A1-Law / WCFMS Newsletter February 2002

Important Notice
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CAAA Convention
It’s in June in Squaw Valley.  Hope to see you there.

In Memory of
I pause in this moment to remember my father in-law who passed away last month.  His whole life was one of family, children and grandchildren.

In This Issue
A1-Law Version 4.10 now available. The New Support Forum.  More Questions and Answers, other things.

Integration with Microsoft Word and Corel Word Perfect
Version 4.1.0 includes better and easier integration with Microsoft Word and Corel Word Perfect.  This version integrates with Microsoft Word and Corel Word Perfect in three different ways.  Method Number 2 is recommended.

A1-Law Version 4.10
Version 4.1.0 is now available right here on the web to all 4.0 users.  No one even needs to quit out of A1-Law for you to install this update.  This alone is extremely convenient especially if your office has a lot of users (try keeping 50+ people out of a case management system;  it's not easy).  All you need to do is download the module into the A1-Law\extras folder, quit the program and go back in at your leisure and you will have access to the new features. See Version 4.1.0 for more information.

The ability to provide you with updates on our website makes it convenient and easy to provide you with minor updates as often as once a month or more rather than having to wait for CD's to be burned and shipped..

All of the newsletters through November 2001 are contained in the new version 4.00 help files otherwise you may find them all right here on the web.

The New Support Forum
Once again,, the more people that use the discussion forum, the greater the benefit to everyone.  The Support Forum will now automatically send you an Email any time you check the box to send Email for any replies to the thread you post on.  I automatically receive an Email for any posts on the forum.

Advantages to using the forum
First, it's a great learning tool and everyone can learn from everyone else.  You may learn a lot by just randomly reading interesting posts on the forum.

Second, it's possible that someone else may answer your questions before I even read the post.  Also, others may share how they utilize A1-Law in that situation.  I don't think people yet realize the true value of the support forum.  For more information, see the Support Forum.

Third, you may click the Search hyperlink at the forum and search for a "key word."  Since your question may have already been posted and asked by someone else on the forum, you may be able to immediately find the answer to your question rather than have to wait for an answer.

Questions and Answers

Question:  Is there a way to get your program to give us an accurate open case count?
Don't want a list of names - just want to know how many files are open.

Answer:    Click on Search for a case. In the Case Status, enter O (for open). Check the Primary Names Only checkbox in the lower right corner. Don't enter anything in the Search For (leave it blank). Click Search, click Yes to continue. A1-Law will display a list of all of the found cases with the names and everything else. But, if you quickly look in the Title bar (the blue heading at the top of the window) you will see it says Found Cases and the total number of (open) cases in parenthesis.

Question:   Is there an easy way to create a caption for a WC case?

Answer:    Check out the new <<command = caption,FromApps>> command.  Or create your own caption in a separate form letter and then use the merge command.

Question:  The latest is in creating a FAX cover, and trying to pull the FAX # from the
party's rolodex card entry. Sometime the FAX # is among the Personal
Contact Information (exclusively our clients), and sometimes among Business
Contact Information (doctors, lawyers, adjusters). I would like to
construct a command that allows me to check first for the FAX # in personal
(card.fax), and if it is not there, to get the FAX # from business (card2.fax).

Answer:   Great question and the answer is yes there is a conditional If for the form letters.

Fax Number: <<command = code iif(empty(card.fax), trim(card2.fax), trim(card.fax))>>

(please note that the above is not a type, I am using iif and not if for this conditional statement)
If it turns out to be a very commonly used command you could even set it up as a Library command.

Question:  How do I page number a 4 page letter.

Answer:   We will assume the letter is not integrating with Word or Word Perfect.  We want to create a footer with page numbering in the A1-Law word processor.  From the help files we will create a footer in the A1-Law word processor:

<<command = HeaderFooterdefine 4>>
{{BeginHeaderFooter4
ABC LAW OFFICES         Page -[[##]]-
EndHeaderFooter4}}

Question:  Can we have a 'questionnaire' screen for every Prospect - we have a number
of questions we ask every PNC, and it would be nice to have them set up,
similar to the way you have the Application questions set up on the Injuries
screen. We would still need the Notes section, of course, but having the
questions set 'in stone', so to speak, would be very helpful.

Answer:   You may default the questions in the Notes section for any type of case (ie: workers' comp, civil, family, etc). When a new prospect is entered, A1-Law can automatically copy a form letter to the notes depending on the type of case. You may then add additional notes at the top or bottom of the "set in stone" questions.

Put your questions in a form letter (example Work Comp questions in form letter #201)

Click Tools, System, Client Card Notes. At the bottom of the screen on the right where it says Default Notes to Use, just enter:

P,W,201

This specifies to copy form letter #201 into all types of cases that are workers' comp for prospects. You may have a different set of questions for a personal injury auto versus a personal injury general depending on the status. See the help file for more information on this (In the help file book -->Tools, System, Configure System Defaults, Configure System Defaults - Notes).

Newsletter Back Issues
Looking for some back issues?  You'll find them on our web site at http://www.appellsoftware.com. They have also been included in the help file in Version 4.00 up to November 2001.

Problems with Email Support
If you send me an Email and I have not replied within 48 hours please send a cc to Appell@AppellSoftware.com.  Better yet, feel free to post your question on the support  forum so that others can offer their input and suggestions and everyone can learn from everyone else.  You can access the discussion forum at http://www.appellsoftware.com.

Remote Access Programs / PC Anywhere
Better support can be obtained if you upgrade to PC Anywhere with DSL.  Check with your consultant about firewalls and security issues.  Some offices are upgrading from DSL to a T1 line which is even faster.  Most important of all, there is no substitute for a good backup.  Have you done your backup this week?

Next Month
More questions and answers especially for Version 4.1

And now for my usual sign-off.......