The bad news: LawStream isn't exactly the same as Amicus, and conversion of your Amicus data to LawStream won't make your LawStream data look exactly like it does in Amicus. The good news: LawStream is better than Amicus (as far as we're concerned), and you will be able to benefit from LawStream's conversion procedures, to get much of your Amicus client/contact and file/matter data into a LawStream data base.
Thanks to LawStream's new Amicus conversion procedures, once you create a properly-formatted export file of your client/contact (including file/matter (reference) data from Amicus), LawStream will be able to import, convert and massage that information, to provide a basis for using it in your LawStream data file. The import routines are accessible from LawStream's utilities window, and the import/conversion routines include windows that include step-by-step guidance for making the most of your Amicus data. Check the following paragraphs, for details on what has to be done, to export your Amicus data for importing into LawStream.
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Even though the conversion process is not perfect, it should still be adequate for most law firms. |
What will the LawStream conversion routines accomplish?
LawStream's procedures for converting Amicus data will look after the bulk of the detail work you would normally do, in creating detailed data in your new data file. We have found that the most time-consuming aspect of starting a new law office data base, is the task of entering client/contact data, and related file/matter data.
The following fields will be imported into LawStream as client/name data:
- client code (part of nickname)
- client name
- contact person (for corporate or institutional clients)
- part one of address
- part two of address
- part three of address
- part four of address
- a telephone number
- another telephone number
- controlling/responsible lawyer for the file
The following fields will be imported into LawStream as file/matter data:
- nickname
- description/reference for the file
- notes relating to the file
What is necessary, to prepare Amicus data for conversion by LawStream?
Note: Before proceeding with the procedures described in the following paragraphs, be sure to contact PowerSoft Innovations Corporation, to confirm that these procedures correspond with the current version of the LawStream conversion routines.
There are two essential types of data that need to be exported from your Amicus data file. That "exporting" takes place by preparing reports of the data, and saving the data to files on disk.
To create the files of client/contact and file/matter data:
Different LawStream users have provided us with different techniques for exporting their old Amicus data for use in LawStream. The following instructions are among the techniques that have worked.
Open the area of Amicus you want to export (the contacts, for example). In the top tool bar, drop down under File to Export, and click that. Select format, using ALLCNTCT.TPL. Export that file to disk. Click Export and wait (it can take time for lots of data). When the little time clock disappears, click Done. If that doesn't work, try this: find the Team Data file, and then find the CNTCT.TPL file in it, and copy that to the hard disk (you will have to do that for ALLFILES.TPL.What about user codes, firm name and address, time codes, preferences, and other general data from Amicus, that should be in a new LawStream data file? How do those types of data get entered?
When you get LawStream, you also get service and support. Part of the support you get, is the work done by LawStream support personnel at PowerSoft Innovations Corporation, to prepare a start-up data base, customized for you and your firm. That start-up data base includes many different types of data, including your firm name, address, phone numbers and other contact details. It also includes many preferences, codes and detail global data to assist members of your firm to enter and retrieve data quickly and accurately.
What can be done, to deal with special uses and requirements for converting data from Amicus to LawStream?
Some Amicus users might have unique ways they have used Amicus, which cannot be anticipated by the general conversion procedures we have established in LawStream. In some cases, PowerSoft Innovations Corporation might be able to create special procedures to deal with the data files created by those Amicus users, but the cost of those special procedures would have to be covered by the firms relying on them. If your use of Amicus does not correspond to the normal expected use, and if you believe your unique data requirements should somehow be included in your new LawStream data file, then you should contact PowerSoft Innovations Corporation to inquire about custom programming to convert your data.