February 28th, 2013 by Angus Wong
#ClioTraining Tip: Third Party Cloud Storage Services and Clio
Clio integrates with Dropbox, Box and Google Drive, but how does that help your firm use Clio? These third party services offer your firm several advantages when combined with Clio, like:
- Ability to access and edit documents directly from your word processing software without downloading the file first.
- Ability to move batches of documents at one time in and out of matter folders.
- Access your documents from any device or computer that is connected to the Internet.
- Use local sync programs to access your matter folders as if it was a folder on your computer, seamless integration.
- Use subfolders within your matter folders.
- Ability to access your documents from either the Clio interface which is linked to each matter or directly from your computer.
- Google Drive offers direct integration with Google Docs, which allows you to edit all your documents directly from your browser and not need any other programs.
- Box offers in-document searching if you use their enterprise level accounts.
In short, using integrated services like Dropbox, Box and Google Drive lets you and your firm better leverage Clio so you can be more productive.
It’s also important to remember that cloud storage is storage space or hard drive space located in “the cloud.” This means data is stored on servers managed by the respective service instead of on your computer or the server in your closet. And being in “the cloud” also means that you can access this data from any Internet-connected device.
This usually prompts the question: is my data safe? The answer is yes, as Dropbox, Box and Google Drive employ data encryption and both physical and electronic security protocols at their server sites.
As with any tool used in law, it is best to do some due diligence and make sure the service you want to use satisfies any ethical requirements. Check the Dropbox security policy, Box security policy and Google Drive security policy.
You can learn more about Clio, and how to use it with Dropbox or Box, and how to set it up. Or if you prefer Google Drive, you can learn more here and also how to set it up with Clio.
Got a tip to share? Let us know. We’d love to hear them!
