Manage and Improve Your
Trust & Estate Operation
with Confidence

FAQ

• How is EstateWorks different from traditional case management software? How is EstateWorks different from traditional case management software?

  EstateWorks wasn't built by adapting a generic case management system. It was designed specifically around the operational requirements of Estate Settlement and Estate Planning.
  
  Many Trust & Estate systems are designed around a predefined way of working. EstateWorks takes a different approach. It is designed to reflect your organization's processes, responsibilities and working practices, while helping you standardize execution and improve operational visibility.
  
  EstateWorks is particularly well suited to organizations that already understand Trust & Estate work and want to build on that expertise—not by changing the way they practise, but by making the operation behind that work more visible, consistent and resilient.

• What size organizations is EstateWorks designed for? What size organizations is EstateWorks designed for?

  EstateWorks is designed for organizations that want to standardize the way Trust & Estate work is managed and gain greater visibility across their operation.
  
  It is particularly well suited to larger law firms, banks, trust companies and fiduciary organizations, where coordinating work across multiple professionals, offices and teams requires greater operational visibility and consistency.
  
  Because EstateWorks is highly configurable, it can also be successfully implemented by smaller organizations that want to build a scalable operating model from the outset.
  
  The organizations that gain the greatest value from EstateWorks are those looking beyond individual matter management and seeking to continually improve the performance of their Trust & Estate operation.

• How configurable is EstateWorks? Can we customize it? How configurable is EstateWorks? Can we customize it?

  EstateWorks is designed to reflect the way your organization works. Rather than trying to force you to adopt predefined workflows, the platform can be configured to reflect your operating model, including workflows, responsibilities, document templates, matter types, financial categories, user roles, reporting and many other aspects of the system.
  
  Because this flexibility is built into the platform, most organizations achieve what they need through configuration rather than custom software development. This reduces implementation time, simplifies future upgrades and allows your system to evolve as your organization changes.
  
  Where genuinely unique requirements exist, EstateWorks can also be customized. If custom development is appropriate, we'll agree the scope, approach and cost with you before any engineering work begins.
  
  Our objective is not to change the way your organization works, but to help you execute it more consistently and manage it more effectively.

• How long does it take to get up and running? How long does it take to get up and running?

  The implementation timetable is usually determined by how quickly your organization completes its master checklist configuration. Many firms use this as an opportunity to standardize their working practices. Some complete it within a few days, while others take considerably longer depending on how much process design they choose to undertake.

• What happens after implementation? What happens after implementation?

  Following implementation, your team continues to receive support from people who understand both EstateWorks and Trust & Estate operations. Additional training can be provided for new staff, new functionality or changes to your organization's working practices.
  
  As your team gains experience with EstateWorks, we'll continue working with you to identify opportunities to refine workflows, improve reporting and take advantage of new capabilities. Many organizations also use this ongoing collaboration to further standardize working practices and strengthen operational consistency.
  
  Because EstateWorks is designed to reflect your operating model, the platform can continue to evolve as your organization changes. Whether you're expanding your team, introducing new services or refining internal processes, EstateWorks can be configured to support those changes.

• Do you offer 2FA and/or Single Sign On? Do you offer 2FA and/or Single Sign On?

  We use Duo Security for two factor authentication, and can work with your IT department to set it up on your account, or we can host it for a fee on our own Duo account.
  
  We can also set up Single Sign On, although there may be a nominal charge for this.
  
  All accounts can also be configured to only allow login from specified IP addresses, and to use your firm's own password requirements.

• What else can you tell me - or our IT folk - about security? What else can you tell me - or our IT folk - about security?

  EstateWorks is delivered as a managed hosted service from professionally managed US data centers. Access to our servers is restricted to our employees - all of whom are US citizens and based in the US. We provide SOC 2 audit reports and maintain our own annual SOC 2 Type II audit programme.
  
  Customer data is never used to train AI models and customer data is never co-mingled.
  
  We'll be happy to get into details with your specialists when the time comes.

• Can I use EstateWorks with Estate Planning as well as Estate Settlement? Can I use EstateWorks with Estate Planning as well as Estate Settlement?

  Yes. EstateWorks has comprehensive systems for both Estate Planning and Settlement cases. Contacts and details from a Planning case can effortlessly be imported into a subsequent Settlement case. You can also create Master Checklists for different types of cases - guardianship, trust administration or entity creation for example.

• Can I use EstateWorks to generate Estate Planning documents? Can I use EstateWorks to generate Estate Planning documents?

  Yes. EstateWorks integrates with HotDocs Advance for document automation. So you can create and mount your templates for key documents so that they generate pre-filled with case data. If you already have your own HotDocs Advance account, EstateWorks can transfer case data to it when you want to generate documents.

• Can I get state-specific probate documents with EstateWorks? Can I get state-specific probate documents with EstateWorks?

  Yes: we maintain up-to-date probate forms for FL, MA, CT and NY, so that they can be generated pre-filled with case data from EstateWorks. For other states, fillable versions of key forms can be generated using the best-in-class Document Assembly functionality built in to EstateWorks.

• What are the accounting capabilities? What are the accounting capabilities?

  The financial components within EstateWorks are designed to facilitate collection of all Estate and Trust asset and liability information, as well as tracking the income and expenses of the estate.
  
  The financial capabilities are designed to support estate administration and preparation of Federal Estate Tax returns rather than ongoing trust accounting.

• Which Tax and Valuation programs do you work with? Which Tax and Valuation programs do you work with?

  You can import security valuation data from EstateVal and Appraise and you can export case information to the following 706 software products: GEMS, Thomson Fast-Tax FPS, Intuit Lacerte and CCH ProSystem FX.

• Can I import data from client questionnaires into EstateWorks? Can I import data from client questionnaires into EstateWorks?

  Yes. EstateWorks interfaces with DecisionVault so that you can create cases based on the information in your DecisionVault client questionnaires.

• Can I import my contacts from Outlook? Can I import my contacts from Outlook?

  Yes, you can upload contacts from Outlook - or from any other system that lets you produce a csv file.

• Can I use EstateWorks with a Mac? Can I use EstateWorks with a Mac?

  Yes, you access EstateWorks through a browser (such as Safari, Chrome or Edge) on a Mac or PC. Some functionality such as generation of documents requires either the Mac or Windows version MS Word.

• Can I use EstateWorks offline? Can I use EstateWorks offline?

  There is no software to install or maintain with EstateWorks, however you will need an internet connection to access the service.

• I really just want my state probate forms: am I in the wrong place? I really just want my state probate forms: am I in the wrong place?

  If your key priority is to find an efficient way of generating probate forms for FL, MA, CT or NY for estate settlement and you are not concerned about checklists, detailed financial tracking or estate planning, you may find ProbatePlus a better fit: www.probateplus.com