Home > Legal Software > Actionstep > Actionstep vs Tabs3

Actionstep vs Tabs3

Last Updated: November 18th, 2024

Our analysts compared Actionstep vs Tabs3 based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Legal Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

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Product Basics

Actionstep is an end-to-end cloud-based platform designed for legal practices to manage and execute daily operations. It is scalable and easy to use with drag-and-drop functionality. Users can automate administrative practice workflows with extensive control over each step of the process. They can also build templates to automatically populate legal documents with required data. It provides seamless client onboarding and management with client conflict verification and record management modules. It can also automate matter management with custom structures and data filters, and streamline billing, accounting and time tracking.

Businesses can utilize its assortment of integrations and native iOS and Android apps to manage day-to-day operations on-the-fly. It leverages AWS to provide end-to-end data encryption, permission-based access and automated data backups. Measure performance in different practice areas with its robust reporting.

Tabs3 is an integrated suite of solutions designed for law firms to streamline their entire matter lifecycle. Practices can opt and pay for only the modules they need, which include billing, practice management, general ledger, accounts payable and trust accounting. It requires minimal implementation and can be deployed either in the cloud or on-premises. It has an array of ways to review important metrics, track billable hours, send bills and get paid faster.

In addition to modifying account structures with ease, users can stay on top of their cash flows by tracking and resolving invoices, bank statements, deposits and payments. It improves firm-wide monitoring with dashboards to visualize historical data and flexible reporting on productivity, profitability, billing and other aspects. Users can access it on the go from any device and use numerous integrations to enrich it.

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$40 Monthly

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Tailored to your specific needs

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Chromebook

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Cloud

On-Premise

Mobile

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Product Assistance

Documentation

In Person

Live Online

Videos

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Documentation

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Videos

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Phone

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24/7 Live Support

Phone

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Product Insights

Scale With a Customizable Platform: Personalize the system according to needs using built-in customization tools.
Access Remotely From Any Device: The platform is 100% cloud-based and accessible via web browsers.
Parse Documents With Ease: Features a range of purpose-built tools for document management, including search, merge fields and assembly. Add custom scripts to fields to run calculations for different values.
Custom Workflows For Every Task: Streamline various operational tasks by creating new workflows and customizing existing ones.
Reporting For Every Purpose: Access fully fleshed out, customizable reports for financial, accounting and operational processes, including general ledger.

Expedited Billing: Boost cash flow with multiple payment modes, mobile payment options, and customizable statements and payment plans.
Streamlined Data Management: Quickly find legal matters, records and case information with electronic data organization and easy-to-use search tools.
Sync With Court Rules: Seamlessly sync the legal calendar to Federal and State-based jurisdictional rules with affiliations to ALA and ABA.
All-in-One Connectivity: Stay connected regardless of the mode of deployment using a mobile app.

Workflow Management: Automate client management, administrative processes and matter progression with configurable workflow patterns addressing individual firm requirements. Collate firm data from reporting modules and assign tasks based on recommended workflow patterns.
Accounting: Manage billables, payments, bank reconciliations, accounts and financial reporting with the UTBMS (LEDES) supported accounting portal. Automatically log client transactions and compute sales tax, GST, VAT and interest for late payments.
- Client Accounting: Create and operate 100% cloud-based trust accounts with regular reporting, audit trails and complete trust position visibility. Run reports on account reconciliations, ledgers, journals, matter balances and more.
Conflict Check: Protect the firm from conflicts of interest by checking the client database against custom data sources like emails, matters, contacts and more.
- Smart Search: Group search results on the basis of configurable datasets for faster and smarter search results. Study results in greater depth with different contexts.
- Permissions: Limit search results depending on an account’s clearance level to protect sensitive firm information.
- Import Results: Export search parameters and results to PDF documents and Excel spreadsheets including date and time stamps. Connect search results with associated matters and contacts.
Client Portal: Provide clients with a single, secure platform for carrying out correspondence in real time. Encrypts all communications, documents and matters exchanged between clients and counsels.
- Permissions: Authorize which external parties can access the client portal. Maintain confidentiality and limit client activity with account-based permissions for reading, uploading and editing documentation.
- Notifications: Get email and in-platform notifications for all document-related changes in the portal.
Data Security: Secure firm data and communication against leaks and vulnerabilities with HTTPS encryption provided by AWS. Solve data residency requirements by storing firm data in one of four AWS data centers in the United States, Australia, Singapore or Europe.
- Data Backup: Automatically backup the firm database to protect against catastrophic failures. Export firm data and files securely at any time.
Webforms: Optimize the client intake process with customizable, client-facing intake webforms. Use the form builder extension to configure it in accordance with firm requirements and website aesthetics.
- Instant Alerts: Never miss a webform submission from prospective clients with instantaneous email alerts and in-platform notifications.
- Secure New Clients: Measure firm response rates to prospective client inquiries in order to improve future performance. The response timer keeps measuring time until the webform is processed or removed.
- Data Entry and Reporting: Circumvent manual data entry by automatically converting webforms to relevant matters. Periodically export webform data for reports on the total number of inquiries received and the average firm response rate.
Time Tracking: Track billable time from any device with an internet connection. Attach relevant notes to time tracked and use multiple timers to track simultaneous activities.
- Intuitive Recording: Fill out time entries with intuitive defaults based on immediate prior activity. Edit additional details as necessary such as associated legal matter, hours worked, billing rates and more.
- Intelligent Time Sheets: Keep track of employee time records and disbursements. The “Smart Suggestions” tool recommends matters and activities to fill the daily progress bar.
- Activity Codes: Automatically log common activities like client meetings and document creation with preset activity codes.
Matter Management: Configure individual matters with independent folders including related contacts, notes, documentation, email and calendar events, time records and billing information, trust accounting, audit trails and optimized workflow pattern.
- Workflow Automation: Streamline firm processes with matter-specific workflow automation. Automatically perform default tasks like email outreach, data entry and task assignments.
- Status Reports: Get detailed reports on the status of legal matters. Customize the reports to reveal specific datasets and export the results as Excel spreadsheets or weekly/daily email reports.
Document Management: Create and edit legal documents within matter-specific folders or upload files directly from third-party integrations like Microsoft Office, Google Drive and Dropbox. The document management portal provides data encryption and permission-based access to protect against unauthorized access.
- Data Backup: Secure firm data and documentation with automated backups. Export all data at any time.
- Scan and Search: Scan documents directly into legal matters and perform full text search for specific subjects.
Client Management: Get a comprehensive 360-degree view of clients with unique contact records, associated matters, correspondence history and billing information, all in one place.
- Client Outreach: Automatically send emails and SMS messages to clients about case updates, changes in matters and upcoming events. Set tasks to remind team members about critical client touchpoints.
- Client Portal: Clients can securely upload relevant documents and provide e-signatures through the self-service portal. Increase client engagement by communicating the latest case-related updates through notifications.
- Sales Pipeline: Manage prospective clients and sales leads with the purpose-built toolkit. Automatically send follow-up emails to prospects and create reminders for employees.
Calendar Management: Stay on top of important dates, appointments, hearings and legal obligations with the integrated calendar extension. Create shared calendars, synchronize entries across multiple devices and open tasks and matters directly from the extension.
- Calendar Sync: Synchronize the calendar tool with third-party integrations for Office 365, Microsoft Exchange and Google Calendar to receive a real-time, holistic view of firm obligations. Link matters directly to the calendar to view all related events.
- Calendar Reports: Prepare custom calendar reports with logged events, appointments, transactions and matter.
- Cashflow: Link appointments with associated matters to track pending payments. Remind clients about outstanding bills and record payments through the calendar portal itself.
Reporting: Identify the firm’s most profitable practice areas, referral sources, lawyers, clients and more with powerful reporting tools. Additional reporting areas include time and fee entries, client transactions, write-offs, bill journals, aging receivables and client profitability.
Marketing: Optimize the firm’s marketing policy by integrating marketing campaigns, timeframes, expectations and budgets with the recommended workflow. Get accurate feedback on return on investment (ROI) to improve future marketing efforts.
Email Management: Manage all client and contact correspondence with the dedicated email platform. Integrate with applications like Outlook and Gmail to record notes and tasks directly from the source.
- Email Automation: Inform clients, team members and co-counsels about case developments and events with automated emails. Create perfectly worded emails with custom templates that pull data from live matters.
- Matter Linking: Organize the firm’s inbox and outbox based on associated matters. Redirect all sent messages and replies automatically to the designated matter folder.
Document Automation: Automatically situate live data from legal matters into customizable documents and email templates to eliminate manual data entry. The document assembly tool can insert a variety of data fields including names, logos, addresses and billing information.
API: Use existing applications or integrate third party extensions like Office 365, Microsoft Outlook and more as per firm requirements.
Mobile App: Manage legal calendar, tasks, appointments and deadlines from the mobile app. Stay on top of all client obligations with automated synchronization of legal calendars.
- Mobile Time Tracking: Track time, create new entries and view timesheets on the go. Add notes and descriptions to time tracked, assign it to existing legal matters and enter billing information in real time.

Financial Management: Manage firm financials with the end-to-end accounting portal. Interact directly with the billing module to issue checks, print financial statements, operate trust accounts and perform year-end reconciliations.
- General Ledger: Balance operating and trust accounts with the general ledger tool.
- Accounts Payable: Track all incoming and outgoing transactions for a holistic view of firm financials. Monitor aging receivables, cash requirements, vendor payments, recurring payments and voided checks.
- Trust Accounting: Automatically log all transactions made from trust accounts. Reconcile deposits and withdrawals and print checks from the client’s trust fund.
- Integrations: Supports integrations with Tabs3 Billing Software, Tabs3 Accounts Payable Software and Tabs3 General Ledger Software.
- 1099 Forms: Combine payment disbursements to vendors and trust account payees with the 1099 form. Always maintain compliance with IRS regulations.
Matter Management: View a quick feed of matter-specific information like contacts, communication history, case notes, documentation and invoices directly into the dashboard. Verify the billing summary of matter information and issue invoices against unpaid bills.
Calendar Management: Switch between firm-wide and personal calendar views to get a 360-degree picture of firm obligations. Schedule individual and/or collective appointments and color-code them based on associated staff and activities.
- Deadline Checks: Automatically check new calendar entries against existing events for scheduling conflicts. Set up custom federal, state, county and jurisdiction-based rules for detecting deadlines.
- Notifications: Notify individual or collective staff members about important events and hearings.
- Recurring Meetings: Automate calendar entries for recurring events that take place at both regular and irregular time intervals.
- Planning Templates: Prepare sequential events with calendar planning templates. Use event-based or time-based triggers for court rules and collection follow-ups.
Conflict Checks: Check all potential clients for conflicts of interest. Investigate legal documents, emails, matters and attachments for partial and/or phonetic matches to the conflict checking tool.
Email Management: Integrate with Microsoft Outlook to automatically track time spent on writing and reviewing client emails. Add emails directly to client files, perform conflict checks and sort by associated matter.
Time and Expense Tracking: Track every minute of time spent on client activities and correspondence with multiple built-in timers. Interact directly with the billing portal to issue invoices directly from time entries. Set custom billing and increment rates for individual clients.
Document Management: Organize legal documents by connecting them to associated matters and clients. Import scanned documents using the PaperPort extension. Track various changes made to a document across previous versions.
- Smart Documents: Autofill common data fields with information already in the firm database. Automatically issue invoices for any document-related activity.
Workflow Automation: Engineer custom workflow patterns with up to 10 tasks including emails, communication, documentation, appointments and more. Assign tasks to staff members with trigger-based alerts.
Controlled Access: Restrict access to sensitive documents with permission-based accounts and customizable viewership controls. Permit edits for specific data fields.
Backup and Recovery: Secure firm information with regular backups. Export firm data at any time in case of power outages or network failures.
eNote: Send secure messages in real time with the built-in messaging portal. Send appointment links and reminders along with text messages.
Billing: Use the billing portal to directly transform time entries into billable hours. Prepare tailored bills with quick access to client contacts, payment history, write-offs, WIP, account balance and more.
- Billing Flexibility: Process payments faster with flexible billing methods. Issue contingency, retainer, hourly, flat fee or threshold-based bills and design custom rate charts for specific clients.
- Online Payments: Accept credit card transactions for expedited payments. Use the Tabs3Pay tool to email online payment links along with client invoices. Supports integration for LawPay and ProPay.
- Reports: Generate built-in reports for greater insights into revenue, important clients, receivables, compensation, productivity, profitable practice areas and more.

Product Ranking

#25

among all
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#49

among all
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Analyst Rating Summary

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User Sentiment Summary

87%

of users recommend this product

Actionstep has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 87% when considering 242 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

93%

of users recommend this product

Tabs3 has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 93% when considering 355 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.2 (3)

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3.8 (27)

4.34 (119)

4.7 (160)

4.4 (108)

4.7 (166)

4.2 (1)

3.9 (2)

Awards

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Functionality: The platform offers robust features, according to 88% of users who reviewed this aspect.

Ease of Use: According to 70% of users who reviewed this element, the system’s customizability and UI make it easy to use.

Cost: 80% of reviewers mentioning cost said the software’s pricing is within reason and affordable.

Automation: Regarding this feature, 92% of users said automation saves a lot of time and resources.

Data Management: According to 71% of users who reviewed this feature, the platform has powerful data management tools, including document search and field merging.

Intuitive Interface: Users highlight the user-friendliness of Tabs3, making it easy to navigate and manage legal tasks.

Comprehensive Features: Tabs3 is praised for its wide array of features, covering various aspects of legal practice management, from time tracking and billing to document management.

Robust Reporting: Users appreciate the detailed reporting capabilities of Tabs3, allowing for insightful analysis of financial and operational data.

Integrations: Integrations, especially email, accounting and invoicing, have a lot of room for improvement, according to 69% of reviewers mentioning this aspect.

Implementation: 69% of users reviewing this element said the implementation process is lengthy.

Service and Support: 56% of users who mentioned this aspect said support requests have long wait times.

Limited Customization: Users have expressed frustration over the inflexibility of certain features, particularly when it comes to document assembly. For instance, one user found it cumbersome that they couldn't easily modify the formatting of numbered clauses within a legal document.

Learning Curve: Legal professionals transitioning from older software versions have reported a steep learning curve with Tabs3. The new interface and features require time and effort to master, impacting productivity during the transition phase.

Integration Challenges: Some users have encountered difficulties integrating Tabs3 with other essential software used in their legal practice. This lack of seamless integration can disrupt workflows and lead to inefficiencies.

Actionstep provides a cost-effective alternative to various legal practice management solutions out there. It’s completely cloud-based with robust features designed to serve multiple practice areas. Document management, eDiscovery and automation are among its strengths with dedicated workflows, templates and search tools. However, there are tradeoffs with the most cost-effective options. Technical support can have long wait times and not always result in closure. The implementation process is lengthy, and integration options are mediocre at best. If you are on a tight budget and need a decent and reliable solution, Actionstep is a good contender.

Users rave about Tabs3's robust document management and search capabilities, highlighting its ability to centralize all case-related information, making it easy to find any document quickly. They also appreciate the comprehensive financial tools, including billing, trust accounting, and reporting features, which streamline financial operations and ensure compliance. However, some users find the interface dated and not as intuitive as newer cloud-based solutions like Clio or MyCase. They also point out that the on-premise deployment option, while offering more control, can be more demanding to maintain than cloud-based alternatives. Despite these drawbacks, users consistently praise Tabs3's deep feature set and its long-standing reputation for reliability, making it a solid choice for firms prioritizing stability and comprehensive functionality over a modern user interface. It's particularly well-suited for larger, established firms with complex needs and the IT infrastructure to support an on-premise solution.

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FAQ

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