Hannes Snellman

It would be a disaster from a financial management point of view to still be using multiple systems.”

Sairanen describes the core functionality of the billing processes in 3E as “very good,” making billing easier and more efficient, such as when it comes to automatically calculating fee alterations or setting exception rates depending on the client or matter. The firm still uses the customised invoice templates it designed at the outset for different countries and currencies. However, Sairanen notes that 3E has become increasingly “international” over time, with the addition of more stock billing templates tailored for use in different countries, making it even simpler for firms to deploy. 

Rich reporting capabilities

In addition, the reporting capabilities of 3E are a particular ongoing success story. On a day-to-day basis, Hannes Snellman uses 3E extensively to create a number of different real-time reports. Key among them are objective reports showing utilisation rates across fee earners, business areas, offices, or groups—all delivering visibility over how many work hours have been entered against the firm’s targets. Timekeeper billing realisation reports are also critical for the firm to keep track of how much work can be converted into billable time. Work in progress (WIP) and aged accounts receivable are closely monitored too, with an eye on cash flow and the bottom line. These are easy to generate in 3E, which delivers clear, up-to-the-minute business intelligence vital to informed decision-making.

“We can schedule metrics in 3E to create and share reports with the partners and lawyers, so they have up-to-date information readily available whenever they want it, without having to call up the finance department and have them pull information together for them. It’s all displayed on their dashboards,” explains Sairanen. “In our firm, the billing assistants and the finance team are the heavy users of 3E, but we do have some lawyers that use it themselves for their own reporting.” 

Still ahead of the competition

For Sairanen, who was involved with the deployment of 3E right from the outset, 3E today remains the best enterprise and financial management solution to meet the firm’s needs. Since implementation, Sairanen has investigated other products to ensure that Hannes Snellman still had the best possible solution in place, and he—and the firm at large—remain confident in the capabilities of 3E. 

Looking ahead, the firm is also embarking on a project to extend its reporting capabilities by implementing 3E Data Insights. The Data Insights software will plug into the firm’s data in 3E and connect it to Power BI, Microsoft®’s business analytics service, delivering even more data direct to users’ screens with a rich self-service data warehouse console. By creating this powerful dynamic, the firm’s data visualisation experience will be further enriched, delivering best-in-class real-time, actionable business intelligence.

This idea of interoperability with third-party software is a major plus for Sairanen, and it works in other ways too. For example, he is pleased that 3E can connect with banking or accounts payable software with relative ease.

“3E offers good capabilities to connect to other software, since there are stock interfaces for it to do that,” he says. “This is really important.”

The length of time Hannes Snellman has been using 3E—so long that it has become fully embedded in, and integral to, its operations—is a testament to the success of its deployment. “We have now been live with 3E for so long, it’s hard to remember what life was like before,” says Sairanen. “Overall, I would have no trouble recommending 3E to other firms.” 

Hannes Snellman

Hannes Snellman is a top-tier Nordic law firm based in Finland and Sweden. The firm advises leading international and local corporations across all business sectors, and has the expertise and capacity to handle any demanding local or cross-border matters in which assets are being developed, protected, financed, acquired, or under dispute.

Business challenges

The firm wanted enhanced control over its practice and financial management system by consolidating billing and bookkeeping systems, and international billing capabilities and real-time reporting were also needed.

Why 3E?

3E could meet all of these demands in one solution, seamlessly bringing together general ledger and billing functionality, offering multi-language and multicurrency support, and delivering flexible, efficient “live” reporting capabilities, all built on powerful technology and with a user-friendly interface.

Benefits

• Firm-wide control and oversight of practice and financial management
• International business standards support
• Real-time reporting capabilities
• Scope to connect with third-party software
• User-friendly interface

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