Aderant

implementing aderant sierra

How Do You Implement Aderant Sierra?

Many law firms today feel the pressure of working to meet the demands of their clients, employees, and caseload demands. Instead of searching for different software solutions, why not try using a reliable, easy-to-use solution for your business? In this article, we look at Aderant Sierra implementation, and what it can mean for your business.

Aderant Sierra is a business process management tool that helps you define, design, and implement your systems. It’s an excellent solution for firms looking to increase their operations’ efficiency by automating activities involving several individuals.

However, a deep understanding of the implementation steps is needed before rolling out a system such as Aderant Sierra. Read on to learn how Simplex BI suggests integrating this powerful system into your law firm’s operations.

Identify What Your Firm Wants to Achieve

When you’re ready to upgrade your firm’s case management software, you must clearly understand what your team wants to achieve. In turn, our team at Simplex BI will ensure your Aderant Sierra implementation is successful and effective in helping you reach your goals.

Investing in your firm in this way also involves defining your objectives and benefits, which are essential because they inform interested parties what they should expect from this change if it will affect them in any way.

Training

Training all staff who will be using the system is vital to the success of any new software implementation. Whether implementing Aderant Sierra with a consultant or by yourself, you must have training materials and resources available.

The best way to ensure your employees receive proper training is by working with a professional consulting service like Simplex BI.

Define System Roles and Permissions

A clear understanding of the system roles and permissions will help you learn how to implement Aderant Sierra.

The system roles and permissions tab is where you can define the sets of users who have access to certain areas within your network. 

Customize Your User Interface to Maximize User Acceptance and Productivity

The user interface of Aderant Sierra is an essential part of its success. It’s how you interact with your software and is intuitive and easy to use once configured appropriately.

Aderant Sierra is a flexible tool to help you move forward in growing your firm as it has many features to help you with case management. Some notable features include the business process catalog, the system roles & permissions, and reporting capabilities to see how your organization performs against its goals. However, many of these dashboards and interfaces require setup and configuration that we would suggest working with a consultant to create.

Simplex BI assists Aderant clients in getting the most out of this system, and we can help you too. If you want to get more from your system or address business and reporting problems, get in touch with us today.

Interested in a free webinar on Aderant Sierra? Check it out here.

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What is Aderant Sierra?

If you are a law firm looking for an edge, then you’ve probably heard of Aderant Expert. The newest offering from Aderant, the leader in law-firm management software, is Aderant Sierra. Sierra brings the multifunctionality of Aderant Expert to the cloud via Amazon Web Services (AWS). This enables increased ease of access and secure firm-wide data storage and management. In this article, we want to focus on some of the best things Sierra can do for your firm, and how our company, Simplex BI can help you get the most out of this new offering

AWS has been heralded as the leader in cloud security and innovation, so when it comes to servers to house your client data, this is the foundation you want your program to run on. Being in the cloud means you won’t have to worry about manual updates or maintenance, and it takes the general IT burden off your shoulders.

Our clients continuously tell us that one of the biggest hassles of practice management software is that it can only be accessed securely on-site. Just like the cloud has revolutionized many industries, law firm practice management just got a major boost in the convenience department.

How Aderant Sierra Can Help Practice Management

An overhaul of your practice management software can be time-consuming and complex but the effort will be worth it in the long run. At Simplex BI, we partner with medium-to-large-sized firms to guide you through the 12-16 week implementation process, and then partner with you to continuously maximize the effect that this kind of game-changing software can have on your firm’s output and productivity.

Before you get too excited, there are a couple of potential hazards you should be aware of. First, third-party software is not allowed on the Aderant Sierra servers. Second, your firm is not allowed to perform direct updates to the database via SQL. If you aren’t sure if any of those could potentially detract from your firm’s operation capacity, then check out our webinar on Aderant Sierra to get a deeper dive.

What is the Cost Structure Like?

Like many cloud-based programs or offerings, Aderant Sierra runs on a subscription basis. An annual subscription gets you access to the infrastructure and all licensed modules.  

Aderant Sierra Grows Along With Your Firm

As you expand, Aderant can keep up. Say you operate out of New York, but you are about to open up an office in LA, Austin, or Miami; with this cloud-based software, you can now have immediate secure access across all offices to the same data, in real-time. Without needing to change on-premise hardware or allocate additional storage space.   Aderant Sierra provides even more flexible scalability than its legacy, Aderant Expert. By leveraging 1,000+ data-monitoring nodes, real-time data-flow adjustments are made for optimal performance during peak operating times – and the advanced platform integration tools pull it together with your firm’s other important software.

The result is a custom, non-local firm-management tool for the most efficient possible analytics, billing, and other services according to the firm’s exact needs. With real-time visibility, Aderant Sierra’s straightforward custom report controls provide critical insights into the financial health of your company. Most fundamentally, Aderant Sierra helps firms because it doesn’t make them change what they’re already doing – rather, it pulls all their present firm-management software together under one unified interface.

High-Tech Solutions for Improved Relationships

Aderant Sierra’s greatest benefit is in helping firms stay client-centered for improved attorney-client relationships – and together with Simplex BI, we’ll tighten the gaps between your most pressing software capabilities and customer needs. We match our services tightly with your most urgent needs to not only maximize Return on Investment, but your Return on Relationship, as well.

Access All Aderant Sierra Has to Offer

We love this program, but we know that it isn’t necessarily intuitive. It can be time-consuming to educate yourself on how to optimize all of its capabilities, and then even more time-consuming to train your entire team on those capabilities. And we know that time is money. Extra hours you spend trying to squeeze the most out of this program are hours that you could be billing. 

At Simplex BI, we can help evaluate your needs. The first thing we want to look at is: is Aderant Sierra really a good fit for your firm? And honestly, we will tell you if it’s not. We don’t want to waste your time, and we don’t want you to waste your resources. But if we think it would be a good fit, and if you move forward with your Aderant subscription, then we’ll help you with your statement of work, and contract review. From there, one of our project managers will help facilitate implementation, create a test plan, and address any issues. In some cases, we will also take on a lot of the configuration, and help you go live. 

Free Consultation

We want this to make sense for you, and we want to partner with firms that are going to be able to get the most out of this software. At Simplex BI, we deliver comprehensive management of your firm’s entire digital information environment, custom-fit for your firm’s and your clients’ most pressing needs. So, let’s find a time to talk and see how we can help you with your implementation and operation of Aderant Sierra. Reach out to us today for your free consultation!

Interested in a free webinar on Aderant Sierra, click here.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Aderant Sierra

With the addition of Sierra to the library of Aderant Software, there is no better time to evaluate the benefits of moving to the Cloud.  Expert Sierra is Aderant’s answer to cloud-hosted software.  After initial skepticism, we have been very impressed with Aderant execution and migration process.  With additional industry-leading advice from Simplex BI, it’s now easier to scale your financial system with Aderant Sierra. As with any new product, many questions arise.  We’ve compiled a list of some tips for Aderant Sierra, as well as the top frequently asked questions we get from Aderant clients:

Is our data secure in Expert Sierra?

Yes. With their leading industry knowledge and software expertise, Aderant ensures the security of your date via Amazon Web Services (AWS) industry leading Cloud platform. 

Does Expert Sierra provide two factor authentication?

The next version of Expert Sierra, due out in September 2022, will provide two factor authentication as well as single sign on capabilities.  

Will I need to purchase different software if the firm experiences significant growth or merges with another firm?

No. Aderant Sierra is highly scalable.  The Cloud infrastructure can be resized to meet the needs of a growing firm.  

Can I depend on Aderant Sierra during peak times?

Yes. Aderant Sierra clients often express their satisfaction with the software’s optimum performance during peak times. The infrastructure has over 1000 monitoring nodes Aderant can adjust according to your firm’s needs, thus keeping you uninterrupted.

Should I be worried about the infrastructure and setup?

No. Aderant’s technical experts will guide you in installing Expert Sierra to ensure powerful functionality with minimal IT configurations.  Simplex BI can help guide you through the implementation and testing process to make sure your firm receives the best advice and prompt service you require.  

What is the difference between Expert Sierra and Aderant Expert?

The software is exactly the same but Sierra runs in the Cloud, not in the server room at your firm.  All functions available in your current on-premise Aderant system are available in Expert Sierra. 

For more tips for Aderant Sierra or any questions about implementing this software, contact us.

Interested in a free webinar, check it out here.

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Do I Need a Professional Consultant to Implement Aderant Software?

Many firms have long been resistant to any kind of automation, including legal software options that make a variety of transactions performed every day a bit simpler. The reality, though, is that the new pressures firms face from the pandemic and changing workloads have pushed many to look toward practice management solutions like the Law Accounting Software Aderant that offer a variety of features. It’s not hard to see why, either. Even without the pandemic, firms were rethinking their traditional business models and working to become better companies. Some moved toward larger spreads of partner compensation, the evolution of roles everyone plays within the firm, and making a variety of other strategic changes. As law accounting software solutions like Aderant become the single best way to make practice management more efficient, though, some wonder if it’s a transition they can handle on their own or whether bringing in a professional consultant might be the way to go. The reality, though, is that while it isn’t absolutely necessary to have a professional consultant teach Aderant software to your legal team, these services may prove incredibly useful during the setup process. 

The Benefits of Working with a Consultant

Productivity has taken center stage at many firms, and as compliance risks and case complexities increase, so too does the need for solutions like Aderant. Installing it, even if it’s installed in the cloud, can bring added frustration to the team, and a professional consultant can save the firm quite a lot of time and thousands of dollars. By ensuring installation takes place carefully at the outset, the firm will be well poised to move ahead in a business-as-usual manner. 

Consultants also mean easy access to training. Frustration often occurs when employees across the firm spend too much billable time frustrated with technology solutions that are supposed to be doing just that. When a consultant is brought into the picture, however, much of that frustration disappears. A consultant is apt to better understand firms, the flow of productivity, and how the various modules Aderant offers can improve overall productivity. That means that when a consultant teaches Aderant software legal modules to partners, juniors, and the rest of the staff, the training is geared toward the knowledge they need most

Often the process doesn’t end with teaching, though. Typically it stretches to support as well. Once the software has been installed and everyone has been through a training session, the consultant can be available for questions or concerns for a period of time as the firm adjusts to the new software. 

Do firms need professional outside consultants to install Aderant? No, Aderant offers its services via its professional services team. However, engaging with an outside consultant will provide a different perspective and a resource dedicated to solving your firm’s issues. 

So, if you’re interested in having a conversation about Aderant, then contact us today.

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5 Things Aderant Experts Want You to Know

Few industries have changed quite as much in recent years as the legal profession. Thanks to increased client demands, higher levels of globalization, and the shifting world of IT systems that make practices more efficient, tasks that were once fairly simple have now become complex issues requiring more time and money than ever. It’s what makes comprehensive practice management software solutions like Aderant absolutely key to profitability and efficiency, but what makes Aderant different from other solutions? Here are the top five thoughts you’ll want to consider, according to an Aderant expert:

  1. “It Means Real Change for Your Firm.” One Aderant expert suggested that the most important thing to understand is that the software really will change your firm. The features and functions are likely to shift almost everything you do as well as the way you do it. Unlike other software solutions law firms use, Aderant is installed in the cloud, providing a law firm with secure access from any location. Add that to the fact that so much of what you do on a daily basis can be addressed by an Aderant module, and your day-to-day is likely to look quite a bit different after Aderant is installed. It can handle all of your firm’s accounting and financial reporting needs, but it also includes options for workflow, case and records management, and even business intelligence to make your firm more powerful. 
  2. “Support is Simple.” Another Aderant expert believed the key takeaway should be the fact that support is incredibly effective. The company has developed a global support network with centers in North America, the UK, and Australia to provide clients across the globe easy access to support professionals at any point in time. Aderant routinely gets some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry because a qualified, knowledgeable professional is always available to solve any potential problems. Every support rep has an average of eight years of experience, so one call means connecting with a truly knowledgeable person. 
  3. “It’s Completely Scalable.” One of the best parts of the software for many Aderant experts is the fact that it’s wholly scalable. While your firm may only need a piece of the puzzle at the moment, but that could change down the road, so Aderant was designed in various pieces that fit together to address your needs at any given time. As you begin to experience the growth you really want to see, adding various pieces to help you accommodate that growth is simple. 
  4. “It Was Designed Specifically for Law Firms.” Some practice management systems were adopted by law firms to become industry leaders. Aderant, though, was designed from the outset to meet legal user requirements. In 2007, the company assembled a human factors team within their Product Management department to collaborate specifically with clients on how to create new products that would meet the needs of firms. The feedback they got was invaluable. They learned exactly how much information caused an overload for those working in a firm, how many clicks one task should take, and even where their eyes are most likely to go on a screen. Working with product managers and business analysts, they took that knowledge to create a new product specific to the challenges firms experience. The process continues today. As the teams begin to see needs in the legal community, they start once again with new research to learn about the problem and how best to solve it. 
  5. Enterprise software can be incredibly useful, but it’s not always straightforward and easy. That’s where we have built a name for ourselves. With consultation from the right team, and solid processes in place, installing Aderant and getting quickly up to speed can be accomplished, and it will be worth it. To do this successfully, you’ll need partners with the right balance of industry knowledge, software expertise, and technical skills. And getting up and running is just the beginning. Some of the other things our clients rely on our advice for are: Upgrade Planning, Project Management, Software evaluations, System Testing, End User Training, Data Warehouse Development, SSRS Report Development, Integrations, and Custom Application Development.

Interested in learning more about what Aderant can do for your practice? Contact us today.

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aderant sierra

5 Things Every Aderant User Should Know Before Installing

If you’re like many firms today, the last thing you think you need is yet another piece of software. Instead, you’re continually working to meet the demands of your clients, your employees, and your caseload. Fortunately, there is a better option – Aderant. More than a simple piece of software, Aderant’s solutions are used today by some of the largest law firms around the world. A comprehensive option, Aderant Sierra offers the right technology to help your firm do more, no matter what your size. What should you know before you install this software option? Take a closer look. 

#1 – Aderant Offers Multiple Solutions

Aderant is practice management. We believe any software solution should actually make your life easier, and Aderant allows you to do a number of things. Aderant Sierra offers you an expert solution in the cloud. That can mean increased efficiency and profitability no matter where you might be. It incorporates financial management, time and expense capture, and case management in a simple package. Aderant Handshake offers quick access to all of your firm’s data in one application. Spotlight means the ability to see absolutely everything that’s happening in your firm from a financial standpoint. What’s more, though, is that those are just three of the applications Aderant has to offer busy firms like yours. If you’re struggling in your market, there’s an Aderant Solution to meet your needs. 

#2 – Aderant Can Be Used in the Cloud

Aderant solutions are often installed on physical servers inside a firm’s offices, but that’s not the only place this software succeeds. Instead, it can be installed in the cloud as well, so you can use it from anywhere in the world. While you will want to use a private cloud to help increase the security of your firm, hosting in the cloud means more accessibility and reliable access when you need it. 

#3 – Aderant is Scalable

Hoping to be able to continually adapt to the changing legal market? Aderant is the ideal software to help you withstand any future growth. Adding additional programming and services is easily accomplished with this software solution, and if it’s in the cloud, those adjustments take just a little more cloud space to compensate. 

#4 – Aderant Means Real-Time Visibility

Few things are as important to any business (including law firms) as real-time visibility to help the leadership see the financial health of the company. Aderant offers critical insights to help build a better model. It’s literally business intelligence at your fingertips. Complete with a configurable dashboard and Aderant manual easy report customization, it can mean the insights your company needs quickly

#5 – Aderant Improves Client Relationships

Building and maintaining client relationships must remain at the forefront of everything you do because happy clients continue to come back. The ability to reach out whenever you need, demonstrate your value, and show a commitment to help clients, though, comes at a cost – your time. If you’re spending time on practice management, though, you don’t have the ability to connect with clients in the manner you should. Aderant Sierra (Expert Sierra) can solve that problem, helping your firm take a client-centered approach that enables you to develop your business and do more with clients. 

Discover how our legal technology consultants can revolutionize the way you practice law.

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Top 5 Questions About Aderant

Selecting the right software program to help you run your firm and manage your clients can be a challenge. There are so many different features and programs to consider. For many, though, Aderant Software is fast becoming the right choice. What is Aderant software? Even after you begin to learn more about this option, you may be left with questions. This quick FAQ can help you sort through at least a few of those questions. 

What Is Aderant Software? 

Aderant law firm software was designed for firms like yours to offer a technological solution that automates common processes, builds collaboration, and empowers your firm to do more. Aderant offers a number of different solutions to help you handle your firm’s finances, improve document management, and take a closer look at the time and money spent on every single case. 

How Will It Help Increase Profitability for My Firm?

Attorneys today are busier than ever, but that doesn’t mean you’re bringing in more money than ever. Any software option you select has to help make your firm more profitable, and Aderant does exactly that. Thanks to features that help automate common processes as well as those that help you see the bigger picture so you can make adjustments where they’re necessary, Aderant law firm software is the ideal way to get the visibility and help you need to increase overall profitability. 

Can It Be Installed On a Private Cloud?

Aderant can be installed on your office server, but it can also be hosted on a private cloud. Hosting Aderant on a private cloud doesn’t mean any loss of features. Instead, you get access to everything you need. Given the sensitive nature of law firm data, many attorneys worry about cloud hosting, but with Aderant law firm software, you get the best cybersecurity methods available today. You’ll instantly have access to the materials and information you need no matter where you are. 

Is It Scalable?

Ensuring your firm can grow and change as necessary is nothing short of a must, and your software solutions should be able to do the same thing. Fortunately, Aderant is completely scalable. Because the software offers a variety of modules to better meet the needs of your firm, you can select what builds your package and what may not work for you currently. No matter what the future of your firm, Aderant can shift to better meet your needs. 

Can It Be Tailored to Meet Our Needs?

Aderant comes tailored to meet your needs. The various modules available work independently of each other so whether you’re most concerned about your company’s accounting needs or you’re concerned with case management, the software is perfect for your firm. Add features as you need them to better help you focus on what you do best – practicing law. 

Is Assistance Easy to Access?

Training and support are key when it comes to law firm management software. Without it, your software solution won’t work for your staff members. At Aderant, creating user-friendly interfaces that are intuitive enough for any user is critical, but many firms need additional assistance.  Simplex BI offers all the help you need to get your Aderant system up and running.  

What is Aderant software? Hopefully, you have a better understanding now. Ready to get started with Aderant? Consider speaking with us to learn more about the process. 

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How Aderant Expert Legal Software Helps Your Law Firm

A Clio survey found that on the average workday, attorneys spend nearly six hours on non-billable work. Thanks to the continual need for office administrative tasks, generating and sending out billing, and other business development work, spending time on the tasks that really matter to clients can be tough. How can you focus on growing your firm and building client relationships? Aderant expert legal software can help. 

What Is Aderant?

Aderant expert legal software can help with practice management. With a number of fully-featured modules to help you manage cases, time and expenses, billing, and a variety of practice tools, the goal of this software is to help you not only increase the profitability of your firm but also to give you real-time access to the data you need so you can improve efficiency. It even incorporates outside counsel rules and guidelines so you can remain in compliance. 

The Benefits of This Software System

Aderant expert legal software offers you improved organization. You need a perfectly orchestrated system for all of your policies and tasks inside your firm, and Aderant can provide just that. Whether you’re a fairly large firm or a solo practice, it’s easy to meet all of those administrative tasks on a daily basis thanks to this software system. No matter where you’re struggling with organization – case file management, tracking billable hours, or client invoicing – Aderant offers the right option to ensure you have the tools you need. 

It also means access to automation. Your firm could easily be more efficient if you can just automate particular tasks that you handle all of the time like retainer agreements and client correspondence. With Aderant, you won’t have to worry about the extensive time needed to create that documentation. Instead, the software will handle it for you. 

Aderant can be installed on your firm’s private servers or in the cloud, and that means you don’t have to be at your office to get things done. Adding a private cloud to Aderant software means accessibility and the ability to meet with clients or work from anywhere on the globe. 

Perhaps the best part of Aderant’s total software solution, though, is the hands-on data access it offers. Data is key to any business, and that’s just as true for law firms as it is for anyone else. You need information if you’re going to plan the direction of your law firm in the future, and Aderant gives you access to that information so you can – in real-time – gauge what’s working for your firm and what isn’t. You can even customize reports in Aderant Expert so you can instantly see any piece of the puzzle that might be frustrating your efforts to grow. 

If you’re ready to change the way you do business and really begin to see the bigger picture, automate key tasks, and focus on client relationships, Aderant expert legal software is the perfect tool. Schedule a demo today with our implementation experts at SimplexBI.

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Introduction to Aderant

The legal landscape is subject to rapid changes, and that can make effective management of your office a difficult challenge. Fortunately, several software options can help streamline daily operations and manage various aspects of your firm. One of the best options many are considering is Aderant Billing Software. 

Why Management Software?

You may wonder why you should even consider law practice management software. It’s fairly simple. Most firms have one or two points of frustration, making it hard to determine what’s worth your time and effort. Whether that’s document management for client and case records, scheduling, or even accounting, managing those tougher spots on your own can be frustrating. Selecting law practice management software that helps you better control those pain points could transform your time in the office, maximizing efficiency and ensuring you have a smoother path forward. 

What Sets Aderant Billing Software Apart

The best practice management software is the one that works well for your firm, and many turn to Aderant for a variety of reasons. 

  • It’s versatile: Aderant has several functions to help firms. It can handle every aspect of your firm’s finances including invoicing and payments received. It even offers many different fiscal reporting functions to help break down what might be working and what isn’t from a financial perspective. More than that, though, it offers project management tools, case management options, and even analytics to help you step back and make sure your entire firm is on track. 
  • It’s scalable: If you’re growing your firm’s influence or you’re looking to scale back, Aderant offers plenty of solutions to help you make those adjustments without the common IT headaches that often come as firms grow and change. 
  • It’s a better way to manage: Many attorneys are looking for increased management opportunities without adding to their already busy schedules, and Aderant offers exactly that. You’ll be able to see almost everything from workload to financial operations at a glance. That makes it easy to streamline and automate tasks that will ensure everything gets done consistently. More than that, though, a better overview can help you develop goals for your firm in the upcoming year. 

Good law practice management means continually taking a closer look at where you’re successful and what needs improvement, and you can make tracking far easier with Aderant Billing Software. Learn more by reaching out to us for a discussion of how the software will work for you.

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