Once you’ve set up your firm and users’ settings, it’s time to start entering clients. Click the Clients tab and you will be taken to the Client Management screen (Figure 22). If you have not created any clients yet, this screen will not display any clients.
Figure 22: Client Management Screen
Creating a Client
From the Client Management screen, click the Add Client button to be taken to the screen below:
Page 23 Figure 23: New Client Screen
The only required field (as denoted with the light blue text box) is the Client Name. The notable optional fields are as follows:
Client Type – Here you can segregate your clients any way you want to make client management easier. On the Client Management screen (Figure 22), you can set the filter to specific client types. To add client types, click on the icon.
Billing Name – The name that will be printed on client invoices. This is only required if you want to refer to your clients as one name (i.e. John Doe & Associates) and have a different name (i.e. The John Q. Doe Corporation, Inc) appear on their invoices.
Client ID – If not filled in, a numerical ID will automatically assign itself to the client.
Creation Date – If no date is selected, it defaults to the date that the client was inputted into Bill4Time.
Status – A new client is automatically set up as Active. Change this to Disabled when you are ready to close the client. For Lite users, this may affect your monthly subscription since the Lite subscription is limited to a certain amount of Active clients.
Account Manager - The user who is the primary manager for this client
Accounting Isolation
o Firm Default – The account isolation that is chosen in the Firm/System settings.
o Client - Allows combined accounting for every project under the client. The accounting under each project is the sum of all projects under this one client.
o Project - Allows separate accounts for each project under the client. The accounting under each project is separate from the accounting activity of the other projects for this one client.
Currency – Change the standard currency symbol per client. Clients paying you through PayPal will need a currency symbol assigned to them.
Client Settings
o ABA Codes – Turn this on or off, depending on the ABA code setting in the Firm/System settings. This enables you to custom the ABA code setting for each client.
LEDES Export Settings
o These settings are only necessary when the LEDES export feature has been enabled in the Firm/System settings.
Phone; Mobile; Fax; and Billing Address – This information will be used on invoices. On the invoice template, you can decide which go on the invoice.
Email – This is the primary email used to email your invoice through the Bill4Time portal
When you are done click the Save button to commit the client to the system, and you will be taken to the Client Details screen (Figure 24).
If you followed all of the steps and went through all of the settings the client has been created. From here, you can create projects, time entries and expense entries for the client, but you may want to go through the Edit Client process to ensure that custom settings for this client are correct.
Editing Client Information
Figure 24: Client Details Screen
General Tab
This is where you see the basic information about the client. Notice how there are additional fields in comparison to the fields in the New Client screen (Figure 23).
The Primary and Billing Contacts enable you to quickly reference these two people from your list of contacts for this client (under the beige Contacts tab). Click on the Edit Details button to edit these fields, and see the Client Edit screen (Figure 25).
Direct Access from The Dashboard – You can get to the Client Details screen directly from the Dashboard by typing the name of the client in the Search textbox at the top right corner of the screen.
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Edit Client Screen
Figure 25: Edit Client Page Here, you can also change any of the information previously entered
when you first created this client. Click on the next to those fields to open your contact selection screen as shown in Figure 26.
Click on the contact name to select them
Click the magnifying glass to see their contact information.
Click the symbol to add a new contact.
Click the Save button to commit these changes to the system.
Figure 26: Select Contact Screen
Invoice Presets Tab
Here you’ll be able to set up different Invoice options that will only apply to this client. This is useful if you prefer to have some clients send payments to your office closest to them, or if you use a different firm identity for certain clients.
Click the Edit Presets button to make changes to this page and see the following:
Figure 27: Invoice Presets Screen in Edit Mode The notable fields are the following:
Payment Terms – These will be displayed on your invoice if it is enabled in the invoice template. Click the icon to edit/change all payment terms
Invoice ATTN: This is the name that will accompany the client’s address in the invoice. These will be displayed on your invoice if it is enabled in the invoice template.
Use Default Tax Rates – If this is checked, the tax rates that were set in the Firm/System settings will be applied to this client’s invoices. If unchecked, you can use apply its own tax rates.
Invoice Template – This allows you to change the template you need by clicking on the template you wish the client to use. The green check mark denotes which template is currently used for the client. Only one template is assigned per client. To switch to a different template, click the name of the desired template. To create a new template, click the New Template button. All templates are displayed throughout the system.
Invoice Header Text – If the “Use Firm Default” is checked, the header text in the Firm/System settings will be applied. If unchecked, the text on this page will be found on this client’s invoices.
Invoice Note Text: This is the footer text that will appear at the bottom of every invoice page. If the “Use Firm Default” is checked, the footer text in the Firm/System settings will be applied. If unchecked, the text on this page will be found on this client’s invoices.
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Billing Rates Tab
Here, you will set up any custom billing rates for this client. The two options are:
1. Flat Rate (All Users) – Selecting this option will have the client billed at the same hourly rate for all users’ hourly work. It overrides all hourly rates set per user in the User Setup (See Page ###). When selecting this you will be prompted for the flat hourly rate.
2. Per User – This is the default billing option. All employees bill at their standard rates (as defined in the User Details page) and you can override those rates from this screen on a per-user basis. These changes will only affect the client you are editing.
Figure 28: Edit Billing Rates for a Client
The user’s default rates will be listed to the right. If you wish to override the default rate, select the user which will activate the override rate field. Enter in the hourly rate for this user, specific to this client.
Same instructions go for your Overtime Standard Rate. The default rate will be to the far right and to override this rate check off the box and fill in the different rate.
When you are done, click on the Save Billing Rates button.
This client-level rate overrides the user’s Standard Hourly Rate stated in the User Details page. What can override the rate from the client level? The rates at the project, activity, and time entry level.
Note on Billing:
The billing rates here apply for this client only, but can still be overridden on a per-project basis. When creating a per-project you will have the option to set a custom billing rate (hourly) or set the project as flat-fee billing. More information, consult Bill4Time’s supplemental guide: The User Guide and look under Creating Projects.User Access Tab
From this tab you can select which users have access to this client. If you set a user to not have access to a client, they will not be able to create projects for the client, view any projects that are open for the client, or do any billable work for the client. Essentially, they will not know that the client exists.
Selecting the User Access tab will take you to this screen:
Figure 29: User Access (per-client view)
By default, each client is set up to be accessible by all users, indicated by a check mark next to “Automatically Add all Current and Future Users” and their names. This enables all the current users in your firm - as well as any users added in the future - access to this client.
If you want to choose the users that can have access to this client, uncheck the “Automatically Add…” box and place a check mark next to any users that you want to enable client access. You will not be able to remove client access from System Administrators.
Click the Save Changes button to commit these changes to the system.
Please Note
– This screen crosses over permissions with the security settings in the User Setup. Any settings here are reflected in other screens. If you want to adjust which users have access to a specific client, use this screen. If you want to adjust which clients are visible to specific users, use the User Setup screen.Page 29
Contacts Tab
You can create contact records for key personnel at the client level. This information is important because it can be looked up by anyone in the firm as well as being displayed alongside relevant projects.
Select the Contacts tab to be taken to this screen:
Figure 30: View Client Contacts To add a new contact, click on the Add Contact button.
Figure 31: Add new contact
First Name and Last Name are the only fileds required. All other fields are optional. Click on Optional Information to put more information (eg: address, department, etc.) into the contacts account as well. Click Save to commit this contact to the system.
Notes/Files Tab
From this section you can add notes or file attachments that are important for your servicing the client but not relevant to one particular project. You can upload just about any type of file attachment (up to 50 MB) or just enter text information. This data is available to all users that have access to the client and is not part of any client projects. Select the Notes/Files tab to be taken to this screen:
Figure 32: Client Notes/Files
To add a File Attachment, click on the Add File button which will bring up the screen below:
Click on the Browse button, and select the file you wish to add. Put in a description in the required Comment section, and click the Save button.
To add a new note, click on the Add Note button.
Enter in your Subject and Note text (both required). Then click the Save button to attach this note to your client’s portfolio.
You may edit or delete any Note/File attachments at any time from the main screen (Figure 32). Any previously entered notes and files will be listed. You can edit any previously entered notes by clicking on the note subject.
Figure 33: Add File Attachment
Figure 34: Add Note
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Accounting Tab
This tab will show you a snapshot of the client’s accounting history, including invoices, payments, adjustments, and unbilled activity.
Click on the Accounting tab to be taken to the screen below:
Figure 35: Client Accounting
Click on an invoice to view this invoice details in a new window where you can view and reprint. “Unbilled Activity” represents time entries and expenses that have been entered for the client but not yet billed for.
The following functions are used only if you have selected “Bill4Time Accounting” or “QuickBooks Accounting” in your Firm/System Setup:
To make a balance adjustment
This is used to either issue a credit or create a debit.
1. Click the Balance Adjustment button (Figure 35). A pop-up window will open (Figure 36).
2. Select debit or credit for the adjustment type.
3. Enter in the amount.
4. Click on the calendar icon to select a date of the adjustment.
5. Put in a description in the Notes field. This is an optional field.
A Public Note is shown on the invoice and under the Accounting tab. The Private Note is only for internal
reasons. The only way to access the saved Private Note, is to see the Balance Adjustment Details pop-up window.
6. Click the Save button to commit this adjustment to the system.
Figure 36: Enter Balance Adjustment
Figure 36: Enter Balance Adjustment
To receive a payment
1. Click the Receive Payment button (Figure 35).
2. Select the Payment Method (Figure 37).
3. Enter in the check or payment number, if the payment method is anything other than “Trust Account.” If you have chosen “Trust Account,” see the next section for further instructions.
4. Enter in the payment amount.
5. Change the date if needed.
6. Put in a description in the Notes field. This is an optional field. From here, you can click the “Save” button, or apply this payment to an invoice.
To apply a payment
Applying a payment assigns a payment to one or more invoices.
Once the full amount of the invoice has been covered by applied payments, the status of the invoice changes from “unpaid” to
“paid.” By doing this for all your payments, you would be able to immediately see on the accounting and invoicing screens, which invoices have been paid in full.
1. At the bottom of the “New Payment” window, choose the desired invoice under “Invoice Number.”
2. At the bottom of this window, enter the amount you would like to apply to the invoice in the Amount section.
3. Click the Add button. If you are receiving a payment and applying a payment at the same time, you may receive the following message: “This payment has not been recorded. Do you wish to post the payment before adding?” Just click the “ok” button.
4. Click the Save button.
Editing or deleting an entry
You may edit or delete an adjustment or payment at any time from the Client Accounting screen (Figure 35). Any previously entered adjustments and payments will be listed there.
1. Click any listed item from the Client Accounting screen and you will see a pop-up window similar to the one in Figure 38 (below).
2. Click on the Edit button to edit the entry, or click the Delete button to remove the entry. A dialog box will confirm your deletion.
Trust Account Tab
This tab will allow you to keep track of trust account transactions for each client and associated projects. Note that if you are using trust accounting in Bill4Time, you must first enable this feature in your Firm/System Settings (See Page ###). This enables you to manage your trust account balance without affecting the balance the client owes your company.
Click on the Trust Account tab to display the screen below:
Figure 37: Enter Client payment
Figure 38: View/edit payment or adjustment
Page 33 Figure 39: Client Trust Account
1. Add Deposit – Used to record payments intended to add funds to the trust account (Figure 40).
2. Add Disbursement – Used to record withdrawals to pay fees that are not towards your firm. These withdrawals are not associated with the balance under the Accounting tab (Figure 40).
3. Transfer In – Transfer In allows you to transfer funds from another project trust into this trust (Figure 40).
4. Transfer Out – Transfer Out allows you to transfer funds from this trust to another project trust (Figure 40).
5. Bank Account – This is a required field in order to enter a trust accounting entry. Add a bank account by clicking the symbol.
6. Project – This filters the trust account activity to relevant projects:
a. General Project Trust – All entries that deal with the trust account not associated to a particular project. For example, a client gives you a check for this retainer, and he doesn’t have a preference to how the check is spread
out to the various open projects.
b. All Project Trusts – All entries that were assigned to specific projects. These are all of the activities that each are assigned to particular projects. To see all entries assigned to a specific project, see “d.”
c. General Project Trust + All Project Trusts – All entries entered under the Trust Account tab for this client.
d. The names of the individual projects – All entries assigned to the named project.
For example, a client gives you a check and wants it specifically spent for that particular project.
Rule of Thumb It's best to use the General Project Trust account when your client has only one case or matter. You can also use the General Project Trust account if your client has multiple cases or matters, but the money in the trust account is not assigned specifically to any one of the cases.
Figure 40: Add Deposit/Disbursement/Transfer screen after clicking the Edit button.