Happy New Year! Well, at the time of this writing, perhaps not quite yet. But 2022 is quickly approaching and now is the time to prepare for it. What do we see in our crystal ball? Here are some areas to be aware of, and to plan for in the coming year.
End of Year Tax Planning/Accounting
Last year the IRS changed the form to report income given to independent contractors, labeled the 1099-NEC. The IRS designated this form as a “continuous form”, which means it will be updated even during a year, not just annually. If you plan on issuing these forms to your independent contractors, it’s important that your accounting program is kept up to date on the latest version. These programs that we support have or will make the latest versions of the 1099-NEC form available to their customers:
- CosmoLex
- PCLaw Payroll
- QuickBooks
- Sage 50
- Soluno
Document Management
We received a lot of inquiries from clients this year about improving their ability to organize, find and retrieve documents. Given the challenges of working remotely during the pandemic, it’s no surprise. What challenges have you experienced in accessing documents?
- Have you been able to securely share and collaborate with team members and clients?
- Were you able to efficiently locate and retrieve your work product?
- And most importantly: Can you do better?
We offer solutions in this area that are both on-premise and cloud based. These solutions also include integration with your other applications, accepting e-signatures, and setting up client portals.
Here are the products we support in document management:
- NetDocuments
- Symphony OCR
- Worldox
Time Tracking & Billing
We also saw interest in this area due to remote work and, in the case of on-premise software, updating and replacing (or not replacing) servers and hardware.
- Is your present solution working for you and your staff?
- Is it easy to use?
- Are you satisfied with the billing process and how your invoices look to your clients?
- And most importantly, does your solution give you the information you need in terms of reporting and feedback? Should you switch to another solution?
- Or would training help meet your expectations with your present software?
Here are the products we support in time tracking & billing:
- Clio
- CosmoLex
- LEAP
- PCLaw
- Soluno
- Time Matters/Billing Matters
- Timeslips
- TimeSolv
- Zola Suite
Practice Management
We noted a real shift in this area, with some products emphasizing knowledge management versus other products emphasizing practice management. There IS a difference! What is your solution? (Please don’t tell us it’s Outlook. That is NOT a practice management solution.) The past 22 months presented administration managers with unprecedented challenges.
- How are you coordinating your staff/teams assigned to cases and projects?
- Do you have the tools to track the progress of your cases/matters/projects?
- Are you using one solution or many?
- Do they integrate with your other applications?
Here are the products we support in Practice Management:
- Clio
- CosmoLex
- LEAP
- PCLaw
- Soluno
- Time Matters
- Zola Suite
The year ahead promises to bring both more opportunities and more challenges, and it is the wise organization that knows how to make the most of its opportunities. The staff at Crosspointe Consulting Group wishes our readers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year, and hope that we can help you grow and prosper in 2022.
Have questions? Want your staff to do better with training? Want to know how to get the most from your programs or explore the possibilities in new ones? Start the new year off by letting us help you in meeting your goals and resolutions. Call us for information at 877-375-2810 or write to us at [email protected].
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Dana Riel is President and Founder of Business Solutions, Inc., serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area since 1985. Her firm is the authorized training center for the region for Time Matters and PCLaw by PCLaw|Time Matters, PLLC; Timeslips and Sage 50 Accounting by Sage Software; and QuickBooks by Intuit Corporation. She also serves as a consultant for Caret Legal (formerly known as Zola Suite), CosmoLex, Soluno & TimeSolv. As a trainer, Dana has provided training services to organizations such as the DOD Defense Logistics Agency, Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAG)/Department of the Navy, University of the District of Columbia School of Law, U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as with small‐ to mid‐size law firms in the Baltimore‐Washington D.C. area. In 2009, she participated in the series of day‐long seminars sponsored by the District of Columbia Bar Association Practice Management Section, titled “Basic Training: Learn About Running a Law Office”. Ms. Riel also served as an Adjunct Professor in Georgetown University’s Paralegal Studies Program, having taught the course, “Legal Ethics/Legal Technology” in 2009; and “Legal Technology” for the Spring and Summer Semesters of 2010. She presently serves on the Advisory Board for PCLaw|Time Matters, PLLC.