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Creating a Time or Fee Entry

In this article, you will learn how to record time and create a new time or fee entry.

Tracking time enhances efficiency and accuracy in your timekeeping practices, which helps ensure your clients understand the direct correlation between the services you provide and the fees/charges incurred based on those services. Additionally, time tracking increases billing accuracy, profitability, transparency, and efficiency.

 

Tracking Your Time

You can use the time-tracking tools available in Actionstep Practice Management to track the billable and non-billable time you spend working on a matter or for a client.

 

To do this:

  1. In Actionstep Practice Management, navigate to the Create Time Entry window by using any of the following workflows:
    • Click the global Create button and choose Time Entry in the Timesheet section.
    • Click the Timesheet menu in the main menu and choose Today. On the Timesheet page that appears, click New time entry.
    • In Outlook, click the Open Actionstep button. Then click the plus icon and choose Create new > Time Entry. (See Performing Key Tasks in Actionstep Using the Outlook Add-In for help.)

      All of these workflows display the Create Time Entry window.
  2. Provide the following information:
    • Date: Enter the date the task was completed. By default, today's date will be suggested.
    • Start Time: Enter the time you started the task. (This field may already be filled in.)
    • Timekeeper: Choose the timekeeper. Your name will be suggested by default.
    • Matter: Choose the matter the task is associated with. (If you were already viewing a matter when you started this process, the matter will already be selected.)
    • Quick-code: Choose a quick code if applicable. Quick codes are ways to categorize or tag the type of work you performed.
    • Description: Enter a description of the task.

    • Hrs worked: Enter how many hours you worked.

      TIPS: 
      • To quickly enter minutes, append an m to the time value. To enter hours, append an h, for example, 4h 21m. 
      • Add a u to the time value to enter time in units. For example, if you have set your units in Admin to 6-minute intervals, then enter 5u for 0.5 hours. (See Setting Up Timekeeping in System Preferences (Admin) for more information.)

    • Billable: Select whether the time is billable. If it is, complete these additional fields:
      • Hrs to bill: Enter how many hours are billable.
      • Rate: Choose which rate applies: Rate is associated with rate sheets created for participant types such as attorneys, paralegals, or partners. The rate could be a fixed fee or an hourly rate
      • Rate value: Choose the rate that you want to charge for this particular entry. For example, an attorney may have set a special rate of $150/hr. for a particular client, with a standard rate being $250/hr. When billing that client, the time entry would show Attorney selected for Rate and Client rate (150.00) selected for Rate Value.
      • Bill behavior: Choose from the following: Bill (a billable time record will appear on the invoice), Hide (a billable time record will not be charged and will be hidden from the invoice), and No charge (a billable time record will not be charged but will show on the invoice).
  3. Click Save to save your changes.

Once the time is logged, it will be available to be billed to the client. See Creating a Bill for a Specific Matter, Using Mass Billing, and Creating, Viewing, and Approving Draft Bills to learn more.

NOTE TO WINDOWS USERS:  There may be times when your timer starts using negative or non-zero values. This happens because your system may be configured for a non-local time zone. 

To ensure you are using internet time for your local region, please follow these steps:
1. View your Control Panel. (View the Windows help for full instructions.)
2. In the Control Panel, go to Clock and Region > Date and Time. The Date and Time window appears.
3. Click the Internet Time tab and then click Change settings.
4. Select Synchronize with an Internet time server and choose the correct Server. 
5. Click OK twice to save your changes. 

If you are unsure of any of this process, or if you do not have have Windows Admin-level permission to make this change, contact your system or network administrator.

 

Setting a Timer to Run As You Work

If you want Practice Management to actively track the time you spend working on a task, you can use the built-in timer.

 

To do this:

  1. At the bottom of any Practice Management page, click the timer.
     The Timers pop-up window is displayed.
  2. Click New Timer. The Timer begins.
  3. Complete your task. 
  4. When finished, click the timer again. The Timers panel is displayed.
  5. Click the Pause icon to stop the timer. 
  6. Enter a Description.
  7. Click Timesheet.
     
    The Edit Time Entry window appears.
  8. Complete the required information. (See the previous section of this article for help with specific options.)
  9. Select Remove from timer panel if you are finished with this timer and no longer want it listed with your other timers.
  10. Click Save to save your changes and record the time entry on the timesheet.

 

How-To Video

 

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