Prevail Case Management System vs. SmartAdvocate

Prevail software is well-suited for tracking all interactions in each client's case. It keeps all information easily at hand. The version we use is cloud-based, so the information can be accessed from anywhere an internet connection is available. The area, where we would really like to see improvement, is if it would work directly with Gmail, as it already does with Outlook.

• Document merging, so numerous communications templates (letters and emails) can be merged with the appropriate names and addresses for a particular case and the items are ready to send within seconds.
• Prevail tracks a history of interactions on a case, so you can find a record of every letter, email, phone call, notice, hearing, etc. on one page.
• Prevail tracks all billing on a client's case, including billing from the firm, from care providers, other service providers, etc.

• It would be nice if Prevail worked directly with Gmail instead of just with Outlook.
• It would be nice if it was easier to adapt reports or set up new ones.
• It would be nice if all attachments to a client's file could be placed in that client's set of directories so the items could be easily found, even if Prevail was not running.

It's great, except for the lack of working directly with Gmail. As I've already mentioned, the document merge feature is excellent and saves countless hours of typing. The cloud-hosted option is liberating in that you don't have to make sure you have, in your briefcase, every document you'll need for a meeting, hearing, deposition, etc. And the statute date warning feature is also important.

We've had Prevail for over 10 years. We checked into other options and, while some had certain features we were looking that Prevail did not have, we decided that overall, the features we wanted were not worth the time and stress of changing case management systems, so we decided to stick with Prevail.

• Moving to a case management system 10 years ago increased efficiency by allowing us to access our information remotely.
• Also, the document merge feature saved countless hours of preparing communications, of various types, individually, as now the process is automatic.
• The statute notification feature is especially helpful from a peace of mind perspective, knowing there is nothing out there that's about to bite you, procedurally.