OPSIS News & Info Blog - Legal Case Management, Solicitors Accounting and Time Recording Software

OPSIS Christmas Support Cover

During the Christmas 2008 and New Year holiday the OPSIS Support/HelpDesk will operate on a reduced support team cover from the hours of 10.00am to 4.00pm on Monday 29th to Wednesday 31st December.

The Helpdesk will close at 4.00pm on Wednesday 24th December, and remain closed all day on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

If a major problem should arise out of these hours then the following mobile number can be used,
although this is strictly for emergency use only: +44(0)780 2520021

Christmas Cheer

The Helpdesk answerphone message will also be changed, explaining the above too.

May we take this opportunity to wish you a
Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year in 2009

Best Wishes
OPSIS Support Team

Arctic Fox

Solicitor Case Manager V5.4.2 Released

Version 5.4.2 of Solicitor Case Manager has been released and is accompanied by some new release notes available from the Documentation area of the website.

Changes affect:-

Marketing Module Campaigns
Marketing Module Search Criteria
Marketing Module Mailing Labels
Some bug fixes

There is also a new version available of the Case Activities User Guide V5.4

This guide provides details of the OPSIS Outlook Toolbar, and case-related activities: Tasks, Appointments, Diary Manager, Case Emails, Telephone Messages, Contacts and Hearings.

Solicitor Case Manager UK VAT Rate change 1/12/2008

Solicitor Case Manager - UK VAT RATE CHANGES - December 1st 2008

As posted previously on our blog the Chancellor, Alistair Darling has announced the Governments pre-budget report for 2008.

Due to the change in VAT announced, you will need to adjust the standard VAT rate in Solicitor Case Manager. If you have Precedents and Case Details (ud fields) which automatically calculates the VAT it is necessary for both of these areas to be amended.

A PDF document detailing how to change the VAT Rates in SCM’s Precedents and UD Fieldds has been created for your convenience.

Click here for Solicitor Case Manager’s UK VAT Rate Change document ( 111kb PDF format)

Please contact our Support team if you require any further assistance with this.

To review the pre-budget report in full, please go to this weblink:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/24_11_08_pbr_completereport.pdf

Millennium Accounts UK VAT Rate Change - 1st December 2008

You may have heard that the Chancellor, Alistair Darling has announced the Governments pre-budget report for 2008.

Over the past year, major shocks have hit the economies of every country in the world. While commodity prices have recently eased, the credit shock has intensified into the worst global financial crisis for generations, a crisis that is being addressed by a global policy response of unprecedented scale and scope.

These developments mean economic prospects are subject to exceptional uncertainty, but it is clear that the UK, like many advanced economies, has moved into recession. Asset markets and the financial sector have been severely affected, with persistent implications for the public finances. The economic and fiscal climate is exceptionally challenging, but because of the macroeconomic framework introduced in 1997 the UK is facing these shocks from a solid foundation.

The Government remains committed to the macroeconomic framework and the objectives enshrined within it. Credible medium-term objectives and mechanisms for short-term flexibility mean that the Bank of England and the Government can deliver the necessary support to the economy without compromising their respective commitments to low inflation and sound public finances. The Government’s immediate priority is to continue to support the economy through these difficult times.

This Pre-Budget Report announces that the Government will support families and businesses, including by cutting Value Added Tax (VAT) from 17.5% to 15% for 13 months, from 1 December 2008.

Due to the change in VAT announced, you will need to adjust the standard VAT rate in Millennium Accounts.

Before you make any such change in Millennium Accounts, ensure that all of your postings in the current period which have the standard VAT rate of 17.5% applied to them are posted.

A PDF document detailing the change to VAT Codes has been created for your convenience.

Click here for UK VAT Rate Change document ( 56kb PDF format)

Please contact our Support team if you require any further assistance with this.

To review the pre-budget report in full, please go to this weblink:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/24_11_08_pbr_completereport.pdf

Ireland VAT Rate change on 1st December 2008

The VAT rate is changing in Ireland from 1st December 2008 so OPSIS have put together the following instruction sheet for our Millennium Accounts clients.

Quote from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland:-

“It’s unusual to have a rate change in the middle of a VAT period, and Revenue have issued guidance as to how the change is to apply. Like most VAT issues, the change appears trivial - until you start to think about it.

In applying the VAT change, there are two matters in particular to be taken into account - whether the trader accounts for VAT on the invoice or the cash receipts basis, and whether the customer is a business customer or an unregistered consumer. While very broadly, VAT should be charged at the rate applicable at the date of issue of the invoice, issues can arise in relation to credit notes and periodic payments.”

Irish Tax and Customs website announcement:-

Increase in the standard rate of VAT from 21% to 21.5% from 1 December, 2008

OPSIS are sending the notification out as a mailshot, but for any customers who prefer, this can be downloaded as an Adobe Acrobat PDF document from the Helpsheets section of our website using the link below:-

Amending or Creating a new VAT Rate in Millennium Accounts ( 159kb PDF format)

Please contact our Support team if you require any further assistance with this.

Minutes from the 23rd Oct ROI User Group Meeting

The minutes from the User Group Meeting held on 23rd October 2008 at the Lucan Spa Hotel in Dublin, are now available to download in PDF format.

Please click the following link:-

Dublin User Group Meeting Minutes - 23rd October 2008 (PDF format)

(You will need to contact us for the download password)

The minutes detail the following points of discussion:-

Introduction
OPSIS Changes (IRIS takeover) and internal changes
Time Recording & Precedents presentations
Law Society audits
Software Enhancements

Solicitor Case Manager V5.4.0 Release

Solicitor Case Manager
Latest Version: 5.4.0

Please see the main support page for details and release notes to accompany this version:-

http://www.opsisltd.co.uk/Support.htm

Ireland User Group Meeting: 23rd October, Lucan Spa Hotel

The next user-group meeting will be held on Thursday, 23rd October 2008 in the Lucan Spa Hotel, Dublin.

The agenda is as follows (may be subject to change):

10.30 Introduction & Welcome

Martin Kennedy (Martin A Kennedy & Co)
Sharon Tracey (Paul W Tracey Solicitors)

10.40 Briefing - Brian O’Neill (OPSIS)

Opsis – Iris 2008 & Future
Customer Services
System Developments
The Microsoft connection - Vista; Office 2007; MS SQL Server

11.00 Information sharing

Forum for sharing information on practical system usage issues

Legal Costs/Time Recording - Sharon Tracey
How to get the most from your Precedents - James Dennison (Dennison Solicitors)

1.00 Lunch

2.15 OPSIS.NET the next Generation - Brian O’Neill

2.45 Session 2

Case Management - Discussion Topics - Kay Crean (OPSIS)

Procedures made Easy
Recent Enhancements

Millennium Accounts Eamonn Mulcahy (OPSIS)

Practice Management Reports
Law Society & Revenue inspections – preparation
- How to survive the Audit - Bernie Mainey (Good & Murray Smith)
New enhancements: Eamonn Mulcahy
- Supplier Ledger
- Credit Control
- Reports
- Nominals

4.0 Tea/Coffee

4.15 Wrap-Up

5.00 End of Meeting

The meeting will qualify for at least 3 hours worth of CPD with certificates being provided on the day. Please contact the Ireland offices for further details if you wish to attend.

We look forward to seeing you on the day.

Law Autumn Exhibition 2008

Just a quick reminder of the upcoming Law Autumn Exhibition which occurs on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th October at the Birmingham NEC Conference Centre, where you will find OPSIS on stand 26.

More information is available in our previous post.

Millennium Rel V5.72.4 - October Legal Aid LSC Changes

An upgrade release of Millennium Accounts (V5.72) caters for new Legal Aid CDS and Claim forms to comply with the latest Legal Services Commission changes that will become active on 1st October 2008.
Click here for download link

Overview

As you are probably aware, the Legal Services Commission has announced changes to Legal Aid CDS and Claims Forms. You will probably have received notification of this directly from the LSC (OPSIS are not responsible for supplying this information). Please note this is an important release for Legal Aid firms and we strongly recommend that you implement this new version as soon as possible.

The Millennium Accounts release of 5.72.4 primarily contains new reports and new miscellaneous features. It does, however, also include 3 new Legal Aid reports which are mandatory from 1st October 2008. Two of them (CDS1 & CDS7) are Word templates and could be emailed to users without the need for upgrading. Users who wish to produce the CLS CLAIM 1 form will need to upgrade to 5.72.4 or later.

Note: Not all Legal Aid users will need/use the CLS CLAIM 1.

Below is the relevant information from the release notes:

Legal Aid Form Updates

The template for CDS1 “Client’s Details Form” has been updated to version 7 October 2008.
The template for CDS7 “Non-Standard Fee Contract Work Assessment Form” has been updated to version 8 October 2008.
The CLS CLAIM 1 “Claim for assessment of costs or payment of costs following detailed assessment in civil cases” has been updated to version 11 October 2008.

The Legal Services Commission will have already notified providers of the form changes and the following information, supplied by the LSC, is accurate at the time of inclusion. Please refer to the LSC website or contact the LSC directly for the most up to date information.

“These forms are mandatory from 1st October 2008 but may be used before that date. All forms signed and dated on or after the mandatory date must be the new versions. Old versions signed and dated on or before 30th September will be accepted until 31st October after which time they will be rejected.“

OPSIS News & Info

OPSIS Christmas Support Cover

May we take this opportunity to wish you a
Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year in 2009

Solicitor Case Manager V5.4.2 Released

Solicitor Case Manager UK VAT Rate change 1/12/2008

Millennium Accounts UK VAT Rate Change - 1st December 2008

Ireland VAT Rate change on 1st December 2008

Minutes from the 23rd Oct ROI User Group Meeting

Solicitor Case Manager V5.4.0 Release