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There are many different places in Actionstep where you can apply rate labels, which provide the ability to set different rates for users of the same role. How these rates are prioritized depends on many different factors. This article covers this rate hierarchy. It also explains what historic rate labels are.
Rate Label Hierarchy
The following table describes each area where rates can be set and overridden.
| Rate | Description |
Please note, the columns below include this designation:
| |
| Matter rate (override) To access: 1. View a matter. 2. Click the Billing menu icon. 3. Click Matter billing options. 4. In the Rates section, toggle Enable custom rates to on. | Matter rate override is the topmost precedence rate value in the hierarchy. This is the rate value that will be used for the matter. This is an override of the rate's value. In the following image, the Attorney rate has an override value of 250.00. When the rate for this matter is selected (manually or by default), the value of each hour will be 250.00.
As a result of the matter override, the time entry will display the rate value as a Matter rate. Rate settings with higher priority: None |
| Client rate (override) To access: 1. Edit a contact record. 2. Click the Accounting tab. 3. Toggle Rate sheet overrides to on. 4. Complete the necessary fields that appear. | The client rate override is a specified rate value for a client. If the matter rate is set to default and the matter rate override has no value, the client rate will override the value of the selected rate. When a rate value is set for a rate for a contact, the time entry will display that rate value and denote that it is a client rate. In the following example, the Attorney override rate is $275. When completing a time entry, any default rates for the attorney user would be overridden using this new value.
Rate settings with higher priority: Matter rate (override) |
| Timekeeper rate (override) To access: 1. Go to Admin > Users & permissions > [select a user] > Custom rate values. 2. Make your adjustments. OR 1. Go to Admin > Billing > Rate labels. 2. Click the rate label you want to edit. 3. Select Customize rate value by Timekeeper. 4. Make your adjustments. | The timekeeper user rate override allows that specific user to have a unique rate value when the overridden rate is selected for that user on a time entry. The rate value on the time entry will be displayed as Timekeeper rate (rate value). Rate settings with higher priority:
|
| Matter rate (rate) To access: 1. View a matter. 2. Click the Billing menu icon. 3. Click Matter billing options. 4. In the Rates section, toggle Enable custom rates to on. | This is the top-most set rate (although, Matter override can change the value). The value can be overridden; however, the rate selected here will be used for the matter. The Matter rate is set inside the matter in Matter billing options in the Rates section. Rate settings with higher priority:
|
| Quick code (rate) To access: 1. Go to Admin > General settings > Quick-codes. 2. In the Default rate label to use by system role table, make your adjustments. | The quick-code rate is the rate attributed to the quick-code selected for the time entry. This is set per system role. Different system roles can have different rates for the same quick code. In the following image, the quick code client_meeting rate is Special and its value is $350.
Tip: You can set up default rates against a quick code at a fixed fee or custom rate.
Rate settings with higher priority:
|
| Timekeeper rate (default rate) To access: 1. Go to Admin > Users & permissions > [Select a user]. 2. In the User preferences section, set Default rate label to the option you need. | The Timekeeper rate is set for a specific user. This is the rate that will be used for that user unless the rate is overridden in the rate hierarchy. When creating a time entry, the Rate value field will display the Default rate (rate value). Rate settings with higher priority:
|
| System role (rate) To access: 1. Go to Admin > Users & permissions > System Roles. 2. Select the system role. 3. In the General settings section, click the Default rate sheet drop-down list and choose the rate sheet you want associated with the role. | The system role rate selection determines the default rate for all users of that system role. A time entry using the System role rate will display the Default rate (rate value). Rate settings with higher priority
|
| Default (no rate set) | If all rates are set to default, the time entry rate will select the first rate alphabetically. Rate settings with higher priority:
|
Historic Rates
When a when a rate value or hierarchy has been edited or removed, any existing time entries associated with that rate label are marked as historic.
For example, if a Senior Lawyer time entry and rate has been saved and then the rate value is changed in Billing settings, the rate value on the time entry will be displayed as Historic rate (value). This happens when you edit the rate value, delete the rate and merge it with another rate, or remove rate value overrides.
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