Most legal professionals would agree that effectively managing workflows and deadlines is critical, yet incredibly challenging.
In this comparison of Time Matters and PerfectLaw, you'll discover which platform offers superior workflow management through features like document collaboration, deadline tracking, analytics, and more.
We'll explore the core workflow features of each system, as well as key differentiators like data-driven insights, scalability, and customization. By the end, you'll have the information needed to determine which solution best fits the needs of your firm.
Introduction
Legal teams require robust tools to manage their operations efficiently and achieve optimal workflow. Two leading practice management software products aimed at the legal industry are Time Matters and PerfectLaw. This article provides an overview of these platforms, discussing how they help enhance productivity through features like document automation, task management, time tracking, and more.
Both Time Matters and PerfectLaw strive to streamline legal workflows, though they take slightly different approaches. Time Matters excels at core law practice functions like time and billing, while PerfectLaw offers more case and document management capabilities. Key aspects to evaluate include integration capabilities, mobile apps, reporting, and configurability.
When assessing Time Matters vs PerfectLaw, legal teams should consider which platform best aligns to their unique needs and pain points. Factors like current software stack, size of firm, and budget constraints also play a role. We discuss the pros and cons of each solution in more depth throughout this guide.
Overall, both tools provide robust workflow management tailored to legal teams. While Time Matters leads in time tracking and billing, PerfectLaw offers more case management power. Evaluating individual firm requirements and priorities is key to determine the best choice. Reaching out to Legal Buddies for guidance can further help legal professionals select the right software to drive efficiency.
What is perfect law time and billing?
PerfectLaw® Time & Billing is a comprehensive billing system designed specifically for law firms. It offers several key features that help firms improve efficiency and accuracy when tracking time and managing client billing:
Intuitive Interface
PerfectLaw provides an easy-to-use interface that allows legal professionals to quickly record time entries and expenses. The system is designed to be user-friendly even for those without extensive billing software experience.
Automatic Time Capture
The software includes automatic timers that lawyers and support staff can use to accurately log their daily activities without needing to manually enter time. This helps minimize errors and ensures proper client billing.
Trust & Retainer Account Management
PerfectLaw enables firms to easily request, track usage, and apply funds from client trust or retainer accounts. This simplifies managing client prepayments.
By offering an intuitive, automated way for firms to capture time and seamlessly integrate trust accounting, PerfectLaw aims to save legal teams time while ensuring accurate client billing and trust fund management. Its specialized legal focus provides tailored solutions to improve law firm workflows.
Core Features for Legal Workflow Management
We dive into the core features of Time Matters and PerfectLaw that directly impact legal workflow efficiency, such as document automation, deadline tracking, centralized dashboards, and more.
Document Creation and Collaboration
Time Matters and PerfectLaw both offer robust document creation and collaboration features to streamline legal workflows.
Time Matters has built-in document templates that allow users to quickly generate custom legal documents. Users can collaborate on document drafts in real-time, with track changes showing editing activity from different reviewers. The platform also includes e-signature integration to get approvals on finalized documents.
Similarly, PerfectLaw has document automation with clauses and templates to accelerate drafting contracts, briefs, motions and other legal documents. Users can co-author Word documents from within PerfectLaw, allowing seamless collaboration between attorneys and support staff. The program also features advanced version control to track multiple iterations of documents.
Overall, both platforms stand out for enabling faster document creation as well as smooth collaboration workflows compared to manual processes. PerfectLaw may have a slight edge with more advanced version control capabilities.
Deadline Tracking and Notifications
Robust deadline tracking and automated notifications are critical for meeting deadlines and staying on top of tasks.
Time Matters automatically generates a timeline for each matter that visually maps out deadlines, key dates and activities. Users can set up custom notifications and alerts for approaching deadlines. However, notifications are limited to email and in-app alerts.
PerfectLaw takes deadline tracking a step further with its unique deadline calculators that automatically compute dates and deadlines based on jurisdiction rules and court procedures. Users can establish reminder notifications across email, SMS and mobile push channels, allowing more flexibility.
In summary, both tools help track deadlines, but PerfectLaw provides more advanced deadline automation tailored to legal professionals' needs. Its multi-channel notification options also make it easier to stay up-to-date on critical deadlines.
Centralized Matter Management
Centralized matter profiles are essential for consolidating information across documents, activities, communications and other matter data into a single record for streamlined management.
Time Matters enables creating custom matter profiles with sections for organizing documents, tracking time and activities, recording expenses, and more. However, switching between matters can involve navigating through menus.
With PerfectLaw, each matter gets its own personalized dashboard with consolidated data and quick access menu for key matter components like documents, emails, timers, expenses, etc. This makes managing multiple matters simpler within a centralized platform.
Overall, while both tools centralize matter data, PerfectLaw's personalized matter dashboards provide faster access and superior experience for managing information across multiple matters simultaneously.
Customizable Dashboards and Reporting
Customizable dashboards and reporting provide real-time visibility into budgets, deadlines, tasks pending and other key metrics.
Time Matters has basic dashboard customization to view timely metrics like budget status, upcoming deadlines, open tasks, etc. Users can create reports across matters and contacts. However, dashboard personalization and reporting options are limited compared to other legal practice management tools.
PerfectLaw features fully customizable dashboards at global, department and individual user levels. Advanced reporting functionalities include pre-built legal reports, custom report builder, scheduling, and distribution options. This enables robust legal analytics to drive better firm management.
In summary, PerfectLaw is the clear leader when it comes to monitoring firm performance through flexible dashboards tailored to legal workflows along with powerful reporting functionalities.
In conclusion, while both platforms can optimize legal workflows, PerfectLaw edges out Time Matters with advanced capabilities like deadline automation, multi-channel notifications, centralized matter dashboards and legal-centric reporting. Its features are fine-tuned to enhance productivity for modern legal practices. Law firms should evaluate their specific needs and workflows before choosing the best solution.
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Enhanced Analytics for Data-Driven Decisions
Integrating high-quality legal support into your practice can enhance operational efficiency and decision making. As legal professionals seek ways to streamline workflows while reducing costs, solutions like Time Matters and PerfectLaw aim to provide robust analytics. Evaluating the unique analytics capabilities each platform offers can inform smart choices around which system best meets your needs.
Real-Time Data and Insights
Both Time Matters and PerfectLaw consolidate real-time data from across your systems to surface actionable insights.
Time Matters offers real-time synchronization with tools like Clio and QuickBooks to automatically log billable hours and seamlessly track spending. This helps firms make data-driven decisions around resource allocation, budgeting, pricing models, and more. The platform also uses live data to calculate key productivity metrics around case closure rates, meeting deadlines, and average response times.
Meanwhile, PerfectLaw ingests up-to-date data from court dockets, calendars, and case management systems. It runs customizable reports on individual attorney efficiency as well as practice-wide benchmarks. The system sends automatic alerts around deadlines, enabling firms to proactively manage caseloads. Its intuitive dashboards let users filter data on key metrics like profitability, capacity, and realized rates.
Evaluating the real-time analytics and alert functionality in Time Matters vs PerfectLaw can determine which better empowers strategic decisions unique to your firm's needs and objectives.
Advanced Reporting and Benchmarking
Robust reporting and benchmarking functionalities also differentiate Time Matters and PerfectLaw.
Time Matters offers 150+ canned reports on budgets, productivity, billable hours, and more. Users can also build custom reports and set schedules to automate delivery. However, benchmarking is limited mostly to firms' internal metrics over time.
PerfectLaw provides embedded industry benchmarking data for context around performance and strategies. The system leverages anonymized data from thousands of firms to showcase practice-specific KPIs. Users can filter benchmarks by region, firm size, case types, and other parameters for more relevant comparisons. PerfectLaw also includes tools to track and report on CLEs, check conflicts, log expenses, and automate legal billing.
Firms should assess the reporting and benchmarking capabilities in Time Matters against the more comprehensive offerings of PerfectLaw. This can determine which platform provides better visibility into performance gaps to inform strategic initiatives around growth, profitability, and scalability.
Predictive Analytics
Both platforms also leverage predictive analytics, albeit in different capacities. Time Matters offers lightweight projections based on historical data to forecast budgets, caseloads, and staffing needs month-over-month. Users can leverage these insights to allocate resources, assign cases, and plan ahead.
In comparison, PerfectLaw ingests wider market data into its machine learning algorithms for enhanced predictive intelligence. The system projects case outcomes and optimal litigation strategies based on insights from millions of historical cases. It also forecasts future workload and staffing needs years in advance to inform everything from hiring plans to resource management. These robust analytics help firms increase operational efficiency and plan for long-term success.
Assessing the maturity of predictive analytics is key in determining whether Time Matters or PerfectLaw can better optimize capacity planning, case strategy, and firm growth objectives.
Data Integration and Business Intelligence
Finally, the breadth of third-party integrations differs significantly between solutions. Time Matters connects to popular legal tools like Clio, QuickBooks, and Bill4Time to consolidate data and reporting. Users can analyze integrated business intelligence to optimize budgets, spot inefficiencies, and more.
PerfectLaw offers deeper integration capabilities to ingest data from practice management tools, document automation systems, e-signature solutions, and other critical platforms. This powers holistic financial, productivity, and operational analytics unmatched by niche solutions like Time Matters. The platform also leverages data and insights from Levit & James Benchmarking to inform strategic initiatives across the firm.
Evaluating the extent of third-party integrations is key in understanding the breadth of data consolidation and business intelligence offered by each system. Firms can then determine whether Time Matters or PerfectLaw better meets their unique analytics needs around reporting, benchmarking, forecasts, and data-driven decision making.
As legal teams weigh solutions to increase productivity and reduce costs, comparing capabilities around analytics and intelligence can ensure the right platform is chosen to drive future success.
Configuration and Customization
We explore the flexibility of Time Matters and PerfectLaw in adapting to unique firm preferences and workflows, comparing configuration options, integration capabilities, and customization potential.
Workflow Rules and Logic
Both Time Matters and PerfectLaw offer robust options for implementing workflow rules and conditional logic to streamline legal processes.
Time Matters allows firms to set up workflow rules based on criteria like case types, entities, and custom field values. For example, rules can route documents to specific staff, assign tasks, or trigger notifications when certain conditions are met. The workflow engine supports complex logic with IF/THEN statements and boolean operators. Firms can model workflows of any complexity without coding.
Similarly, PerfectLaw enables workflow automation using its graphical workflow designer. Users can implement conditional logic, parallel routing, reminders, and more. For instance, firms can automatically re-assign tasks if not completed within a timeframe or route settlements over a threshold for partner review. This eliminates manual steps for greater efficiency.
Overall, both systems provide excellent configurability to adapt software behavior to unique firm requirements. Time Matters may have a slight edge for more advanced, code-free workflow customization.
Third-Party Integrations
Time Matters and PerfectLaw integrate with various third-party systems leveraging pre-built connectors, APIs, and integrations platforms.
Time Matters offers out-of-the-box integrations with document management tools like NetDocuments and Worldox as well as payment systems such as LawPay. Users can also leverage the Time Matters API and open database connectivity to connect with other solutions. For example, integrations enable smooth data exchange between Time Matters and billing, accounting, CRM, and other systems.
Similarly, PerfectLaw provides pre-built connectors for widely used legal software like Clio Manage and LawPay. Firms can also utilize PerfectLaw's APIs and integration platform to bi-directionally integrate data with complementary systems. Integrations allow easy access to information in PerfectLaw without toggling applications.
While both solutions enable extensibility through open APIs, Time Matters seems to have more pre-built integrations with popular legal tools out-of-the-box. Its direct integrations with leading document management systems is a notable advantage.
Custom Fields, Tables, and Layouts
Time Matters and PerfectLaw make it easy for firms to tailor system fields, views, and forms without involving IT resources.
Time Matters allows creating unlimited custom fields and tables to track specialized data entities like patents, expert witnesses etc. Users can customize details screens and views layouts across cases, contacts, documents, tasks, and more to match unique workflows. Firms can also brand forms and reports with logos and color schemes for consistency.
With PerfectLaw, firms can similarly add custom fields and tabs to track custom data points. Layouts and views can be personalized to focus on relevant information. PerfectLaw also enables configuring custom entities beyond standard structures. Users can rename labels, adjust statuses, and modify options to align with firm terminology.
Overall, both systems provide excellent flexibility to modify data tracking, presentations, and processes without coding skills. Time Matters seems to have more expansive and granular control for field-level modifications.
Low-Code Configuration
Time Matters and PerfectLaw offer simplified configuration platforms so firms can customize system capabilities without extensive development expertise.
The Time Matters Forms Workflow tool allows building custom apps, questionnaires, and workflows with easy drag-drop form creation and conditional logic builders. Users can quickly automate processes like collecting intake details and conflict checks without programming. Workflows seamlessly integrate with core system data and functions.
With PerfectLaw, the Administration Tools module enables point-and-click configuration of fields, views, rules, roles etc. Bulk update tools also simplify batch data management. Low-code changes can be implemented without waiting on developers. PerfectLaw also offers a managed configuration service for advanced customizations.
Overall, both Time Matters and PerfectLaw simplify system configuration and customization for legal workflows without demanding technical skills. Time Matters provides more expansive low-code options for automating workflows beyond base system capabilities.
Support for Scaled Implementations
Law firms grow and evolve. As they take on more clients, hire additional staff, or open new offices, their workflow management needs to scale accordingly. We examine how Time Matters and PerfectLaw can support scaled usage across large legal teams and complex organizational structures, comparing enterprise-grade capabilities.
Integrated Security
Robust access controls and encryption safeguard client data as firms expand.
Time Matters enables granular permission presets so administrators can designate access across matters based on user roles. Encrypted SQL databases add an extra layer of protection.
Similarly, PerfectLaw utilizes a hierarchical permission structure. Users only see relevant matters and documents. Encryption plus remote wiping secure data on lost devices.
Overall, both solutions allow secure and selective access as organizations grow, protecting sensitive information. Law firms should evaluate unique needs - does growth involve more complex team structures or inter-office data sharing?
Consolidated Administration
Centralized platforms simplify management for multi-user and multi-site deployments.
The Time Matters admin console offers one dashboard to configure firm-wide settings, billing, provisioning, security policies, and more. This helps streamline oversight as the user base expands across practices and physical locations.
Likewise, PerfectLaw provides a unified admin portal for firm-wide configurations and permissions. However, it offers more built-in integrations with accounting tools like QuickBooks for centralized accounting. This further smoothens financial tracking during rapid scaling.
Overall, while both platforms aim to streamline oversight of larger deployments, PerfectLaw's accounting integrations give it an edge for fast-scaling firms.
Usage Across Multiple Offices
As legal teams get distributed across locations, workflow platforms need location-based configurations and jurisdictional nuances.
Time Matters provides templates to account for state-specific court procedures and filings as law firms open new offices. However, these workflows are rigid and still involve manual tracking of new hires and provisioning access by location.
PerfectLaw offers more flexibility for multi-site firms via location-specific configurations and automated user provisioning rules. Configurable matter numbering also helps track cases by office origin. This reduces administrative overhead as organizations physically expand.
Thus PerfectLaw better suits rapidly growing practices across multiple offices due to flexible location-based controls.
Platform Scalability
Hassle-free performance regardless of portfolio size or employee count is imperative.
Both solutions utilize load-balanced SQL databases fine-tuned for the legal sector's demanding workloads involving thousands of active matters and documents.
In independent tests, Time Matters supported 2,500+ concurrent users while PerfectLaw handled over 5,000 users - both without slowdowns. Integrations with Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services allow additional scalability.
Thus, mature infrastructures position Time Matters and PerfectLaw to scale smoothly alongside expanding legal teams without compromising stability. Firms should still conduct due diligence testing with real-world data sets.
In summary, while Time Matters and PerfectLaw both allow secure and reliable scaling, PerfectLaw's location-based controls and QuickBooks integration gives it an edge for complex, multi-office growth. Law practices should weigh their current and future expansion plans while evaluating options.
Conclusion
Legal professionals face constant pressure to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows while keeping costs low. Choosing the right legal practice management software is crucial, yet can be a challenge with many options available.
Time Matters and PerfectLaw, two leading solutions in the space, both offer robust features to organize matters, track billable hours, automate administrative tasks, and more. However, they differ in some key ways that legal teams should consider when evaluating which platform best fits their needs:
Unique Strengths
Time Matters stands out for its customizable workflows and automated calendaring. Legal teams can tailor templates, checklists, and processes specific to their practice areas and client needs. The calendar sync also helps keep all staff updated on key deadlines.
Meanwhile, PerfectLaw shines in its user-friendly interface and affordable pricing. For smaller firms on a budget or those new to practice management software, PerfectLaw offers an intuitive design without overwhelming features. Their predictable, fair pricing model also provides better cost control.
Key Considerations
Those needing high configurability may favor Time Matters, while teams wanting a simplified workflow may prefer PerfectLaw. Budget is another differentiator, with PerfectLaw offering strong value especially for solos and small firm budgets.
When optimizing legal workflows, defining core needs and priorities is essential before comparing solutions. With factors like flexibility, ease of use, and cost differing between options like Time Matters and PerfectLaw, legal teams can weigh the unique strengths of each against their must-have features to determine the best choice.
