron, Chief Technology Officer. “With over a decade of successful Tabs3 hosting, our partnership represents a better overall solution and support for both our current and future mutual clients.”
You can learn more about the various cloud options available in the following resources:
If you are thinking about switching to a hosted provider, be sure to include ProCirrus on your list of potential service providers.
Because the calendar entries were synchronized between PracticeMaster and Outlook, the Outlook Sync Log can be used to help determine if records were deleted. The Outlook Sync Log keeps track of every add, change, or delete that passes between Outlook and PracticeMaster.
Because the Outlook Sync Log records everything that synchronizes between PracticeMaster and Outlook, it can be quite large. Fortunately, we can create a filter to help narrow down the records we want to look at.
To filter the Outlook Sync Log for deleted records
Once the filter is enabled in the Quick Clicks pane, only those records that were deleted during the sync will be shown. You can then determine if records need to be added back into PracticeMaster based on record information in the Outlook Sync Log including the calendar Description, Owner (User), and Due Date/Time.
If you do not see the record(s) you are expecting, keep in mind that it’s also possible for records to appear deleted when they were actually changed (e.g., removing a User from the record, changing the Due Date field, etc.). If you want to look for changed records, instead of deleted records, simply change the filter’s Test Value from “D” to “U” in step 6b above.
For more information on PracticeMaster’s integration with Outlook, please see our Outlook Integration Guide.
Do you have a question about the software? Any questions that you want to ask have likely been asked by others as well. Because of this, we have created several targeted Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) articles, and made it easy to access them all in one place.
Knowledge Base Article R11567, “Frequently Asked Questions for All Products,” provides a list of articles answering FAQs. Articles are grouped by general, software features, and version specific questions.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Effective immediately, we have reduced the monthly subscription plan rates for our Platinum SQL levels of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software by 20%. Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster software are now each $32/month per user and Tabs3 Financial Software is $8/month per user.
“We are excited about this reduced pricing for clients choosing to pay for our Platinum SQL level of our software on a monthly per user subscription basis,” said Dan Berlin, President and CEO of Tabs3 Software. “This makes it even more affordable to have the ability to enter fees and costs from your mobile device via Tabs3 Connect, take better advantage of the speed of your firm’s computer, and more.”
The subscription pricing model features a low monthly cost that includes all the benefits of being on maintenance, including free technical support and free updates, plus access to the most award-winning software in the industry.
If you are interested in upgrading to Platinum SQL via monthly subscription, contact either your local consultant or our sales team at (402) 419-2200.
You can turn any number of tasks into single click functions using WorkFlows.
When the User Activated check box is selected in a WorkFlow, the WorkFlow will be included in the WorkFlow group of the Quick Clicks pane for the selected file. This allows you to manually run the WorkFlow on demand for the selected records.
For example, let’s say that when a client calls in to set up an appointment, you want to quickly and easily add a calendar record. A User Activated WorkFlow can be created in the Client file so that when the client calls in to make an appointment, you can click the WorkFlow and have the calendar record automatically created with the Client ID, Description, Calendar Code, and Alarm already filled in.
To create a User Defined WorkFlow
Keep in mind that WorkFlows that do not have the User Activated check box selected will not be available in the WorkFlow group of the Quick Clicks pane, and will only run when triggered. However, you can optionally make WorkFlows that automatically run when records are added, changed, or deleted also run on demand by selecting the User Activated check box. This can help provide more flexibility in a WorkFlow that sometimes needs to run automatically and sometimes on demand.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
If you need to find data in PracticeMaster based on just a word or phrase, we have you covered! There are several ways to search in PracticeMaster to find what you need.
Search Box
The search box, which is available on the List tab for all files, the Matter Manager, and the Graphical Calendar, can be used to quickly search for all records that contain a specific string of text in any of the fields included in the currently selected column layout. You can optionally search for different text in multiple fields at one time. You can enter text directly in the Search List field, or click the
button to show a list of fields for more specific searching. If the desired field is not shown, click the Fields button for a list of all fields in the current column layout.
Conflict of Interest
PracticeMaster’s Conflict of Interest Search (Search | Conflict of Interest Search) provides robust searching capabilities including whole word or partial word searching and word order, phonetic searching, and record drill-down capabilities on reports.
Files searched in PracticeMaster include the Client file, Contact file, fee transactions, cost transactions, Calendar, Journal, Document Management, and Area of Practice files, which include e-mail records, call logs, research tasks, and phone timer records. If PracticeMaster is integrated with Tabs3, all fields in PracticeMaster that exist in both programs (such as Miscellaneous Lines in the client file), will contain information from Tabs3 in addition to existing information in PracticeMaster.
Note: A field must be marked as Include in Conflict Search in File Maintenance (Maintenance | File Maintenance) in order to be included in the Conflict of Interest Search.
Document Search
The Document Search program (Search | Document Search) is a powerful program used to search the contents of Document Management documents, e-mail attachments, and linked documents associated with PracticeMaster records.
Searching capabilities including whole word or partial word searching; phonetic, stemming, and fuzzy searching; and record drill-down capabilities on reports. Additionally, you can narrow your search to specific dates, clients, document types, and/or users.
Contact Search
The Contact Search (Search | Contact Search) lets you quickly find a single contact so that you can drill down to a phone number or other information for the contact. Searching capabilities including partial word searching, phonetic searching, and record drill-down capabilities on reports.
Note: A field must be marked as Include in Contact Search in File Maintenance (Maintenance | File Maintenance) in order to be included in the Contact Search.
Find and Replace
On any List tab, the Find and Replace program (Edit | Find and Replace) can be used to find one or more records containing specific text, and optionally replace the text with a new value. You can search the current list or just highlighted records, all fields or specific fields.
Find and Replace is a quick and easy alternative to updating multiple records with the same information one by one.
Data can always be found using the various search options in PracticeMaster. Learn more about the various PracticeMaster search features in the PracticeMaster Search Guide.
There are a few reasons the “Outlook Synchronization Suspended” message can be displayed in the PracticeMaster status bar.
The specified confirmation threshold has been exceeded.
The Outlook Synchronization confirmation threshold is used to specify the minimum number of records that will require confirmation before synchronization can proceed. The purpose of this setting is to ensure that you are alerted when an unusual number of records are being synchronized (as this can indicate a problem with your synchronization settings), without interrupting more typical synchronizations. Therefore, the ideal value will vary depending on the user.
To change the threshold
A critical Outlook Synchronization setting has been changed and therefore a critical synchronization is required.
In order to ensure the accuracy of synchronized information, a critical synchronization must be performed before any synchronization can occur after changing the settings. All other synchronization for the user will be suspended until this synchronization is performed.
A synchronization exception has occurred.
A synchronization exception is a synchronization issue that PracticeMaster cannot resolve without user intervention. Exceptions are uncommon. Refer to the “Synchronization Exceptions” section of Knowledge Base Article R11368, “Troubleshooting Outlook Calendar & Contact Integration Issues,” for more information.
Resolution
To resolve the suspended synchronization, click the “Outlook Synchronization Suspended” message in the PracticeMaster status bar. You will then be prompted to perform the required action.
For more information on PracticeMaster’s Outlook integration, refer to our Outlook Integration Guide.
Do you manually add every calendar record individually for events that repeat on a regular basis? Save time by using PracticeMaster’s Recurring Dates feature!
PracticeMaster’s Recurring Dates feature allows you to quickly add multiple calendar records with the same information for different dates. This feature is quite useful for creating dates for repetitive tasks such as client review, filing deadlines, etc. You can even link a series of dates, making it easy to change or delete all records in the same series.
The Recurring Dates video walks you through adding calendar records for a meeting with a monthly recurring date. For this scenario, the video shows you how to create records on the third Thursday of every month for the next two years. The video then shows you how easy it is to change the date for all of the newly created meeting records to the third Friday of every month, instead.
Using PracticeMaster’s Recurring Dates feature makes it easy to create multiple linked calendar entries for a task or event that occurs on a regular basis.
Watch this three-and-a-half-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access Training Videos while in the software by selecting Help | Documentation and then clicking the See also link for Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Training Videos.
You can create WorkFlows so that each time you add a record to the Calendar with the Client ID field populated, the Primary Timekeeper’s name will be added to the beginning of the Description field.
To create a WorkFlow that adds the Primary Timekeeper’s name to the Description field
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
You have a special font you downloaded for your firm to use for statements and reports. Although you print some statements and reports, you also e-mail PDFs of statements and reports to certain clients and third parties. However, did you know that if the e-mail recipient doesn’t have that font installed, the font will be replaced by a different one? When a designated font in a PDF file is not installed on the reader’s computer, the closest substitution font is found and used, but sometimes this can make the PDF more difficult to read.
The solution? You can specify that the font be embedded into the PDF, so that it reaches your recipients as expected.
To embed fonts in PDF files
Note: PDF files with embedded fonts have a larger file size, which may lengthen the processing time when e-mailing statements. Additionally, some fonts cannot be embedded due to copyright laws.
You don’t need to skip the specialty font for your firm; embed the font so that others can view the file as intended!
The way that calendar records synchronize between PracticeMaster and Outlook depends on whether you are using Microsoft Exchange, and how System Configuration is configured.
If you are not using Microsoft Exchange, or you are but do not have System Configuration set up to take advantage of Microsoft Exchange, then the following synchronization rules apply:
If you have Microsoft Exchange, there are two settings in System Configuration that can be used to immediately synchronize calendar records for other users. The first option, Use Microsoft Exchange to synchronize PracticeMaster and Outlook, is available in both the Platinum and non-Platinum software. The second option, Enable the Platinum Exchange Connector, is available only in the Platinum software.
Non-Platinum
If you do not have the Platinum version of the software, and the option to Use Microsoft Exchange to synchronize PracticeMaster and Outlook is selected, the following synchronization rules apply:
Platinum
If you have the Platinum version of the software, and the options to Use Microsoft Exchange to synchronize PracticeMaster and Outlook and Enable the PracticeMaster Exchange Connector are selected, the following synchronization rules apply:
Note: In order for synchronization to occur with other users, both users must have Outlook calendar integration and automatic synchronization enabled in PracticeMaster. For example, if Mary is creating events in Susan’s PracticeMaster calendar, and Mary is not set up to automatically integrate calendar records with Outlook, the events Mary enters will not be synchronized to Susan’s Outlook calendar until the next periodic or manual synchronization occurs for Susan.
For information on setting up and troubleshooting integration with Microsoft Exchange, see Knowledge Base articles R11373, “Microsoft Exchange Server Overview,” R11596, “Configuring the PracticeMaster Platinum Exchange Connector,” and R11597, “Troubleshooting the PracticeMaster Platinum Exchange Connector.”
A common task when beginning to use the software is adding a new field to a file. PracticeMaster allows you to customize the software and add the fields that you need. Adding a field is a two-step process – once you have added the field to the file, you then need to add the field to the form layout so that it displays when entering data. Form layouts are used to determine the layouts of the data entry screens used when adding, changing, or deleting records from a file. A form layout consists of the various fields and tabs shown in the entry program for a file. Each file has its own form layout that can be customized using the Form Designer.
To add a field, open File Maintenance (Maintenance | File Maintenance), select the file you need to add a field to, and click OK. For example, if you want to add a field to the Client file, select the Client file and click OK. From the Field tab, click the (New) button and enter any desired information and settings. Click Done to save the new field.
Once the field has been added to File Maintenance, it must be added to the Form Designer Layout. Let’s say you have added a Clerk field to the Client file in File Maintenance, and have named it Scheduling Clerk. To add this field to the Court tab, open the Client file; from the Edit menu, select Form Designer.
Select the Court tab and click the button (Add Field). In the Field Selection List window, select the Scheduling Clerk field and click OK. The new field will be located at the top of the screen with a blue and green border. Move your mouse over the blue border until the cursor becomes a , then click and drag the field to where you want it positioned on the form.
Now let’s say you want to change the name of the field to be displayed. Double-click the Scheduling Clerk box, and a Label Properties window will be displayed. Rename the field as desired and click OK. Click the icon to save and run the form.
Just remember, once you add a new field to a file, you must also add it to the data entry page via Form Designer!
Did you know that there are multiple calendar reports that can be printed in PracticeMaster? Different reports provide different ways to view your calendar entries and print them.
Daily Report
The Daily Report can include events, tasks, and/or reminders for the selected users and date range. You can select whether entries are listed by type and then by date, or vice versa, and specify what is appended to the description. This report automatically begins each selected user on a different page.
The Daily Report can be accessed via Reports | Daily Report.
Graphical Calendar Report
The Graphical Calendar Report mimics the look of the Daily/Weekly/Monthly Calendar. There are four ways to print the Graphical Calendar Report. Common settings include font, whether to include color, which users to include on the report, and the date range. Additionally, when the Graphical Calendar Report is accessed from the Daily/Weekly/Monthly Calendar, you can select to print a filtered calendar based on the filter selected at the time of printing.
The following selections provide additional options:
The Graphical Calendar Report can be accessed via Reports | Graphical Calendar Report or the (Print) icon in the Daily/Weekly/Monthly Calendar.
Graphical Task List Report
The Graphical Calendar Task List mimics the look of the Task List and includes the columns selected on the Task List tab of the Calendar Properties (Calendar | Calendar Properties). Options that can be selected include color and which User IDs to include. Additionally, a date range can be specified if Incomplete Tasks for Selected Day is selected on the Task List tab of the Calendar Properties.
The Graphical Task List can be accessed via Reports | Graphical Task List or the (Print) icon in the Task List.
Report Writer
In addition to the ability to create your own reports, Report Writer comes with many pre-defined reports that can be edited, copied, and/or deleted. The following calendar reports are among the reports included.
Report Writer can be accessed via Reports | Report Writer.
For examples of each of these reports, take a look at the PracticeMaster Report Pack.
You can create a WorkFlow so that each time you add a record to Document Management with a Document Type of subpoena (e.g., SUB), you will be prompted to run Word Document Assembly. This allows you to keep taking advantage of Word Document Assembly automatically running, but provides the option to click No to the prompt once you are done.
To create a WorkFlow that prompts you to run Word Document Assembly
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
PracticeMaster’s Report Writer is a powerful report creation utility, which allows you to pull information from any record in PracticeMaster and format the output as needed. This allows you to create virtually any report you need out of the system.
The Custom Report Writer training video walks you through creating a Client List that sorts clients by the city where the client is located. Additionally, this video will take a brief look at some of the other Report Writer options including report creation using the Report Writer Editor.
Watch this six-and-a-half-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access Training Videos while in the software by selecting Help | Documentation and then clicking the See also link for Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Training Videos.
Did you know that we release enhancements to the software on a regular basis? Enhancements can range from fixing issues we have found to adding new functionality that helps make the software work better. Although we don’t typically announce these changes, you can quickly and easily check to see if there are any new updates available from within the software.
When checking for updates (Help | Check for Updates), you can see if the software is up to date, an update is available, or a new version is available. Additionally, if we make a change to the software that fixes an issue that may have caused any inaccuracy in your data, we will release a Critical Update. A Critical Update will be displayed when you start the software so that you know it is available right away and can download the update.
For more information on update notifications, visit Knowledge Base Article R11539, “Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Update Notification.” This article provides information on the various notifications, downloading an update, configuring access profiles for rights to check for updates, troubleshooting, and frequently asked questions.
Keeping the software up to date is important. Make checking for updates part of your regular task list.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Before you can configure the toolbar to automatically journal all outgoing e-mails, you will need to install the Outlook Plug-in.
To install the PracticeMaster Outlook Plug-in
Once the Outlook Plug-in has been installed, you can specify whether new messages will be automatically journaled or not. Additionally, you can specify whether or not the records will be linked. When Linking is enabled, PracticeMaster will maintain a link between the e-mail and the Journal/Calendar/Fee record. When Linking is enabled and you try to create a PracticeMaster record from an e-mail a second time, the existing record will be opened instead. When Linking is disabled, multiple records for the same e-mail may be created.
To automatically journal outgoing e-mails
Keep in mind that these are the default settings. When sending an e-mail, you can click on the PracticeMaster tab in the new message window and select to turn Journaling and/or Linking off for this message. The next e-mail you send will revert back to the default settings.
For more information regarding the features available in PracticeMaster’s Outlook Plug-in, refer to Knowledge Base article R11516, “Configuring the PracticeMaster Outlook Plug-in.”
A WorkFlow can be configured to edit a field provided there is a consistent character (or set of characters) indicating where the fee’s description begins. For our example, we will use “***” as an indicator. With a WorkFlow set up to automatically edit the description field of a new fee, the journal record will retain the original text, but only the text after “***” will be included in the fee. Additionally, if an attorney wants an entire journal record’s description included, they simply have to omit the character (or set of characters) from the description.
For example, let’s say a journal record that you will convert to a fee includes the text “could not find precedence.” You don’t want your client to see this on their bill. With this WorkFlow, you could change the description to “could not find precedence *** Research,” and when the WorkFlow runs, “Research” is all that will be included in the Fee Description.
To set up a WorkFlow that automatically trims the Description field
Note: This WorkFlow will run for any new fee entry provided that, in this example, there is *** present.
Note: In order for this WorkFlow to run properly, Description Field must be specified as the Default Description for Convert to Fee Settings (Maintenance | Preferences | Convert to Fee Settings).
Note: Before saving the Fee, the additional text will still be shown. The additional text is only removed after the save has been completed.
Alternative Methods: As an alternative, you can use the statement comments attribute in the Journal record for text you don’t want printed on a statement. Using statement comments suppresses the text from printing on a final statement, but displays in red in the Journal and Fee records. Additionally, in draft statements and reports, statement comments will be shown with a strikethrough character (e.g., could not find precedence). To use statement comments, select the desired text, right-click in the Description or Comment field of the journal record, and then select Statement Comment.
Another option to prevent text in the Journal record from being included in the fee description is to specify a different Default Description such as Tcode/Activity Code Description in the Convert to Fee Settings (Maintenance | Preferences | Convert to Fee Settings). This option uses the selected Tcode’s default description for the fee instead of the text from the Journal record.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
There are several ways to customize how you store data in PracticeMaster. When you need a way to add multiple records of the same type for your client, Common Client Related Files are a great way to go!
You can use Common Client Related Files to store information for which you can have multiple records for each client. Unlike Area of Practice Files, Common Client Related records can be added for any matter in the Client file. Existing Common Client Related files include the Journal, Document Management, Fee, and Cost files. A couple examples of how you might use Common Client Related Files are as follows:
To add a Common Client Related File
Accessing Common Client Related Files
Common Client Related Files can be accessed a few ways:
If you need to be able to add multiple custom records for your client, you can add and access a Custom Client Related File in no time!
Take a look at the Customizing PracticeMaster Guide for other ways to customize data storage in PracticeMaster including adding fields to existing files and adding Lookup Files and Areas of Practice. The Customizing PracticeMaster Guide can help you take advantage of PracticeMaster’s tremendous flexibility, help you configure PracticeMaster to best meet your firm’s needs, and show you how you can customize the different areas of PracticeMaster to work for you.
You can set up a WorkFlow so that every time a client record is added, the contact record is updated with “Client” as a Contact Category in addition to any other contact categories already assigned. If the contact already has a contact category of Client assigned, it will not be added again.
To create a WorkFlow to add “Client” as a Contact Category when a client is added
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
System Configuration isn’t a program you work in everyday like Tabs3 Billing, but is geared toward setting up certain features of the software. So what settings are controlled in System Configuration, and how do you access it?
Many settings in the software can be set up once and you’re done, but others may need to be updated such as when employees come and go, your server equipment changes, or your firm changes and grows. Although each individual program (Tabs3 Billing, PracticeMaster, etc.) has program-specific customization settings, many System Configuration settings affect more than just a single program.
Note: Manager Access Rights are required to access many of the settings in System Configuration.
System Configuration is used to set up the following features:
How to access System Configuration
You can open System Configuration via your desktop shortcut, if present, or via the Application Toolbar from any of the Tabs3 software. The Application Toolbar is typically located on the right-hand side of the main window and includes buttons for all Tabs3 software for which you have access rights. For more information about accessing System Configuration, press F1 while in the Tabs3 software and enter “System Configuration” on the Index tab.
Do you want a way to scroll through each file and quickly see the key contents of each record? The SnapShot provides a concise picture of the data contained in individual records using an easy to view format in a single location. When you are viewing a list of records such as a List tab in PracticeMaster or the Client Lookup and Contact Lookup windows in Tabs3, simply click on a single record from the list. All of the key information from the record will be shown in the SnapShot panel.
As you select different records on the list, the SnapShot refreshes with information from each new record. This makes it easy to see the information without actually opening the record. Hyperlinks are provided for phone numbers, e-mail addresses, in both Tabs3 and PracticeMaster, as well as file type fields in PracticeMaster. These fields can open a Send E-mail window, the Phone Dialer window, a Web Browser window, and a file or file location.
SnapShot makes it easy to grab information for a client or contact. After selecting the desired record, you can highlight the name and address block of information and use Ctrl+C to copy the information to the Windows clipboard. You can then paste that information into a document, spreadsheet, e-mail, or any other program that accepts text. If you want to print the SnapShot, simply right-click in the SnapShot panel and select Print.
The position of the SnapShot panel can be changed by right-clicking the SnapShot panel, pointing to the SnapShot menu option and selecting the Right or Bottom menu option. The SnapShot panel can also be resized by moving your cursor over the edge of the panel until your mouse changes to a line with arrows on both ends, clicking the edge of the panel, and dragging the edge to the new size. The size and position of SnapShot panels are stored separately for each User ID.
If you haven’t had an opportunity to work with the SnapShot feature yet, take a closer look. Additional information about the SnapShot feature can be found in Knowledge Base Article R11005, “SnapShot Overview.”
A WorkFlow can be created that will add the User ID to the desired calendar records. This WorkFlow will not run automatically, but will run when you click the WorkFlow in the Quick Clicks pane. This allows you the flexibility of selecting only the records to which you want the user added.
Tip: Once the WorkFlow has been created, it can easily be updated for similar scenarios in the future. For example, if you need to add another new employee at a later time, simply edit the existing WorkFlow for the new User ID.
To create a WorkFlow to add a particular User ID to calendar records
To run the WorkFlow, simply open the Calendar file, select the desired calendar records, and then click the WorkFlow from the WorkFlows group of the Quick Clicks pane. All of the selected calendar records will be updated with the new user.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
We’re excited to announce our performance in “The Best – 2017” Connecticut Law Tribune survey. Tabs3 software placed first in three categories: Time & Billing, Matter Management, and Docketing & Calendaring Software.
“The Best – 2017” is a part of the ALM Media community and recognizes which legal service providers are the best at what they do. “It measures the loyalty and satisfaction readers have with vendors,” says Wayne Curtis, Connecticut Law Tribune Publisher. “It is an opportunity for readers to speak up for those providers they believe are the best.” The Connecticut Law Tribune is read by not only the Connecticut legal market, but also thousands of readers in the New England area.
“We are thrilled to be recognized by attorneys in the New England legal community. For over 35 years, we have worked hard to develop reliable and quality software for law firms,” said Dan Berlin, President and CEO of Software Technology, LLC. “This kind of recognition from our clients means a great deal to our entire team.”
Thank you to all who voted!
A WorkFlow can be set up for a particular Calendar Code so that whenever the alarm is cleared, PracticeMaster sets the alarm to a new value for you and updates the description to the next action item. For example, when a “1 day” alarm is cleared, PracticeMaster can set the alarm for “1 hour.” This can be desirable if you like the alarms but don’t want to create separate calendar entries for each action item of a task or event.
To create a WorkFlow that sets a new alarm when an alarm is cleared
You now have a WorkFlow set up so that when you clear the one day alarm on a record with a Calendar Code of “Trial,” it will reset the alarm to be displayed one hour before the trial time to remind you to leave.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
Did you know that you can purchase a Tabs3 Connect subscription even if your firm doesn’t use both Tabs3 Billing Platinum and PracticeMaster Platinum?
Platinum firms with both Tabs3 and PracticeMaster still receive one Tabs3 Connect user with each PracticeMaster user they purchase and can access all of the great features of Tabs3 Connect.
Make sure you are taking full advantage of mobile access to Tabs3 and/or PracticeMaster via Tabs3 Connect! For more information on Tabs3 Connect, contact your reseller and consultant, contact Technical Support at (402) 419-2210, or visit Knowledge Base Article R11480, “All About Tabs3 Connect.”
Yes, there is! A WorkFlow can be created to automatically open the desired reports as well as the website to which the reports will be submitted.
When the WorkFlow runs, you will only need to enter the optional report criteria (e.g., client range, date range, etc.) and click Print to run and save the report. The website will open, and you can then upload the necessary reports.
To run multiple reports and open a specific website
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
If you mark clients as Inactive, you likely do not want to see them most of the time. In both Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster, you can use filters to include or exclude inactive clients.
In Tabs3 Billing, you can include or exclude inactive clients from the Client Lookup window, reports, and statements.
In PracticeMaster, you can include or exclude inactive clients from the List tab of any file, the Client Lookup window, the Client Inactivity Report, and Report Writer Reports.
When setting up the software for the first time, the Key Type defaults to Numeric with 2 Decimal Places. However, some firms prefer to include letters in the Client ID or require additional decimal places. Both the Key Type and Decimal Places can be changed after the initial setup is complete, but there are a few things to keep in mind when considering making a change.
Key Types
Note: Keep in mind that Mixed and Alpha Key Types do not integrate with select legacy cost recovery software programs. Contact Support at (402) 419-2210 for more information regarding legacy cost recovery software.
Changing the Key Type
Prior to changing the Key Type, take into consideration that all existing Client IDs must match the format of the new Key Type. For example, if you are currently set to the Alpha Key Type and you have alpha characters in your Client IDs, then all applicable Client IDs must be renumbered (Maintenance | Renumber | Client) to remove any alpha characters before changing the Key Type to Numeric.
To change the Key Type
Decimal Places
A Client ID consists of 11 characters and the decimal place for a total of 12 places. Typically, the portion to the left of the decimal is used to represent the Client, whereas the portion to the right is used to represent the matter. The most common reason to change the number of decimal places is when one or more clients have more matters than decimal places. For example, if you are set up to use 2 decimal places, then your clients will cap out at 99 matters. Although 99 matters may seem like a lot, for certain client types, such as insurance clients, you may reach that number quicker than you think. In our example, when you reach 99 matters, you have two options: start a new client or increase the Decimal Places.
Changing Decimal Places
You can either increase or decrease the Decimal Places. When increasing Decimal Places, you have the option to insert zeros at the Beginning or End of the decimal digits. For example, when selecting Beginning, client 152.82 would become 152.082. When selecting End, client 152.82 would become 152.820.
To change the number of decimals used
For more information on changing the Key Type, including a list of things to consider prior to making a change, see Knowledge Base Article R11049, “Changing the Key Type or Decimal Places.”
The Prompt Before Running and Automatically save and close check boxes may be desirable to use as a permanent setting depending on the purpose of the WorkFlow. However, we recommend using these check boxes to test the WorkFlow before considering it complete. It is important to test your WorkFlows as part of the creation process to make sure they work as expected. If you make modifications, test the WorkFlow again.
Prompt Before Running
The Prompt Before Running check box is located in the WorkFlow Definition window. If the Prompt Before Running check box is cleared, then the WorkFlow will run automatically when it’s triggered. When this check box is selected, a message will be displayed ask ing the user if they want to run the WorkFlow. Selecting this check box can be helpful when you are testing WorkFlows because you can see right away if the WorkFlow is triggered when you expect it to be triggered.
Automatically Save and Close
The Automatically save and close check box is located in the WorkFlow Action Wizard window when you select the Create New Record or Change Record action. If the Automatically Save and Close check box is selected, then new records and changes to records will be saved and closed without seeing the changes. If this check box is cleared, then the new or changed record will be left open for review with changes in green. Clearing this check box can be helpful by leaving the record open after the WorkFlow has run so that you can verify the correct additions or changes were made. If this check box is selected, you would have to find the record and open it to verify the WorkFlow worked as expected.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
The Data File Integrity Check (DFIC) and Archive File Integrity Check (AFIC) are important tools used to test data files for valid information and structure. The DFIC can be run from any Tabs3 and PracticeMaster program via Utilities | Data File Integrity Check, whereas the AFIC is run from Tabs3 Billing via Utilities | Archive Integrity Check.
If errors are found when the DFIC or AFIC is run, a report is available to preview or print out. The report provides information on the error(s), including the Error Code and where the error is located in the system (e.g., field, file, client, etc.). DFIC Error Codes can be found in Knowledge Base Article R11653, “Data File Integrity Check Errors,” and AFIC Error Codes can be found in Knowledge Base Article R10771, “Archive File Integrity Check Errors.” These articles provide links to information on what the error means, potential causes of the error, and how to resolve the error.
But when and how often should you run the DFIC and AFIC? We recommend running these checks at the following times:
It is very important that errors are taken care of right away. Ignoring errors in the data can compound into larger issues, making the original error more difficult to correct and in some cases not possible. Since some errors require restoring the data, ignoring these errors for long periods of time can lead to data loss, or the need to have your data repaired.
When was the last time you ran the DFIC or AFIC? You can easily see when each of these utilities has been run via the Support Log.
To use the Support Log to determine when a DFIC and/or AFIC have been run
The DFIC and AFIC can be set up to run when opening the program or at a specific time using a startup option of “/DFIC” or “/AFIC”. Using a startup option in conjunction with a batch file can automate your DFIC and AFIC to run at any time, including after regular business hours. More information on startup options is available in the program’s Help using “startup options” for the Index keywords. Information on automating tasks can be found in Knowledge Base Article R11034, “Automating Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Maintenance Tasks.” Take the time now to verify how often your firm is running the Data and Archive File Integrity Checks so that you can implement any necessary procedural changes.
Help keep your data error free by running the DFIC and AFIC regularly.
We’re excited to announce that we now offer a new Tabs3 Connect subscription plan that allows firms with just PracticeMaster Platinum to access Tabs3 Connect, the best way for attorneys to review matter information and their firm’s calendar anywhere they can connect to the internet.
“This new subscription option will allow firms that do not need to bill for their time a way to be connected to their office and client information when on the go,” said Dan Berlin, President and CEO of Software Technology, LLC. “We hope that PracticeMaster Platinum clients will enjoy this new Tabs3 Connect subscription option, as it will allow them more flexibility and mobility on the go, in addition to the robust practice management software at their office.”
Tabs3 Connect is a Platinum-only feature that provides access to Tabs3 and PracticeMaster anywhere you can connect to the internet. Tabs3 Connect uses the same SSL protocol used by banks and financial institutions to allow firms secure access to their data. From Tabs3 Connect, attorneys can enter fees and costs, see all activity and a billing summary for matters, schedule calendar appointments and tasks for anyone in their firm, and send eNote instant messages to anyone at the office. Tabs3 Connect is available for no additional monthly fee to Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Platinum clients on maintenance.
Client lookup fields use the Name Search field to find clients. Reports sorted alphabetically are also sorted on the Name Search field. However, this field does not get updated automatically when the Client Name is changed.
A WorkFlow can be created to update this field automatically when the Client Name is changed in PracticeMaster.
To create a WorkFlow that will update the Name Search field
You now have a WorkFlow set up that will automatically update the Name Search field without user interaction any time the Client Name field is changed, provided the change is made in PracticeMaster.
Note: If the Client Name is changed in Tabs3, the WorkFlow will not be triggered to run. However, the WorkFlow can optionally be run manually via the Quick Clicks pane in PracticeMaster.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
If you use PracticeMaster, do you use Quick Clicks? The Quick Clicks pane contains groups of links that allow you to customize your view, and provides access to many other features. The Quick Clicks pane can be pinned for immediate access to its features or hidden to maximize workspace. The Using Quick Clicks video covers all of the available options in this great feature!
Watch this five-and-a-half-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access Training Videos while in the software by selecting Help | Documentation and then clicking the See also link for Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Training Videos.
There are a variety of options available to handle this. WorkFlows can be set up to copy any information from the originating record to another location. For example, if a calendar record is deleted, then the WorkFlow can be set up to copy the Due Date, Calendar Code, Description, Comments, Start Time, and more to the new record. The WorkFlow can even be set up to show who made the deletion.
Note: You can optionally set up access rights to only allow certain users rights to delete records. This can help alleviate issues with unauthorized deletions. Access rights can be set up in System Configuration via File | Open | Access Profile.
The following is a list of options where WorkFlows can help track deletions:
Regardless of which option you choose, a new record will be added to PracticeMaster. The goal is for the WorkFlow to record all critical information that was removed by the deletion. A WorkFlow will need to be added to each file in which you want deleted records tracked.
You can find more information and additional options for using WorkFlows to track deleted records in Knowledge Base Article R11732, “Using WorkFlows to Track Deleted Records.”
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
Are you using groups for calendaring, or do you enter each user individually in the record? A group is composed of various users, and can be a great shortcut when adding calendar records for teams, managers, or any set of users. For example, if you have regular partner meetings, create a group that includes each of the partners. When creating the calendar record, simply select the group and all of the users in the group will automatically be added to the record.
To create a new group
By adding users to groups, you can help streamline calendar entries and save time!
When you’re creating a new WorkFlow, the Event Type determines when you want the WorkFlow to run. You can select one or more Event Types depending on when you want the WorkFlow to be triggered.
Keep in mind that Event Types can work in tandem with a Filter or specified Fields to further narrow down what triggers the WorkFlow.
For more information on WorkFlows, refer to our new PracticeMaster WorkFlows Guide at Tabs3.com/support/docs.html or Knowledge Base Article R11307, “All About WorkFlows.”
Everyone can view your public calendar records, but did you know that you can control who has rights to edit your public calendar records and who has rights to browse or edit your private records?
Calendar rights are assigned via the User Configuration program in System Configuration. Although any user can view public calendar entries, rights must be explicitly given to edit public entries, view private entries, and edit private entries. Although this may sound complicated, it’s easy to specify who has rights to whose calendars.
To specify calendar rights for a user
Configuring access for one user will automatically update the corresponding values in the Calendar Access Rights window for any other users affected by the change. For example, let’s say you currently have Cathy’s user profile open, and you specify that Robert has rights to edit Cathy’s public calendar records. Now opening Robert’s user profile will also show that he has rights to edit Cathy’s public calendar records.
Note: Keep in mind that while you can specify which users have rights to edit your public records, browse your private records, and edit your private records, only managers can specify what rights you have to other users’ calendars. Additionally, in order to browse, add, change, and/or delete calendar records, your User ID must be part of an Access Profile with those rights.
This can be done by creating a WorkFlow that will automatically trigger whenever a client is added with an Area of Practice (AOP) of Criminal Law. The WorkFlow will create a calendar entry populated with field values specified in the WorkFlow itself. For our example, the calendar entry will include the following:
To automatically create a Calendar entry every time a Criminal Law client is added
You now have a WorkFlow set up that will create a customized calendar entry every time a new client is saved with Criminal Law selected as the Area of Practice.
Did you know that you can customize PracticeMaster’s Document Management so that all documents automatically use the same folder and naming strategy? When PracticeMaster is set up to Automatically assign document folder and file names and Document Management records are set to Automatically Manage Document, you can specify not only where documents are saved, but also how they are named.
To Automatically assign document folder and file names
For example, let’s say you use the values in the following screenshots:
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When using the values in the above screenshots, the Document Store (Assembled in our example), folder, and files would be organized as follows:
Make sure your documents can easily be found. Let PracticeMaster automate the organization of your documents!
For more information on all of the great Document Management features, check Knowledge Base Article R11572, “Document Management Guide.”
Although Tabs3 Billing has the option to change fee rates via the Change WIP Transactions program, cost rates cannot be changed using this program. As a work-around, you can accomplish the cost rate change by creating a user activated WorkFlow in PracticeMaster. This type of WorkFlow runs only when initiated by a user, which means you can choose to run it for only the costs you want to change. The WorkFlow will change the Rate of the selected costs, recalculate the amount, and then automatically save the costs.
Tip: Once the WorkFlow has been created, it can easily be changed for future scenarios. For example, if you need to adjust cost records to a different rate, simply edit the existing WorkFlow for the new scenario.
To create a WorkFlow in PracticeMaster to change the rate of existing costs
To run the WorkFlow, simply open the Cost file, select the desired cost records, and then select the WorkFlow from the WorkFlows group of the Quick Clicks pane. All of the selected costs will be updated with the new rate and recalculated amount.
This was the first month of Working with WorkFlows! Did you find this article helpful? Have any article suggestions? Leave us a comment below!
Are you using Matter Manager? If you’re not, you may not realize its potential. The Matter Manager is your client activity dashboard. Not only can you see client and contact information, but you can also view fees, calendar entries, document management and journal records, a billing summary, reports, and more! Matter Manager is also customizable. Want to learn how Matter Manager can enhance your practice?
View this six-minute video here:
Training Videos can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Tabs3.com/videos. You can also access Training Videos while in the software by selecting Help | Documentation and then clicking the See also link for Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Training Videos.
Did you know that when adding, changing, or deleting a calendar record, PracticeMaster can be set up to generate an e-mail with the record’s details in the body and the applicable users in the To field? This makes it easy to notify users of calendar additions and changes.
To enable the Auto E-mail Notification feature, from the Calendar menu, select Auto E-mail Notification. A to the left of the menu option indicates that this feature is enabled. Keep in mind that each user who wants to have an e-mail auto-generated must enable this feature.
Once the e-mail has been generated, make any additional changes as desired and click Send. It’s that easy!
You’ve probably seen the announcements that CompuLaw will no longer update or support CompuLaw Court Rules that integrate with PracticeMaster after December 31, 2016, and that we are now integrating with CalendarRules. But if you’re not yet familiar with CalendarRules, keep reading to see what all it’s all about!
CalendarRules offers general civil litigation-related court and agency Rule Sets for State, Federal, Appellate, and Bankruptcy courts across the United States. Currently, rules are available in all 50 states, with additional courts being added every month.
You can contact CalendarRules at CalendarRules.com to subscribe. Make sure to let them know you use PracticeMaster.
After purchasing a license from CalendarRules, integration is set up entirely through PracticeMaster.
To set up CalendarRules Integration
CalendarRules’ calendar plans are easy to generate.
To generate a CalendarRules plan
You can now preview the calendar plan.
Once you have clicked the Accept Plan button, the PracticeMaster View Calendar Plans window will be opened. Plans that have been generated via CalendarRules can be reviewed at any time via the PracticeMaster View Calendar Plans window.
For more information on CalendarRules, see Knowledge Base Article R11713, “CalendarRules Integration Overview.”
Does it seem as though more and more gets added to your to-do list every day? Are you having difficulty finding documents that you have saved in various places? Join our webinar and learn how PracticeMaster can remind you of what needs to be done, automatically assemble documents using case information, name and save files in a consistent way, improve your conflict checking, and most importantly, help eliminate human error!
Reserve your spot now for January 18 at 10:30am to win a ScanSnap scanner!
PracticeMaster is capable of integrating with CalendarRules to create and maintain Calendar Plans using rule sets from CalendarRules.com! CalendarRules offers general civil litigation-related court and agency rule sets for State, Federal, Appellate, and Bankruptcy courts across the United States. Currently, rules are available in all 50 states, with additional courts being added every month.
Knowledge Base Article R11713, “CalendarRules Integration Overview,” provides everything you need to get started: integration requirements, steps for configuring CalendarRules integration, frequently asked questions, and troubleshooting.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
We’re excited to announce our new integration partner, CalendarRules!
CalendarRules.com offers general civil litigation-related court and agency Rule Sets for State, Federal, Appellate and Bankruptcy courts across the United States. Currently, rules are available in all 50 states, with additional courts being added every month.
CalendarRules makes updated rules available to the end user in real time. Courts generally announce updates in two ways:
CalendarRules can really add to the power of PracticeMaster for your firm. We would love to show you how it can save you time, and give you peace of mind. We recently had a webinar with Scott Davis, the founder of CalendarRules, and Bruce Policky, the Product Manager for Tabs3 Software, and had them demonstrate the new CalendarRules integration with PracticeMaster.
View the Recording here –> http://forms.tabs3.com/cr
Aderant, the company who makes CompuLaw Rules, has informed us that they are not planning on updating or supporting CompuLaw Rules that currently integrate with PracticeMaster after December 31, 2016.
As a result of Aderant’s decision, PracticeMaster Version 18 will be the last version of PracticeMaster that will generate or update CompuLaw Calendar Plans. Any CompuLaw Calendar Plans already processed with PracticeMaster will still be accessible.
In order to continue providing up-to-date court rules to our users, we have teamed up with CalendarRules.com, a provider of court rules for law firms. PracticeMaster integration with CalendarRules.com is available with Version 18.1.4, released August 11, 2016.
It’s after hours and you’ve run into some trouble printing. Something doesn’t look right, it’s printing off the page, or you need to make just a few tweaks to finish your project. However, you’re not sure what to do. What do you do? Check out the Knowledge Base, of course!
Knowledge Base Article R10469, “Frequently Asked Questions About Printing,” provides frequently asked questions regarding the following subjects:
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Tabs3 version 18 has been released, and update notifications have been sent to all eligible users! There are many great new features in Version 18! The following features are only some of the enhancements we made for this version:
For in-depth information on all of the new Version 18 features, including screenshots, see the What’s New List or Knowledge Base Article R11647, “Version 18 Introduction to New Features.” A list of all Version 18 information can be found in R11646, “Version 18 Information and Resources.”
To download Version 18, visit Tabs3.com/support/update/v18upd.html.
If you have any questions about the update, please contact your reseller and consultant, or contact Technical Support at (402) 419-2210.
We provide many resources for information on Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software which includes white papers. What are white papers? Tabs3 white papers are informative articles used to promote or highlight certain features of Tabs3 software.
Our most popular Tabs3 white papers include:
These top white papers can be accessed via Knowledge Base Article R11694, “White Paper Resource List.” This article provides access to more than 15 white papers and articles that can be printed or saved.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Microsoft® Outlook® can help manage your e-mail, your contacts, and your calendar records, but PracticeMaster manages your entire practice – for your entire firm.
PracticeMaster provides more complete client information – Outlook provides contact fields for personal information, but PracticeMaster automatically provides client and contact fields pertinent to the needs of a law firm, such as opposing attorney, judge, jurisdiction information, and more. Furthermore, PracticeMaster is easily customizable while customizing Outlook can be expensive.
PracticeMaster maintains complete matter information – Outlook provides client, contact, and calendar organization. PracticeMaster provides all this, plus more. All matter information can be saved in PracticeMaster. Save client and research notes, manage your firm’s documents, add fees and costs, and more. Use the Outlook Toolbar plug-in to journal e-mails and attachments to PracticeMaster to complete your case management.
PracticeMaster users can have access to all client and matter information – Outlook requires Microsoft Exchange to share users’ contacts and calendars. Not so with PracticeMaster. Not only are clients, contacts, and calendars available to all users in PracticeMaster, but all matter information can be quickly and easily accessed by those who need it now, including e-mails and attachments that have been journaled by any user.
Clients can optionally be marked as secure so that only the assigned users can access their information. If a user does not have access to a secure client, the client does not appear on any reports that the user runs, and that user cannot add or access records that are associated with the client.
PracticeMaster provides conflict searching for all files – When searching in Outlook, only information on your computer is found. Once all case information is saved to PracticeMaster, use the Conflict of Interest Search to find anything in any file in PracticeMaster and find it fast. Search for words, phrases, partial words, and even phonetically. Clients, contacts, calendar records, linked documents, journaled e-mails, attachments, and all other files for all users can be searched from one window to provide a comprehensive list of hits.
PracticeMaster converts activities into fees – Outlook e-mails can be added to PracticeMaster as records as well as be used to create journals, calendar records, and fees. This provides the ability to easily bill your client for appointments and other events, as well as time spent on e-mails, research, and more.
PracticeMaster provides automation – Recurring entries can be created in Outlook; however, not only can you create recurring entries in PracticeMaster, but PracticeMaster can also automatically create a series of appointments and tasks that you can reuse over and over via the Calendar Plan Templates program. When generating a Calendar Plan from a Calendar Plan Template, a plan name and a start date must be specified. This date is then used to calculate the dates for dependent events and tasks. Once the Calendar Plan is generated, the Calendar Plan can either be accepted or rejected in its entirety. If accepted, all of the generated calendar records will be added to the Calendar file. With calendar plans, if a beginning date gets changed, all dependent events and tasks can automatically be adjusted. For example, if the date of a trial is rescheduled, all dependent items can optionally be rescheduled at one time.
Outlook and Word can integrate through “mail merge” functionality, which uses standard fields in Outlook to create a letter. However, PracticeMaster’s Word Document Assembly has the ability to create documents based on any field in PracticeMaster, including non-standard fields that you have added. Specially coded document templates in Word can be used to merge information from your PracticeMaster data files to create draft documents. If the information required is not in the data files, document assembly will pause allowing you to enter the required information. This information is then saved to the document and written to the PracticeMaster data files.
PracticeMaster also provides the ability to set up WorkFlows. WorkFlows are macros that help you automate common tasks. WorkFlows allow you to automatically start tasks on demand or when certain events occur in PracticeMaster. For example, you might use a WorkFlow to create a new Calendar record based on changes made in the Client file, or to have a new fee agreement created using Document Assembly when creating a new Client record.
Tabs3 Connect provides access to complete case information away from the office – You can access Outlook on your Smartphone or other device while away from the office, but you can’t access all of your client’s files. Tabs3 Connect, a Platinum feature, lets you securely view all client, contact, and matter information on the go. You can even add fees and costs when you need to, instead of making a note to add them later.
If you’ve been thinking you don’t need PracticeMaster because you have Outlook, take another look. Thousands of law firms use PracticeMaster and Outlook side-by-side and reap the many, many benefits of using both software products at the same time.
How often do you find yourself looking for a document that you swore you saved a week ago? Document management makes it easy to find documents that you and your colleagues worked on last week, last month, or even last year. Join our free webinar, presented by Bruce Policky, Product Manager for Tabs3 and PracticeMaster, to learn about this time-saving feature. Reserve your spot at Tabs3.com/DocManWebinar!
Many law firms are moving to the subscription-based Microsoft Office 365, which can be conveniently accessed via your computer, the Internet, and smart devices. With Office 365, you never have to worry about paying an additional fee for the newest version – Office 365 is always up to date.
Knowledge Base Article R11520, “Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Integration with Microsoft Office 365,” provides more information on what Office 365 is, including a link to Office 365 information on the Microsoft website; how Office 365 integrates with Tabs3 and PracticeMaster; frequently asked questions; and troubleshooting integration with Office 365.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3. com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Did you know that you can change your Tabs3 and PracticeMaster workspace by specifying whether toolbars are shown or not, and where they are positioned if they are shown? These options can increase the available workspace horizontally, vertically, or both.
Showing or hiding toolbars
From the View menu, a indicates that the Status Bar, Application Toolbar, and in PracticeMaster, the PracticeMaster Task Bar is shown. To change which toolbars are shown or hidden, simply click the menu option to change the status of the toolbar.
Changing the toolbar position
The Menu toolbar, Application Toolbar, and in PracticeMaster, the PracticeMaster Task Bar, can all be moved to the top, bottom, right, or left of the Tabs3 or PracticeMaster program window. Simply click the toolbar gripper, and drag it to the desired location.
Alternatively, you can drag a toolbar away from any side of the program to make it a floating toolbar. When the toolbar is floating, you can optionally move it outside of the Tabs3 or PracticeMaster program window. This allows for maximum workspace, while still having access to all of the available tools.
Results of 2016 National Law Journal Survey Released
In the 2016 National Law Journal Survey, over 7,000 votes were cast by lawyers, paralegals, and other legal market professionals. Tabs3 Billing placed first in the Best Time & Billing Software category, with PracticeMaster placing second in the Docketing & Calendaring Software category, and third in the Matter Management Software category.
“We are thrilled to have Tabs3 and PracticeMaster recognized by the readers of National Law Journal. For over 35 years we have worked hard to develop reliable and quality software for law firms,” said Dan Berlin, President of Software Technology, Inc. “This kind of recognition from the legal community means a great deal to our entire team.”
The National Law Journal provides in-depth coverage of the issues that mean the most to private practitioners, judges, corporate lawyers, government attorneys, and other members of the legal community. They cover federal and state court litigation, U.S. Supreme Court, legislative issues, and verdicts.
Did you know that you can drag files other than those generated via Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software into the DropBox? This can really come in handy when you are e-mailing multiple files of mixed origins to clients, co-workers, or other third parties; when you want to save related items together in a mutual location; and more.
Once all of the desired files are in DropBox, simply select the files and choose the desired option. If you want to e-mail a group of files in the DropBox, click the e-mail icon to attach all of the files to a new e-mail message. Alternatively, you can drag the icons into the new e-mail message. If you want to save all of the files to a mutual location, click the save icon; you will be prompted to save each file individually.
Note: Files that have been dragged into DropBox are not removed from their original location.
If you are new to PracticeMaster, or you want a new employee to get a jump-start on learning about PracticeMaster, Quick Guides are a great place to start when there isn’t time to read everything there is to know right now. A Quick Guide is a short guide that highlights the main points of a specific feature. Graphics are included to help illustrate important menu options, tabs, fields, buttons, and more.
Knowledge Base Article R11130, “PracticeMaster Quick Guides,” provides links to each PracticeMaster Quick Guide as well as the number of pages and a brief summary of the guide. The following Quick Guides are currently available:
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3. com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
You’ve heard about Platinum, but haven’t had time to look into it yet. Now you wonder if your firm should take action now, before it’s too late. You’ve heard the horror stories whispered around the water cooler; you try to shake off the cold chill as you walk back to your desk – is that just air conditioning, or premonition? The following stories wend their way through your thoughts for the rest of the day…
Your boss tells you that not only has the server crashed, but the external backup has been failing recently. He wants you to restore the internal backup of the Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software. You start to tremble. Time is money, so when prompted to make a backup you always click No, because you don’t want to interrupt workflow by having everyone exit the software. You close your eyes in dread; there is no internal backup…
It’s nearing the end of a dark and stormy Friday before a long holiday weekend. You start to update statements, skipping the backup because you want to wrap things up so you can leave. The lights flicker and your computer reboots as a loud clap of thunder makes you jump. You open Tabs3 Billing again, but when trying to work in the software, you receive a message that a backup needs to be restored due to the Update Statements program being interrupted. Your pulse leaps, knowing that some of the attorneys will probably come in to work this weekend. Now they can’t use the software until the data has been restored…
The phone rings. You answer it, only for your breath to catch in your throat – an attorney needs a report for her meeting in 5 minutes, but that report takes more than 20 minutes to run. There’s no way to get her the information she needs in time…
It’s midnight, but you can’t sleep with the full moon lighting your room. You’re out of town and away from the office with the current case weighing heavily on you. You get up to check your e-mail and do some research since you’re awake anyway, and discover information that will change your entire case strategy. Your client’s case hangs in the balance; you must compare the new information to what’s saved in PracticeMaster, but it’s late and you can’t access it remotely. A dog howls outside. The hair on the back of your neck raises as you pace the floor. Finally, you grab the phone to wake the managing partner…
Someone received an error in the software, and you need to run a Data File Integrity Check. Unfortunately, several of the employees are away from their desks. You don’t have the password for their computers, nor the time to go to each one, and you know resetting users is bad. You need to make sure the data is fine before the attorneys come back from lunch. You begin to sweat, jumping at shadows as you expect someone to come in at any time demanding answers…
In addition to all of these features, Platinum also provides eNotes, accelerated filtering and column sorting, the Platinum Exchange Connector, an Accounts Receivable by Timekeeper Report, and enhancements to the Detail Accounts Receivable Report. For more information on all of the Platinum features, see Knowledge Base Article R11379, “Platinum Overview.”
Don’t succumb to terror. For information on a 30-day trial offer, to get a price quote, or to order Platinum, contact your local reseller, consultant, or our Sales Department at (402) 419-2200!
Backing up your firm’s data is the most important form of maintenance you can do, but many firms overlook this task. Backup prompts from within the software are skipped, and external backups are not regularly tested to verify they are working as expected. Often, this is simply due to not understanding the process.
You may have quite a few questions about backups:
All of these topics and more can be found in Knowledge Base Article R11524, “Backup/ Restore Information Resources.” This article provides a complete list of links to articles with information and processes for backing up and restoring your data.
Don’t overlook how your firm is backing up data until it’s too late and you have to restore. Make sure you are on top of maintaining your data.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3. com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Did you know that you can add the PracticeMaster Toolbar icons to the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Office 2007 and later? To add any of the PM Open, PM Save, PM Journal, PM Calendar, and/or PM Fee buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar, simply right-click the icon on the PracticeMaster ribbon and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar.
Creating form letters, documents, and contracts for clients can be time consuming, and using mail merge is limited by field availability in Word or Outlook. PracticeMaster’s Word Document Assembly is the solution! Word Document Assembly lets you instantly assemble documents that you frequently use.
The Word Document Assembly Toolbar Plug-in can be installed (Maintenance | Integration | Toolbar Plug-ins | Word tab) and used to set up templates for assembling documents. Templates can include placeholders (variables) for specific types of information, such as client name, client address, judge, etc. You can even have the document assembly process prompt you to provide information that you may not have in the client’s file, such as the date that a document was signed.
Use ticklers in a template to automatically create a billing entry for the time you spend on a document, or to schedule other tasks. For example, ticklers can automatically schedule a follow-up task for you x number of days after you create the document to follow up with opposing counsel regarding the letter you are sending them.
Once a template has been created, you can assemble a document. Assembling a document will insert the relevant client and case information in your template to produce a new document. Assembling documents from templates is quick and easy. Just click the Word Document Assembly icon on your Documents Task Folder, select the client, and click OK. Once assembly is complete, the document can be saved and printed. PracticeMaster can even create a Document Management record automatically that is linked to the appropriate client, allowing you to easily find this document in the future.
If you haven’t yet worked with the Document Assembly feature in PracticeMaster and are interested in learning more, we recommend the following to help you get started:
View the following training videos at Tabs3.com/videos:
Word Document Assembly Overview
Word Document Assembly Coding
Review the following Knowledge Base articles:
R11015 – How to Start a New Word Document Template
R11447 – Working with PracticeMaster Document Assembly
Identify your top two or three documents to create document assembly templates.
If you have questions, give your PracticeMaster consultant or our Technical Support staff a call at (402) 419-2210. We will be happy to help you.
You may work with multiple matters throughout the day, so how can you ensure that you are keeping an accurate account of how much time is spent on each task? The PracticeMaster Timer window (File | Timer) can be used to track Time Tasks, Phone Tasks, and Research Tasks. Each record is saved to the Journal file and can include the Client, Work Description, Contact, a Description of the task, and more. Start and stop the timer for tasks throughout the day from the Timer window as needed.
Once you’re ready to bill a client for your time, you can easily turn timer records into fees using the Process Fee Records program (File | Process Timer Records). When processed, a record is created in the Fee file for the designated client, and a timer record is maintained in the Journal file. This makes it easy to keep track of your time, and to accurately bill clients for work. Using the PracticeMaster Timer means you will never again have to guess at how much time you spent on tasks.
Do you know how to restore from an incremental backup? Make sure you are familiar with the process of restoring before you need to do it. Incremental backups work by backing up the full dataset, and then only backing up those files that have changed from then on. This means that if you need to restore, you cannot just restore to yesterday’s incremental backup because that is only one piece of the picture. The files in Tabs3 and PracticeMaster are all connected. If only some of the files are restored, then information is missing from other files and errors can occur in the software. Instead, if a restore is necessary, you must first restore the last full backup and then restore every incremental backup in order. For more information on how your backup system works, and if it is the right system for you, talk to your IT professional.
Did you know that you can add tabs to the Client file, Contact file, and Journal file that are specific to an Area of Practice, Contact Category, or Journal Type? These tabs are called Category Pages. Category Pages are a special type of page that is only shown in the Editor window when the selected client or record is associated with that category. You can use the Form Designer to design how the pages will look.
Setting up a Category Page provides a way of showing only those fields that are relevant to the selected “category,” thus reducing the number of visible pages.
In order to create a Category page, you must first add the fields for the Category page to the associated file using File Maintenance (e.g., add the desired fields to the Contact file). Once the fields have been added, the Category page and fields must be added to the data entry window using the Form Designer.
To create a Category Page
Additional information regarding Category Pages can be found in Knowledge Base Article R10566, “Category Pages in PracticeMaster.”
Did you know that if you want to change the date and/or time on a calendar entry, you can drag and drop the entry to the desired date/time via the graphical calendar? The ability to drag and drop calendar entries saves you the time of having to open the record and manually change the necessary fields. Knowledge Base Article R11294, “Drag-and-Drop Functionality in PracticeMaster Calendar,” provides information on enabling the ability to drag and drop calendar entries and performing the drag and drop.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.
Did you know that you can import data into all of the Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software? Knowledge Base Article R11506, “Resources for Importing Data into Tabs3 and PracticeMaster Software,” provides a list of resources with information regarding programs that can be used to import data in Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software including the following:
Tabs3 Billing – Importing costs from photocopiers, telephone systems, fax machines, and more.
PracticeMaster – Importing data from third-party programs, documents into document management, Platinum Exchange Connector, Outlook, and more.
General Ledger Software (GLS) – Integration with PenSoft Payroll and importing data into GLS using an ASCII data file.
Trust Accounting Software (TAS) – Importing data into TAS using an ASCII data file.
Accounts Payable Software (APS) – Importing data into APS using an ASCII data file.
Our Knowledge Base can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at support.Tabs3.com. You can also access our Knowledge Base while in the software by selecting Help | Internet Resources | Knowledge Base.