TurboLaw 2.73 Released
January 14, 2010
We are happy to announce that TurboLaw 2.73, the latest version of our popular automated document assembly software, is now available. If you have TurboLaw, the next time you open it, you should see a notice about the updated version appear in the bottom-right corner of your screen (it may take a short while to appear, depending on your Internet speed).
This new version features a number of changes designed to make it even easier for you to get your work done:
- The TurboLaw Migration Wizard is now bundled with TurboLaw itself, to help make it even easier to move your TurboLaw data from one computer to another (as when you get a new computer or switch computers)
- The registration window has been revised to allow you to try to register online again, instead of only allowing you to click it once
- Text on the registration window has been re-worded to make it more clear
- The Update Utility has been improved to better handle random Internet connection problems that some people encounter (especially when using wireless Internet)
As always, we continue to update TurboLaw based on feedback we hear from our customers – so if you have an idea or suggestion for TurboLaw, we’d love to hear from you!
TurboLaw Time and Billing 1.16 Released
November 19, 2009
It may not have a big red bow tied around it, but the latest release of TurboLaw Time and Billing – Version 1.16 – could be considered our “early Christmas present” to all of our users.
The biggest change in this new version is undoubtedly the incredible variety of new bill templates we’ve added.
These new templates not only give you the ability to create fantastic-looking bills, they also show just how much you can do with TurboLaw Time and Billing’s template system and a little bit of creativity.
Here is a preview of all the new bill templates (click on any image to see a larger version):
-
- “Atlantis”
-
- “Boston”
-
- “Woodstock”
-
- “Phoenix”
-
- “Manhattan”
-
- “Papyrus”
We hope you enjoy these new themes – and remember, you can always pick one of these themes and customize it further to suit your taste.
As always, your TurboLaw Time and Billing will check for updates automatically and notify you when a new update is available. Just watch for the pop-up balloon, or for this message at the bottom of your screen:
This message lets you know a new update is available.
Remember – we welcome your feedback as well, so don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any thoughts or comments about the program.
We hope you enjoy this latest version of TurboLaw Time and Billing!
TurboLaw 2.72 Released
September 14, 2009
As always, we are happy to announce the release of the latest version of TurboLaw – Version 2.72. This new version introduces some new features as well as some improvements that will make TurboLaw even easier to use. Here’s a list of all the new features and changes, as well as a brief explanation:
- Easier Registration - the registration process has been streamlined by replacing the multiple registration option buttons with a single button which simply says “Click here to register.” Since every copy of TurboLaw must be registered, and you must also re-register when you get a new computer, we try to make this process as simple and streamlined as possible.
- Recent Update History - the TurboLaw Update Utility will now keep a record of all the updates (new or changed documents) it has downloaded, so that you can see what has been updated previously, rather than just in the current session. This is useful if you want to see if, for example, your TurboLaw downloaded a new version of a form that came out last week.
- Safer “Alternate Case Folder” Option - previously, it was possible to select folders using the “Alternate Case Folder” option that would cause problems for TurboLaw – for example, the infamous 4160 error. Now, TurboLaw will warn you when you attempt to use a folder that might cause trouble later on.
- Update Timeouts - a small number of users of TurboLaw were reporting that the Update Utility was occasionally (and randomly) “timing out” when trying to download updates, even though their Internet connection was fine. This new version of TurboLaw includes enhancements to prevent this problem from happening.
Although this is a (relatively) minor update, we do encourage all TurboLaw users to download and install this update.
If you have automatic updates turned on in TurboLaw, you will be notified about this update. If you don’t have automatic updates turned on, you will have to check for updates manually by clicking the Update menu in TurboLaw and choosing Check for Updates.
This window will appear on your screen when a new TurboLaw Update is available.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any trouble getting this latest update, or if you have any questions or comments. We welcome your feedback!
TurboLaw Time and Billing 1.15 Released
August 3, 2009
Once again, we here at TurboLaw Software are extremely pleased to announce the release of the latest version of TurboLaw Time and Billing: Version 1.15! We’ve worked very hard on this latest release, adding more than a dozen major new features/improvements to the program – many of them based directly on feedback we receive from you, our wonderful customers. As always, our goal is to bring you nothing less than simply the best time and billing program possible.
This new version has a lot of new features which we just can’t stop talking about, so instead of our usual list of new features, we’re going to go into a little bit more detail instead.
Read on for more details on all the amazing new features we’ve added and improvements we’ve made!
Totally new statement templates specialized for retainers:
This feature is one that will be especially helpful to those people who regularly take retainers for their work. You can select one of the new templates we’ve added to the program that have this feature if you want to see it in action.
Bills can now be printed in “batches” from the “Bills” list:
This is a feature we heard many of our customers ask for – and we listened to you! When looking at the list of bills in TurboLaw Time and Billing, just select the bills you want to print, and right-click and choose Print Bill(s). You can also click Print Bill(s) from the navigation bar on the left, if you prefer.
Separate fields for the “category” and “notes” of a bill line item:
Previously, line items on a bill had simply a single “description,” which was a combination of the “category” for that line item and any notes you may have entered for that item.
Above: the old bill line item "description" field in a template
The description for a bill line item always printed out in exactly the same way, as Category: Notes.
Above: a bill line item's description as it appeared on a bill
Once again, we listened to our customers’ feedback, and based on that, we added two new fields to bills – they are called category and notes. Although none of our default, built-in templates use these new fields, you can add them to your own templates easily. This way, you can choose to display the category of an item and its notes in separate columns, or perhaps choose not to display one or the other, depending on your tastes.
Above: the new "category" and "notes" fields for bills
Above: the new "category" and "notes" fields as they appear in a bill
As always, we believe that you should have total control over how your bills look – and these new fields make it possible to design your bill template to be exactly the way you want it to be.
All “list” style windows can now be copied to the Windows clipboard for pasting into other programs, or exported to a CSV file:
Because we believe that the data you enter into TurboLaw Time and billing is yours to do with as you please, we added some new buttons to all of the “list” type windows. These new buttons allow you to either copy the list you see to your clipboard (so you can paste it into a spreadsheet or a document), or export the list you see to a CSV file (a type of text-only spreadsheet). Either way, the data you see on the screen can now be easily taken out of TurboLaw Time and Billing and put into whatever program you wish. You can manipulate the data if you want, create reports of your own, or even just share the data with others who might not have TurboLaw Time and Billing.
These new buttons are available in all of the “list” type windows in the program, including:
- Clients
- Time and Expenses
- Payments
- Staff Members
- Staff Titles
- Account History
- Billing Categories
- Matters
The “list” window for work/expenses now has a column showing whether each item has been billed or not:
This feature is another one that was suggested to us by our customers. When looking at a list of time and expenses, you will now see an additional column labeled “status” which tells you whether that item has been billed for yet. An item that is marked “unbilled” has been entered into the program, but has not yet been added to a bill. An item that is marked “billed” has been added to a bill, and is counted as part of the client’s balance.
Graphs can now display data by specific intervals (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) for either a single client or staff member, or for ALL clients or staff members:
We’re always looking for new ways that people want to use the data in TurboLaw Time and Billing for reporting purposes – after all, there’s no way we could think of all the different ways you might want to use the data. One way that was suggested to us by a customer was to show a graph of (say) revenue for the past several months. To make this happen, we had to add an additional option to our graphs window to allow you to include “everyone” in the graph, rather than just restricting it to the currently selected client or staff member.
The result was the ability to graph trends in things like revenue, billed time, and payments received.
The increased flexibility and power provided by TurboLaw Time and Billing’s graphs with this new option make it possible to track your firm’s productivity, revenue, and expenses even more accurately.
Items in the “Account History” window can now be deleted directly from that window:
We always try to give you multiple ways to accomplish your goals in TurboLaw Time and Billing – that way you can use whatever method is easiest for you. In the case of the Account History window, we wanted to make it possible for you to delete an item directly from this window – so we did! Just right-click any item and choose Delete.
Other Improvements:
These improvements and changes aren’t really the sort that you can show with a picture, so we’ll just list them here.
- Newly-created clients are now “auto-saved” when you add a matter
- User-entered client ID numbers now appear on bills and statements
- Upgrades now remove old, unneeded files to save disk space
- Improved “unexpected error” message now more informative, and includes the phone number to call if you need technical support
- New “extensible” architecture (for enabling 3rd party integration)
As always, your TurboLaw Time and Billing will check for updates automatically and notify you when a new update is available. Just watch for the pop-up balloon, or for this message at the bottom of your screen:
This message lets you know a new update is available.
Remember – we welcome your feedback as well, so don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any thoughts or comments about the program.
We hope you enjoy this latest version of TurboLaw Time and Billing!
New Guardianship Forms for Massachusetts Probate Law
July 1, 2009
New Probate forms for Guardianships are now in effect for Massachusetts. We will be uploading them for current customers as quickly they become available.
The new guardianship forms are named differently from the old forms. The new forms all start with “MPC.”
TurboLaw is set by default to check for updates and new forms automatically every time you open the program, so if you have not changed this setting, then your TurboLaw will pick up the new forms automatically each time you open the program.
If you have automatic updates turned off (for example, if you have a dial-up connection) you can check for updates manually by clicking the Updates menu in TurboLaw and choosing Check for Updates.
Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s Website May Harm Your Computer
May 13, 2009
Google seems to have caught the Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s website (telegram.com) distributing “drive by” malware. “Drive by” malware means malicious or harmful software that is installed on your computer even if you don’t click on anything. Of course this is done without your consent (or notice).
Google has a “Safe Browsing” notice page that explains the details of what has been found coming from the Telegram & Gazette’s website.
If you search Google for “worcester telegram and gazette“, you will receive a warning page similar to the one shown below (the warning is circled in red):
If you use Firefox as your web browser and you try to go directly to the Telegram & Gazette’s website, you’ll see a security warning similar to this:
If you use Internet Explorer, you won’t get any warning – so if you do use Internet Explorer, you might want to avoid going directly to the Telegram & Gazette’s website and instead search for it using Google.
According to Google’s report, the malware isn’t coming directly from telegram.com, but from other sites – probably linked via ads of some sort, or perhaps via a sneaky technique known as “injection,” which allows content from other (usually “bad”) sites to be “injected” into other sites (usually very popular ones).
If you do visit the Telegram & Gazette’s website (not recommended right now), you’ll see a vague statement on the front page regarding “problems” they are experiencing right now, and how they are “working with their vendors” to resolve it.
Until this situation is resolved, we’d recommend staying away from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s website. You can check on the status of the situation by searching Google for “worcester telegram and gazette” and seeing whether the “This site may harm your computer” warning is still there.
If you absolutely must go to the website, we’d recommend using extreeme caution. If you have a Macintosh or Linux computer available, it is probably safe to visit the site from those computers – as almost all malware is written for Microsoft Windows.
UPDATE: The problem appears to have been fixed. We received a note from Mark Henderson, Online Director over at the Telegram & Gazette, who let us know about the problem and gave us this note, which was also posted on their website:
Our Web site was the target of a virus or other intruding program for limited periods of time from Monday afternoon to early Wednesday morning. When we learned of the problem, we took all appropriate steps to ensure the integrity and safety of the site. We believe that we have corrected the problem and that you can continue to use the site without concern. It is our understanding that computers with up-to-date virus protection would not have been compromised. If you believe that your computer may have been affected while connected to our site, please contact Online Director Mark Henderson at (508) 793-9266.
Google also no longer lists the site as being potentially harmful to your computer, nor does Firefox. So it seems to be safe to visit the site again. Although this incident just underscores the need to have a good anti-virus or anti-spyware program on your computer that is kept up-to-date!
TurboLaw 2.71 Released
April 28, 2009
The latest version of TurboLaw Document Software – version 2.71 – has been released. This new version is a relatively minor update (hence the minor version number change) that contains improvements to the TurboLaw Update Utility for people who connect to the Internet via unusual means or have unusual proxy server configurations.
This update also includes an improvement to the Case Interview Wizard for MA/General Litigation which allows you to change a party from “defendant” to “plaintiff”” (and vice versa), which was previously not possible.
Although this is a minor update, we do recommend that all customers install this update. If you have automatic updates turned on in TurboLaw, you will be notified about this update. If you don’t have automatic updates turned on, you will have to check for updates manually by clicking the Update menu in TurboLaw and choosing Check for Updates.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any trouble getting this latest update, or if you have any questions or comments. We welcome your feedback!
TurboLaw Time and Billing 1.14 Released
March 31, 2009
As always, we are very pleased to announce the release of TurboLaw Time and Billing Version 1.14 today! This new version brings with it a number of changes to help you get your billing done as quickly and easily as possible.
In addition to the change to the way finance charges are calculated that we’ve mentioned previously, this new update includes the following updated features:
- On statements, bills that were for a specific “matter” now have the matter’s name next to the bill number, so your clients can see which bill was for which matter.
- You can now add new time/expense items directly to a new bill.
- You can now select how you would like the program to round time that is recorded with the stopwatch – this option can be found under “General Settings.”
As always, TurboLaw Time and Billing checks for updates automatically in the background, so you don’t have to do anything special to get this update – just keep your eyes open for the pop-up notification, or for this little message:
Watch for this message to appear when a new update is available!
Just click the pop-up notice (or the message) to install the update (it only takes a few seconds to install).
As always, we welcome any feedback you may have, and we hope you enjoy this latest version of TurboLaw Time and Billing!
Change to Finance Charges in TurboLaw Time and Billing
March 18, 2009
If you assess finance charges to your clients using TurboLaw Time and Billing, there’s an important change coming up in the next update that you need to be aware of. (If you don’t assess finance charges to your clients, you don’t have to do anything.)
In the next update of TurboLaw Time and Billing (version 1.14), the finance charge field in your client’s information has been renamed from a “monthly” rate to an “annual” rate (or APR). This was done based on feedback from customers, who said they were used to talking about finance charge rates on an annual (APR) basis, rather than monthly. This will also help to reduce the confusion some people had with understanding how a “monthly” finance charge was applied.
The change that you need to be aware of is that this field has been renamed, but if you had previously entered a monthly finance charge rate for a client, the rate you had entered as a “monthly” rate now needs to be updated to be a “yearly” rate.
For example, if you had entered a 1.5% monthly rate previously, after this update you will need to go and change the number you’ve entered to 18% (1.5% monthly rate x 12 months = 18% APR).
You can find the field you need to change on the Edit Client window in TurboLaw Time and Billing.
The update with this change to the finance charge field in TurboLaw Time and Billing is due out near the end of March, 2009, and will be labeled “Version 1.14.”
As always, if you have any questions about this change, or any other aspect of TurboLaw Time and Billing, please do not hesitate to contact us!
TurboLaw 2.70 Released
March 4, 2009
We are very excited to announce a major new release of TurboLaw Document Software – Version 2.70! The most visible change is the totally new TurboLaw Update Utility, which not only gets a complete face-lift, but has in fact been re-designed completely from scratch to improve your experience while using TurboLaw.
Some of the new features of the completely new TurboLaw Update Utility are:
- Much faster than the old Update Utility – updates now happen faster so you spend less time waiting.
- Greater compatibility with software firewalls – less of a chance that your software firewall will “block” TurboLaw Update from connecting to the Internet in the first place.
- A vastly improved "manual" update mode which allows you to choose specific areas of law to be updated (or not updated – great for users who still have slower Internet connections or dial-up).
- Choices made during the "manual" update mode are saved, so you don’t have to keep un-selecting documents that you don’t want to update.
- New update notification pop-up is less intrusive.
- "Manual" updates now use the new "Aero" style wizard, to match the visual styles used in newer versions of Windows.
- Updates will require fewer reboots of your computer in the future, thanks to the new Update Utility’s method of installing the updates.
Making sure your TurboLaw documents stay up-to-date as they are revised by the courts is very important, which is why we’ve worked so hard to make sure that the experience of updating your TurboLaw software and documents is as simple, easy, and quick as possible.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any trouble getting this latest update. We hope you enjoy it!
Subscribe
