Understand your document creation process

Most firms want to do a want to get the right documents to their clients on time and error free.  In spite of wanting this to happen, however, many are still struggling in this area.

If you’re one of those firms, I have the next step for you to take!

I’ve already talked about some of the reasons you are struggling with delivery and errors.  You learned about how you need to start understanding the reason why errors happen.  This is done by collecting information about when errors happen.

The next step is to understand what your current process is.  You may be thinking, “I don’t have a process,” or “I already know what my process is.”

In either of these cases you will be surprised at what you find out during this step.  What we have found is that even though the firm thinks it knows what the process is, they don’t truly know what is really happening until they go through this exercise.

Go ahead and watch this video about some basics on how to map out your process:

Now that you’ve watched the video, take the next step by meeting with your team and mapping out the process!

I’d also like to invite you to attend our Document Systems webinar on February 25 at 3:00 EST, where we are going to teach you the steps you need to create your Document System. This will lead to delivering on time and error free documents.

Understanding how to start reducing errors

A while ago I was talking to an attorney who mentioned how his assistant kept getting the name of a key client wrong. He resorted to joking with her, putting notes on her computer, and a couple more things. And yet it continued to happen.

It wasn’t that she wanted to get the name wrong. She probably felt embarrassed. It’s just that the right process was not in place to help her get the name right.

You are probably thinking, “Of course the right process was in place! There was the name of the client right in front of her.”

Yet when you really start to dig into what happens during the day at your firm you’ll actually start to see why the best attorneys and staff members still get errors.

But in order to figure out how to solve the problem of getting errors you need to understand when errors happen.

In the video below we are going to teach you the 1st step to reducing your errors.

If you are tired of getting errors in your documents and want more in-depth training that is going to help your firm create a Document System, please join our webinar on February 25 at 3:00 EST. You’ll learn the steps to creating a Document System.

 

Get your error tracking worksheet

Get Error Tracking Worksheet

Why do you get errors in your documents?

I recently had a conversation with a firm administrator who was looking at changing the way they created documents.  During our talk, I said, “One of the reasons that you need a document system is because of the errors you’re getting.”

The phone got a little quiet, and he said sheepishly, “Yes, I know we are getting errors we just don’t want to admit it.”

Errors happen in every law firm but it’s funny that we don’t want to admit it.

So how many errors are getting into your documents?  The reality is no one really knows because you probably don’t want to know.

Then I was having another conversation with another attorney and he was really frustrated that his paralegal couldn’t get the name spelled right for one of their key clients. It was happening all the time! Because the name of the client was similar to another name. The paralegal really did want to get it right.

We have attorneys and paralegals really wanting to not have errors in their documents but are still getting them. Where does that leave us?  Are we going to continue to get errors or is there a better way to not get errors in our documents?

During this 3 minute video I will explain why errors happen in your documents. Of course, I’m not going to completely change your firm in 3 minutes so you don’t get errors.  But you are going to learn why errors are happening in the first place.

If you want more in-depth training that is going to help your firm, I would suggest that you join our webinar on February 25 at 3:00 EST. You’ll learn the steps to creating a Document System.

We are looking for HotDocs Consultants

REAL Automation is continuing to grow at a rapid pace and we are always looking for people who know how to program in HotDocs.  If you are interested please fill out the information below and we will send you instructions on how to apply.

Basic Requirements

  • Must be willing to implement our HotDocs programming style
  • Must have great attention to detail

Click Here to learn how to apply 

 

Would your clients spend more money with you – and you didn’t even know it?

Have you noticed how some of your clients are willing to spend more money than other clients? I’m guessing you are like me and thought that it is just the way it is.  Then I started to notice that there are a certain percentage of people who spend a lower dollar amount and that a smaller number are willing to spend a higher dollar amount.  I came across a great book by Perry Marshall, called the 80/20 Rule of Marketing.  For me it was an eye opening experience.  I thought about the law firms that we work here at REAL Automation Solutions, wouldn’t this principle apply to them as well?

Would it be possible to create an environment where we could easily help clients understand that your firm offers beneficial services in addition to the one service they contacted you for?

Want to know more about how we are able to do this during the engagement process?

Click Here to get the language

HotDocs for Dummies

Do you find that you are stuck with your HotDocs project?  We have talked to a number of people in the past 18 years of doing HotDocs training and consulting that have felt this same way.  What they have told us is I wish there was a “HotDocs for Dummies” out there so I could learn more about programming in HotDocs.

Well we have a “HotDocs for Dummies” for you.  Our HotDocs Programming Boot Camp is designed for you to learn the foundations of HotDocs Programming and give you a chance to ask a HotDocs expert questions.

Here is a list of the HotDocs programming skills that you will learn.

  • Creating HotDocs Templates and Variables
  • Creating Optional Paragraphs and Text in HotDocs
  • Dialog Creation, Layout and Scripting, Creating and Using Repeating Dialogs in HotDocs
  • Creating and Using HotDocs Computations
  • Interview Computations, Pointed Component Files, Participant Lists and Project Management Tips in HotDocs

 

Get Access to A HotDocs Expert Now!

 

Getting Your Documents Ready for Document Automation

Learn How To Get Your Documents Ready for HotDocs Automation

During this video we will teach you the 3 steps that we go through to get a document ready for automation.

 

 

Do you wish you understood the options in HotDocs better?

In the past 15 years a very common question we’ve been asked is how to change the default HotDocs settings.  We decided it would be helpful for you to have a video showing the different default options that are available.

How to Develop Templates that Work on Older Versions of HotDocs

Last week we got a call from a client that had different versions of HotDocs in there office.  They have about 70 users of HotDocs and didn’t want to have to upgrade them all to the latest version of HotDocs just yet.  Frankly, we recommend that everyone upgrades to the current version of HotDocs so that you can have access to all the latest features.  But for those cases where you have different versions in your office, here is a 4 minute video that teaches you how make sure that when you have a mix of different versions of HotDocs in your office you can make sure that your templates will work on all of them.

MS Word “Reveal Codes”

We continue to get calls from people who would like to have “Reveal Codes” in Microsoft Word.  Did you know that Word actually does have a “Reveal Codes”.

Let us know what you think.  If you need further training on using Word or automating your documents.  Go ahead and give us a call at 801-766-3183.