DMA2Go Workflow

Episode # 6 will record live on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 11:00am EDT at www.TalkShoe.com.  Topic will be “Portals†.

History of workflow:

• Ability to print to PDF file
• Dual monitors
• PDF annotation tools
  • PDFlyer from CCH
  • Tic, Tie & Calculate from Acct1st
  • Doc-It
• Firms then eliminated paper files
• Then the discovered the need for workflow

Concept of workflow

• in analog world the floor was the inbox & the credenza the outbox, or perhaps vice-versa
• notes were verbal
• relied on paper routing sheets

Software needs to evolve further — they are not as mature as many document management systems. Does workflow belong in tax, practice management, document management system, or stand-alone?

Tax status systems work well IF everything is a tax return! But it’s NOT! Is workflow sold by the quart, the pound, or the mile? What about document centric workflow. Some practice management systems have some workflow built in already.

• Thomson Practice CS
• Adobe Acrobat used to replicate paper routing forms
• Microsoft SharePoint
• XCM is the only stand-alone workflow system available today

Workflow systems like Thomson GoFileRoom attempt to duplicate the concept of a Redrope client file and add automatic routing, review notes, resolution, etc. Some firms want to track time, too — but workflow shouldn’t duplicate the time & billing component of a practice management system. Workflow is not necessarily scheduling programs like www.StaffTrack.com. Small firms might like Office Tools Pro or TimeMatters/Billing Matters from Lexis-Nexis.