Anyone who undertakes eDiscovery knows the challenges that can be involved in keeping track of all the moving parts that are involved in these complex projects. A good eDiscovery project management tool that tracks the progress of your matters from inception to conclusion can go a long way toward making sure that things run smoothly and reducing the potential for error.

While every company’s workflow is different, nearly every eDiscovery project could benefit from a tool that incorporates the following features.

● A task-based system that’s customizable. Your workflow for live matters should be customized to fit the specific tasks that your company actually undertakes, including things like intake, vendor, and notification processes.

● Integration with matter management. No one wants to create extra work. Your ED management tool should integrate with the software you use to manage your matters, allowing you to directly import relevant matter data and avoid reinventing the wheel.

● File system and database integration. The cost of eDiscovery depends on the amount of data involved, and you can only get a true sense of your storage costs if you know exactly how much data you have.

● Categorizing sub-processes. Each phase of ED, from collection through trial, has its own data than can be analyzed to determine your overall eDiscovery costs.

● Tracking vendor quotes. Tracking your vendor quotes with an ED tool makes them easier to find and allows you to compare pricing with past jobs.

● Ad-Hoc Reporting. Tracking all the above data is only useful if you’re able to compile the data in ways that are useful to you and generate customized reports to help manage future eDiscovery projects.

This list, of course, is far from exhaustive. A good eDiscovery management tool should meet the needs of your particular organization while maintaining the integrity of the process. If you have questions about incorporating an ED project management tool into your business, contact MCS Group today to learn how you can experience excellence in your eDiscovery practice.