For many long time Time Matters and PCLaw users, it is no secret that Time Matters reporting functionality leaves something to be desired. Getting useful reports from within the Time Matters application can be cumbersome, and at times impossible. There have been, and still are, many different third-party solutions that provide the ability to report on Time Matters and PCLaw data outside of the Time Matters application. Some of these solutions require advanced knowledge of building reports, and in some cases programming skills. Better reports or reporting abilities, specifically within the Time Matters application, is one of the topics heard most often from our clients.
We’ve listened to those requests and believe we have constructed a workable solution. We are now able to provide advanced reporting on both Time Matters and PCLaw data, without the user ever leaving the application itself.
SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) has become increasingly popular among consultants as a vehicle to provide more advanced reporting capability for Time Matters and PCLaw users. SSRS is a free download for all versions of SQL Server, even SQL Express. It allows organizations to build custom reports with their SQL Server data, using SQL Report Builder, and also provides a web-based report “warehouse” to view and run these reports. SQL Report Builder can not only be used by seasoned report designers to build large and complex reports but, with a little training, it can also be used by virtually anyone with a little knowledge of reporting, to build reports without writing a single line of code.
Utilizing SSRS and SQL Report Builder, we have assembled a “TMReporting” module. This module provides Time Matters users with a toolbar icon, placed at the top of the Time Matters application, that will list all of the stored reports. These reports then can be organized (using QuickTabs) by staff, by case type, or by business function. The reports can be viewed from directly within the Time Matters report list, and can be displayed in a PowerView pane. Report results can also be exported to PDF, Word, Excel or simply printed.
Reports can be built to pull Time Matters data, PCLaw data, or data from both systems, into one combined report. Reports can use data from virtually any data source, thus building reports that pull data from many different systems together, providing more focused information about your practice. Another great feature, for advanced users or consultants, is the ability to run custom SQL code to pull data directly from Time Matters into a PowerView pane for immediate on-screen review.
All reports can be customized with your logo and color scheme. Here are a few examples of the reports presently designed by ELS. Click on any of the thumbnails below, and then use the arrow keys at the bottom right of the screen to scroll back and forth through the report samples.
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If you struggle with getting your Time Matters or PCLaw data to tell you what you need to know about your practice, or simply want the ability to view better reports from within Time Matters, give us a call at 877-357-0555, or email us at [email protected], to discuss your specific reporting needs and request a quote for the TMReporting module.
Jack Schaller has been active in the field of law office technology since 1989, and has worked with a variety of commercial accounting, legal billing, practice management, and document management software products during his twenty plus years in the software consulting field. During his tenure as a software consultant he has garnered many sales and service awards for his work with legal software products. Jack is a frequent presenter at legal conferences and seminars, and is a regular contributor to TechnoLawyer and other technology publications.