The Oklahoma Bar Journal May 2024

from being booked twice at the same time and makes sure their availability is always up to date. It sends automated email notifica tions for appointment confirma tions and reminders to both clients and attorneys or staff members. Law firms can configure dif ferent appointment types, such as initial consultations, follow-up meetings or specialized legal services, each with customizable durations. Specific lawyers or staff members can be assigned to each type of appointment. Classic Outlook Summarize. Because I have installed Microsoft CoPilot, classic Outlook displays the “summarize” tool. This is a real time-saver. Not only will it sum marize a long email, but if there are several emails in the conversa tion, it will summarize the entire discussion with links to each of the individual emails in the summary.

CONCLUSION These newer features are only a small fraction of Microsoft’s con tinuous updates. As many lawyers rely heavily on these tools for their daily workflows, staying informed about the latest changes can be a challenge but is crucial for maxi mizing efficiency and making the most of the available resources. While learning recent updates may initially interrupt your usual work routines, using the improved features can help you achieve more efficiency and productivity in your legal practice. Ms. Bays is the OBA practice management advisor, aiding attorneys in using technology and other tools to efficiently manage their offices.

Microsoft Bookings . This scheduling app is part of your Outlook calendar and might be something you want to consider. This app has improved over the years. You access it through the online version of Outlook Calendar. This application enables lawyers to efficiently manage appointments, meetings and consultations with clients or colleagues. Bookings lets you create an online booking page you can share with clients so they can book appointments with attorneys or staff according to their availability. You can put this booking page link in emails, newsletters or the law firm’s website for easy access. When someone makes an appointment through bookings, it synchronizes immediately with the Outlook calendar of the lawyer or staff member they booked with. This integration stops them

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL