Time > Time Entries > Filling in the Details
Filling in the Details
This topic covers:
Time Entry Details dialog typically appears whenever you create a Time Entry.
Two additional fields may be displayed: Other 1 and Other 2
Printing
You can print the details of a Time Entry by clicking Print in the Time Entry Details dialog.
Identifying a File
If a File has not yet been associated with the Time Entry, the Select Files dialog may appear automatically when you open the Time Entry. (This is set in your Time preferences.) Otherwise, you can click the Select Files button. Select the relevant File in the list.
File information is automatically filled in your Time Entry: the Client Full Name and Client ID, and the Full Matter Name and Matter ID. However, some accounting systems do not require client and matter numbers, so these fields may be absent from your Time Entry.
You do not need to associate a File with the Time Entry, but you cannot post a Time Entry without a File.
The Short File Name serves as the identifier for the Time Entry, so Time Entries without Files are named "Untitled1", "Untitled2", and so on.
Identifying a Timekeeper
If desired, select a different Timekeeper for the Time Entry.
The Billing Rates and Rate Values available in the Time Entry will change to those related to the new Timekeeper.
Specifying a date
The Date of a Time Entry is automatically set to "Today" for the current date (or to the date of the Time Sheet you were looking at when you clicked New). This is the date of the activity, which could be in the past or in the future.
You can change the date if necessary. Ensure that the Timer is not running, and then type a date.
Assigning a Billing Rate
The File Category of a Time Entry is the Billing Category of the associated File.
The Billing Rate defaults to the Timekeeper's Billing Rate on the associated File. (Recall that a File specifies a default File Billing Rate and, optionally, an override Billing Rate for each Timekeeper on the File.)
You can change the Rate for a Time Entry if necessary. Depending on the Rate selected from the list, the Rate label reflects whether this is a "Billing Rate" or merely a "Time Tracking Rate". This gives you a clear indication whether the time for this entry is for tracking purposes only or billing purposes. For example, in a Time Entry with a Non-Billable Category you will see a "Time Tracking Rate" label.
To change the Rate, select another Rate in the Billing Rate list box, from among those available to the assigned Timekeeper.
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If none of the listed rates are appropriate for this Time Entry, select "Other", and type a different hourly rate in the Rate Value box that appears.
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For Fixed Fee and Contingency Files you will typically post a Time Entry with a Billing Rate set to "File Fee" and a Fee Amount specified.
Although you are not billing the File based on time spent, you may nevertheless create additional Time Entries in order to track the work done.
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For Time Entries on a Billable, Fixed Fee, or Contingency Files, you can bill supplemental fees at a "Flat Rate" with a Fee Amount specified.
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For Time Entries on a Billable File, you can assign the "Non-Billable" Billing Rate in order to track work done that is not being charged to the client.
Selecting a Rate that is not based on time spent, such as "File Fee" or "Flat Rate", causes the Timer control and Duration field to be hidden.
Selecting the Activity Code or Task-Based Billing or Activity Code
You have two options for choosing an Activity Code for a Time Entry. You can select an Activity Code in the list box, which lists your "top" Activity Codes (set in your Time preferences). Otherwise, you can click the yellow Select Activity Code button to display the Select Activity Code dialog, and select one from the full set shown.
Your choice of Activity Code may affect the specified Billing Rate. For example, if a certain activity is configured to be billed at the Amicus Attorney Rate, when you choose that Activity Code, the Billing Rate automatically changes to Amicus Attorney.
Even if your firm does not require Activity Codes, you can set your preferences so when you select an Activity Code here, its name is automatically added as text at the beginning of the Activity Description.
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Note: The list of Activity Codes can be customized for your firm. If you do not see the desired item, ask your Amicus Administrator to add it to the list. |
Task-Based Billing
If your firm uses Task-Based Billing, the File that you enter time on may require you to identify the work you do based on a defined set of tasks and activity codes that are different than the basic Activity Codes. Some clients might require that the firm use Task-Based Billing Codes that are industry standard, and some firms might have their own defined set that can be easily added by your Amicus Administrator. By default, industry standard UTBMS Code Sets are provided: Litigation, Bankruptcy, Project, etc. For more information on designating a File to use Task-Based Billing, see Filling in billing information for a File.
If Task-Based Billing is supported by your accounting system, and Task-Based Billing is enabled on the relevant File, you must specify a Task-Based Billing Task Code and a Task-Based Billing Activity Code for the Time Entry, rather than specifying a basic Activity Code.
The Time Entry dialog provides a green Select Task-Based Billing Task Code button, and a blue Select Task-Based Billing Activity Code button. Click the buttons and select the appropriate codes in the dialogs that appear.
Filling in a description of the activity
Type a description in the Activity Description box in the Time Entry Details dialog. (You can set a Time preference to have the name of the Activity Code automatically inserted.)
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Note: Most accounting systems do not accept Tab or Return characters in the Activity Description. Therefore, we recommend that you avoid using these characters. |
Specifying the amount of time spent
The Timer can be controlled from a Time Entry Details dialog (or from the Timer section of the Windows Taskbar).
If you created this Time Entry using the Timer in the Windows Taskbar, the Timer is already running. All you need to do is click the Stop Timer button in the Time Entry Details dialog (or in the Timer section of the Windows Taskbar) when the activity is completed.
If the activity took place before you created this Time Entry, or you have since stopped the Timer, you can click in the Time box in the Time Entry Details dialog and type the time spent, in either tenths of an hour or minutes (depending on your preference). If you do not fill in a time, the default minimum amount of time specified in your preferences will be used.
If the Time Entry is for an activity that you are about to do, click the Start Timer button in the Time Entry Details dialog (or in the Timer section of the Windows Taskbar) to start the Timer.
To stop timing, click the Stop Timer button. To restart the Timer, click the Start Timer button again. If the Timer runs for less than the minimum time specified for a Time Entry, the time is rounded up to the minimum time set in your preferences.
For more information on the Timer, see Timing an activity.
Saving the Details
When you have finished filling in or changing the details of a Time Entry, click OK. The Time Entry is added to your Time Sheet for the day, which you can review before sending to your accounting system. For more information, see Posting Time Entries.
To close the Time Entry dialog without saving the changes, click Cancel.
If you close the Time Entry Details dialog with the Timer running, the Timer continues running until you stop it or else start it on another Time Entry.
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