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February 2011
Feature - Automating Dictation Workflow
Affinity Earns President's Circle Honor
Affinity University Classes
Upcoming Events
Word Tip of the Month - Quick Access Toolbar
ABA TECHSHOW 2011 Discounts
$50 Rebate on ScanSnap S1500
Managed IT Services
Green Corner - Review Documents On Screen
Current Versions of Law Office Software
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Greetings!
Presidents DayFebruary contains two very dissimilar holidays.  At the midpoint of the month is Valentine's Day.  Although originally a religious holiday (St. Valentine's Day), it first acquired its modern association with love and romance in the Middle Ages.  Following on the heels of Valentine's Day is the federal holiday now popularly called Presidents' Day, but still officially designated by federal authorities as Washington's Birthday.   

What do these seemingly unrelated holidays have in common?  At Affinity Consulting Group, we like to think of February as the month that brings you law office technology you will "love" that is fit for use by a "President."  A great example of such technology is today's digital dictation and transcription software and hardware.  You can imagine a President sitting at his or her desk, dictating into a high-quality portable recorder, dropping that recorder onto its cradle when finished, and having the dictated work almost magically appear on an assistant's screen as a word processing document.  Read our feature article by Affinity Roanoke consultant Phil Metcalf on how to automate digital dictation workflow to learn how you can have technology you will love that is worthy of a President
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Also in this month's newsletter are our regular features including the schedule of convenient and affordable Affinity University webinars, a terrific Microsoft Word tip on saving time with the Quick Access Toolbar, news, and our software Current Versions list.

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Philips 9600 Feature:  Automating Dictation Workflow 
It is now possible for a law firm to automate the dictation
workflow - from the initial dictation being spoken into a digital recorder by an attorney to the initial transcription draft awaiting correction.  Using a combination of hardware, software and professional services training, a law firm can automate this process for an attorney-assistant team for a very reasonable price. The firm can achieve a payback on its investment in 3 to 6 months.

   

Read the complete Automating Dictation Workflow article.
Tabs 3 PracticeMaster Affinity Honored as Member of President's Circle
As Presidents' Day approaches, we are proud to announce that Affinity Consulting Group's Roanoke and Miami offices have been honored with two of the twenty spots nationally in the Tabs3 and PracticeMaster President's Circle.  As stated by Dan Berlin, President of Software Technology, Inc., the maker of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster, "Their proficiency in legal technology and expertise with Tabs3 and PracticeMaster software make them incredibly valuable to their clients and to our company." 

For information on how Tabs3 and PracticeMaster can help your firm become more efficient and profitable, contact your Affinity Consulting Group office.


Affinity University Logo Affinity University
Classes in February
 
Affinity University is the leading source for web based training sessions for the legal community.  All of our classes are one hour, making it easy and affordable for lawyers, paralegals and support staff to take time from their day to improve their efficiency and productivity.  No software is required and sign up is simple.  View our currently scheduled classes for February here.
 
2/8   - PracticeMaster Productivity
2/10 - Amicus Attorney Small Firm Edition Basics
2/10 - Amicus Attorney Small Firm Edition Advanced
2/11 - Tabs3 New Version 16 Features
2/11 - Tabs3 Reporting
2/16 - Amicus Attorney Premium Edition Basics
2/16 - Amicus Attorney Premium Edition Advanced
Events Upcoming Events
 
2/2 - Barron K. Henley, Esq., of Affinity Columbus presents Intermediate and Advanced MS Word classes for the Ohio Bar in Columbus.  The sessions will be repeated live in Fairfield on February 9 and Cleveland on February 16.

2/17 - Steven Best, Esq., of Affinity Atlanta, and Paul J. Unger, Esq., of Affinity Columbus , present the Paperless Law Office, a live telephone/audio webcast seminar on "How to Reduce the Use of Paper in Your Practice and Increase Your Productivity" for ALI-ABA cosponsored with the ABA Section on Law Practice Management.

 

3/14 - Paul J. Unger, Esq., of Affinity Columbus , presents Adobe Acrobat for Legal Professionals in Denver for the Colorado Bar.

Microsoft Word Tip of the Month - Quick Access Toolbar  MS Word

In Word 2007 and Word 2010, the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) may be used to host common commands.  It is easy to configure and taking 5 minutes to set it up can save you time hunting for a command in the future.  This month we show you how to configure your Quick Access Toolbar (QAT).

Read the Word Tip of the Month - Quick Access Toolbar Commands.

ABA TECHSHOW Affinity Partners to Speak at ABA TECHSHOW 2011 - Register Now for $200 Discount
This is the 25th year for the premier annual law office technology event - ABA TECHSHOW.  This year's TECHSHOW takes place at the Hilton Chicago from April 11-13.  Affinity Partners Steven Best, Esq., Debbie Foster, Barron K. Henley, Esq., Britt Lorish, and Paul J. Unger, Esq., will be speaking at TECHSHOW 2011.  Paul Unger chairs and Britt Lorish serves on the TECHSHOW 2011 planning board. View a video message from Paul Unger and many other law office technology leaders on why you should attend TECHSHOW 2011.

 

For more information or to register on-line, click here.  Save $200 (that's two "Benjamin Franklins" - and no, he was never President) by registering on or before Friday, February 25.  After that date, registration fees increase by $200 per category.

ScanSnapSave a "Grant" on Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Scanner
With Presidents' Day approaching, keep in mind that President U.S. Grant's likeness appears on the $50 bill.  For a limited time, you can save a "Grant" on the purchase of a ScanSnap S1500 scanner.  If you are a LexisNexis user and purchase a Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 scanner between January 1 and March 31, 2011, you are eligible for a $50 mail-in rebate (limit 5 per customer).  The rebate coupon is available here.
 
 
Here at Affinity Consulting Group, we believe the Fujitsu ScanSnap line of sheet feed scanners are great tools for law offices looking to clean up clutter and get organized.  ScanSnap provides a fast, easy-to-use method for converting paper documents into PDF files at the touch of a button.  Increased productivity is a snap with a Fujitsu ScanSnap.  Next month's newsletter will feature a review of the new line of ScanSnap scanners, including the S1500, by Affinity Southeast Senior Consultant Greg Bray.

If you would like learn how a ScanSnap scanner can help manage the flow of paper through your firm, contact your Affinity Consulting Group office.  
Managed IT Services Affinity Offers Managed IT Services
In addition to our expert consulting services in the area of law office software, Affinity Consulting Group offers a full range of Managed IT services.  Small and medium-sized law firms can rarely afford a full-time IT staff.  Let us be your IT staff.


For information on the many IT services we can offer your firm, contact your Affinity Consulting Group office.

Edit on Screen Not PaperGreen Corner - Review Draft Documents on Screen, Not on Paper
It isn't necessary to have a paper printout of each preliminary draft of a document.  While you may want one hard copy of a particularly complex document for "final" editing purposes, many shorter documents such as correspondence can be quickly reviewed and edited on screen, with only the final signature-ready version making it to paper.

Reviewing documents on screen before printing saves the time, paper, toner, and electricity
needed to produce a paper copy. Trading marked-up hard copies takes extra time and, depending on your skill with proofreading marks and symbols, can lead to confusion.  In any networked setting, both you and your assistant should be storing documents in progress on a server or other shared drive.  That way, each of you can access the draft document on screen to review and make necessary changes before "going final." 
Current Versions Current Versions of Law Office Software
Check out our list of the current versions of important law office software we support.  Staying current is an important way to protect your data and documents.

Read the complete Current Versions list.