Review of GoFileRoom CS - 2011

Thomson Reuters - GoFileRoom CS
800-968-8900
cs.thomsonreuterscom

From the June 2011 Review of Document Management Systems

Best Firm Fit:
GoFileRoom was initially targeted to mid-size and large firms, with GoFileRoom CS offered to smaller firms. As a SaaS application with no infrastructure to deal with, GoFileRoom is an attractive option for smaller firms. Since the GoFileRoom solution offers document management, workflow and an integrated portal, it can become a complete paperless solution for firms of all sizes.

Core Product Functions/Features:
I continue to appreciate the intuitive interface offered by Thomson Reuters’ GoFileRoom. The visual file cabinet interface is easy to understand for first-time users of an electronic content management application. The document/file organization model is based on file cabinets/drawers/index fields. Firms have complete control over the design of the metadata tags. Each drawer can have a completely unique metadata setup, i.e. the client draw can index documents by client name, engagement type, document type, year, etc.

The HR drawer metadata can be organized by employee name, number and document type. This flexibility in the configuration positions GoFileRoom to be deployed in many different types of organizations.

File uploads can be done from within GoFileRoom, or firms can set up document “profiles” that sit as buttons on the desktop. Users can drag files onto the button to assign pre-established metadata tags and upload the file directly to GoFileRoom. For example, a user could set up a metadata profile/upload shortcut for tax returns, and a separate metadata profile and shortcut for financial statements.

Both GoFileRoom and its companion FirmFlow workflow application have a number of useful management reports. FirmFlow makes it possible to track and immediately report on the status and location of every engagement in the firm. Various reports to track activity history, documents pending scanning as well as checked-out documents are just some of the reports available.

Document Workflow:
GoFileRoom was originally designed as a “best of breed” solution before it was acquired by Thomson Reuters. In order to compete in the accounting firm market, GoFileRoom was designed to have integrations with most of the popular tax, audit and practice management software applications. The most direct integration today is with GoSystem Tax, but documents from almost any application can be managed using this tool. Users can also import the client list from most of the popular practice management applications.

Integration with Microsoft Office is handled by a GoFileRoom add-in to Outlook, Excel and Word. In each of these applications, users can save and retrieve files directly to/from GoFileRoom. The Outlook integration also allows staff to selectively choose which file attachments to save.

The FirmFlow workflow module is a robust application for managing the flow of engagements and projects throughout a firm. Management can define unique workflows for each process in the organization, and track the status of each engagement using this tool. For each engagement tracked in FirmFlow, the scheduler can assign individual staff or groups to be responsible for each step in the process, as well as set deadlines for completion and configure alert messages for exceptions. A virtual folder accompanies each engagement that provides comprehensive review note tracking, routing history, engagement checklist and direct access to all documents specifically related to the engagement.