CARET Legal Reviews

“glitchy, multi-step invoicing proces

Pros

I like that Zola Suite is a modern, cloud-based system with an up-to-date interface. It offers a lot of functionality and one feature I find especially useful is the ability to create my own custom fields. As a legal assistant who helped our firm transition from Time Matters, I can say there are areas where Zola is an improvement, though there are still a few Time Matters features we miss. I also appreciate that Zola allows you to email invoices directly to clients. Converting leads into matters works smoothly and being able to upload documents straight into a matter is very convenient. I can easily see amounts paid, what's due and what's held in trust for a matter. Our firm also values the option to save emails to a matter to keep everything organized.

Cons

Our firm finds the invoicing process in Zola to be overly involvedit takes too many steps and doesn't feel streamlined. There are times when it glitches and prevents us from running invoices that day, which is extremely frustrating. I would like the option to display the balance due at the top of the invoice as well as the bottom, since it currently only appears at the bottom. The lead options are not a great fit for our practice because many of them aren't relevant. When running invoices the dropdown menu sometimes falls below the visible page so you can't scroll to or select items as I've had to zoom out until the text is tiny to make a selection and then zoom back in. I don't enjoy using Zola's email because replies don't always stay in the thread, so I use the Mail app on my Mac instead. With Zola Caseway we can only create an account for one contact on a matter as since we handle many adoptions for couples, it would be helpful if each spouse could have their own login for the same case.

“Great value!

Pros

There are a number of functions that make Zola Suite excellent value for money. To begin with, the interface is incredibly easy to move around and the layouts are gentle on the eyes. I store an entire client's file inside the documents area. From the dashboard I'm able to handle almost everythingassign a phone number, log billable time and review invoices, which has become much simpler. One capability I particularly appreciate is how easy it is to upload documents into a client record. That upload tool lets me bring files over from other databases and place them directly into a specific client's folder. Frequently I receive filings from the court clerk's docket so I just download those files from the clerk's website and then import them into the client's file. What's even better is when attachments arrive by email, I can save them straight into the client's records with a single click. The app is accessible on my mobile phone so every file is available on the go and I no longer rely on paper files. It also generates invoices and automatically logs all time spent on a matter and overall it has made managing my practice significantly easier.

Cons

I don't have any real complaints as I find the software to be excellent.

“Ease of use and dependable system

Pros

For our firm, usability matters a great deal. Zola gives us the flexibility to reach our documents, calendars, contacts and more from any location and there's a mobile app for on-the-go access. I find the platform simple to use and reliable. Support gets back to us quickly and the company listens to suggestions and actively welcomes feedback.

Cons

It is better if they make calendar more feature-rich specifically the option to create automatic reminders tied to certain deadlines for example, Close of Discovery. It would also be a major help for our team if Calendar Events could sync or integrate directly with Tasks.

“Favorite thing is access anywhere

Pros

What I like most about this program is that I can open any case and view all related documents from any location.

Cons

I'd like the ability to click any person's name anywhere in the app and be taken immediately to their full subject profile page without having to search for them first.

“Outstanding customer service

Pros

I have NEVER experienced better customer support from any software company! They answer calls promptly, are knowledgeable and easy to understand, and are friendly and polite. A++.

Cons

I use this software solely for billing, but I believe there are two areas for improvement: First, there should be a field for the phone number and email address, along with the mailing address at the top of bills (currently, I can only enter the mailing address). Second, it feels a bit awkward having to switch from bill creation under Time to invoices under matters

“Fairly good storage and features

Pros

I've found Zola offers pretty solid storage for both matter-related communications and document management. The accounting module works well and the time-tracking tools meet our needs too. On top of that, there are numerous features we don't actually use and I suspect we haven't even discovered some of the capabilities hidden in the system.

Cons

I can't play video files directly from the document storage as those have to be downloaded to my computer first. Also, our small local bank doesn't integrate with Zola's accounting, so we can't sync transactions automatically and have to handle that manually.

“Onboarding process was flawless

Pros

I find CARET Legal to be an excellent practice management software. The onboarding process went smoothly, and we easily uploaded our client and matter databases. The built-in email integration is hands down the best feature of CARET. Once I link my email account, the integrated email application allows me to quickly save client correspondence and attachments directly to the related matter. The integration smartly recognizes the sender's email address and suggests the appropriate matter based on the matter contacts. Billing and invoicing are incredibly efficient and have saved me so much time. I can set up invoice templates to show relevant client information and choose which template(s) to use for each matter upon creation. Adding flat fees, time entries, and expenses for matters is quick and easy, and then CARET swiftly generates invoices for the selected items. Invoices automatically update as I add incoming payments, and LawPay credit card processing is included with the software. Matter management is solid and surpasses competitors like Clio. I can customize my matters based on practice areas with custom fields to include the most important information. The matter dashboard can also be tailored to display all the most useful information, including custom fields, from all matters in one location.

Cons

The CRM appears to be lacking. While its inclusion is a nice bonus compared to other practice management options, the overall performance leaves much to be desired. Customizing the CRM or sales process stages is not possible, so I have to adapt my own process to fit what is offered. We ultimately decided to use different software for our CRM because managing and keeping track of leads in Zola became too time-consuming. Task management is decent, but there's room for improvement. Task templates allow me to create an overarching task (like "client intake") with subtask workflows, but the templates don't allow for individual due dates for the subtasks or setting them up as dependencies, which would be far more useful.

“Troubles Troubles Troubles

Pros

It's a powerful all-in-one package that stands out in the law practice management space. I find it reasonably priced for the functionality it provides. While it may take a little time to get used to, it's relatively easy to use once you get past the initial learning curve. The US-based support is also very responsive.

Cons

Where do I start?! I have faced nothing but problems since the beginning, and I've only been using it for about four months. I prepaid for a year, and I now regret that decision. I wanted an all-in-one, reasonably priced software solution that includes CRM, accounting and billing, and time tracking without needing to integrate with other applications. However, the program feels a bit sluggish and cumbersome (I have a new laptop, so it's not an issue with the laptop's specifications). At one point, I couldn't access Adobe PDF files, and I spent about three hours on the phone with support trying to resolve it. It turns out they had never encountered that issue before. They resolved it, but it cost me three hours of billable client time. My next issue was with billing. Apparently, I needed to SET UP bulk billing (which is free) if I wanted to use it. This wasn't communicated to me during the initial whirlwind of training. The first month, I sent manual bills, which was manageable. The next month, I had my web developer set it up on the back end as instructed, but we ran into significant problems. First, emails wouldn't go out because ONE client lacked an email address. Their response was simply to add a dummy email. I provided a dummy address, and the outcome was that invoices were sent to clients, but they had NO ACCESS TO PAY ONLINE via the email link. I spent countless hours addressing various billing issues with them. Their response was again, "We've never encountered this issue before." Ultimately, they removed Enterprise access to edit documents within Zola WITHOUT informing me.

“Assistance is always available

Pros

I think the customer service is outstanding. Sometimes software can be good, but if the customer service is not on par or better, it can complicate usage. I've always received excellent support whenever I've contacted CARET, especially in the early stages of implementation. I don't call as often now, but I trust that whenever I do, I will receive the same high-quality customer support I experienced during my initial calls. The Customer Support team is exceptional!

Cons

Within the Documents section, there is no easy way to blackline documents and retain newer versions. Zola's software fails to recognize the latest versions of documents. I am hoping for a change in this area in the future.

“Support is incredibly knowledgeable

Pros

I have found the support team to be incredibly knowledgeable and they respond to any questions I have very quickly. When a capability is missing, they move fast to add or fix it so I rarely feel stuck. Billing is simple and speedy and switching between different matters is effortless. My calendar syncs with other calendar apps I use, which keeps scheduling accurate and reliable. The reporting tools display a wide variety of productivity metrics, giving me useful insight. From within a matter I can email directly and simultaneously create a time entry, which makes billing much more precise. Client demographic details are stored and can be imported into new matters when needed. The system even identifies emails from contacts tied to a case. I can save form documents as templates that auto-fill, saving time. The overall interface looks nice and is easy to navigate. Their customer service is exceptional too. Both client-facing and admin functions perform very well. It also integrates with Law Pay. I receive exactly what they say I will get. With so many features available and I am convinced we are actually underutilizing the platform. The mobile app is simple to use too and includes all the relevant features I need.

Cons

The task feature is handy for keeping track of deadlines and setting reminders, but it doesn't send alerts when a task becomes due or goes overdue, which is frustrating. Occasionally there's a lag between when an email hits my inbox and when it appears in Zola, so I've missed prompt visibility on a few messages. Email glitches occur with some regularity, which can be annoying during busy periods. There's no option to pop emails out into a separate window and that limitation sometimes slows my workflow. When we've encountered issues in the past, Zola has been quick to respond and resolve them. They've implemented functions and features based on our requests, which I appreciate. Bugs do show up from time to time, but the team works hard to fix them.

“Great web-based access and reporting

Pros

For starters, being able to sign into the platform through a web-based login has been incredibly convenient, particularly now that many of us work remotely. Entering time is simple and easy too and I genuinely think it's helped our team bill for a larger share of our work than we used to. The bulk of the reporting tools are excellent and give useful visibility. I have also found customer support to be very responsive and helpful when we have needed them. Plus the integration with QuickBooks Online is a welcome addition.

Cons

Moving from our legacy system to this oneespecially the data migrationwas a real challenge for us. To be honest, we knew it would be hard: after nearly fifteen years on the previous platform we had accumulated a huge amount of information and had come to rely on its particular workflows. The Zola support team stuck with us through the process and put in a lot of effort to make the migration work, which I appreciated. Even so, the whole switch ended up being a bit tougher than I anticipated. I'm also disappointed that accessing older records imported from the previous system is more restrictive than I had hoped, making it harder to pull up historical items when needed. Finally, the built-in user roles feel too binarythere isn't really a middle option between full administrative privileges and very limited access for doing essential taskswhich caused some headaches early on. Fortunately, support quickly devised a custom workaround for our specific needs, which was helpful and saved us time.

“Conversion has been a nightmare

Pros

I have found the softwares billing module to be really easy and simple to use.

Cons

We've had an absolute nightmare with the conversion process as backend support has been unreliable, causing outages that disrupted our operations for days. It still doesn't integrate with LawPay and the NetDocuments connection took an absurdly long time to set up, which severely impacted our workflow.

“Awesome service and accounting capabilities

Pros

There are countless aspects I truly love about this legal management program. If pushed to choose, I'd highlight its excellent customer support and the basic accounting features it reliably provides.

Cons

I find glitches and technical issues, particularly with Zola Suite's email, occur more frequently than I'd prefer as nevertheless, their exceptional technical support team, with excellent availability and accessibility, makes dealing with these issues relatively manageable.

“Saved us time we were wasting

Pros

Zola Suite has reclaimed hours we didn't even know vanished before. We're now able to organize and oversee clients, files and leads efficiently in a single location. Working remotely feels just as productive as being in the office. Also, their customer support is outstandingthey answer every question and concern quickly and thoroughly consistently.

Cons

There are hardly any aspects of Zola Suite I dislike. Whenever we've raised issues, the team works to resolve them and shows us better ways to handle tasks. Some parts work differently than our old software, but that's understandable. Zola Suite offers so many advantages that we haven't fully utilized yet because we're still in the process of migrating to it and getting comfortable with all of its features and nuances. I'm confident we'll learn everything with a bit more time soon.

“Allows me to manage both sides

Pros

Moving into solo practice, I knew I needed a reliable, user-friendly practice management system and Zola Suite has fit that bill perfectly for my needs. It handles both the client-facing tasks and the internal business operations with surprising ease, so I can focus more on work and less on admin. I'm also a big fan of Zola's support teamreal people who actually know the product and follow up consistently. Their responsiveness and helpfulness have been excellent.

Cons

I wish there were a smoother way for clients to click a button on invoices and pay by credit card directly through Zola. While Zola does tie into LawPay, the whole flow feels a bit clunky and not as seamless as I'd like. It's possible they've improved the card-payment workflow and I just haven't discovered a better option yet, but at the moment it's a pain point for me.

“reports need work

Pros

I find Zola's billing and expense features really easy to use.

Cons

For me, the accounting reports Zola generates could use some improvement.

“Billing and ledger are well maintained

Pros

I'm glad I can quickly get to all of my billing details, that my general ledger stays neatly organized and that the trust accounts tied to every client who uses them are consistently kept in good order.

Cons

one thing is that the built-in email app runs somewhat sluggish and feels harder to navigate compared with using Outlook straightaway, so I rely on Outlook for my messaging instead.

“User friendly tool

Pros

I find Zola user-friendly and it strikes the right balance of features, covering client management, document automation, billing and accounting.

Cons

I noticed it doesn't offer a payroll feature nor does it support payroll integrations.

“Absolute favorite is the plus button

Pros

Hands down, my favorite feature in Zola Suite is the "+" button sitting in the top toolbar. From that single spot I can jump to virtually anything inside the platform. Whether I need to generate an invoice, process a payment, schedule a calendar event, or open a new matter, it's all accessible from any screen I'm on, which makes navigating and getting work done so much quicker and more convenient.

Cons

Although I appreciate that Zola Suite is cloud-based and lets me access everything from anywhere, I find the web-only setup frustrating. I miss the smoothness and responsiveness of a native desktop program installed on my hard drive, because web apps can sometimes feel laggy. I'd really like Zola Suite to provide both web access and a downloadable desktop application so I can have the reliability and speed of a local app while still keeping cloud convenience.

“Improves efficiency and customer support

Pros

it improves my efficiency and the quality of my customer support.

Cons

In my experience, there are some issues with IMAP email compatibility.