P2P

41 I L T A N E T . O R G C L O U D , D E S K T O P O R B O T H Some platforms are locally-installed software and that's the only option. Those tend to only work on Windows computers. If you have remote users who will not be connected to the same network or you're using Macs, then you'll probably be more interested in a platform that is web-based. I F D E S K T O P S O F T WA R E - W I N D O W S O R M A C I S S U E If you prefer locally-installed software over cloud/web- based platforms, then you want to make sure the platform you choose will install on computers running your preferred operating system. A B I L I T Y T O G AT H E R D ATA F R O M O T H E R S If your practice area requires that you gather data from clients or others within your organization in order to draft documents for them, it would be beneficial if you didn't have to write down that information once and then re-enter it into your DA system. In the perfect world, you could present your clients or colleagues with a questionnaire and flow that information directly into your DA system. Of course, this assumes that the platform would allow you to add additional information since there will typically be required questions that only you should answer as the subject matter expert. A B I L I T Y T O P R E V I E W T H E D O C U M E N T D U R I N G A U T O M AT I O N Some platforms allow you to see the text of your document being assembled as you respond to the questionnaire in real time. Of course this is helpful when generating documents, but it's arguably even more helpful when you are testing the template during construction to make sure it produces the language you want under varying fact patterns. L O N G E V I T Y O F T H E V E N D O R If you select a web-based platform and the vendor ends up out of business, you could lose access to your templates. This is less of a risk with locally-installed software. Of course, even established technology companies can go under; and there's no guarantee that past history will equate to future longevity. Further, you never know if an established player will be acquired by another company. Acquisitions in the legal technology space can have unhappy endings for users of the acquired software. The point is to do your homework and find out as much as you can about the vendors under consideration. You want to know how long have they been in business, how big the installed base is, how established they are in the market, how many employees they have overall and how many are involved in technical support. T E C H N I C A L S U P P O R T A N D T R A I N I N G It is becoming unusual if a software vendor offers any kind of a traditional, printed (or printable) how-to manual. Learning how to use the platform is obviously key to a successful project. Make sure you explore all options to see what is available (such as on-demand videos, live training, or written manuals). Some vendors include "how to" help with their technical support, and some only cover installation issues. You will want to know the answer to that question up front. It may also be worth calling a vendor's technical support number during normal business hours and see if you can get through to anyone. Who Should Automate Your Own Templates? Many of the platform vendors position their products as do-it-yourself. In other words, they expect that lawyers will automate their own templates. In my long experience, that often results in projects never reaching the finish line, or the project gets completed but the users are never

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