Compare
Neutly vs email, folders, and spreadsheets
Email and spreadsheets work for occasional matters. They strain when multiple parties, lawyers, documents, and fees all need tracking before session day. This comparison focuses on workflow — not brand rankings or fake review scores.
| Topic | Email and spreadsheets | Neutly |
|---|---|---|
| All-party confirmation | Manual emails; easy to lose track of who confirmed | Structured confirmation with equal reminders for every party |
| Document collection | Attachments scattered across inboxes | Secure party links; outstanding items visible on matter record |
| Fee collection | Manual invoices and awkward follow-up calls | Payment requests, custom splits, single payer, and automatic reminders |
| Lawyer coordination | Phone tag and forwarded email chains | Read-only portal with timeline, brief upload, and exports (Practice) |
| Party status access | Parties call or email you for updates | Secure matter page — parties check tasks and session details anytime |
| Audit trail | Search inbox; incomplete history | Matter timeline from booking through close with encrypted notes |
| Session logistics | Copy-paste video links and calendar invites | Location, waiting room, and caucus links sent to all participants from one record |
| Multi-mediator practice | Shared inbox or separate silos | Up to four mediators, personal booking slugs, co-mediator cases (Practice) |
| Public mediator profiles | PDF bio and a generic contact form | Optional directory profiles with photo, credentials, and book links — editable from Account (Practice) |
| Booking on your website | Send parties to a separate booking tool or contact form | Add your live calendar and booking flow to your own site from Appointments — or share the same page as a direct link |
| Practice-wide booking | Forward to the right colleague by email | One practice link shows shared availability; parties choose their mediator when the panel has several bookable colleagues (Practice) |
| Follow-on sessions | Re-collect details and negotiate times by email | Secure follow-on booking link on the same matter — parties pick a new time only |
| Calendar busy times and write-back | Manual diary checks before offering slots | Optional Google Calendar or Outlook sync — busy times block slots; confirmed sessions write back to your calendar |
| Conflict clearance | Separate spreadsheet or ad hoc notes | Record checks, block matter progression, clear with audit trail |
| Staff tasks and follow-up | Sticky notes and inbox flags | Per-matter task lists with smart defaults; proactive chase for stale parties |
| Document acknowledgement and templates | Email PDFs back and forth | Document templates and typed acknowledgement on the matter record (not a third-party e-sign platform) |
| Financial reporting | Manual tallies and spreadsheet exports at year end | Financial insights — revenue KPIs, AR aging, trends, breakdowns, and CSV export |
| Outcome reporting | Manual tallies at year end | Filterable outcome stats by mediator, date, and result |
Neutly does not replace professional judgment, provide legal advice, or mediate disputes. It is software for admin workflow. Insurer portals and deep court registry automation remain limited — see our scope notes on each product page before switching.
Email and spreadsheets questions
When should I stay on email and spreadsheets?
Occasional low-volume matters with simple two-party admin may not justify new software yet. This comparison is for mediators who feel inbox strain — missing documents, unpaid fees, lawyer status calls, and incomplete matter records before session day.
Will I lose flexibility if I move off email?
Neutly supports manual fee recording, enquiry holds, and matter notes — you are not forced into a rigid template. The goal is one matter record instead of searching inboxes.
Can I migrate gradually?
Yes. Many mediators start new matters on Neutly while closing legacy files elsewhere. Booking pages and party links work from day one on Solo.
Does this replace my calendar?
It coordinates mediation availability and session logistics. Optional Google Calendar or Outlook sync reads external busy times to protect your booking grid and writes confirmed sessions back to your connected calendar — it does not replace your personal diary.
Run your mediation practice from one place.
Start a 14-day trial on Solo, or book a 30-minute walkthrough with a live workspace. See booking, intake, payments, matter prep, and optional staff-only AI — family matters, commercial referrals, fee arrangements, and multi-mediator practices welcome.