I am past due on reporting the current status of our deployment of FileTrail.  We went live January 25.  But first a little background.

The product we were on from July of 2004 was FileSurf.  Whether owned by MDY, CA, Autonomy, or HP, we used it and appreciated all that it meant to our success.  But that product is end of life and no longer a solution for our needs.  We had to find another software.  At the same time, we have a new vision to move toward more of an ECM type of environment for electronic information.

This means that our new Records software would be used for only physical materials.  We plan on migrating our electronic records (over 1 million of these) from FileSurf to DM.  FileTrail was to be our new platform for managing physical materials.

We discovered that there were no software solutions ready for prime time when we went out to purchase something new.  Now I know there are good products out there for managing physical files, but not for a law firm.  We need something that operates on a client/matter centricity.  The result was a partnership to jointly develop this solution with FileTrail.  That project has been realized in a big way.

As I mentioned, we went live on January 25.  The new software was rolled out to the firm and ready to go as staff came in that Monday morning.  I am so grateful that the rollout worked amazingly well.  FileTrail did their part.  I am blessed with an amazing team both in Records and IT.  Functionality worked and users applied the training they received to operate in the new product.  Since then we continue to have success and most of our internal customers seem to be adjusting.

There is still work to do.  As with any major new release of a technology product we have both corrections to make as well as development opportunities to make it even better.  And FileTrail continues to show their interest in seeing this happen.  I expect to provide a final update sometime around mid-year.  You are welcome to contact me directly if you have any questions.

Please remember, I post this not as a stakeholder in FileTrail.  Nor do I get compensation for communicating this news (other than sharing some nice Scotch, thanks Tom!).  Many of you in the Legal industry have asked me to provide an update.  I was also approached by a number of colleagues at the Expo during the 2015 ARMA International Conference.  Take my post for what it's worth: one practitioner providing one perspective.

Grateful for answered prayer in this rollout!

David B. Steward, CRM IGP
Director of Records

HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP
4801 Main Street, Suite 1000
Kansas City, MO 64112-2551
Direct:  816.983.8860
Fax:  816.983.8080
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
huschblackwell.com<http://www.huschblackwell.com/>
View Bio<http://www.huschblackwell.com/David-Steward> | View VCard<http://www.huschblackwell.com/~/vcf/DavidSteward.vcf>

List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
To unsubscribe from this list, click the below link. If not already present, place UNSUBSCRIBE RECMGMT-L or UNSUB RECMGMT-L in the body of the message.
mailto:[log in to unmask]