25 08, 2024

DocSolid’s Airmail2 Cloud Takes Flight, from the Flight Plan™ to SOC2

Michael Herzog2024-10-03T09:31:56-07:00August 25th, 2024|Featured, Paper2Digital Blog|

DocSolid’s Airmail2 Cloud
Takes Flight
From the Flight Plan to SOC2

DocSolid introduced the Airmail2 Cloud Digital Mailroom and Digital Records Room solutions in 2024 with integrations to cloud-based document management systems like iManage, NetDocuments, Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint. Our patented batch scanning with barcode labels has gone through several generations of technology advancements over the past ten years, but provisioning it in a cloud SaaS platform presented a whole new level of challenges and requirements for us. It not only changed the product, but it also changed our company. These changes include new technologies, more security and reinventing our deployment model. Here is a recap of our 18 month journey bringing Airmail2 Cloud to market.

The Hybrid Workplace in 2024
Airmail2 was originally introduced in 2020 as a software solution installed on premises. It was a timely pivot for DocSolid, anticipating the sea change of remote work commonly described as the hybrid workplace. In general terms, hybrid work refers to employees working 2 or 3 days per week in the office and working from home the other days.

According to research, more than half of law firm employees surveyed confirm that their firm has established a policy that requires lawyers to come in at least three days per week. 85% report a requirement of less than four days per week. Regarding the flexibility of this requirement, 64% report that the overall policy is flexible, allowing staff to largely choose which days they are in the office.¹

Hybrid work, particularly in law firms, requires employees to have access to information regardless of whether they are in their home office or downtown office.

Airmail2 Cloud – The Mission

Product Improvements
Airmail2 Cloud is deployed as a separate, private instance for each customer in the Microsoft Azure cloud, managed by DocSolid. This infrastructure tech stack provides network security and a modern approach to scalability with serverless Apps. Supporting multiple identity providers for SSO was also a requirement. A key technical challenge… Sorting out how scanned documents will be transferred securely into a customer’s Airmail2 Cloud private storage, originating from the existing scanning hardware back down on the ground. This led us to engineer a new software component called the Azure Sender to securely transmit digitized documents from any networked scanning device. Data files are encrypted in transit and at rest, saved in the customer’s Airmail2 Cloud private storage.

Another innovation is DocSolid’s newest generation of Mailman image processing technology. On demand image processing is a new way of deploying Mailman engines in the cloud. If there is a significant increase in the amount of paper being scanned by a customer, they will always have the additional image processing power they need.

Company Improvements
Before launching the product and going to market, the company initiated a comprehensive audit process to assess the readiness of the product, our business policies and operations in accordance with the AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) SOC2 (System and Organization Controls). A widely accepted security framework, the SOC2 Type2 attestation confirms a SaaS vendor’s product and operations meet the association’s standards. The core of this standard involves five Trust Services Criteria (TSC); security, privacy, confidentiality, processing integrity, and availability. DocSolid achieved our SOC2 Type2 attestation for Airmail2 Cloud July 4, 2024.

Project Improvements
Another improvement as DocSolid transformed into a SaaS vendor is the Airmail2 Flight Plan.™ The name is derived from our “airmail theme” because it is a superb metaphor for project leadership at DocSolid. In aviation, the flight plan documents where the pilot and crew originated from, their destination, timing, fuel, weather and other specifications. The Airmail2 Cloud Flight Plan™ is a reference guide for each customer, documenting how their system is configured including workflows and settings. It is also a resource to propel adoption and achieve desired business outcomes.

As you might expect, deploying Airmail2 Cloud takes less time than an on premise installation and it simplifies the project for our customers.

Airmail2 Cloud Project Timeline

Project Initiation
Kickoff Meeting
Educate Project Team
Discovery Session(s)
Airmail2 Flight Plan™

Airmail2 Cloud Provisioning
Connect DMS and Scanning Devices
Tailor System to Flight Plan
System Walkthrough – Acceptance
Production Ready

Status Meetings through Launch
Rollout to Launch Office(s)
1 Month – Launch Feedback
6 Months – Metrics Review
Solution Assessment

Conclusion
In 18 months, Airmail2 Cloud was built, tested and independently audited. Since then, we have onboarded our first new customers. Existing DocSolid customers are now switching from older on premise installations to Airmail2 Cloud.

Welcome aboard Airmail2 Cloud with new departures daily. Enjoy your flight with us.

Airmail2 Cloud Digital Mailroom Resources

SOURCE
1. 2024 Law Firm Office Attendance Policies Report, Thomson Reuters Institute https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/legal/law-firm-office-attendance-policies-report-2024/

5 05, 2023

CISO in Law Firms Face Hybrid Work Challenges

Michael Herzog2023-09-22T11:41:30-07:00May 5th, 2023|Paper2Digital Blog|

Chief Information Security Officers in Law Firms Face Hybrid Security Challenges

Many law firms have shifted towards a hybrid work model, where employees alternate between working from home and working at their law office. While this model has provided greater flexibility, it has also presented significant challenges for Chief Information Security Officers, CISO in these firms.

Law firms have always been a prime target for cybercriminals due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the data they hold. The shift towards hybrid work has only made things more complicated for CISOs, who must now contend with a distributed workforce, varied devices, and continual risks from email phishing. In this article, we will discuss the challenges facing CISOs in law firms due to hybrid work and how they can mitigate these risks.

Remote Workforce
With employees working from different locations, it becomes more difficult for CISOs to maintain a secure environment. Home networks are typically less secure than office networks, and employees may be using personal devices that are not adequately secured. This can make it easier for cybercriminals to gain access to the firm’s network and steal sensitive data.

To mitigate this risk, CISOs must implement strict security protocols for remote workers. This includes ensuring that all devices are up to date with the latest security patches, enforcing strong password policies, and providing employees with secure VPN access to the firm’s network.

Increased Cyber Attacks
Cybercriminals have been taking advantage of the pandemic to launch more sophisticated and targeted attacks. With law firms holding sensitive data, they are an attractive target for cybercriminals looking to steal confidential information, commit fraud, or launch ransomware attacks. Email phishing continues to be one of the greatest ongoing cybersecurity threats.

To mitigate this risk, CISOs must implement robust security measures, including multi-factor authentication, intrusion detection, and threat intelligence. They should also conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities in their systems and networks.

Cloud Security
With the shift towards hybrid work, many law firms have moved their operations to the cloud, making it easier for employees to access data from different locations. While this has provided greater flexibility, it has also created new security challenges, as data stored in the cloud is at risk from cyber attack.

To mitigate this risk, CISOs must implement strict access controls and monitor employee activities closely. They should also encrypt all data stored in the cloud and implement robust backup and disaster recovery procedures.

Mailroom Risk
There is a security problem in the mailroom that deserves a sense of urgency.

In a scanning mailroom, the typical scan-to-email-PDF approach puts the firm’s client information at risk and undermines information governance. Airmail2 solves this problem because it eliminates unnamed PDF attachments and delivers legal mail securely using integrations with a document repository like iManage, iManage Cloud, NetDocuments or OpenText eDOCS. Airmail2 also integrates with Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive.

This is an important cybersecurity consideration for law firms because email is the most frequent source from where cybersecurity incidents originate. Watch the 2-min. explainer video to learn more.

Conclusion
The shift towards hybrid work has presented significant challenges for CISOs in law firms, as they must contend with a distributed workforce, varied devices, and the increased risk of insider threats. To mitigate these risks, CISOs must implement strict security protocols, monitor employee activities closely, and conduct regular security assessments to identify vulnerabilities in their systems and networks. With the right approach, law firms can maintain a secure work environment and protect their sensitive data from cyber attacks.

CISO Digital Mailroom Resources

21 08, 2023

National Archives and Records Administration Requirements for Digitizing Federal Records

Michael Herzog2023-09-08T11:20:33-07:00August 21st, 2023|Paper2Digital Blog|

National Archives and Records Administration Requirements for Digitizing Federal Records Requirements

No later than June 30, 2024, all permanent records in Federal agencies must be managed electronically to the fullest extent possible for eventual transfer and accessioning by the National Archives and Records Administration – NARA.

Starting on July 1, 2024, agencies will be required to digitize permanent records created in analog formats before transfer to NARA. Digitization and transfer must be made in accordance with NARA regulations and transfer guidance, including metadata requirements.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recently published the final rule for digitizing permanent federal records. This new rule, known as 36 CFR § 1236 Subpart E, became effective June 5, 2023. The federal government is undergoing a digital transformation and this new rule is a significant step towards achieving that goal.

As a part of this initiative, NARA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued two crucial memorandums, M-19-21 (Jun-28, 2019) and M-23-07 (Dec-23, 2022). These memos highlight the importance of modernizing and transitioning to digital processes and workflows in the federal government to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability.

In line with these memorandums, NARA added the new Subpart E to its records management regulations to provide standards for digitizing permanent records. The goal is to enable federal agencies to dispose of source records when appropriate and according to the Federal Records Act amendments of 2014. This is an important step towards achieving the government’s goal of digital transformation.

SOURCES:
https://records-express.blogs.archives.gov/2023/05/15/new-rule-for-digitizing-records-what-you-need-to-know
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-XII/subchapter-B/part-1236

24 07, 2023

Copy+Paste Email Campaign DRR Kick-off

Michael Herzog2023-09-18T10:57:45-07:00July 24th, 2023|Copy+Paste Template, Resources|

SUBJECT LINE: Kick-off our new Airmail2 Digital Records Solution

MESSAGE CONTENT:

In collaboration with the team at DocSolid, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new Airmail2 Digital Records Room solution.

Game-Changer for Records
Digitizing paper records helps our attorneys and staff stay productive while allowing them to work securely from anywhere.

Airmail2 Overview

Batch work processes enable clerical staff to work productively, with minimal training, and without password access to the DMS.
Postmark^® barcode labels enable highly efficient scanning of multiple documents at once, in stacks.
Includes QC software with Veritag^®built-in quality controls.

These are just a few highlights to introduce you to our new Digital Records Room. More details will follow.

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

– Buckminster Fuller

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11 07, 2023

Copy+Paste Email Campaign DRR 1

Michael Herzog2023-09-15T14:12:47-07:00July 11th, 2023|Copy+Paste Template, Resources|

SUBJECT LINE: Productivity Tip – Airmail2 Digital Records Room

Check the first and last page, and only thumb through the middle.

QC is looking for 95+ % accuracy with lightning speed. This is accomplished by comparing the first page and last page of the physical document to be verified. The QC operator can quickly scroll through the page thumbnails until reaching the last page of the document to verify it. While doing this, they are looking for pages that are too light, too dark, partially scanned or oriented wrong.

“Our experience over the years confirms this method achieves the desired result of catching scan errors with a minimal amount of time spent on each document.”

– Eric Lynn, Paper2Digital^® Consultant.

Browse more templates…

14 07, 2023

Copy+Paste Email Campaign DRR 2

Michael Herzog2023-09-15T13:15:14-07:00July 14th, 2023|Copy+Paste Template, Resources|

SUBJECT LINE: Success Story – Airmail2 Digital Records Room

Customer Success

Airmail2 is about enabling more productive batch work and keeping the physical work of scanning in a routine where a group of items are all done together in the same step.

Profile >> Scan Stacks >> QC >> Retain | Shred >>

To extend this further, one of DocSolid’s customers leveraged family members of their employees for summer help to get a large part of a backfile project done. They identified a large group of closed or closing matters that had to be scanned. First, they labeled all the boxes and came up with a naming convention based on what was already in the Records Management System. For 8 weeks during the summer, college age and high school seniors related to the firm’s employees were trained to profile, scan and QC the boxes of records. The result? With about a dozen of those temp staffers, the team digitized over a million pages of paper records. One big ‘batch’ of work increased productivity, improved office space utilization and reduced risk for the firm… With zero time taken away from the firm’s full-time employees.

“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”

– Charles Mingus

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14 07, 2023

Copy+Paste Email Campaign DRR 3

Michael Herzog2023-09-18T11:02:33-07:00July 14th, 2023|Copy+Paste Template, Resources|

SUBJECT LINE: Change for the better with Airmail2

Best Practices

For Records Managers, the requirements are to clear the clutter and capture the true documents as early as possible in the digital matter file. The requirement to retain a physical document are rare, (wet signatures, regulatory compliance, etc.). Once-and-done is the name of the game for records and retention compliance. Good policies enable post-scan shredding to be done confidently on a consistent regimen. With Airmail2 quality controls, Information Governance (IG) staff can focus on efficiency.

Optimizing a Digital Mailroom

Provide examples how to correctly identify and profile documents
Training on naming conventions
IG policy refinements
Exceptions to the firm’s scan and shred policy

Requirements include the ability to direct scanned documents to the intended destination folder in the DMS. Define standards for profiling repetitive doc types to make users more efficient.

“Geeks are people who love something so much that all the details matter.”

– Marissa Mayer

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22 05, 2023

DocSolid Announces New Airmail2 Customer Stewart McKelvey

Michael Herzog2023-09-22T11:41:23-07:00May 22nd, 2023|Press Releases|

DocSolid Announces New Airmail2 Customer Stewart McKelvey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PHOENIX, AZ – (May 22, 2023) – DocSolid, the legal technology experts for digital mailroom and records room solutions, announces Stewart McKelvey, a top 20 Canadian law firm based in Atlantic Canada, with over 225 lawyers, has implemented the Airmail2 Digital Mailroom solution which seamlessly integrates with the firm’s NetDocuments document management system, providing efficient, governed delivery of digital mail.

The shift to hybrid operations has accelerated technology digitization strategies for legal practices. Now more than ever, lawyers and staff need Airmail2 because it enables them to be more productive and work securely from home, in office or remote.

“Our firm has adopted a hybrid workplace strategy, and we needed a best practice digital mailroom as part of our new work environment,” said Sherri Thom, IT Director, Stewart McKelvey. “We selected Airmail2 from DocSolid because of its extensive capability set, and smart integration with NetDocuments. The project team at DocSolid were very organized and helped us seamlessly implement and bring the Airmail2 system into production.”

Airmail2 was designed specifically for law firms’ daily mail operations, with daily mail folder delivery to the document management system for secure, managed digital delivery. Airmail2 sets the industry standard for the efficient, governed delivery of digital mail.

Ten best practice features of Airmail2

Multiple workflows for legal mail, docketing, administrative mail, HR, etc.
Mail recipients receive a link to the mail item from the DMS, not emailed PDF attachments
Barcode labels connect paper mail documents to the digital scan location in the DMS
Stack scanning of multiple mail items at any brand MFD, with no additional hardware or software
Quality controls for monitored imaging and disposition according to the firm’s policy
Administrative tools – help desk, dashboard, audits, reporting
Auto-generated mail arrival notifications alert individuals or groups, describe the mail and show a thumbnail image in the email body
Airmail2 Hub provides a communication system between mail recipients and the mailroom
Mail can be delivered to DMS daily mail folders, or directly into the related matter
DocSolid is a NetDocuments Technology Partner using certified API integrations

“Stewart McKelvey now has a permanent digital mailroom, delivering inbound legal mail to recipient mail folders in NetDocuments,” said Steve Irons, President of DocSolid. “They’ve established governance and security for client information in their mailroom operation, and now are driving valuable efficiency gains for the lawyers, wherever they are working.”

Stewart McKelvey’s Airmail2 Digital Mailroom leverages the Airmail2 Hub which lets lawyers communicate back to the mailroom through a ticketed messaging channel on a variety of common issues that arise in digital mail handling. Lawyers viewing a digital mail item can initiate instructions to the mailroom including image fixes, physical document disposition, requests to scan envelopes, or ad hoc instructions on physical mail handling.

“Our robust partner ecosystem continues to deliver a great customer experience and enhance NetDocuments’ value for our user base,” stated Reza Parsia, Vice President, Strategic Partner Management with NetDocuments. “DocSolid’s seamless NetDocuments integration provides legal professionals, like the Stewart McKelvey team, with vast digital mailroom capabilities enabling users to work more productively and securely through one mission-critical cloud platform.”

Visit docsolid.com to learn more about Airmail2 Digital Mailroom and the companion, Airmail2 Digital Records Room solutions.

About DocSolid

DocSolid creates, sells and supports the Airmail2 Digital Mailroom and Digital Records Room solutions for a hybrid workplace. Reliable, secure delivery of digital documents is a best practice for leading law firms and corporate legal departments worldwide. DocSolid’s patented Paper2Digital® solutions reduce the costs, risks and inefficiencies of paper records. For more information, visit www.docsolid.com.

About NetDocuments

NetDocuments is the #1 trusted cloud-based content management and productivity platform that helps legal professionals do their best work. Backed by over 20 years of experience in cloud innovation, NetDocuments offers a complete end-to-end platform for document and email organization and management, including award- winning security and research capabilities; robust automation, collaboration, and search technologies; seamless integrations with other tools professionals use daily; and much more. NetDocuments supports over 7,000+ law firms, corporate legal departments, and public sector entities globally. Learn more about NetDocuments.

DocSolid media contact:
Michael Herzog, Director
michael@docsolid.com

Press Release PDF

17 02, 2023

IFMA LIC Webinar – Digital Mailroom Workflows for Hybrid Law Firms

Michael Herzog2023-03-13T10:49:21-07:00February 17th, 2023|Webinar|

Digital Mailroom Workflows for Hybrid Law Firms

IFMA LIC Presents: Digital Mailroom Workflows for Hybrid Law Firms

Mar 14, 20231:00pm EDT45 minutes

Convert to my timezone

DESCRIPTION
Law firms benefit from a Digital Mailroom with highly configurable workflows to accommodate different office locations, variable hybrid work schedules and different types of mail.

Airmail2 enables secure, productive digital delivery of postal mail, integrated with a law firm's existing document management system. A best practice digital mailroom is essential for hybrid law firms.

AGENDA
1. Digital Mailroom Requirements
2. Mailroom Workflows
3. Demonstration

DESCRIPTION:
Law firms benefit from a Digital Mailroom with highly configurable workflows to accommodate different office locations, variable hybrid work schedules and different types of mail.

Airmail2 enables secure, productive digital delivery of postal mail, integrated with a law firm’s existing document management system. A best practice digital mailroom is essential for hybrid law firms.

AGENDA:

1. Digital Mailroom Requirements
2. Mailroom Workflows
3. Demonstration

PRESENTED BY:

Steve Irons
President

Cadis Stuart-Hodges
Senior Director of Services

LIVE or REPLAY:
If you are unable to attend the live session, we will send you a link to the recording.

14 12, 2022

Reinventing Professionals Podcast – Benefits of a Digital Mailroom

Michael Herzog2023-09-22T11:05:53-07:00December 14th, 2022|Paper2Digital Blog, Presentations and Webinars|

Benefits of a Digital Mailroom

Reinventing Professionals Podcast by Ari Kaplan

Runtime 16-minutes. Click the play button to listen now.

Host, Ari Kaplan, is an attorney, author, and leading legal industry analyst. He has been sharing interviews with industry leaders shaping the next generation of legal and professional services since 2009.

This episode originally aired on Dec-2, 2022.

Featured Legal Technology Leaders

Steve Irons and Joseph Scott discuss how Airmail2 supports remote and hybrid workplace preferences, why the proper management of scanned material directly impacts a law firm’s security protocols, and the benefits of digital mailrooms. This interview is from the Reinventing Professionals podcast episode released on December 2, 2022 and hosted by Ari Kaplan.

Steve Irons

President

Joseph C. Scott, J.D.

Senior Director of Client Engagement

Learn More

DocSolid’s Airmail2 Cloud Takes Flight From the Flight Plan to SOC2

Airmail2 Cloud – The Mission

Airmail2 Cloud Project Timeline

Chief Information Security Officers in Law Firms Face Hybrid Security Challenges

National Archives and Records Administration Requirements for Digitizing Federal Records Requirements

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

Check the first and last page, and only thumb through the middle.

Customer Success

Profile >> Scan Stacks >> QC >> Retain | Shred >>

“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”

Best Practices

“Geeks are people who love something so much that all the details matter.”

DocSolid Announces New Airmail2 Customer Stewart McKelvey

Digital Mailroom Workflows for Hybrid Law Firms

IFMA LIC Presents: Digital Mailroom Workflows for Hybrid Law Firms

Benefits of a Digital Mailroom

Reinventing Professionals Podcast by Ari Kaplan

Featured Legal Technology Leaders

Steve Irons

Joseph C. Scott, J.D.

DocSolid’s Airmail2 Cloud
Takes Flight
From the Flight Plan to SOC2