American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys - Hardware Requirements - AAEPA

Hardware Requirements

The Academy's software program, CounselPro™ is a powerful, state-of-the-art software product, and requires a state-of-the-art computer system to run it. There are many factors to consider when purchasing or evaluating your existing systems and how they will interface with the software provided by the Academy.

The Academy is dedicated to using the latest technology to enhance your Estate Planning Practice; therefore the Academy will be offering the most up-to-date, powerful marketing tools that take advantage of the latest Windows technology. This will continue into the future, and it is imperative that your systems are able to handle the increased processing and memory requirements to utilize the latest technology.

There are three potential systems you will be using when working with the Academy:

  1. CounselPro™ encompassing both marketing/client management and assembly of your estate planning documents.
  2. Microsoft Word based documents. These files work only with Microsoft Office Suite 2000, XP, 2003, or 2007.
  3. The Academy's Member Website.

Not everyone in your office will be using all features of the above systems, however, every staff member will be utilizing email applications, word processing, and miscellaneous other features, requiring some level of the Microsoft Office Suite. You and your key staff (e.g. Marketing Coordinator) will use the Internet almost daily. When planning the computer systems and network you need, first evaluate what your staff members will be doing in their daily jobs, and make sure the computer work station you provide has enough horsepower and software for them to complete their tasks with minimal delays, and second, plan your network for optimum efficiency for each workstation. Following is a list of computer requirements to satisfy all of the above systems.



NETWORK OPERATING SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

NOTE:

Advanced network setup is required. THEREFORE, YOU NEED A QUALIFIED IT/CONSULTANT TO SET UP YOUR FILE SERVER AND WORKSTATIONS. If you don't have a consultant, call the Academy for guidance on interviewing potential consultants. For more information on hiring a consultant, please contact support@aaepa.com and we can provide you with specific guidelines and questions.

A "dedicated" file server is the optimum way to go. Its only purpose is to control the network operations. This computer shouldn't be used by anyone in your office as a workstation.


Network Operating System:
Minimum:
Windows 2000 Server; Windows Server 2003/SBS; Novell Netware 5.x or newer; or Windows XP/2003® Peer to Peer
Recommended:

Windows 2003 Server; Windows 2008 Server; Windows Vista Ultimate (your specific utilization will dictate which path to follow)
Processor Type: Intel or AMD dual core recommended
Dedicated vs. Peer-to-Peer:

If your network must support 3 or more users, please choose a dedicated file server because peer-to-peer networks will experience slow performance when several people are using the programs simultaneously.



WORKSTATION REQUIREMENTS (MINIMUM & RECOMMENDED)


SOS Program Participants:
Your workstation must meet the hardware requirements for the SOS program AND you must also have Microsoft Word, Outlook and Access installed.

Operating System:
Minimum: Windows 2000 Professional or above
Recommended: Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate

NOTE:If purchasing equipment with a 64-bit operating system, ensure you are familiar with the setup requirements. Although set up is just as easy, it is done differently than most users are familiar with, and standard Control Panel item do not suffice. All necessart drivers are included with the operating system and office suite so there are no additional purchases.

Microsoft Office Suite: Microsoft Word Version 9 (Office 2000), Version 10 (Office XP), Version 11 (Office 2003), or Version 12 (Office 2007) (required on ALL workstations) - all service packs must be installed; one workstation must contain the Professional version for Microsoft Access.

Processor Speed:
Minimum: Pentium 4 -2GHz (workstation for non-document production staff)
Recommended: CPU Core 2 Duo (higher processing required for workstations to be used for document creation and large database processes like mass mailing)
Processor Type: Intel or AMD

NOTE: A quad-core CPU will be of no value as half will be unused, based on Academy software.

NOTE: A fast CPU on a slow motherboard is worse than a slower CPU on a fast motherboard. A fast computer on a slow network is non-productive.

Workstation Memory (RAM):
Minimum: 1 GB RAM
Recommended: 2 GB RAM OR MORE (Note: 3 GB is maximum that can be handled by the operating system)

Hard Drive Space (where documents will be stored):
Minimum: 10 GB free (but no less than 15% of total disk size)
Recommended: at least 20 GB free

For up to Three Computers:
Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Professional and Windows Vista can connect your computers directly to one another. If you choose this option, you don't need a dedicated file server, however, special drive mapping is required.

Other Workstation Requirements:

  • Virus Protection Software We are currently recommending Windows Live OneCare, which includes antivirus, antispyware, firewall, performance tuneups, and data backup options. For those of you who would like to use a different software product, ensure that internal file checking is turned off or it will seriously degrade performance.
  • Regular system maintenance on each computer, including ScanDisk, registry cleaner, general computer cleanup and Defrag (or DiskKeeper), performed on a weekly basis (if not on a daily basis).
  • SVGA card whatever is recommended by the operating system and monitor
  • Monitor (19” or wide screen)
  • CD-RW on at least one computer in your network for installing software programs.
  • Backup system you are required to have an on-site, external backup system, and an off-site backup system.
  • UPS (uninterruptible power supply) with surge protection for your network file server, and workstations, if at all possible. Otherwise, Surge protector for all workstations.
  • Laser printer- modern day Laser Printer; your needs will vary based upon the functions you desire the printer to perform. Color printer for diagrams.
  • Microsoft Office Suite 2000 Professional (this is the version that contains Microsoft Access and PowerPoint, along with Word, Excel and Outlook), with current service releases. Microsoft Office Suite 2000 is NO longer availible for purchase, however if you currently have it installed, it will work with CounselPro™. Note: Only ONE computer is required to have all the Office Professional programs; all others may have an office version less than Professional.
  • Network file servers have much higher RAM and hard drive requirements than a workstation for running the network - even in smaller networks. Contact your network consultant to find out your network system's needs.
  • Internet Connection: Minimum 56Kbps modem and an analog phone line. Ideally, you should have DSL, ISDN or a cable modem if it is available in your area. You will not be able to download large files from the Members Only website unless you have cable modem or DSL service. Academy Seminars can be 15MB files or larger, and if you are using a dial-up connection (non-ISDN/cable/DSL), the connection will frequently "time out" and you will not be able to download the file. With a dedicated connection (DSL, ISDN or cable modem), it can take just a couple minutes to download a 15MB file. If you are considering ISDN, DSL or cable modem, contact your local Internet service provider, phone company or cable provider for specific hardware requirements.
  • Internet Explorer 6.x or above and an Internet service provider.

    • NOTE: We strongly recommend NOT using AOL for your business needs. AOL uses its own compression system for attachments and often corrupts the existing compression of those documents. Attachments sent through AOL are often not readable, unless an AOL user sent them.


CounselPro™ and DAP 4.X REQUIREMENTS


As described above

COLOR DIAGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Please note that color diagrams are optional.

All of the workstation requirements above, plus:

  • Any Windows® compatible color printer

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

You will be responsible for training your staff in all products they will be using on your computers. Specifically:

  • Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced training in Microsoft Word for all CounselPro™ users.
  • Important MS Word skills include understanding styles, paragraph and font formats, sections, page formatting, header and footer formats within sections, and page numbering for CounselPro™. In addition, users who run or design reports should understand how to format Tables in Word.
  • For marketing staff that will be customizing your slide presentations, printing out your scripts or handout pages, the user should understand how to operate and customize PowerPoint.
  • For staff that will be downloading and installing files on your computer, the user should understand Windows, Windows Explorer, directories/folders on your computer, your web browser, WinZip, and how to log into Internet sites.
  • For staff that will be sending and receiving email, the user should understand Outlook, including how to attach files for sending and how to save attachments and unzip them.

All the above training is widely available in your local marketplace, from community college classes to videos and CDs you can purchase online.

The Academy will provide training on Academy programs and how Word and Outlook work with Academy programs via training videos (online or CD-based), user manuals, audio CD's (recorded Event training sessions), and Academy Event training classes. You are responsible for making certain your staff members utilize all available training methods.


COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Academy communicates with members primarily via email on a regular basis. You must install and learn to use an email program as soon as possible. We recommend Microsoft Outlook (which comes with Microsoft Office) because it is a complete contact, task and calendar management system that is available to you for no extra charge from Microsoft, its email system is full-featured, AND it integrates with CounselPro™. It has the flexibility to support all types of email, from plain text to internet-style HTML files with graphics and color.

If you choose to use CounselPro™ you must have a licensed Microsoft Office Suite installed.


“When I joined the Academy in 1995, I had a business practice which included corporate and securities law, business litigation and estate planning. Upon joining the Academy, I mostly jettisoned everything except estate planning, which we dove into full bore. Within 90 days I had all the estate planning business I could handle. This would have been impossible without the Academy. They showed me how to set up staff and how to market. They gave me a superb client contact database which still allows me to access and use everything I could possibly want to know about all of our clients and prospects. They gave me the necessary training and tools to create estate planning documents that are without peer. At least twice a year at our events, they gave me quality education that is superior to what I could have received anywhere else because it was geared toward my specific practice, and delivered by speakers who understood my practice.”

Wes G. — Kentucky Member