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Importing Data Spreadsheet Reference

This article provides references, templates, and examples for data import columns. Use this resource to create import spreadsheets to use with the Data Import function in Actionstep Practice Management.

The tables below provide reference information and downloadable templates for use with Actionstep's Data Import.

Use the following links to jump to the related Import Reference Table for additional details:

 

Matters Import Reference

Download the Matters Import Sheet here.

Fields Data format Examples
Matter Identifier Import reference (formerly referred to as external reference) 4485b
Matter ID 31
Matter name John Smith Litigation
Matter Type Matter type ID 6
Matter type name General Litigation
Matter Name Plain text John Smith
File Reference Plain text 366L
Date Created Microsoft Excel-formatted date 8/30/16, 30/08/2016, etc.
Date Closed Microsoft Excel-formatted date 10/1/17, 01/10/2017, etc.
Assigned to Import reference (formerly referred to as external reference) 12887
Email address email@example.eml
Participant ID 27
First + Last Name John Smith
Display Name Smith, John || John Davis Smith - Set in System preferences > Contact name format
Timekeepers Initials JDS
Step tree node Node ID 41
Node path name
Status Status Active, Inactive, Closed, template
Priority Number 100
Import reference Plain text 4485b
Division Division ID 1
Participant ID 27 - ID of participant assigned to the desired division
Division name Law Firm 
Related Matter Import reference (formerly referred to as external reference) 4485a
Matter ID 30
Matter name John Smith Client Contact
Warning/Banner message Plain text This is a banner message!
Forced billable flag True or False TRUE, FALSE
Billing status Short text (Active | Closed) Active, Closed
Long text Active for billing, Closed for billing
Billing - Bill template Template ID
Template name Legal Invoice 2
Billing - Print count Number 0,1,2
Billing - Email bills to Email addresses email@example.eml, email2@example.eml*separate multiple addresses by commas
Billing - General retainer minimum balance Currency (2 decimal places) 2500
Billing - General retainer topup trigger Currency (2 decimal places) 1500
Billing - Trust to pay Billing - Trust to pay New Charges, New charges and AR
Billing - Trust pay automatically flag True or False TRUE, FALSE
Billing - Exclude from mass-billing flag True or False TRUE, FALSE
Billing - Bill only expenses flag True or False TRUE, FALSE
Billing - Arrangement Billing - Arrangement Hourly, Fixed fee
Billing - Quoted amount Currency (2 decimal places) 1200
Billing - Quote is for Billing - Quote is for Fees only, Fees and expenses, Expenses only *your system may have a different alias for expenses
Billing - WIP less than quote behavior Billing - WIP less than quote behavior Invoice quoted amount only, Invoice quoted amount plus WIP, Invoice WIP only
Billing - WIP greater than quote behavior Billing - WIP greater than quote behavior Invoice quoted amount only, Invoice quoted amount plus WIP, Invoice WIP only
Billing - fee reductions are treated as Billing - fee reductions are treated as Hide line pricing and show total only, Appear as discount
Billing - Default time entry behavior Billing - Default time entry behavior Bill, Hide, No Charge
Billing - Discount type Billing - Discount type Percentage, Fixed amount
Billing - Discount percent or amount Currency (2 decimal places) 20
Billing - UTBMS flag True or False TRUE, FALSE
Billing - UTBMS task category UTBMS Code A100
UTBMS Code description Activities
Billing - UTBMS file type UTBMS Code
UTBMS Code description
Billing - Originator fee flag True or False TRUE, FALSE
Billing - Originator participant Import reference 12887
Email address email@example.eml
Participant ID 27
First + Last Name John Smith
Display name Smith, John || John Davis Smith - Set in System preferences > Contact name format
Timekeepers initials JDS
Billing - Originator fee percent Number/Decimal (2dp) 10
Billing - Allocate fee adjustments on Billing - Allocate fee adjustments on Original fee split, Responsible lawyer, Selected timekeeper
Billing - Allocate fee adjustments - specific participant Import reference 12887
Email address email@example.eml
Participant ID 27
First + Last Name John Smith
Display name Smith, John || John Davis Smith - Set in System preferences > Contact name format
Timekeepers initials JDS
Billing - Fee allocation method Billing - Fee allocation method Pro-rate, Responsible lawyer, Selected timekeeper
Billing - fee allocation - specific participant Import reference 12887
Email address email@example.eml
Participant ID 27
First + Last Name John Smith
Display name Smith, John || John Davis Smith - Set in System preferences > Contact name format
Timekeepers initials JDR
Billing - Sales tax enabled flag True or False TRUE, FALSE
Billing - Sales tax code Tax code N-T
Tax code name No Tax
Billing - Sales tax applies to Billing - Sales tax applies to Fees only, Expenses only, Fees and Expenses
Billing - Email template Template ID 4
Template name Billing Email 1

 

File Notes Import Reference

Download the File Notes Import Template here.

Fields Data format Examples
File Note Identifier Import reference 243
File Note ID
Matter Import reference 4485b
Matter ID 31
Matter Name John Smith Litigation
Note text Plain text This is a file note.
Note date Microsoft Excel Formatted Date 14 Sep 2017, 9/14/2017, etc.
Created by Import reference 12887
Email address email@example.eml
Participant ID 27
First + Last Name John Smith
Display name Smith, John || John Davis Smith - Set in System preferences > Contact name format
Timekeepers initials JDR
Note type Note type System, User
Import reference Plain text 243

 

Multi-Row Data Import Reference

When importing multi-row custom data, you will be prompted to select the data collection into which you are importing. The spreadsheet will require a matter identifier to select the matter to populate. Use the table below for the columns necessary for the different data types you may need to populate.

Fields Data format Examples
Matter identifier Import reference 4485b
Matter ID 31
Matter Name John Smith Litigation
Text Line Plain text This is a text line.
Protected Text Line Plain text Password
Text Block Plain text This is a text block.
Number Number/Decimal (2dp) 385.75
Money Currency (2 decimal places) 1500
Date Microsoft Excel formatted date 14 Sep 2017, 9/14/2017, etc.
Date and Time Microsoft Excel formatted date+time 14 Sep 2017 10:30 AM, 9/14/2017 10:30 AM, etc. 
Dropdown List (Single Select) Plain text Option 2
Boolean (Checkbox) True or False TRUE, FALSE

 

Parties Import Reference

Download the Parties Import Template here.

Fields Data format Examples
Matter Import reference 4485b
Matter ID 31
Matter Name John Smith Litigation
Contact Import reference 12887
Email Address email@example.eml
Participant ID 27
First + Last Name John Smith
Display Name Smith, John || John Davis Smith - Set in System preferences > Contact name format
Timekeepers Initials JDS
Party type Participant Type ID 14
Participant Type Name Client, Attorney, Paralegal, etc.
Participant type custom data can also be imported. Data format should match the custom field type.

 

Tasks Import Reference

Download the Tasks Import Template here.

Fields Data format Examples
Matter Import reference 4485b
Matter ID 31
Matter Name John Smith Litigation
Task name Plain text Do this task
Task description Plain text This is a task description
Status Status Complete, Incomplete
Assigned to Import reference 12887
Email Address email@example.eml
Participant ID 27
First + Last Name John Smith
Display Name Smith, John || John Davis Smith - Set in System preferences > Contact name format
Timekeepers Initials JDS
Due date Microsoft Excel formatted date Any date formatted in Excel
European (dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss) 14/09/2017 10:26:22
American (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss) 9/14/2017 10:26
European long (dd mmm yyyy hh:mm:ss) 9/14/2017 10:26
Month Day Year (mmm dd yyyy hh:mm:ss) Sep 14 2017 10:26:22
Priority Priority Low, Normal, High
Created date Microsoft Excel formatted date Any date formatted in Excel
European (dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss) 14/09/2017 10:26:22
American (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss) 9/14/2017 10:26
European long (dd mmm yyyy hh:mm:ss) 9/14/2017 10:26
Month Day Year (mmm dd yyyy hh:mm:ss) Sep 14 2017 10:26:22
Completed date Microsoft Excel formatted date Any date formatted in Excel
European (dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss) 14/09/2017 10:26:22
American (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss) 9/14/2017 10:26
European long (dd mmm yyyy hh:mm:ss) 9/14/2017 10:26
Month Day Year (mmm dd yyyy hh:mm:ss) Sep 14 2017 10:26:22
Import reference
Create time entry when complete flag True or False TRUE, FALSE

 

Trust Accounts Import Reference

The Trust Accounts import is used to add trust accounts to matter.

Download the Trust Accounts Import Template here.

Fields Data format Examples
Matter Import reference 4485b
Matter ID 31
Matter Name John Smith Litigation
Account Account ID 273
Account Name 1-1210
Opening balance date Microsoft Excel formatted date Any date formatted in Excel
European (dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss) 14/09/2017 10:26:22
American (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss) 9/14/2017 10:26
European long (dd mmm yyyy hh:mm:ss) 9/14/2017 10:26
Month Day Year (mmm dd yyyy hh:mm:ss) Sep 14 2017 10:26:22
Status Status Open, Closed
Notes Plain text This is a trust account note

 

Time Entries Import Reference

Download the Time Entries Import Template here.

Fields Data format Examples
Timekeeper Import reference 344b
Email address john.smith@email.dom
Participant ID 27
First Name + Last Name John Smith
Display name Smith, John || John Davis Smith - Set in System preferences > Contact name format
Timekeeper's initials JDS
Date Microsoft Excel formatted date 11/20/2017
European (dd/mm/yyyy) 20/11/2017
American (mm/dd/yyyy) 11/20/2017
European long (dd mmm yyyy) 20-Nov-17
Month Day Year (mmm dd yyyy) Nov 20 2017
Description Plain text This is a description.
Quick-code Import reference te299
Quick-code pif
Description Processing intake forms
Quick-code ID 3
Start time Default (hh:mm) 11/20/2017
European (dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm) 20/11/2017
American (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm) 11/20/2017
European long (dd mmm yyyy hh:mm) 20-Nov-17
ISO (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm) Nov 20 2017
Hours worked Number/Decimal (2dp) 2.25
Hours to bill Number/Decimal (2dp) 3.75
UTBMS activity code UTBMS code A105
UTBMS code description Communicate (within legal team)
UTBMS task code UTBMS code B130
UTBMS code description Asset Disposition
UTBMS timekeeper code UTBMS code CLKSEC
UTBMS code description Clerk or Secretary
Associated task Import reference 78tsk
Task ID 377
Task Name File documents
Associated matter Import reference 4485b
Matter ID 31
Matter Name John Smith Litigation
Billing behavior Billing behavior Bill, No charge, or Hide
Rate sheet Import reference 554
Rate sheet name Attorney
Rate sheet ID 3
Rate sheet hourly price Number/Decimal (2dp) 200
Rate sheet source Rate sheet source Default rate, or Timekeeper rate (if the rate has been overridden for a specific timekeeper)
Note: this column is required for zero-value, billable entries.
Billable amount Currency (2 decimal places) 1400
Import reference Plain text te334
Billable flag Tue or False True or False

 

Disbursements/Expenses Import Reference

Download the Disbursements - Expenses Import Template here.

 

Quick-Codes Import Reference

Download the Quick-codes Import Template here.

 

Contacts Import Reference

Download the Contacts Import Template here.

 

Contact Relationships Import Reference

Download the Contact Relationships Import Template here.

 

Accounts Receivable Import Reference

Download the Accounts Receivable Import Template here.

TIP:  For additional help with importing Accounts Receivable data, see Tips and Tricks for Using the Accounts Receivable Import.

 

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