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#33

Centerbase is ranked #33 in the Estate Planning Software product directory based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub. Compare the leaders with our In-Depth Report.

Centerbase Pricing

Based on our most recent analysis, Centerbase pricing starts at $59 (Monthly).

Price
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Starting From
$59
Pricing Model
Monthly
Free Trial
No

Training Resources

Centerbase is supported with the following types of training:

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars

Support

The following support services are available for Centerbase:

Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Help Desk
Knowledge Base
Tickets
Training
24/7 Live Support

Centerbase Benefits and Insights

Why use Centerbase?

Key differentiators & advantages of Centerbase

  • Stay Connected: Access important case-related information and management tools from any device with an internet connection. 
  • Accessible KPIs: Improve business decisions with the most current information from firm-wide calendar entries and custom reports. 
  • Faster Billing: Increase cash flow with a billing module designed to reduce clicks, deduplicate entries and accelerate invoicing. 
  • Customizability: Use in-house customization tools to appropriately scale the platform according to the firm’s size and maintain relevance in a changing legal landscape. 
  • Flexible Subscription Charges: The role-based pricing structure provides multiple options for interested parties. Add or subtract any applicable licenses and pay only for the integrations and tools required. 

Industry Expertise

Designed for law firms that practice bankruptcy law, business law, civil litigation, criminal law, family law, insurance defense, and trust and real estate law.

Centerbase Reviews

Average customer reviews & user sentiment summary for Centerbase:

User satisfaction level icon: excellent

60 reviews

92%

of users would recommend this product

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Based on an aggregate of Centerbase reviews taken from the sources above, the following pros & cons have been curated by a SelectHub Market Analyst.

Pros

  • Robust Billing: Centerbase offers advanced billing and accounting features that streamline the process of generating invoices, tracking payments, and managing client accounts.
  • Streamlined Matter Management: Centerbase provides robust matter management capabilities, allowing law firms to effectively organize case files, track deadlines, and manage client information.
  • Customizable Workflows: Centerbase allows firms to create customized workflows to automate repetitive tasks, ensuring consistency and efficiency in handling routine processes.
  • Document Management: Centerbase offers integrated document management features, enabling firms to securely store, organize, and retrieve case-related documents within a centralized system.

Cons

  • Complex Setup: Centerbase requires significant setup and configuration, demanding more time and resources compared to other cloud-based legal software options.
  • Limited Client Intake: Users have reported that Centerbase's client intake features are not as robust as desired, potentially slowing down the onboarding process for new clients.
  • Expensive Support: While Centerbase offers support, it comes at a significant cost of $200 per hour, which can be a deterrent for firms operating on tighter budgets.
  • Reporting Limitations: Some users have expressed frustration with limitations in Centerbase's reporting capabilities, particularly the inability to customize column headings within specific data sets.
  • Customer Service Concerns: Several reviews have highlighted concerns about Centerbase's customer service, citing issues such as slow response times, difficulty reaching support staff, and unresolved technical problems.

Researcher's Summary:

Is Centerbase the center of attention when it comes to legal software, or does it strike out? User reviews from the past year reveal a mixed bag. While many users praise Centerbase for its robust customization options, powerful features like automated time capture, and seamless accounting integration, some express concerns about customer service and initial setup complexity. For instance, one user raved about how Centerbase's customizability allowed them to tailor workflows and improve efficiency in identifying and managing projects. Conversely, another user found the customer service, which relies on third-party partners charging $200/hour, to be a significant drawback.

What truly sets Centerbase apart is its comprehensive approach to law firm management, encompassing everything from matter management and billing to document automation and workflow customization. This makes it a one-stop shop for firms looking to streamline operations and boost productivity. However, this strength can also be a weakness, as the sheer breadth of features can be overwhelming for smaller firms or solo practitioners who may not need such an extensive suite of tools.

In a nutshell, Centerbase is like a Swiss Army knife for law firms – incredibly versatile and powerful, but potentially daunting to use effectively without proper guidance. It's best suited for mid-to-large-sized firms with 5 or more lawyers who can fully utilize its extensive feature set and afford the potentially high support costs. Smaller firms or those seeking a simpler solution might find Centerbase to be overkill.

Key Features

  • Billing Management: Digitize the firm’s entire billing cycle. Prepare and approve a single bill with a log of all inline markups. 
    • Client Service: Allow clients to pay bills, view invoices and track payment history via the billing portal. Create an audit trail with .txt eBilling files email multiple invoices at once. 
    • Simple Payments: Provide clients with a single, integrated payment method to settle current charges and/or fill the retainer at the same time. Control payment options and payment methods on a matter-to-matter basis. 
    • Billing Support: Access support for hourly billing, flat fee billing, expense-only billing, project billing, consolidated billing and more. Prepare electronic invoices with the help of UTBMS codes. 
  • Legal Accounting: Set up all firm accounts under a single infrastructure and organize them based on location, matter or practice area. Link checks directly to expense accounts and provide free platform access to the firm CPA. 
    • Vendor Management: Set up automated vendor bills for recurring payments. Enter vendor checks and invoices into the system database and automatically track due dates. 
    • Online Payment: Accept credit card payments securely with the accounting module. Link payments directly to transactions and track client expenses. Eliminate manual data entry and human error. 
    • Trust Accounting: Create and operate multiple trust and IOLTA accounts. Automatically approve payments from invoices and log all trust fund expenses. 
    • Trust Reporting: Run reports to trace the flow of money going in and out of trust and IOLTA accounts. Keep a detailed record of all transactions, receivables and matter expenses. 
  • Time and Expense Tracking: Never miss out on a single minute of billable time with round-the-clock time tracking. Automatically log time spent on client calls and messages as billable hours. 
    • Simple Time Tracking: Track time directly from in-platform applications or external integrations like Microsoft Word or Microsoft Outlook. Enter time while on the move from mobile devices. 
    • Time Entries: Update, edit and sanction time entries at the end of the month. Hold or approve billing based on the case status and merge multiple associated time entries into a single entry. 
    • Rate Tables: Prepare tailored rate tables with built-in date ranges effective all year round. Exempt specific matters and clients from the rate table under special circumstances. 
    • Budgets: Create and track timekeeper budgets for client work. Benchmark staff productivity against firm averages. 
  • Firm Reporting: Generate reports in real time with accounting, billing, productivity, budgeting and compensation data. Group associated reports together and safeguard sensitive information with permission-based access. 
    • Insights: Get detailed insights into aging receivables, profitable clients, staff compensation and productivity, annual budgets, valuable practice areas and more. 
    • Custom Reporting: Run custom reports to highlight specific firm strengths and requirements. Increase stakeholder engagement with detailed spreadsheets and data visualization. 
  • Matter Management: Organize and manage all legal matters from a single dashboard. Track contacts, client information, documents, meetings, deadlines, notes and tasks associated with relevant matters. 
    • Matter Dashboard: Access the matter dashboard for a quick overview of trust balances, WIP, client payment history, ledger, credits, outstanding receivables and more. Prepare matter budgets for individual clients and run reports on fees, expenses and staff productivity. 
    • Matter Layouts: Create matter layouts with customized data fields. Organize matters on the basis of relevant case information. 
    • Matter Automation: Design and integrate matter-specific workflows directly into the platform. Automatically assign tasks and execute the next step in the workflow. Update the firm database, team members and clients with new information. 
  • Calendar Management: Create and track calendar entries in real time with a legal calendar. Toggle between firm-wide and personal views, color code entries and print calendar reports as physical reminders. 
    • Calendar Sync: Design automated calendar entries for recurring meetings and notifications for upcoming events. Connect to the Outlook 365 application for real-time synchronization of calendar entries. 
    • Deadline Management: Steer clear of malpractice claims with the LawToolBox portal. Automatically add jurisdiction-based deadlines and time-based triggers to legal matters. 
  • Client Services: Improve the overall client experience with an efficient intake process, communications module and client portal. 
    • Client Portal: Share messages, calendar entries, documentation and invoices with clients securely via the client portal. 
    • Direct Communication: Communicate with clients via dedicated private lines. Control client access to sensitive information and keep track of their communications with the firm. 
    • Client Intake: Streamline the firm’s client intake process with self-populating contact forms, automated emails and documentation. Schedule tasks and perform conflict checks against client databases. 
    • Reporting: Run reports to track marketing ROI, profitable practice areas and referrals. 
  • Document Management: Manage documents directly from associated matters or from integrated web browsers or applications like Microsoft Word. Access and share legal documentation securely from any device with an internet connection. 
    • Email Management: Store emails to associated matter files in its native .MSG format. Search for specific emails based on subject, content and date sent/received. Integrate with Microsoft Outlook and automatically log any time spent reviewing, sending or editing emails. 
    • Document Tracking: Search for individual documents using multiple data fields. Track changes made across different versions of the same file. 
    • Integrations: Open, edit and save documents with the built-in Centerbase Drive inclusion. Integrate with NetDocuments to seamlessly consolidate documents into workspaces. 

Limitations

At the time of this review, these are the limitations according to user feedback:

  •  The legal calendar tool is slightly buggy. 
  •  The implementation process is time-consuming and tedious. 
  •  The accounting tool feels incomplete without QuickBooks integration. 
  •  Limited reporting options. 

Suite Support

Visit the vendor’s website for beginner’s guides, how-to articles and tutorials, utility downloads and patch notes. The community forum hosts general discussions and answers frequently asked questions. For direct assistance, log in to the platform or submit a ticket. Support hours are 8:30 am to 5:30 pm CST.

mail_outlineEmail: Available, but details on how to contact the vendor via email are not specified.
phonePhone: Provided only if the vendor determines that support request cannot be handled via email or their online ticketing system. Details on how to contact via phone are not specified.
schoolTraining: Not specified for regular subscribers. For an additional hourly fee, consulting services are available on request — user training, hands-on troubleshooting and implementation assistance are listed as options covered under these costs.
local_offerTickets: Log in to the vendor website or fill out a web form with the necessary attachments in order to submit a ticket.
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