Document management is arguably the most important task in any law firm. If your team can’t find the files they need, they cannot work. Continuous access to organised, up-to-date information is critical to ensure that essential tasks are completed quickly, efficiently, and without issues.
This is the need that many IT solutions exist to address. A variety of legal document management programs have been created that all aim to solve the problems firms face, and Microsoft SharePoint is one of these. But before you fall into the trap that many other businesses do, stop. The truth is, SharePoint cannot address your needs on its own. While it is a useful solution, there are still significant gaps that damage its effectiveness as a legal document management software.
The Sacrifice You Make for Customisability
Microsoft is known for highly customisable solutions, and SharePoint is no exception. Unfortunately, this is also its downfall. You cannot simply install SharePoint and let it run in the background. A significant amount of work is required to set it up, especially when sensitive information is involved that demands the use of its robust security measures. And once you do have it working, the maintenance can be just as complex.
Most workers just don’t have the time or knowledge needed to handle this on their own. A specialised IT expert with experience in legal document management systems is essential – and this is a resource many law firms don’t have. This is a problem, because SharePoint’s customisation is the point. Without the correct configurations, you are wasting half of its features and it will be far less effective.
The Version History Headache
Version control can be a major challenge on collaborative platforms. When any staff member can edit a document at any time, it is often difficult to keep track. Over time mistakes can creep in, deadlines start to slip, and confidence in your firm vanishes.
On SharePoint, versioning needs to be enabled and configured in order to work properly. This once again requires a significant chunk of time spent sifting through settings. Even when this is done, the notoriously poor search functionality means it can still be difficult to find the document you’re looking for. And attempting to restore a previous version, as with many of SharePoint’s other functions, is a slow, multi-step process.
The Email Management Issue No One Talks About
Email is the most common communication channel used by businesses. You likely use it on a daily basis to speak with employees, clients, and partners, passing critical information back and forth. The ability to retrieve these emails later is essential to ensure that these crucial details do not become lost.
SharePoint is often hailed as a champion for Outlook users, but this isn’t necessarily true. The drag and drop functionality many users hope for isn’t fully implemented, requiring a longer and more complex process. Multiply this by the number of emails you want to save, and it becomes clear why this isn’t a good solution. Important metadata can also be lost during this process, creating a host of other issues.
When the Learning Curve Looks More Like a Mountain
Another reason SharePoint often falls short as a document management system for legal firms is the incredibly steep learning curve. The amount of customisation and ongoing configuration required makes it virtually impossible for non-IT staff to use it properly unless they are already experienced with the software. Comprehensive training sessions devoted to SharePoint are not a luxury you’re likely to have, especially if you struggle to understand the program yourself.
Over time, this inevitably results in poor configuration and maintenance, which as mentioned above, can quickly compromise many of SharePoint’s most valuable features. In the worst-case scenario, this might include its data security measures, which could endanger sensitive information and put you at risk of a data breach.
Why Switching to a Different Legal Document Management Software Isn’t the Solution
From this article, it may be accidentally inferred that SharePoint as a whole is the problem. This isn’t true. SharePoint does have its uses as a document management system for legal teams. Utilised correctly, it can be a powerful tool. It also comes pre-packaged as part of many Microsoft 365 plans, and is designed to integrate smoothly with all other 365 platforms. This makes it extremely convenient for firms already using Microsoft solutions.
SharePoint is not the problem. The problem is when firms try to use SharePoint on its own, with no support. This is when it can become a drain on time and resources, rather than the productivity booster it should be. Simply swapping to a different system will not fix this, as many other options have the same issues. SharePoint can be the perfect document management system for law firms, but only if your team members can use it effectively.
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How to Get More Value Out of SharePoint
Some firms have already found a way to retain SharePoint’s best features, while fixing the issues that hold it back. And they manage this without needing to hire a dedicated internal IT team. How are they doing it?
As odd as it might sound, often the solution is to place a second legal document management software on top of SharePoint. Programs exist on the market that are designed specifically to work alongside it, instead of replacing it – adding functionality that users desperately need, smoothing out the problems, and improving its existing features even more.
The benefits to your firm could be enormous:
- Less time wasted on administrative tasks
- More efficient document workflows
- Better collaboration
- More secure legal documents
If you would like to explore this further, discover how to transform SharePoint into the perfect legal document management solution.
