In a technology and app-driven business environment, there is no limit to the software organisations can deploy. Firms can build a tech stack that is truly tailored to their needs with the ever-growing number of legal technology providers, the flexibility of choice out there is phenomenal. Given the vast number of legal software tools available, one of the challenges often faced by our sector is ensuring your integration connects with your core business systems seamlessly, and with Lexis® Visualfiles™, we offer the very solution needed to ensure this can happen.
Nevertheless, in an agile software development environment, different systems can very quickly become incompatible, creating a knock-on effect and breaking communication across the different software services. This isn’t because the systems are incompatible, it’s more because incompatibility can temporarily creep in between different versions of software.
For instance, if your firm is on the latest Microsoft Windows 11 operating system (OS); but on an older version of another key legal application, there’s a possibility incompatibility issues may occur. So, whilst upgrading to the latest and greatest OS is a worthy investment and an astute approach, it is important to keep in mind that by the same token, your integrated software systems should be updated simultaneously, otherwise you risk losing out on all the cumulative benefits the technologies have to offer.
Likewise, typically, due to the numerous systems deployed, data gets collected in siloes. The silo could be by business application – i.e., case management, practice management and so forth – and / or even by practice area. Regardless, that data has to be shared across the organisation, which in turn requires integration to ensure that data flows intuitively and seamlessly across processes and workflows. Any impediments to such scenarios can easily ‘break’ user desktops, so to speak.
Technology providers are your partners
The best way to prevent such – often disruptive – situations from arising, is to work with your technology partners. For instance, when we know that our client is looking to upgrade to a new OS – as many currently are, and the organisation is on an older version of Visualfiles™, we’ll work alongside them to consult and write new scripting to ensure that the solution integrates as before, in the new environment. The same applies to Visualfiles™ integration in the mobile environment.
Furthermore, if clients are looking to move from an on-premises environment to the cloud, we work with them to ensure the transition is realistic and as seamless as possible. Frequently, we find that our proactive approach not only significantly reduces the complexities of such an advancement, but helps clients identify potential integration issues with some of their other core applications too.
Optimise the value of your technology investment
In the current continuous software development environment, new features and functionality releases come thick and fast, frequently causing temporary, yet bothersome incompatibility issues. These issues can sometimes be magnified, especially if really old versions of applications are still in play in more recent OS environments. However, we recommend that this should not be seen as something to be afraid of, but merely a factor to pre-empt and include in your future business plan. After all, when you allow room for change you are able to consider your organisation’s software environment more effectively, and as a result, minimise costs further down the line, and thus, are equipped with the right digital tools for when such problems occur.
If this sounds like something that you want to be ready for, or you’re at a stage where downloading the latest version of software is beginning to unearth issues that are a cause of concern for your business, get in touch with us via salesinfo@lexisnexis.co.uk.
We have the knowledge and expertise to help and guide you so that your organisation can optimise the collective return on investment from its technology stack.
A blog by John Watts, Account Manager at LexisNexis Enterprise Solutions
