I am reviewing billing/accounting records for a firm which recently installed PCLaw.
What I see is that timekeepers enter non-billable time against a Client/Matter opened (called Practice Mangament, Re: Internal Non-billable work, area of practice: Practice Management , bill rate: zero, task code NBW).
I would have imagined that all non-billable activities should not have any matter allocations and PCLaw gives a number of reports to track /analyze BW/NBW time spent.
I would like to know if recording non-billable time against an administrative matter is acceptable and what are the reasons for doing so.
PCLaw Rule #1: Every Time Entry must be allocated to a Matter. Rule #2: Every Matter must have a Client.
The firm you described is using PCLaw as intended.
The reason for recording NBW to an administrative Matter/Client is to account for every minute the lawyer is getting paid by the law firm to work, whether that time is generating income or not. Meeting with a Prospective Client; attending weekly Partner Reviews: these minutes must be accounted for as NBW.
Steve Miller, JD Certified Independent Consultant LexisNexis: Total Practice Advantage® | PCLaw® | Time Matters Enterprise® Philadelphia PA Metro area and SNJ www.lawbill.com "Home of Free Online Training" steve@lawbill.com 609-313-0988 Twitter: LawBill
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Hassan,
I totally agree with you!
I recommend my clients use the Task-based codes for non-billable activities. This options provides them the ability to produce reports by timekeeper and type of tasks. Tasks can be very broad or very specific. It keeps the WIP report cleaner at year end too!
What I have experienced with users who have chosen to enter non-billable time/work against a matter is that someone will soon start tracking expenses, like photocopies and/or reimb. cheques/checks to staff/partners. Then the unbilled disb. GL 1210 gets skewed numbers that will be misleading.
I know of no benefit for using matters, except that's what the professional is use to seeing & sometimes are against learning how to read "yet another" report!.
Nancy
P.S.I realize this is a late posting... but hope you get it via email (better late than never!)
www.steadfast.ca
What you mention is what I have also seen emanate from “Administrative matters" – Cheques/Disbs entered against them and which should really be firm or other billable matter expenses.