Legal Accounting Software - LEXCEL and SARs Compliant
The LAWFUSION™ Practice Management System is a 100% Microsoft Windows compatible product, fully compliant with the Law Society Solicitors Accounts Rules and LEXCEL standard. The software also meets with the LSC LAFQAS requirements to provide an all round legal product.
The LAWFUSION™ Practice Management System can be implemented as a stand-alone solution for any size of legal practice - small firms, high street practices or larger regional multi-branch law firms. When integrated with the Case Management product, users can experience higher levels of productivity and further enhance inter department processes.
One of the main strengths of LAWFUSION™ is its single central database. This ensures that there is no duplication of data, no re-entry of the same information into different systems and offers the user the benefit of only having one system to maintain, making maintenance and administration easier.
Why Choose LAWFUSION™ as your Practice Management System?
We believe our attention to detail and our experience in addressing the needs of our clients exceeds many of our competitors. Whether you are a Cashier, Fee Earner, Partner or Practice Manager our accounts module will make your life easier. It will help with:-
- Cashflow Forecasting
- Key Performance Monitoring
- Client Trend Analysis
- Time Management and Recording
- Rules Compliance
- Marketing
- Risk Management
- Conflict Checking
- Anti-money Laundering Requirements
- Client Relationship Management
Rather than select and purchase modules up-front, our philosophy is to supply all the software as standard ensuring you get maximum return for your investment. Whilst a firm may not require all of this functionality at first, it can be exploited at a basic level and additional functionality utilised as the firm grows. This allows you to concentrate on running your business and confident that the system has the capability of growing in-line with your firm without major reinvestment.
LAWFUSION™ Key Areas
The Database
- LAWFUSION™ provides bullet-proof resilience, high performance and the ability to grow in-line with the firm’s aspirations.
- The software is designed to run on industry standard equipment and Microsoft operating systems.
- LAWFUSION™ is a period based Accounts system allowing reports to be produced for past periods on both nominal and client ledgers e.g. full matter balance list for last August. This is extremely useful if reports are lost or historical analysis is required.
- A simple and very powerful screen searching facility is also available and can be utilised to find what you are looking for, anywhere in the system (using wildcards). This allows you to perform searches e.g. by typing '*15*' into the address field the system will list all addresses with the number 15 included.
- Print spooling and overnight job streaming means large reports can be scheduled overnight and be ready to print in the morning.
- At month-end and year-end it is not necessary to close the previous financial periods before starting the next. This functionality means the system is always available so that new files and transactions can be continued as normal.
Transaction Postings
- LAWFUSION™ provides a before and after balance view so cashiers can be confident a posting will have the desired effect before committing it to the ledgers.
- For users who prefer the keyboard, the system supports the use of the Tab and Return keys when moving through posting forms. When migrating from more traditional systems this is a welcome feature that makes the transition much smoother. In addition to this, numerous keyboard shortcuts have been implemented to make frequent selections quick and easy.
- A powerful 'Posting Template' feature exists which allows numerous templates to be set for each posting type and the user simply fills in the blanks. Repetitive postings are automated so they are no longer a chore.
- Powerful search facilities will help you find an account quickly. These include a ''Previous' list and also an extensive range of matter fields in addition to the name and account fields.
- Enquiring or jumping to other parts of the system is a click away. So to check a ledger card in detail during posting you simply click the enquiry icon.
- Transactions can be corrected at the click of a button. This not only enters a full contra posting but then prompts the user if they wish to re-post the corrected entry. Less accomplished systems would require the user to re-enter all these details wasting precious time.
- All posting screens are colour coded and can be changed to match your posting chits, i.e. payment in red, receipt in green etc.
Nominal Ledger
- True commercial style multi-level nominal code.
- Nominal 'shortcut' codes can be used to make postings quicker and easier.
- 2 sets of budgets are available for each nominal account (expected, worst / best case).
- Budgets can be set up quickly and easily by specifying a percentage split, or user-defined calculations, i.e. seasonal, manual input or copying last years’.
- You can quickly compare nominal balances against budgets or previous years' actual figures.
- User-configurable Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Report.
- Full on-screen enquiry with drill-down to individual period and actual transactions.
- Password protection available for key accounts.
Cash Book & Bank Reconciliation
- The system offers a simple 'one-click' reconcile / unreconcile feature for individual transactions. As transactions are reconciled they are stamped with the sheet date and number.
- Bank charges and interest can be posted directly off the statement during the reconciliation which automatically reconciles without having to leave the reconciliation process.
- Posting mistakes can be quickly corrected directly from the reconciliation screen.
- A powerful search feature helps to locate transactions quickly and easily i.e. by value, date, type etc.
Deposit Interest Calculator
- No need to keep separate deposit accounts. All monies can be held in one high interest bearing account and any deposit interest due to clients is calculated by the system as per the Law Society Rules.
- Calculations can be produced on a single matter, all matters for a specific client or across the entire system overnight if required.
- The interest calculator can be pointed at the debtor’s ledger for interest to be charged on outstanding bills.
- Users have the ability to enter manual transactions for staging ad-hoc calculations.
- The system caters for multiple interest rate tables and any number of period/rate bands as per the Law Society requirements.
- The interest can be automatically posted to the account ledger if required. It will also post the appropriate inter-bank transfer.
- Full on-screen and optional printed reports shows all interest calculations for audit and verification purposes.
- A printed tax file can be produced for reporting high interest client accounts to the Inland Revenue.
- Use of a clearance period table for different types of transactions ensures calculations are accurate and apply to cleared balances only, i.e. Cheque=5 days, TT=0day.
Billing & Credit Control
- A billing guide is available and enables Fee Earners to specify items such as time, disbursements and expenses that are to be included when the bill is prepared.
- A bill posting routine automatically includes all time and disbursements. These items can be customised and adjusted easily during the posting process.
- Multiple Fee Earner apportionment options are available including automatically apportioned fees based on time booked.
- Disbursements not yet incurred can also be added into the bill. When subsequently posted the system will automatically associate them with the bill
- When billing crime matters the Fee Earner has the ability to generate and post a bill using a user-friendly wizard that guides them through each requirement.
- The debtors control module includes multi-band reporting, aged debt reporting, reminder letter production and client statements.
- On-screen access to full debtor details enables telephone debt chasing. Any relevant comments and follow-up dates can be entered and used to trigger further chases.
Account Reports
LAWFUSION™ comes with a comprehensive set of standard reports as well as a sophisticated report generator. Below is a selection of example reports that can be:
Report Generator
The Report Generator can be pointed at any part of the LAWFUSION™ system. The system is supplied with a standard set of reports and utilises the industry standard Crystal Reports software. For users who require tailoring and analysis of data the report generator can exploit the powers of Microsoft Excel.
- The content of many reports can be specified by the user. This means that larger reports can be filtered down into more meaningful information. Any number of conditions can be used for each report. Conditions can be based on information you provide at run-time, e.g. WIP greater than £100, or based on a static comparison with another piece of information, e.g. Client balance greater than Office balance.
- Each report can also be Grouped and Ordered, e.g. Group by Fee Earner, Ordered by Account Reference.
- Once a report has been created it can be stored in the report library and re-run at any time. Each time you run the report the information you provide can be re-entered or remain as the original report.
- Reports can be produced overnight and in a variety of formats. They can be seen as a pie chart, as graphs and interactive tables, these can be distributed electronically to Fee Earners and other users as necessary.
Our support section provides one handy place for help, updates and support.
