ContactsLaw captures and reports attendence for
professional development seminars, exercises and activities. This includes both
CPD and internal staff training. In keeping with legal profession requirements, each
member is able to log and review CPD records, as well as managing and evaluating their requirements.
CPD rules
At the practice level, the rules that govern continuing professional development (CPD) are defined. Since rules may change over time, ContactsLaw keeps a complete history of changes and applies the correct rules depending on the date of each entry.
The rules are comprised of the following:
Requirements fields - These determine the fields that contain each member's CPD requirements. For example, if a certain number of points were required for each competency area as well as a certain number of points in total, you would add a field for each competency area and one to hold the required total. Requirements can be expressed in terms of points (whole or fractional), dates or freeform text.
Points fields - These determine the fields that are filled-in for each CPD entry. These may contain, for example, the number of points earned in each competency area, however you can also add fields to capture other custom information. Numerical fields are automatically added together for the purpose of evaluating requirements (see below).
Conditions - These use
simple formulas (typically comparing the total of each points field with the corresponding requirements field) to determine whether the requirements have been met. In addition to the formula, a message can be added that will be displayed to the user when the requirements have not been met.
Validation criteria - Similar to the above, you can specify criteria for individual CPD entries. You will not be able to complete a CPD entry if this criteria has not been satisfied.
| Advanced users: You can include the total number of points or the value for each requirement in the message that is displayed to the user when requirements have not been met. The syntax is $X where X is the name of the field. You can also include formulas using the syntax $(formula); e.g. "You must earn $(r1-p1) additional points." |
Unless rules change part-way through a CPD reporting period, you should make changes to CPD rules effective from the start of the period.
CPD requirements
Each member may have different values for the requirements fields (see above) which must be satisfied within any given reporting period. These requirements may also change independently of changes to the CPD rules themselves (e.g. when a member is admitted or reaches a particular level of tenure).
Upon recording the first entry for a new reporting period, members are prompted to review/update their requirements. You can also manage requirements from the CPD tab at either the member or practice levels. As with changes to CPD rules, changes to requirements should take effect on the earliest possible date to ensure that CPD entries apply the correct rules.
Professional development records
Each professional development record represents a particular seminar or other activity. You can record both CPD and other types of entries (e.g. internal staff training). ContactsLaw collects the dates and times for which the activity spans, as well as a
contact representing the CPD provider. A related
document can be added. A freeform description is used to summarise the particulars of the activity. If CPD points are earned as a result of attending the event, they are also recorded. Finally, any associated cost is recorded against the entry. All of this information is reported on the CPD tab.
Training courses
ContactsLaw also includes a facility to configure training courses. A training course can be thought of as a template for one or more professional development entries that must be completed sequentially. The template pre-populates the particulars that make up each entry, including the number of CPD points (if applicable). Once a course is commenced or delegated to a member, their progress can be tracked via the CPD tab.
Since they make use of the task system, you must set up a professional development activity (see above) for the practice.