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Showing Matter Billing Options and Rate Overrides in List Views (Admin)

When setting up a custom matter list view, admin users can include columns that will give insight into how matters within their firm will be billed. These columns show details of the relevant matter billing option settings and also details about any rate overrides that have been applied.

Additionally, when creating a custom contact list view, an admin can include columns that give insights into any rate overrides that have been applied.

 

Available Matter Billing Option Settings in a Custom Matter List View

To help your staff understand how billing for a matter is configured, you can select from the following column options under Data source > Bill settings:

Note: See Creating a Custom Matter List View (Admin) for complete instructions on finding and setting these options.

  • Billing enabled: Displays Yes / No to show if the matter's billing is enabled.
  • Billing template: Displays the name of the bill template that will be used for the Bill's PDF.
  • Sent to email: Displays the email addresses configured for the bill to be sent to.
  • Discount type: Displays Amount, or Percentage if a discount is applied.
  • Discount: Displays either the percentage or the amount of a discount preset on the matter billing options.
  • Exclude this matter from Mass Billing: Displays Yes or No to show if the matter is set to be excluded from mass billing.
  • E-billing enabled: Displays Yes or No depending on if e-billing is enabled for the matter.
  • E-billing format: If e-billing is enabled, it will show the e-billing file format (e.g., LEDES 1998b, LEDES 2.1).
  • FX billing enabled: Displays Yes or No depending on if FX billing is enabled for the matter.
  • Currency code: If FX billing is enabled for the matter, it will show the currency code of the currency that the matter is set to bill in (e.g., USD, GPB, AUD, etc.).
  • Conversion rate: If FX billing is enabled for the matter, it will display the conversion rate set for the matter's currency.

 

Available Rate Override Data in a Custom Matter List View 

To help your staff understand the rate overrides that are applied to a matter for the time/fees recorded against the matter, you can select from the following column options under Data source > Bill settings:

Note: See Creating a Custom Matter List View (Admin) for complete instructions on finding and setting these options.

  • Matter default rate label: This shows the name of the rate label that is set to the default for the matter on the Matter billing options.
  • Matter custom rates enabled: This shows Yes or No depending on whether the matter has Enable custom rates on the matter billing options.
  • Matter custom rates: This shows details of the rate labels that have been set to use a different rate on the matter. If a rate label has a custom rate applied to the matter, it will be listed in the result, showing the rate label name and the custom amount applied to it. If a rate label does not have a custom rate set on the matter, it will not be listed.
  • Matter Price groups: This is displayed if the matter billing options for the matter has been configured to use a price group. If it has, the price group name will be shown and will list any rate labels that the price group applies to. For each rate label, the rate label name and the override amount will be displayed. If a rate label is not changed by the price group, it will not be listed. For example, the column might show results formatted like [price_group_name] | [rate_label_1]: [amount]; [rate_label_2]: [amount].

 

Available Rate Override Data in a Custom Contact List View

To help your staff understand the overrides that are applied to users/clients for the time/fees recorded where that user is the timekeeper on the time record or the user is the client on the matter that time is recorded for, you can select from the following column options under Data source > Participant: 

Note: See Creating a Custom Contact List View (Admin) for complete instructions on finding and setting these options.

  • Default rate: Displays the default rate applied to a system user. If the system user doesn't have a default rate, it will show (Default/Inherited). This column is only shown if the contact is a system user; otherwise, it will not show anything.
  • Override rates: Displays a list of overrides applied to the contacts in the system. These overrides are applied differently in Practice Management, depending on whether the user is a system user (a contact with a login) or not:
    • For contacts that are system users, it shows the overrides that change the value of a rate sheet when that user records time. For example, the Attorney rate label might normally be $300 per hour but when Lynn records time using the Attorney rate, it is worth $310 per hour.
    • For contacts that are not system users, the overrides are applied if they are the client on a matter. For example, the Partner rate label might normally be recorded at $550 per hour, but when time is recorded against a matter where ACME Industries is the client, the rate will be $530 per hour.
    • When either of the above overrides are applied, any rate labels that the overrides affect are listed. If a rate label is not affected by an override, it is not listed. For each rate label that is listed, the rate label name and the override amount are shown.
  • Price Groups: Displays a result if a price group is applied to a contact. If there is a price group applied, the price group's name is shown along with the rate labels that it changes the value of. If a price group does not change the amount of a rate label, it will not be listed. For example, the column might show results formatted like: [price_group_name] | [rate_label_1]: [amount]; [rate_label_2]: [amount].

 

Filtering System Users in a Custom Contact List View

To either create a contact list that shows just system users or to exclude system users from contact lists, you can apply a locked filter when creating or editing a custom contact list view. 

Note: System users are those with active sign-in credentials for Actionstep Practice Management.

Using this filter, you can set the following options:

  • (No filter): Shows both system users and non-system users in the list view.
  • Only System Users (with active login): Excludes any contact that does not have a current login to Practice Management.
  • Only Non-System Users (without active login): Excludes any user with a current login to Practice Management.

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