7 Reasons Your Law Firm Needs Document Automation Software

Lawyers spend only 29 percent of their time on billable hours.

What are they doing with the rest of their time? According to a recent study, lawyers spend 48 percent of their time on administrative tasks.

As a lawyer, using document data and process management (DDPM) software to streamline your workflow can reduce the amount of time you have to spend on administrative tasks like document creation. Instead, you can spend that time accomplishing more for your clients and get paid.

Keep reading to learn more about how document automation software can benefit your business and why your law firm needs it. 

1. Draft Documents Faster

Whether you’re creating contracts, leases, NDAs, or other legal documents, manually drafting these documents can be time-consuming. With document automation software, you can create documents much more quickly, increasing efficiency and profitability.

Document management can seem simple enough, but as your law firm grows, managing all of these different documents can get complex. With law firm software, you can create documents quickly and more importantly, these documents will be consistent and of high quality.

It only takes a few clicks to create a document. All you have to do is fill in the necessary information. You can create templates by uploading existing documents like contracts that you’ve already approved.

Then, the software automatically converts your file into a ready-to-use template. You can easily customize the document by filling in the relevant information for your client and case matter. 

The best document automation software includes an intake process that guides you, whether working internally or directly with clients, through the right questions. This makes creating documents simple. 

When you use document automation, you can reuse information from other systems or other questions.

One of the biggest benefits of using document automation software options is that you can produce multiple documents during the same intake. 

When you save time on drafting documents, your staff can focus on tasks that are higher priority. These include tasks that improve the experience for your customers, increasing your profitability.

When you can save time on repetitive tasks like document creation, you can spend more time impressing clients and working on areas of your business that count towards billable hours. 

2. Error Proofed Documents

One of the most critical issues with manually creating documents is the potential for human error. Copying and pasting information isn’t difficult, but it can lead to costly mistakes. This is especially true if you are creating many documents every day.

Fixing errors on documents can cost you time and money. This time can add up quickly and take time away from your schedule that you could be using on billable tasks. When you use law firm document automation software, you can save time but also reduce the risk of error.

Law firm software takes information from your existing information bases to populate your legal documents. Entering this information manually is likely to lead to mistakes and typos. With document automation software, information is pulled automatically to generate documents using a template.

This prevents errors from manual data entry. Elimination of errors in documents is critical to any and all legal groups.

By automating your documents in document automation software like Knackly you are able to ensure that each document that is produced is right the first time. Using Interview Builder(™) ensures that the right questions are asked so the person entering answers doesn’t miss important information.

3. Ensure New Client Information is Entered Correctly 

Your clients are the heart of your legal business. With law firm software, you can streamline your client intake process and ensure documents are filled out properly.

The last thing you want to do is have to reach back out to a client or miss an opportunity because intake documents weren’t filled out properly. When you’re trying to attract new clients, making the intake process as simple as possible for them increases their chances of hiring your team.

When you can create and send documents quickly, you’ll lose fewer leads. You’ll also have better client retention because you can offer more efficient service.

4. Use Document Automation Software Data in Different Ways

Law firm document automation software allows you to create a knowledge base that you can use in a number of different ways.

Law firm software creates a record using the data pulled from the documents you use. This record serves as a database of knowledge about your clients, cases, and even your practice. You can use the data for many things.

The data stored in your document automation software can help you learn more about your practice, your industry, and your clients. You can use this data to improve your processes and identify areas of your workflow that could use improvement. Business decisions driven by data are more likely to succeed.

You can also easily reuse people’s information in different roles. This can improve collaboration among employees working in different capacities. Staff working in each role will have quick access to the information they need.

With document automation software, you and your employees will have access to instantly updated and accurate documents. You can access these documents anywhere you have an internet connection, even outside of the office. In a time where remote work is becoming more common, it’s crucial that everyone working for your law firm has access to the documents and data they need.

Law firm software allows your employees to collaborate on documents no matter where they are located. They can create, change, and save documents using a single platform. Documents can easily be sent to clients as well.

5. Multi-System Integration

When looking at types of software for your law firm, you always want to choose software options that play well together. This is one of the most difficult things about finding document automation software. Law firm document automation software doesn’t always connect well with other systems that law firms commonly use and this can be a major problem.

Connecting to other systems is key to creating an efficient office. With our open API, Zapier Connection, Clio, and other direct system connections, we have you covered.

6. Reduced Storage Expenses

The legal industry has traditionally been paper-based. But as times have changed, so has the way we do business. While law firms weren’t the first industry to go paperless, it’s now common practice.

In the past, law firms have had to store large volumes of paper. Physical copies of client files were stored on site and printing extra copies of important documents was the norm. It’s becoming more expensive to lease commercial space for your business and cutting paper is a great way to make up for the increased cost.

Storing paper files and documents takes up physical space that you have to pay for. When you go paperless, you can spend that money on something else and make better use of the space you have.

Using document automation software is a cost-efficient way to store your legal documents. You won’t need filing cabinets and boxes full of endless stacks of paper. Instead, you’ll have a digital copy of each document you create.

Your employees will have easy access to the resources they need without having to look for physical files that might be stored in a different location. This saves time and increases productivity. 

7. Better Security

Storing documents electronically is also more secure. All businesses have to worry about data breaches in the modern age. But law firms commonly deal with their clients’ most sensitive information.

You want to do everything you can to protect your clients’ interests, including their personal information. With document automation software, you can control who has access to what information. All of your legal documents will be stored in a single platform that contains built-in security measures.

Most law firm software options contain a document management feature that lets you restrict access to certain documents. Your software will also keep a record of when documents were viewed and edited which creates an audit trail to protect you.

When your documents are stored electronically, you don’t have to worry about the risk of physical damage. Fires and floods can cause catastrophic losses for law firms relying solely on paper documentation. 

The Limitless Potential of Document Automation Software

Are you a lawyer looking to improve your law firm’s efficiency and outcomes? You could benefit from document automation software.

Document automation software can do more than you think. Law firm software like Knackly has no limit when it comes to document automation functionality. Whether your document needs are simple or complex, Knackly can handle them.

Click here to schedule a free demo today to learn more about how Knackly can save you time and money.