Ep. 8 | Paperless?  A single app like PDF Converter can make all the difference.  I became a paperless private eye in late 2017 and I’ve never looked back.  It has streamlined my business processes and lowered my costs.  Moreover, I want my company, Fulmer, P.I. to promote sustainability in a responsible way.  Plus, I’m a bit of a minimalist.  So, if you want to become a paperless private eye, I’ll go over the top 4 apps I use in this week’s podcast.

A Paperless Private Eye

Other than my equipment, as a paperless private eye I use my iPhone and iPad for work.  This includes a proprietary web-based case management system to organize my work.  But aside from that, my main go-to app is Notability.  With Notability, all my case files are organized by client in separate folders.  I can type notes, record notes and write notes with my Apple Pencil.  Drawing sketches, highlighting and creating diagrams of accident scenes is really easy.  I can add photographs, articles and documents from just about any source.  Additionally, I can edit PDF documents and even set reminders and alarms.  Plus, I can share my notes by email, Dropbox, Google Drive, Air Drop, you name it.  It’s similar to the  Evernote app but much easier to use.

Fulmer, P.I.’s Top 4 Apps

Of course, you may be handling documents in Word, Pages, WordPerfect, GoogleDocs, etc.  So, to put them all in Notability the second app I recommend is PDF Converter.  This app will take any document, including emails and web pages, and convert it to PDF format that can then be edited in Notability.  You can adjust, shrink, zoom and do just about anything with the document.  It’s really amazing.  Even if you don’t want to be a paperless private eye, I highly recommend this app.  It is produced by Readdle.  They offer several other apps that are indispensable such as Scanner Pro and PDF Office.  

Another invaluable tool for a paperless private eye, and those of us here at Fulmer, P.I., is Snagit by TechSmith.  Snagit is a screen capture software and the third app I recommend.  I use it to cut and paste social media photos, parts of maps, or any part of a web page.  You can click and snag your whole computer screen or just a small part of it.  You can also edit what you snag.

Finally, what about case notes?  I no longer write notes on paper nor do I dictate them on a digital recorder.  Instead, I dictate my notes in real-time on Dragon Anywhere by Nuance.  Dragon Anywhere is the fourth and final app I recommend.  It is a professional voice recognition app.  It’s available for iOS and Android.  It is extremely accurate, has no word limits and has a robust customizable correction menu.  You can also email the notes or upload them to Evernote, Dropbox, etc.  If you’ve used voice recognition in the past and were disappointed, take heart.  You will be impressed with Dragon Anywhere.  

The Fulmer, P.I. Podcast

I use several other apps and programs at Fulmer, P.I. to be a paperless private eye.  But the four I mentioned are the most important.   By the way, I’ll be talking about apps in greater detail in an upcoming episode.  In the mean time, if you’re looking for more tips and resources from Private Investigator Scott Fulmer, check out other episodes of the Fulmer, P.I. Podcast.   

Until next time, this is Utah Private Investigator Scott Fulmer of Fulmer, P.I. reminding you the game…is afoot!