But when it comes to a case management system, an important aspect of any law firm's operations, practical factors should guide the purchasing strategy. Functionally, a CMS is a customizable data base application capable of handling multiple case or matter types that manage information and activities. A CMS centrally stores all key information related to cases handled by the firm. Many law firms now track case information, but without a CMS, it might be spread across a host of disconnected and inconsistent manual and computerized systems, including paper calendars, word-processing documents, name lists and paper case files. In addition, a CMS tracks all staff calendars and dockets.
Some systems also provide a group scheduling feature.
Many CMS's also provide some level of document storage and retrieval. The document management features incorporated into a CMS provide a rudimentary level of management through document linking. Many law firms, however, link third-party document management systems to a CMS to provide a more powerful solution. Further, a CMS can create intelligent merge documents, which can rapidly create simple or complex documents. This is a form of document assembly.