How to Use Time Matters in the Cloud in 2024

Many law firms across North America rely on Time Matters to manage their clients, matters, and documents.

However, have you considered using Time Matters in the cloud?

More and more firms are looking to break the chains of expensive, in-house servers, rid themselves of the headaches of managing IT, and empower their team to work from anywhere. This prompts many law firms to look to the cloud for its capability as a decentralized, externally-hosted method of running the tools your law firm needs every day.

If you have some apprehension about utilizing the cloud for your law firm, and utilizing it for Time Matters in particular, we have you covered.

You no longer need to choose between the robust nature of server-based software (like Time Matters) and taking advantage of the benefits of the cloud.

This guide on running Time Matters in the cloud is for anyone that uses Time Matters (or plans to) and wants to explore doing so in the cloud.

This includes:

In this, our ultimate guide to Time Matters cloud hosting and moving Time Matters to the cloud, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to assess and implement Time Matters in the cloud.

If your firm already uses and knows Time Matters, feel free to skip ahead. If you’re new to Time Matters, or considering it for your firm, we’ll provide a brief overview.

Time Matters, a product of PCLaw|Time Matters, is a long-standing law firm Practice Management and Document Management software. Time Matters is server/desktop-based software, which means it can run on-premise (on your firm’s in-house servers) or hosted in Private Cloud (which we’ll cover shortly).

At a high level, the Time Matters software provides:

Do you value having a tailored solution for your law firm’s needs?

Time Matters is most well-known for its strong customizability. With the help of a certified consultant, your firm can create custom matter screens, custom workflows, and create a number of workflows that match your firm’s process and procedure.

Time Matters is built on top of the Microsoft SQL database engine, which means custom reports, queries and dashboards can be created for your Time Matters database.

Time Matters is a good fit for firms that need a sophisticated system to manage the specifics of each case/matter.

Time Matters is also a good fit for firms that need document management capabilities within their practice management software.

And, considering how integrations can save you time, money, and effort, it’s important to remember that Time Matters is a good fit if your firm already uses PCLaw or Juris for billing/accounting.

The cloud brings many benefits to small and midsize law firms (which we’ll enumerate shortly). Some law firms, looking for the reliability, security and mobility of the cloud assume that the only way to achieve these benefits is to abandon their software and move to a web-based software application.

However, as you may know, server-based software commonly features more robust aspects that you have used, or will use, to achieve optimal success. Don’t give up something that works this well for your law firm if there’s a way to work around that!

You can, and should, have the best of both worlds.

There’s an immense convenience when you can operate from multiple devices. You never know when you’ll need to manage something from the road. This is something that Time Matters has taken into account.

Time Matters also has a mobile app, called Time Matters Go, which allows you to enter billable time and perform routine tasks from your iPhone or Android smart phone (though this does not inherently move your Time Matters to the cloud – more on this shortly).

Only to be disappointed and eventually switch back. Why waste your precious time and resources?

The good news is that you can keep the on-premise software you’re committed to and enjoy the benefits of the cloud in a Time Matters hosting solution.

Time Matters is great. And it’s even better in the cloud.

For most law firms, life is simply better in the cloud; and Time Matters is no exception. You can run Time Matters in the cloud, and before we explain exactly how Time Matters cloud hosting works, I’ll take a moment to explain why, in most cases, Time Matters is better in the cloud.

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Since Time Matters is premise-based software, servers are non-negotiable.

Historically, law firms have retained their own servers to host software such as Time Matters. In contrast, cloud-based software functions through the internet and you would access it through a web browser – surpassing the need for in-house servers.

With that being said, there are a few different work-around methods that allow you to run Time Matters in the Cloud. 

Let’s discuss.

First off, you’re able to “cloudify” Time Matters utilizing a simple cloud platform such as Practice Go.

With systems like Practice Go, you can effectively have Time Matters in the Cloud and operate it as a web application – ridding yourself of the need to keep it on your private servers.

I know this sounds great, but there is one catch I should mention…

Solutions, such as this one, are best practice when a law firm only requires Time Matters, or another singular software, in the cloud. With any other software you use, you will need to have another strategy in place for each system/software.

If it turns out that you’re looking for a more holistic solution, you may want to evaluate if using a Private Cloud or Virtual Desktop is a better solution for your firm.

Continue reading for more information on these options.

Now that we’ve covered why Time Matters is better in the cloud, let’s talk about how exactly Time Matters in the cloud works.

To do that, let’s first take a short step back and describe the difference between cloud-based (web-based) software and on-premise/server-based software.

Before cloud computing was mainstream, most software in the world (including practice management software such as Time Matters) was installed on the firm’s on-premise server and ran from each of the employee’s individual desktop computers.

The software’s “engine,” or core components (including the database), lived on the server.

All of this meant that using software, such as Time Matters, necessitated a server in order to operate.

That is: owning (and therefore maintaining) a server became a fundamental prerequisite to use the software. Owning and managing servers and in-house IT was a requirement, and sometimes viewed as a necessary evil, in order to use law firm management software.

And that’s simply the way it was. But not today.

Today, we have the technology that we call a Private Cloud. A private cloud is a hosted, managed IT platform that provides the same (or better) function that a server would; it hosts a law firm’s legal applications, documents, email, and more while providing greater mobility, reliability, and security.

Server-based software like Time Matters requires a server -that hasn’t changed. In the case of a private cloud, the private cloud is the server.

To be more specific, a typical law firm private cloud for Time Matters will often include:

Private Clouds are so-called because every law firm, called a “tenant” in cloud computing parlance, has their own segregated, dedicated working environment.

In most cases, this means:

If you’re not familiar with these technologies, what it amounts to is that your law firm has its own private space for its software, documents, and data separate from other law firms.

This gives your firm an added level of data security and privacy.

Related:

That’s the “back-end” of running Time Matters in the cloud. You and your team will interact with the Private Cloud via what’s known as a Virtual Desktop.

We’ve covered the benefits of running Time Matters in the cloud and how a Private Cloud is a means to that end.

But what does working in a Private Cloud look like?

How does each person in your firm use it?

The answer is: a virtual desktop.

A Virtual Desktop is just like any desktop, like the Windows or Apple desktop you log into and use at home or work, which is hosted in the cloud, so you can access it anytime, anywhere.

Typically, your Virtual Desktop will have the software that you need every day, like Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, along with your law practice management software, accounting software, and even your document management software.

The Virtual Desktop makes your law firm’s software, which is otherwise only available from your work computer or while connected to your office’s servers, available from any computer in the world.

Note: Virtual Desktop solutions are also sometimes referred to as “Desktop-as-a-Service,” or DaaS (analogous to “Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS).

In a traditional computing environment, your core law firm software is installed on your physical, local desktop.

That is: the workstation or laptop you use in the office. In this traditional model, everything runs locally, and your applications are installed on your individual computer.

Meaning, if your laptop breaks or gets lost, you could potentially lose whatever hasn’t been backed up.

A Virtual Desktop is different.

In a Virtual Desktop environment, very few applications, if any, are actually installed on your local computer.

Often, the only icon on your local desktop is a shortcut to log into your Virtual Desktop.

When you (or anyone on your team) logs into a Virtual Desktop, you’ll have access to all of your law firm’s software, documents and data.

This includes:

This gives your entire firm access to Time Matters (plus all of your applications, documents, and data) from anywhere and on any device.

Virtual Desktops also mean that you no longer need to install, update, and maintain each of your applications on every computer within your firm. Instead, your Cloud Service Provider simply keeps all software updated for you.

Related:

Virtual Desktops bring numerous advantages to law firms.

Specifically, Virtual Desktops are likely the best technology route in any of the following scenarios:

If one or more of the above scenarios are relevant to you, you should probably consider the benefits of a Virtual Desktop. Odds are, you’ll start using one and wonder why you took so long to switch over.

We’ll cover selecting the right Virtual Desktop provider and doing your due diligence shortly.

Before that, please watch the video below to get an idea of how Virtual Desktops look and function.

For an example of working in a Virtual Desktop, watch our demonstration of Uptime Practice.

Now that we understand how Time Matters in the Cloud works, the benefits, and the functions, we’ll walk through how to move Time Matters to the Cloud.

This process is typically administered by your chosen Cloud Service Provider, but it could be done via a combination of IT consultants, software consultants, and cloud hosting providers.

Your Time Matters cloud migration should begin the same as any well-managed project: with a single point of contact. Having a single person to talk to helps avoid confusion as they walk you through the process.

Your project manager (at Uptime Legal, we call this person the Onboarding Manger) should begin by clearly setting expectations and clearly communicating the next steps – removing any uncertainty on the path that lies ahead. Your Onboarding Manager should define specific timelines, expectations, and what is needed from you for the process to be efficient and successful.

While a good cloud service provider will have a well-defined and documented process for onboarding, the process should never be cookie-cutter because no two law firms are alike. Ensure that your Onboarding Manager takes the time to get to know you and your needs.

Specifically, a good Time Matters cloud migration process should begin with deep discovery and assessment of the firm’s current environment, including:

Next, your Time Matters hosting provider will begin building your private cloud environment.

If you have a good provider, they will have a well-developed process and can build your private cloud quickly. The Onboarding Manager and the accompanying engineering team will install your software, provision your email accounts, and generally spend time building the “shell” of your complete IT platform.

This process includes:

Next, your Time Matters cloud provider will begin the process of collecting your data from current locations.

Each element of your firm’s technology will be migrated over – component-by-component.

This cutover process includes the migration of:

The physical transfer should be seamless, and all data will be transferred securely to the new cloud platform.

The Onboarding Manager and his team should thoroughly test every application (once data has been imported), and test computers and peripherals.

The Time Matters hosting provider should be very flexible in scheduling the cutover, including executing it over an evening or weekend, so the entire cutover process takes no more than a day, and results in little or no user downtime.

Doing it this way ensures that you are not wasting time.

A good Time Matters hosting provider knows that first impressions matter.

The key to employee adoption is a reliable, easy-to-use system from Day One. Your cloud provider should have a comprehensive plan for training your entire staff and provide an extra layer of handholding, as necessary.

The Onboarding Manager, who “owns” the migration, should be there for you on the front lines. You are going to want their help with training and tying up loose ends.

Beyond the functional, reliability, security, and mobility benefits of Time Matters cloud hosting, there’s also the financial case for moving Time Matters to the cloud.

Running Time Matters in-house, with on-premise servers is a deceptively expensive proposition.

You need to buy servers. You need to buy ancillary IT infrastructure, like backup systems, battery backups, and more. You need to hire a capable IT consultant to not only set up the server but proactively manage and maintain it.

And these costs are always higher in any given year than you think they will be.

To understand the economics of moving Time Matters to the cloud, we need to compare a Private Cloud solution to the costs of in-house, on-premise servers and IT.

Watch the Video:

First, analyze all costs incurred for each new server cycle (typically 3 to 5 years). That is, buying and implementing server infrastructure, and typically includes:

I recommend that, for each of these items above, you get pricing and record it in a spreadsheet.

Add up the total costs (be sure you’re not missing anything).

Then, you’ll have a sense of the total up-front cost of another cycle of on-premise IT.

It’s important to note that many of these costs are ultimately driven by the software your law firm uses.

How many, and how powerful of servers do you need?

Do you need multiple, dedicated servers?

Will you need VMWare virtualization?

This is ultimately determined by the software you use, namely Practice Management and Document Management software, and the server requirements of those applications.

This is to say that there is a solid amount of variation to consider. Most law firms have specific combinations of needs, so it helps to create a baseline understanding of what costs you will incur upfront.

From there, creating a tailored plan will help you understand both what your specific company needs are and what you will need to be successful.

For now, a fundamental understanding of your needs to get started is enough to at least determine which direction you should go in.

Want some help?

Use our Cloud Cost Calculator to tally up all relevant up-front costs for your firm.

Next, analyze costs incurred on an ongoing basis. Identify monthly recurring costs, as well as annual costs (renewals, maintenance), and determine your average monthly or annual recurring costs.

For most law firms, these often include:

Add up what you do, or will, spend on an ongoing basis. This should include fixed monthly costs (such as a Managed IT Provider contract) as well as sporadic, less predictable costs (such as hourly IT support).

For the latter, if you’re unsure of a reasonable budget for this amount, I recommend finding the average over the past two or three years.

Always a good reminder – it’s better to overshoot what your estimated budget is than to underestimate it.

Add all of these up and determine your average monthly IT spending.

Finally, we need to identify and budget for some level of unplanned IT expenses.

Proactive IT does significantly reduce the chances and impact of unforeseen IT problems, but over enough time they’re likely to occur, nonetheless.

These unplanned costs may take the form of:

As you can see, some costs are fixed and predictable while others are wildly unpredictable (but should be budgeted or accounted for in some way).

Again, you don’t need to get carried away, but planning for a higher budget is always better than grossly underestimating your costs.

Finally, add up your up-front costs, monthly recurring costs, and your budget for unplanned/unforeseen costs.

This is your Total Cost of Ownership for On-Premise IT.

Now let’s compare this Total Cost of Ownership to that of a Private Cloud.

We’ve already demonstrated that a Private Cloud is objectively better than in-house IT in terms of reliability, security, and mobility.

While these factors are definitively important, we understand that financial considerations are up there too.

So.

Simply comparing the costs of in-house vs. cloud-based IT shows that Private Cloud is also more economical than in-house IT.

Private Cloud costs typically include:

Something of note is that (with the right Private Cloud provider) these figures are inclusive of all technology that you would otherwise have to buy and maintain. On-premise IT (as we’ve illustrated above) is fraught with hidden and unpredictable costs.

Essentially, we must conclude that fully managed Private Cloud costs are simple, clear and predictable.

Related:

Time Matters can be subscribed to in the form of a monthly Subscription-Based License (SBL) or purchased as a perpetual license with along with an Annual Maintenance Plan.

If you use Time Matters, we recommend either acquiring it in its SBL model or that your firm acquires (and renews) an AMP every year.

With SBL or an AMP, your firm is entitled to:

Related:

Now that you have a sense of how Time Matters in the cloud works and how moving Time Matters to the cloud will benefit your law firm, let’s talk about the all-important job of doing your due diligence.

There are a variety of ways your firm could accomplish a transition of Time Matters to the cloud. Whatever direction your firm goes, it’s important to do your homework.

In recent years, a problem for law firms has become that more and more companies, from small, local IT shops to generalist (non-legal-focused) cloud server providers are throwing their hat into the ring and declaring, “Hey, we do Time Matters cloud hosting now too!”

This is a potential pitfall for law firms.

Here’s why.

Running and maintaining Time Matters in the cloud isn’t for amateurs.

Hosting Time Matters, in particular, requires special configuration and deep software expertise. It’s important to choose a provider that you don’t have to worry about falling short – now and later.

How to properly engage in due diligence when selecting a Private Cloud provider for your law firm is a subject unto itself, but here are a few key areas to review when evaluating potential hosting companies:

Related:

Once you’ve developed a short list of potential Time Matters hosting providers, do your homework on each company.

We recommend at least doing the following:

If the company is reputable, you can see the Google reviews for a Private Cloud provider (or any business), by simply performing a Google search for that company.

The reviews will show up in the search results sidebar.

See image below for an example:

Learn more about doing your due diligence:

At Uptime Legal, we host Time Matters and other legal software for hundreds of law firms across North America.

Get in touch with our team to learn more about Time Matters in the cloud for your law firm.

Learn More about running Time Matters in the Cloud.