We recently received a briefing from the President of Software Technology on Version 14.3 of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster that is scheduled for release on November 27. With this release the Client Server (CSV) version of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster will have some terrific new features:

A HotBackup feature that lets you make a backup while everyone continues to work in the software - no more asking everyone to exit so that you can back up, OR ignoring the recommendations to back up.

Accelerators that make reports run 30 to 50 times faster, e.g. a report that takes 25 minutes today will take as little as 30 seconds. The speed improvement is different at every firm. We can give you a better sense of what you might see after taking a look at your data files, hardware and network. This feature also cuts down on network traffic, which increases overall network performance and reliability.

Auto-Recovery that makes the reliability of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster even greater. The software takes a snapshot of your data as each transaction or process starts. If a process, such as update statements, does not complete properly the software automatically rolls back the process so that no error occurs. With this protection, there are fewer prompts to back up your data and a much smaller chance that you will ever need to restore from a backup.

We think these features could make a significant difference in time, convenience and peace of mind.

Be aware that on November 27 the pricing for CSV will be increasing by approximately 12%. So if you are interested, be sure to call us or email right away.

There are other new features in 14.3 that will be in both the regular and the CSV versions.

Location Bar What happened to the Stop Light? Many WORLDOX 2002 users relied heavily upon the use of the Stop Light icon to Quickly get to previously saved documents by their Doc ID. Now, the Location bar will return the same result. You can also search for documents by their Description or Comments. The drop down arrow beside the Location Bar will also give you a quick reference back to the last 20 "Locations" you've been within WORLDOX.

Styles - You can create different column layouts for each list type (Folder List, Favorite Files, etc.) by using WORLDOX Styles. Styles control the columns displayed as well as the sort order, the width of the folder tree, the bottom tab heights as well as the bottom tab that is selected by default. To set your Style, click the save icon to the right of the Location Bar and choose for which lists you would like to save your Style.

Searching - Did you know that WORLDOX allows internet style searches? By default, all Text in File searches have an implied within 3 proximity. For example a search for Breach Contract will return documents with the term Breach of Contract as well as Breach in Contract. WORLDOX searches are not case sensitive. A search for Automated and AutoMated will return the same result. Punctuation however, is significant in searches. A search for AHI will not return documents containing A.H.I. WORLDOX ignores common words such as "the" and "how. However, you can specifiy directly on the Text in File line to include common words by preceding them with a + sign. For example, +his current position. Without the + WORLDOX would drop the word "his" altogether. WORLDOX text searching supports the use of the wildcard character "*" for word stemming. Use the asterisk when you want to search for variations of a term. For example, searching for Auto* will return Auto, Automated or Automation. Note that you can only place the asterisk at the end of a series or letters, not at the beginning of a word. To search for complete, literal phrases enclose the words in quotation marks. While "within 3" searches are always implied, you can also specifiy other proximity searches (e.g. "accident w/5 lawsuit"). You can also do Ranged Proximity Searches which allows for unidirectional searches from left to right. Example, TECH /3,9/ CALL would search for "CALL" within three to nine words of "TECH", where "CALL" must appear to the right of "TECH".

Display Options - WORLDOX allows each user to customize the way WORLDOX displays on their individual desktop. To customize your display, click on Display - Appearance and then either Color or Font. You can select the Font Size and Color of the different Toolbars and Lists throughout WORLDOX.

Michael S. Whitlow and C. Cooper Youell, IV opened the law firm of Whitlow & Youell, PLC on September 12, 2007 in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. Mr. Whitlow practices primarily in the areas of will, trust and estate litigation, real estate litigation, commercial litigation, commercial real estate and environmental law. Mr. Youell focuses his practice primarily in the areas of commercial real estate, condominiums and condominium conversions, banking, business law, and zoning and land use. Both Mr. Whitlow and Mr. Youell have been named to "Virginia's Legal Elite" by Virginia Business Magazine.

Automated Horizons was honored to be a part of the new firm startup. As the technology consultants chosen by the firm to assist them with their setup, we coordinated their network and hardware, as well as all of their legal specialty software. The firm uses the fully integrated Tabs3 and PracticeMaster as their front and back office solution, in conjunction with Worldox document management. Other productivity tools include Quikscribe Digital Transcription system, PaperPort and MetaData Assistant. An Avaya IP Office telephone system running VOIP caps off their fully integrated system, allowing them to dial the phone from their PracticeMaster case management system.

Congratulations Mike & Cooper on your new venture!

Simply register your Accountant online for a free copy of Lexis Back Office powered by PCLaw software and LexisNexis will send you a $20 Shell gift card as a token of their appreciation. It's a win/win situation when your accountant also uses PCLaw. Your firm gets the benefits of a tailored application that best supports your practice, while your accountant gains the convenience and ease of importing and working with your data for review.