When you think of NetDocuments, two things that come to mind are mobility and flexibility. The ability to work from anywhere, including from home, means that NetDocuments users have hardly missed a beat. On the other hand, working from home raises some security concerns, especially when you consider the great variety of home computers and the likelihood that they are not as secure as those in the office.
One potential area of concern is the combination of Echoing and ndOffice. Most of us use NetDocuments with the desktop versions of the Microsoft Office applications. The use of workstation Echoing, where a local copy of the document is stored for a time, is also very common. Don't get me wrong. This combination is very secure in your controlled office. However, your clients may not appreciate copies of their documents being stored on the home computers of your lawyers and staff.
Microsoft Office Online is an excellent option in this situation. First, using Office Online means you don't even have to install ndOffice or ndClick on any home computers. This alone will save you some logistical headaches and troubleshooting. Second, Office Online is a universally available solution that does not care what type of system it is used on. Whether your home users have brand new Windows 10 systems, 5-year-old Macs or anything in between, Office Online will work because it runs in a browser. Third, Office Online does not store local copies of NetDocuments documents. Documents open directly in Office Online and save right back to NetDocuments when Save and Close are clicked.
In addition, Office Online is the ultimate in mobility and flexibility because it can run on tablets and phones. No, you probably don't want to create every document on a tablet or phone. However, in a pinch, such as when your entire firm is sent home to work during a pandemic, the convenience of being able to review or make minor edits using a tablet comes in handy. A home computer is not even required. It's not ideal if you are working from home for an extended period, but it allows your staff to work while you arrange for a laptop or another way for them to work from home.
I've written about the benefits of using Office Online with NetDocuments in the past. We're all learning new ways to work during this crisis. Maybe its time you gave Office Online another look.
If you have any questions about working remotely with NetDocuments or Office Online, or if you have any other document management questions, please contact the Document Management Team at Affinity by calling 877-676-5492, or by requesting a consultation.
