CARET Legal Reviews

“Love the journal entry feature

Pros

I really appreciate the journal entry capability. My team and I rely on journal entries to record expenses in a summarized way instead of having to log every single transaction individually. For instance, QuickBooks does let you make journal entries, but their guidance tends to steer people away from that approach. Many general ledger packages are form-driven, meaning they focus on entering each transaction as it happens. That method feels restrictive and can easily lead to missed items. Using journal entries lets me summarize monthly bank and credit card expenses without losing the level of detail I need to review individual charges.

Cons

When I create a credit memo it ends up generating what looks like 'phantom cash.' The standard process seems to convert the credit into an operating retainer: the credit posts to the Retainer Liability account while the offsetting debit shows up in our bank account. Because no actual cash was received, our bank balance becomes inflated on the books. To correct that overstatement I have to make a separate manual journal entry to eliminate the so-called 'phantom cash.'

“Streamlined processes focus your time

Pros

Because of smooth workflows, I can spend my time on priorities while still addressing the needs of every client's case with Caret today.

Cons

I have trouble tracking workflows, making time tracking tricky.

“Nothing useful, a frustrating experience

Pros

I couldn't find anything worthwhile in CARET. A few of their instructors were genuinely earnest and tried to help, yet the migration team never managed to get my data configured correctly for everyday use.

Cons

As a sole practitioner running a very small law office, I was charged $2,500 by CARET to migrate my files because they told me my data was 'complicated'twenty years of PC Law records. After two months, the migration still wasn't finished as everything that did make it over was corrupted, with A and L codes changed which I still don't understand. I repeatedly told them that LEDES billing and LSS billing formatting were absolutely essential, yet after those two months CARET still hadn't set up my billing properly. They have refused to return my money. Maybe their service is aimed at larger firms, but for me this was an extremely frustrating experience that wasted time and money.

“Horrible service and constant glitches

Pros

I have found Caret Legal casts a very wide net because the software is extremely comprehensive, which I like. Plus its biggest advantage for me is serving as a true all in one platform.

Cons

What frustrates me is the customer service it's terrible as the software glitches constantly, leading to significant downtime and I end up speaking with outsourced staff who take notes promising callbacks that never actually happen either.

“Promises a lot but delivers little

Pros

When I first signed up, it was promoted as a complete, all-in-one case management and accounting solution. Lately, though I have noticed that customer support responsiveness has worsened since ZolaSuite was acquired by Abbacus.

Cons

I've been consistently frustrated by the customer support experience. The first-line agents only handle very basic troubleshooting, the second-tier team tends to push you toward scheduling a training session and the groups who actually need to make changes or resolve issues rarely respond at all.

“Love Caret!

Pros

I find this product to be quite easy to use. The capability to log time and create invoices directly within the platform is a significant advantage for me.

Cons

I found it challenging to track and save emails, which led me to search for a different product.

“Not suitable for us!!

Pros

I thought this product was good when it had customer support available. However, the lack of decent support now is disappointing. Taking five days to add a new employee is unacceptable and really hampers my business.

Cons

I've noticed that customer support has been outsourced offshore. They've started using a VoIP solution, but it's a low-quality one, making it very hard to hear and understand the tech support on the line. Also, it's quite difficult to even reach a technical person, and when I do, they often seem disinterested and at times even outright defiant. For example, when I asked for help adding a new employee recently, I was simply directed to watch videos. I responded that if I could have done it myself, I wouldn't have asked for assistance. They should reconsider their place in this market, and I don't intend to continue using their services after this experience.

“Only did a trial and felt disappointed

Pros

We signed up for this platform because we needed integrated billing that connects directly with our invoice system.

Cons

I ran a trial and explored the various features to see how they work in practice.

“Seamless transition to all in one

Pros

I've been really impressed by how seamless the switch from Zola to CARET Legal was. Being able to handle billing, time tracking, scheduling, accounting and reconciliation all within one system feels like a major advantage. Thanks to CARET, I don't have to juggle three or four separate subscriptions anymore.

Cons

My main wish is for stronger email integration and an easier way to save contacts, plus support for group email billing. Also, I've noticed that the client portal can be a bit confusing for some of my clients to navigate.

“CARET software is simply outstanding!

Pros

This software is truly remarkable. With Caret Legal, I can manage my legal files exceptionally well. It offers various benefits, including accounting, generating basic reports, and managing my time effectively.

Cons

Up to this point, I haven't had much to complain about regarding Caret Legal.

“Helping me get better

Pros

I appreciate being able to track the time I spend with each client accurately and effortlessly assign fees and expenses.

Cons

Honestly, I had to invest a bit of my time in learning how to maximize the software's potential and become familiar with it.

“Full of issues

Pros

Theoretically, this program is designed to simplify the billing process for clients, keep tabs on billable time, and provide a central location for accessing documents, emails, case notes, accounting records, and reports.

Cons

The program does not operate correctly. I constantly face errors that impact productivity due to the many issues we deal with daily.

“Nothing much to like

Pros

Caret prepopulated my answer when asking what I like most. What I would say is that Zolas cloud-based setup is my favorite part. As I am able to sign in from anywhere, at any hour and consistently reach all the tools and information I rely on.

Cons

One of the main reasons I picked Zola/Caret was its accounting capabilities. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to use that featurewhich I had relied on since 2019because there appears to be a PLAID connection issue between the app and my bank. Since May I can't reconcile my accounts using the "download and review" function. That has added several extra hours to my monthly workflow. As a solo practitioner, I simply don't have that kind of spare time. I've been contacting Caret repeatedly starting in early June. Their most recent reply suggested I should switch banks I've been with my current bank since 2006, which felt neither reassuring nor helpful. How am I supposed to know a new bank wouldn't produce the same problem? I also notice that follow-up only happens when I initiate contact, rather than the company proactively updating me with progress or solutions.

“Easy timekeeping but difficult CRM

Pros

I am able to link it with Box and I find the time tracking feature simple and convenient to use.

Cons

Dealing with junk and spam leads in the CRM is a nightmareI have to remove each one by hand and I can't even delete a contact's card until every junk/spam lead tied to it is gone. I've looked for a bulk-delete option, but there isn't one, so clearing out trash takes forever. Overall the CRM feels lacking when I compare it to other systems I've used. The calendar is frustrating too: fixing, updating, or deleting an instance of a recurring event is surprisingly clunky and I often accidentally drag an appointment just by hovering over it. Like the CRM, the calendar isn't nearly as user-friendly or convenient as competing products.

“Great service but lacks workflows

Pros

Most of the time customer support is excellent. I also appreciate that it lets me build reusable templates.

Cons

It lacks workflow functionality. The intake forms don't integrate with the custom or matter fields and I can't send an electronic engagement agreement directly through Caret.

“good sorting but no shortcuts

Pros

For my workflow I sort by date to view work during set periods

Cons

I wish it had text shortcuts to speed up entering notes or descriptions of commonly used phrases like "tc" for "Telephone conference with...", "hrg" for "Hearing", etc.

“Very glitchy and inefficient system

Pros

I appreciate the wide range of reports available. Being able to glance at the dashboard and quickly get a sense of how the firm is performing has been priceless for me. I'm not sure how it stacks up against rival products, though.

Cons

The CARET/Zola system is extremely glitch-prone. I notice there are many redundant steps built into the platform and it feels like every few actions require me to invent a workaround which wastes time and isn't efficient. I also want the ability to send clients a direct link to pay their initial retainer like we can for the operating account. On top of that our contacts data causes major headaches and there isn't a clear way for me to correct it, which is really aggravating.

“Email option in caret is terrible

Pros

being able to set my own Default Screen is good as it appears the same every time I log in.

Cons

Personally, the e-mail features lack the flexibility Outlook offers. If Caret Legal is going to integrate with Outlook, there should at least be a choice for how I want my Outlook to behave. Almost everyone I know uses Outlook and frankly the e-mail functionality inside Caret is awful. There are additional issues and I keep a running list of them. Maybe I ought to start keeping that more formally. Also, many billing settings frustrate me and a number of them can't be changed.

“Seamless and efficient client organization

Pros

For me, Zola stands out because it offers a wide range of distinct features that help keep client organization smooth and efficient.

Cons

I find it frustrating that Zola occasionally runs into technical problems.

“Very easy and simple to use

Pros

The tool is incredibly simple and user-friendly. What I like is how it pulls together my teams calendar, email and task lists into one place. Its timekeeping and billing features also make it really easy for me to monitor each attorney's hours.

Cons

For me, the contact management system feels somewhat disorganized.