Firm Central vs Time Matters

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Our analysts compared Firm Central vs Time Matters based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Legal Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Firm Central Software Tool
Time Matters Software Tool

Product Basics

Firm Central is an end-to-end cloud-based solution that provides firms with a centralized interface to manage legal matters, accounting, calendaring, time tracking, billing and client communication. Users can track time and expenses efficiently from multiple devices and create flexible payment options and custom invoices for clients. Monitor legal workflows using its legal calendar with custom rules templates, deadline assistance, permissions-based access and multiple viewing options. Dashboards and reports provide up-to-date data-driven insights.

It offers robust data security with encryption, compliant servers and 24/7 security monitoring. It also provides continuous data backups and seamless integrations. Users can access it from anywhere, from any device.
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Time Matters is a customizable cloud-based solution that provides a centralized database to optimize legal workflows, track billable hours and facilitate collaboration. Users can use it to generate workflows, forms and documents with customizable templates, as well as track billable time easily and remotely from any device. It can streamline legal workflows with task and deadline reminders, shared calendars and automated recurring processes. Legal teams can utilize transparent sharing, enhanced communication messenger and user access controls to collaborate efficiently.

It offers seamless integrations to enrich its functionality, including PCLaw, Juris, Quickbook, Outlook 365 and MS Office. Firms can opt for its billing module, Billing Matters, to generate bills, acquire payments, organize accounts and more. Its personalized reporting modules can deliver data-driven insights on facets such as productivity and profitability. It also provides conflict-check searching, auto-entry forms, to-do lists, events and email management. It was acquired by PCLaw in 2019.
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$40/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$179 Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
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Email
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FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Comprehensive Reports: Get detailed daily, weekly and monthly reports of billable and non-billable time tracked. Maximize accuracy by cross-checking before billing. 
  • Easy Access: Directly access Westlaw’s legal research network from the homepage. 
  • Customizable Dashboard: Customize the dashboard with status bars for crucial functions. 
  • Simplify Collaboration: Collaborate with clients and team members by integrating with SharePoint. 
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  • Increased Productivity: Spend more time on billable client activities by automating maintenance and management tasks. 
  • Streamlined Collaboration: Simplify collaboration with clients and team members with a single, centrally accessible source of truth for case information. 
  • Billing Oversight: Identify unbilled hours at the end of the month with an integrated Billing Calendar and Inactivity Watch tools. 
  • Ethical Trust Accounting: Steer clear of unethical and illegal practices while managing trust accounts with built-in safeguards that prevent overdraws and maintain a transparent audit trail. 
  • Large Database Capacity: Save a large number of case files and records without worrying about storage issues. 
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  • Matter Management: Manage legal matters, tasks, contacts, deadlines and documents from a single platform. Automate the client intake process and store an unlimited amount of documentation and files. 
    • Matter Search: Identify specific legal documents and files with the global search function. 
  • Collaboration: Securely share case files and calendar entries with all team members and counsels. Encourage collaboration between counsels and clients with a dedicated client portal. 
  • Task Management: Assign tasks to staff members, set reminders for important events and appointments and keep track of notifications. Monitor document reviews and updates and perform conflict checks across the client database. 
  • Time Tracking and Billing: Track every single minute of billable time with the Firm Central Time & BIlling portal. Create and operate trust funds, run reports and issue expedited invoices for faster payments. 
    • Financial Reporting: Generate reports with custom datasets to identify profitable practice areas, aging receivables, referral values, important clients and more. 
    • Financial Dashboard: Get real-time access to firm financials, outstanding bills, WIP, year-end reconciliations and more through a single interface. Use the dashboard insights for agile decision-making and strategic future planning. 
    • Time and Expense: Log billable hours with multiple timers from any computer or mobile device. Integrate time tracking and billing capabilities to directly invoice for the time entries. 
    • Billing: Prepare tailored payment plans and payment options for clients. Edit invoices and accept credit card payments with the ClientPay portal. 
  • Accounting: Manage separate trust and operating accounts with purpose-built accounting software. Process invoices ethically and in compliance with industry standards. 
    • Reports: Run regular accounting reports to measure profitability, discounts, write-offs, bank reconciliations, account transactions and more. Stay on top of the firm’s financial health to make informed decisions. 
    • Eliminate Error: Automate data entry to eliminate duplicate data and human errors. 
    • Compliance: Prepare an audit trail for all trust account transactions and simplify year-end reconciliations. Set up internal controls to protect financial data from leaks. 
  • Legal Calendar: Manage deadlines, events, hearings and more with the integrated legal calendar tool. 
    • Deadlines: The Deadlines Assistant automatically computes the deadlines of ongoing projects based on the rules set by the firm’s jurisdiction. Set up custom rules if required. 
    • Calendar Sync: Add, edit and update events in either the built-in calendar or Microsoft Outlook and automatically synchronize entries. 
    • Multiple Calendar Views: Allow all staff members to view the legal calendar for a holistic awareness of deadlines and appointments. Drill down on specific entries by matter and permissions. 
  • Mobile Application: Retain full control over legal matters and tasks while away from the office. Use the mobile application to securely access legal documents, matters, contacts, calendars and more. Track time and process expenses on the go. 
  • Security: Secure firm files and documentation in transit as well as in storage. Additionally, solve any data residency requirements with U.S.-based servers hosted by Thomson Reuters. 
    • Data Encryption: All connections to Firm Central servers are routed via HTTPS sessions with 256-bit SSL and TLS encryption. 
    • Compliance: Ensure the data security standards of the firm are compliant with SOC 2 Type II and AICPA regulations. Physical data centers are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified. 
  • Client Portal: Provide clients with an encrypted communication environment for secure collaboration with counsels. 
    • Communications: Share documents, bills, case updates, messages and more with clients in real time. Monitor all client activity and maintain a record of all communications. 
    • Self-service: Clients can check case files and matter information, receive push notifications and upload documents. 
    • Security: Maintain ABA ethics mandates with the self-service portal. Use permission-based controls to decide who gets access to what items and documents. 
  • Westlaw Compatibility: Subscribe to Westlaw for built-in case citation flags and integrated global search and research tools. 
  • Integrations: Integrate with multiple Thomson Reuters applications under the same platform. Available inclusions include Westlaw legal research, Westlaw Form Builder, Practical Law and Drafting Assistant. 
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  • Workflow Management: Configure workflows and automatically trigger recurring daily processes, calendar entries, email outreach and research notes based on specified deadlines. Customize templates of precedents, documents, forms or merge pre-existing ones. 
    • Document Management: Search for keywords in documents quickly and easily from within your firm’s indexed and centralized document library. Use the intuitive AutoEntry forms to process repetitive data input tasks and save time. 
    • Task Management: Stay on top of your meetings, important events, deadlines, contacts, emails, phone calls, outlines, documents and notes with integrated journals and calendar features. Manage and track daily tasks and activities with the ToDo and Events portal. 
    • Employee Management: Ensure matters, contacts and clients have not been overlooked with the Inactivity Watch extension. Record and review employee performance and activity within the organization. 
  • Employee Collaboration: Improve staff cooperation with optimized sharing of intelligence, calendars and communication using a centralized database of information and a dedicated TM Messenger. Reduce malpractice risks with automated logging of all case-related data. 
  • Data Access Control: Control access to data across various levels with permission-based limitations. Monitor activity across specific contacts and matters and ensure compliance with ethical and data security standards. 
  • Firm Insights: Create customized standard and statistical data reports on employee performance, financial health, lead sourcing and more. Vet clients, matters and contacts for conflict of interests with intuitive search tools. 
  • Billing Management: The Billing Matters portal manages accounts, creates bills, logs transactions, receives payments, makes bank deposits and more. Keep track of and identify unbilled hours with the Billing Calendar. 
  • API Integrations: Access a variety of extensions like PCLaw, Juris, QuickBooks, Timeslips, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Acrobat, Reader and WordPerfect. E-file using InfoTrack and synchronize tasks and calendars across Outlook 365 or Exchange. 
  • Mobile App: Use Time Matters Go to enter time on the go and keep track of tasks and documentation. 
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Product Ranking

#37

among all
Legal Software

#44

among all
Legal Software

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User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 141 reviews
Fair User Sentiment 94 reviews
74%
of users recommend this product

Firm Central has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 74% when considering 141 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

69%
of users recommend this product

Time Matters has a 'fair' User Satisfaction Rating of 69% when considering 94 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

4.1 (5)
n/a
3.8 (11)
3.3 (39)
3.68 (62)
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3.4 (46)
3.7 (62)
n/a
3.0 (1)
4.4 (9)

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Data Management: It provides easy and secure access to client records and legal matters, according to 100% of users mentioning data management.
Ease of Use: According to 83% of users who reviewed this aspect, the platform is user-friendly and easy to learn.
Sharing and Collaboration: All reviewers who mentioned this benefit said they found it easy to share and collaborate on legal matters, especially with access to SharePoint.
Task Management: According to 67% of users who reviewed this feature, the legal calendar simplifies tracking pending tasks, assignments and deadlines.
KPI Monitoring: Everyone reviewing this element said that the customizable dashboard made it easy to track KPIs.
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Customizable: Time Matters is highly customizable to fit the specific needs of a law firm, including workflows, billing arrangements, and reporting.
Integrations: Time Matters integrates with a variety of other software programs, such as Microsoft Office and QuickBooks, which can save time and improve efficiency.
Document Management: Time Matters includes robust document management features, such as version control and full-text search, which can help law firms keep track of their important documents.
Client Communication: Time Matters includes features that can help law firms communicate with their clients more effectively, such as email integration and client portals.
Reporting: Time Matters includes a variety of reporting features that can help law firms track their performance and make better business decisions.
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Functionality: Without integrations, it has limited functionalities, according to 57% of users mentioning this element.
Integrations: According to 71% of users who reviewed this feature, integrations can be buggy and expensive.
Service and Support: 64% of users who mentioned this aspect said they found the technical support lacking in knowledge and responsiveness.
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Dated Interface: The user interface appears outdated and can feel clunky to navigate, especially for users accustomed to modern software design.
Learning Curve: Time Matters has a steep learning curve due to its complex features and functionalities, requiring significant time investment to master.
Customization Challenges: Customizing the software to fit specific workflows can be difficult and may require technical expertise or assistance from the vendor.
Performance Issues: Some users report experiencing performance issues, such as slow loading times or occasional crashes, which can disrupt productivity.
Cost: Time Matters can be expensive, especially for smaller firms or solo practitioners, with costs associated with licensing, implementation, and ongoing support.
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Firm Central provides legal practitioners with a capable practice management solution with direct access to Westlaw. It offers secure and fast web access to basic features, including time tracking, billing, accounting, and matter and task management modules. Access to Westlaw is an important asset and should weigh heavily on any acquisition decision. That said, multiple integrations can drive up costs and put a lot of pressure on the platform. Implementation and technical support can be hard to reach at times. Unless a Westlaw integration is absolutely essential to the firm, there are better options available in this price range.

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Time Matters has been a mainstay in the legal software arena for decades, but how does it hold up in today's fast-paced technological landscape? User reviews from the past year paint a picture of a powerful, feature-rich platform that, while not without its quirks, remains a top contender for law firms seeking comprehensive case management. Time Matters shines in its ability to centralize client and case information, streamline document management, and automate routine tasks. The software's integration with popular legal research tools like LexisNexis and billing applications like PCLaw is a major plus for many users, boosting efficiency and saving precious time. However, some users find the interface a bit clunky and dated compared to newer, more intuitive platforms. The learning curve can be steep, especially for those transitioning from simpler systems. Despite these drawbacks, Time Matters' robust functionality and customizability make it a compelling choice for larger firms with complex caseloads and a need for granular control over their workflows. Smaller firms or solo practitioners might find the extensive features overwhelming and may prefer more streamlined options like Clio or MyCase.

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