2010: 3rd/4th quarter update

Release date: Oct. 22, 2010

Online services for clients & resources

More options for storing and sharing information: Firm-level, contact-level & resource-level repositories. Now you can publish docs on RB Web related to a firm (such as a pricing contract) or a contact (such as their sample signature) or a reporter (such as their independent contractor contract). Your clients and resources can access their own docs online at anytime in addition to job/case files they already had access to. New tabs in Firm/Contact/Resource windows.

RB Web users can mark files in their transcripts/case repositories as reviewed, so they can readily see which files they downloaded and when (time stamped), and when new files/transcripts have been uploaded.

Users can attach files when rescheduling, such as new Notice.

Customizable Online Order Form

Now form has sections you can turn on or off to simplify online order form, plus the ability to add custom fields to better fit your client base – for example, if your clients don’t use billing info or request services. Change in Tools > Web Site Configurations – Calendar – Custom Form.

Easier Turn-in

New Wizard makes online turn-in so simple that reporters can do it without training. And for your tech-savvy reporters, there is Advanced mode, which puts everything on one screen so they can turn in jobs faster. Reporters select which mode they prefer, RB Web remembers it as their default.

Plus you can turn off options such as Prefill Parties and Billing Sets to make the turn-in form simpler.

If you allow reporters to add new firms/contacts, your office is notified so you can monitor quality of entries by reporters and correct mistakes. You designate who gets alerted in RB8 Users & Groups > Alert Groups. Reporters can search to see if an attorney is in your database before adding as new.

New fields in Resource Worksheets

Use Calendar Notes for info reporters need to know about a job’s client firm/contact. Different from Warnings, which are for internal notices (like client is COD only), Calendar Notes are for reporters, like “Secure building with metal detectors. Allow 10 minutes for clearance.” Or “Talks fast, hard to understand.” On Additional Tab in Firm/Contact windows. Add fields to template-based forms in Forms Manager.

Attach more than Notices to Worksheet emails

Previously the only file type you could attach automatically was Notice. But sometimes you need to forward an exhibit to the reporter, so we’ve added more file types, such as reporter exhibit (an exhibit that came directly to the office/reporter doesn’t know about it). RB will automatically attach files to reporter’s email if Attach is selected in Assign Resources.

Billing Address added

If clients request that you send invoices to a location other than the firm’s physical address, enter this info in Billing Address. Used for Billing, Reprint Posted Invoices, Statements & Envelopes & Labels. Now when printing shipping labels for contacts, you have 3 choices: Firm Address (for items like transcripts), Billing Address (for mailing invoices), and Home Address (for personal gifts & cards). On Additional tab. (Add a note in Warning: Billing address is different from firm address. Just in case your people need to know.)

New production efficiencies

• Can sort/group jobs by Order Date/Due Date. Group by due date to see all jobs that should be coming in soon. On main grid in Turn-in.
• Color coding for voided and posted invoices in Turn-In, so you don’t have to scroll to the end of the grid in Turn-In Step 2 to see if a job is already posted or voided.

Forms Manager additions

• Customize forms with new merge fields, such as Job Status (add to Job Confirmation/Cancellation forms and Calendar Notes (see above).
• Plus new efficiency: when you open Forms Manager, Data Manager opens automatically.

New report

Turn-Around Analysis for analyzing how quickly reporters turn around jobs. Can see Summary or Detailed Analysis, year-to-year, monthly quarterly, yearly results. Can export to Excel spreadsheet and email to reporter.

And more…

Also in these releases:

• Search your repository by email address. If you get an email from someone you don’t recognize or you want to see how many of your reporters are using gmail, you can search RB8 using a partial email address.
• Search your repository by file name or contact – enter a name or partial name (for example, signed.ptx – RB8 finds every instance of this name in your repository).
• Track who made changes in your Firms/Contacts/Resources/Locations databases with new Created By/Last Modified By fields. On General tab.
• Select who will receive 1099 Forms & stop wasting forms by printing them all. For example, if a resource is another court reporting agency, you don’t need to send them a 1099. On Pay Info tab.
• Choose a different account type for a reporter’s direct deposit. On Pay Info tab.
• Horizontal layout option for condensed transcripts in RB-PDF transcript creator. Set in PDF Transcript Preferences.
• New Client ID (number client provides that they require for electronic billing) field for LEDES 1998B invoicing.
• Notes Log now saves who scheduled job on web, not just generic web user.
• Reporters can see if a firm is a COD client when turning in jobs online. Appears in Turn-in step 3 of 5: Parties.