NetDocuments Adds To Areas Where Legal Professionals Do Their Best Work – Above the Law

Lawyers
use
multiple
applications,
but
switching
tools
and
contexts
is
inefficient,
consuming
time
and
mental
energy.
NetDocuments’
legal-specific
document
management
system
(DMS)
meets
legal
professionals
where
they
work,
such
as
in
Microsoft
Outlook,
Teams,
and
Word,
significantly
reducing
the
burden
of
switching
back
and
forth
between
these
applications
and
NetDocuments
DMS.

NetDocuments
provides
a
cloud-native,
matter-centric
DMS
that
delivers
a
single
system
of
record
for
securing,
organizing,
automating,
and
collaborating
on
documents
related
to
matters
in
workspaces.

See
Figure
1.

NetDocuments
embraces
Microsoft’s
vision
of
the
future
of
work
and
lawyers’
experience
working
in
Microsoft
365
using
collaborative
tools
and
artificial
intelligence
(AI).

The
Future
of
Work:
Collaboration
and
Artificial
Intelligence

NetDocuments
complements
how
lawyers
collaborate
in
Teams
digital
workspaces
and
Outlook
email.
Without
leaving
Teams
and
Outlook,
lawyers
can
use
the

Microsoft
Copilot
integration
to
make
natural
language
search
requests
and
receive
results
linked
to
content
stored
in
the
NetDocuments
DMS.
NetDocuments’
Teams
app
seamlessly
integrates
with
Teams,
reducing
the
time
spent
toggling
between
applications
and
improving
productivity,
security,
and
collaboration.
It
uses
NetDocuments’
trusted
security
to
access
documents
in
the
DMS
and
make
notes,
all
within
Teams.

Teams’
users
generally
pull
documents
from
their
source
of
truth
and
copy
them
into
Teams
to
share
work,
which
creates
data
governance
concerns
in
access
controls
and
duplication.
But
that’s
not
the
case
with
NetDocuments.
Users
can
query
the
DMS
from
within
Teams,
and
NetDocuments
checks
a
user’s
access
permission
before
it
loads
document
views
and
provides
access
to
documents.
Before
opening
a
document
to
edit,
you
can
view
document
versioning
information,
access
permissions,
and
make
margin
notes
separate
from
the
document
that
safeguards
your
notes
if
the
document
is
shared
with
a
client
or
another
person
outside
the
firm.

Users
can
link
a
team
or
channel
to
a
specific
workspace
or
location
in
NetDocuments.
As
a
member
of
the
Microsoft
Cloud
Storage
Partner
Program
(CSPP)
and
Cloud
Storage
Partner
Program
Plus
(CSPP+),
NetDocuments
is
one
of
a
select
few
vendors
to
offer
deep
interoperability
with
Microsoft
365,
enabling
features
like
native
co-authoring.

See
Figure
2.

You
can
use

ChatLink
for
Teams
to
send
channel
posts
to
message
threads
(Thread)
in
a
corresponding
matter
workspace.
If
you
delete
or
remove
a
Team,
the
communications
record
remains
intact
in
NetDocuments.
Within
Teams,
search
NetDocuments
for
the
content
to
review
and
collaborate
with
Margin
Notes.

Margin
Notes
allows
you
to
edit
and
comment
on
a
document
collaboratively
without
the
need
to
edit
directly
in
the
document.
This
avoids
the
“checkout
wars,”
version
conflicts,
and
other
challenges
that
arise
when
teams
need
to
collaborate
on
a
document
in
real
time.
Open
a
document
in
Teams
and
review
and
comment
on
it
in
Margin
Notes.
The
notes
provide
an
ongoing
discussion
by
the
editors.
You
can
view
the
Margin
Notes
in
Teams
or
NetDocuments
and
review
and
comment
in
real
time,
regardless
of
your
interface.

Microsoft
is
moving
from
COM-based
add-ins
to
lightweight
web-based
add-ins,
and
NetDocuments
is
moving
in
tandem.
With
NetDocuments’
new
web-based
integration
with
Outlook,
NetDocuments
predictive
email
filing
uses
AI
to
predict
filing
locations
and
drive
recommendations.
NetDocuments
crowdsources
the
firm’s
filing
habits
and
knows
where
lawyers
file
documents.
While
filing,
you
can
retitle
the
file
so
it’s
easy
to
find
and
modify
access
rights,
such
as
if
you
need
to
mark
it
for
your
eyes
only.

NetDocuments
can
automatically
file
incoming
and
outgoing
replies
to
an
original
message
when
you
engage
in
conversation
filing.
With
outgoing
emails,
NetDocuments’
file
and
attachment
management
in
Outlook
lets
you
attach
files.
You
have
different
options
to
attach
or
share
files,
send
a
link,
or
secure
a
link.
The
same
mail-filing
experience,
file
attachment,
and
sharing
features
are
available
on
Outlook
mobile.

File
Sharing
and
CollabSpaces

Users
can
set
up
a
secure
workspace
or
CollabSpace
and
drag
and
drop
folders
and
files
into
them
to
share.
A
matter
workspace
can
support
multiple
CollabSpaces
as
subsets
of
a
matter.
Shared
content
is
not
replicated
but
stays
in
one
place,
making
governance
straightforward.
Access
rights
remain
consistent
with
the
organization’s
compliance
requirements,
and
the
system
tracks
and
logs
all
file
access
and
changes.

A
firm
can
prevent
file
sharing
by
applying
data
loss
prevention
(DLP)
policies
to
content
and
data
classifications.
Using
special
DLP
rules,
firms
can
prevent
users
from
attaching
DMS
content
to
an
email
or
adding
it
to
a
CollabSpace.
DLP
can
prohibit
users
from
modifying,
copying,
or
printing
files
stored
in
the
DMS.
The
rules
can
also
prohibit
syncing
documents
with
ndSync
and
stop
users
from
delivering
secure
links
to
documents.

Purpose-Built
AI
Apps

NetDocuments
has
purpose-built,
generative
AI
apps
that
work
on
documents
and
email
messages
in
the
DMS.
With
PatternBuilder
MAX,
you
can
build,
configure,
and
use
generative
AI
in
specific
workflows
for
individuals,
teams,
or
the
entire
firm.

PatternBuilder
MAX
enhances
NetDocuments’
built-in,
no-code
document
assembly
and
workflow
capabilities
by
allowing
firms
to
create
custom
generative
AI
prompts
and
automation
tailored
to
the
needs
of
specific
practice
areas
and
legal
tasks.

PatternBuilder
MAX
leverages
Microsoft
Azure
OpenAI
to
enable
secure
and
responsible
use
of
the
latest
large
language
models
(LLM)
like
GPT
4
while
keeping
confidential
documents
and
data
secure
within
the
NetDocuments
platform.
Nine
purpose-built
Studio
Apps
come
with
PatternBuilder
MAX,
which
provides
a
starting
point
for
large
law
firms
to
develop
unique
workflows
and
perhaps
an
endpoint
for
smaller
firms
that
might
use
the
apps
without
modification.
The
Studio
Apps
have
the
capabilities
to:

• Generate
  a
  summary
  of
  a
  document
  in
  NetDocuments.
  Users
  can
  generate
  a
  general
  summary
  or
  apply
  a
  summary
  template
  for
  specialized
  use
  cases
  (depositions,
  loan
  agreements,
  etc.).
  See
  Figure
  3.
• Automatically
  draft
  a
  new
  document,
  allowing
  users
  to
  select
  a
  prior
  precedent
  document
  as
  an
  example
  or
  draft
  a
  document
  from
  scratch
  based
  on
  custom
  instructions.
  This
  can
  include
  analyzing
  a
  patent
  application
  rejection
  letter
  and
  writing
  an
  appropriate
  appeal,
  taking
  a
  fact
  sheet
  and
  drafting
  a
  new
  lease,
  or
  rejections
  to
  demand
  letters.
• Automatically
  extract
  information
  from
  documents
  and
  store
  the
  resulting
  data
  in
  a
  relational
  database
  to
  facilitate
  analysis
  or
  drive
  subsequent
  automations.
  This
  app
  is
  ideal
  for
  identifying
  and
  storing
  contract
  data.
• Instantly
  analyze
  an
  agreement
  or
  other
  document
  based
  on
  the
  selected
  contract
  playbook,
  including
  organization-specific
  contract
  playbooks
  that
  analyze
  any
  type
  of
  desired
  agreement.
  The
  analysis
  identifies
  aspects
  of
  the
  document
  that
  do
  not
  align
  with
  the
  selected
  playbook,
  provides
  context,
  and
  makes
  recommendations
  as
  to
  how
  best
  to
  ensure
  the
  document
  conforms
  to
  the
  playbook.
• Generate
  a
  timeline
  of
  events
  based
  on
  the
  selected
  text.
• Automatically
  translate
  text
  from
  one
  language
  into
  another,
  supporting
  over
  a
  dozen
  languages.
• Compare
  two
  documents
  based
  on
  custom
  criteria
  that
  the
  user
  provides.
• Quickly
  draft
  the
  next
  section
  of
  a
  document
  based
  on
  prior
  content
  in
  the
  document.
  Optionally,
  users
  can
  include
  prior
  precedents
  to
  enhance
  the
  quality
  of
  the
  draft
  further.
• Ask
  one
  or
  more
  plain-language
  questions
  about
  a
  document
  stored
  in
  NetDocuments,
  ensuring
  quick
  answers
  even
  when
  the
  information
  is
  buried
  in
  lengthy,
  complex
  documents.

PatternBuilder
MAX,
the
first
product
available
from
the
ndMAX
suite,
connects
to
Microsoft’s
Generative
AI,
but
you
are
not
using
a
free-form
chat
interface.
You
control
the
input,
system,
user
message,
the
model
used,
and
the
context
window.

Maintaining
the
security
and
confidentiality
of
your
documents
and
data
is
a
critical
element
of
the
responsible
application
of
generative
AI
in
legal.
With
PatternBuilder
MAX,
not
only
is
your
information
not
used
to
train
Microsoft’s
LLMs,
NetDocuments
and
Microsoft
have
a
zero-day
content
retention
policy
on
AI,
which
means
Microsoft
retains
neither
your
input
nor
output.

Additionally,
NetDocuments
is
one
of
a
small
number
of
providers
to
have
secured
an
exemption
to
Microsoft’s
abuse
monitoring
policy.
This
exemption
ensures
neither
inputs
to
nor
outputs
from
Microsoft’s
LLM
AI
are
subject
to
systematic
or
human
oversight
by
Microsoft.
Additionally,
firms
and
departments
can
set
up
ethical
walls
to
control
the
matters
and
clients
for
which
generative
AI-powered
applications
can
be
used
and
make
policy-oriented
decisions
around
the
use
of
AI
applications
by
individuals,
such
as
first-year
associates.
If
you
don’t
use
PatternBuilder
MAX,
NetDocuments
still
provides
PatternBuilder,
a
no-code
document
automation
environment
to
create
custom
Microsoft
Word
or
PDF
documents
from
user
input,
such
as
form-filled
or
database-driven
questionnaires
and
surveys
with
variables
to
store
user
input.
The
output
document,
such
as
an
intake
form
or
retainer
agreement,
can
trigger
a
workflow
or
add
to
an
existing
flow
using
Microsoft
Teams,
Microsoft
Power
Automate,
or
NetDocuments’
tasks
and
notifications.

To
simplify
and
enhance
your
workflows,
you
don’t
have
to
leave
NetDocuments
to
create
tasks
for
associates
and
staff.
In
the
tasks
tab
of
a
matter
workspace,
create
assignments
in
message
format,
as
if
you
were
in
Threads,
using
an
“@”
mention
and
include
links
to
documents
from
the
DMS
without
making
a
copy.
Review
assigned
tasks,
comments,
status,
and
details
in
list
views
or
Kanban-style
boards,
such
as
due
dates
and
checklists.

Legal
professionals
often
create
documents
from
multiple
files
in
tedious
and
time-consuming
processes.
Whether
they
work
in
M&A,
real
estate,
or
criminal
law,
lawyers
and
staff
make
deal
bibles,
closing
binders,
trial
exhibits,
witness
packages,
electronic
court
filing
packages,
and
more.

SetBuilder
collects
and
organizes
documents
of
various
file
formats
and
email
messages
into
a
zipped
file
or
a
single
consolidated
PDF,
complete
with
a
cover
page,
a
hyperlinked
table
of
contents,
and
bookmarks
for
sharing
and
collaborating.

An
Intelligent
AI
Assistant

The
latest
release
in
the
ndMAX
suite
of
AI
tools
is
an
intelligent
assistant
that
enables
users
to
interact
with
NetDocuments
through
natural
language
commands
and
queries
to
find
information,
answer
questions
in
documents,
create
summaries,
and
easily
draft
responses
or
revisions
to
content.
It
also
includes
a
Microsoft
Copilot
integration,
enabling
users
to
submit
queries
to
Copilot
which
can
reach
into
NetDocuments
while
respecting
relevant
content
permissions,
ethical
walls,
and
other
organization-specific
security
measures,
when
generating
a
response.

NetDocuments:
A
Versatile
Platform

NetDocuments
supports
an
open
application
programming
interface
(API)
to
connect
data
sources
and
systems
with
the
DMS.
Customers
access
over
500
integrated
applications
within
the
platform
weekly,
including
its
deep
penetration
into
Microsoft
Teams,
Outlook,
and
Word.
You
can
choose
from
more
than
150
apps
in
NetDocuments’

App
Directory.

For
example,
DocuSign
eSignature
integration
makes
it
easy
to
collect
a
signature
by
right-clicking
any
document
in
the
DMS,
and
PacerPro
integrates
with
NetDocuments
to
store
and
track
federal
filings
in
their
respective
workspaces
with
custom
document
profiles
using
PACER
metadata.

Pricing

NetDocuments
and
its
channel
partners
sell
the
software
monthly
per
user
with
added
costs
depending
on
implementation
requirements
and
additional
software
modules
and
apps,
such
as
PatternBuilder
MAX,
which
uses
a
predictable
subscription
model.

Who
is
NetDocuments?

NetDocuments,
a
leading
cloud-based
content
management
and
productivity
platform,
is
a
versatile
and
trusted
partner
to
legal
professionals.
With
a
strong
foundation
of
25
years
in
cloud
innovation,
NetDocuments
offers
a
complete
end-to-end
document
and
email
organization
and
management
platform.
It
features
robust
security,
collaboration,
search
technologies,
seamless
integrations
with
software
professionals
use
daily,
and
automation
and
AI
capabilities
that
ensure
the
security
and
guardrails
to
manage
AI
responsibly.
Over
7,000
law
firms,
corporate
legal
departments,
and
public
sector
entities
globally
rely
on
the
versatility
and
capabilities
of
NetDocuments.

Latest
Developments
and
Updates

• PatternBuilder
  MAX
  includes
  out-of-the-box
  apps
  with
  generative
  AI
  to
  address
  common
  legal
  use
  cases
  and
  a
  no-code
  app
  builder
  to
  allow
  users
  to
  customize
  pre-built
  apps
  or
  build
  their
  own
  bespoke
  apps
  to
  address
  even
  the
  most
  complex
  or
  unique
  documents
  and
  workflows.
• Legal
  professionals
  can
  easily
  find
  documents
  and
  information
  within
• NetDocuments
  DMS
  from
  directly
  inside
  Teams
  and
  Outlook
  using
  the
  Microsoft
  Copilot
  integration.
• NetDocuments
  enhanced
  its
  web-based
  integrations
  and
  filing
  experience
  within
  Microsoft
  Outlook
  and
  Outlook
  mobile.
• NetDocuments’
  Teams
  app
  experience
  provides
  a
  seamless
  look
  and
  feel,
  trusted
  security,
  and
  an
  ability
  to
  access
  documents
  from
  within
  NetDocuments.

Why
Buy
NetDocuments?

• NetDocuments
  is
  a
  legal-specific
  DMS
  that
  meets
  legal
  professionals
  where
  they
  work,
  such
  as
  in
  Microsoft
  Outlook,
  Teams,
  and
  Word.
• Access
  documents
  in
  NetDocuments
  DMS
  securely
  from
  inside
  Teams
  and
  collaborate
  and
  comment
  on
  documents
  without
  opening
  them
  in
  Word.
• Automate
  everyday
  law
  firm
  tasks
  with
  generative
  AI-powered
  workflows
  that
  summarize,
  compare,
  and
  generate
  documents
  and
  emails
  stored
  in
  the
  DMS.
• Set
  up
  secure
  CollabSpaces
  in
  matter
  workspaces
  easily
  and
  share
  documents
  with
  colleagues
  and
  third
  parties.
• NetDocuments
  supports
  an
  open
  application
  programming
  interface
  (API)
  to
  connect
  data
  sources
  and
  systems
  with
  the
  DMS.
• Native
  co-authoring
  to
  enable
  real-time
  collaboration
  in
  Microsoft
  365
  applications

See
NetDocuments
Today!

Law
firms,
corporate
legal
departments,
and
public
sector
entities
choose
NetDocuments
as
a
versatile
and
trusted
cloud
platform
for
their
best
work.

Request
a
personalized
demo
to
see
if
NetDocuments
suits
your
law
firm.