Training Notes for eXpd8 Accounts for non accounts personnel.

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The purpose of the link between eXpd8 and the accounts package is twofold.

Firstly to avoid the need for manual entry of data already captured within eXpd8 into the accounts package. (the file, file code and clients’ data)

Secondly, to assist the firm with effective tracking of all work done within the file as it relates to billable activity on the clients account.

 

By using the system effectively the company can expect to achieve the following benefits;

• Reduced administration time (double data entry)
• Live updates on the clients’ ledger card.
• Greatly improved control over work in progress and ultimately cash flow.
• Fully traceable, auditable and detailed client invoicing.
• Greatly reduced need for cost accountants.

There are in fact three elements to the entire process.

eXpd8

Where files are created and work is done.  From here clients and files are passed directly to the accounts package.  Activities however are passed to an interim position called Time Tracker prior to posting in accounts.

Time Tracker

  This is the interim application where all work done on a file is held prior to posting to accounts.  The purpose of this application is to provide the file owner with the facility to view all work done on their files per day.  To review and modify if necessary the time that has been recorded against that activity and indeed the facility to determine if an item should in fact be billable.  Best practice would be that each fee earner would review time tracker on a daily basis, modify as required and then advise accounts that the data is now ready for import into accounts.

eXpd8 Accounts

Once activity has been approved by the file owner, the accounts person will import the data into the accounts package.  This results in each imported activity appearing on the clients’ ledger card.  Best practice would be for this to do be done on a daily basis. 

 

Sending Files and Matters from eXpd8 Case Management into eXpd8 Accounts

 Each time a new file/matter is created within eXpd8 the user creating the file will be prompted to pass the data (the file, the file code and the client to eXpd8 Accounts). This overcomes the need for this data to be manually entered into the accounts package.

Please note, the prompt to pass the data to accounts is only activated in the following situations

• When a client has been added to a new matter (a new matter with no client will not activate the prompt)
• When any change has been made within eXpd8 to any data on the summary page of the file.
• When any change has been made within eXpd8 to the client associated with the file.

 

 

  Once ‘Yes’ has been selected, this data will be passed to the accounts package.

 

 Sending activity from the eXpd8 file to eXpd8 Accounts

 Each item added to the activity page of the eXpd8 file will activate the prompt to pass the data to the accounts package.  This includes the following types of data

• Documents created on the file
• Notes created on the file
• Phone messages linked to the file
• Emails linked to or created on the file
• Each time any existing activity is accessed or modified              

 

It is best practice that fee earners mention at the end of their dictation if the item/letter in question should be allocated more time that then default standard unit of time which the system applies. As the document is being created the time can be modified as required.

 

Important Feature:

 The data that will be passed includes

            The synopsis (in this case section 68 Letter)

            The date (in this case 6/01/2010)

            The time (in this case 5 minutes – 1 unit of time)

  The rate is not passed (this is applied within the accounts package.)

   

Please note that there will be times when you do not wish to pass data to the accounts, such as when you are merely reviewing an existing item within the file or when adding an item to the file that clearly would not be billable.  In these instances select No when prompted to pass to accounts.

 

Reviewing activity in Time Tracker

 It is recommended that at the end of each day, Fee Earners open Time Tracker and review the list of work which has been passed.

This daily discipline will have significant benefits for the business as detailed on the opening page of these notes. 

Review that activities which have been passed, where modification are required, select the item and click edit on the top tool bar, now details such as the time can be modified (please not time is recorded in fractions of hours therefore .8 of an hour reflects 48 minutes). Also note that an item can be changed from B for billable to NB for non billable by removing the tick from the Billable tick box.

 

 

 Currently the fee earner must log into time tracker as each user who would have passed data to their file (secretary as well as self.) This will be changed shortly.

Once all activity has been review and or modified advise the accounts person that the data is ready to be imported to accounts.