2. Billing Implementation: Importing, Customizing, and Running Bills

3. Introduction Setting Expectations Getting Data Out of Their Old System
Importing
Customizing Billing Settings
Billing Training

4. Billing Conversion Types
WIP
Matter Level AR Balances
Open Bills (AR)
Full Billing History
Trust Balances
Full Trust History
Multiple Trust Accounts per Matter
Multiple Bank Accounts for Trust

5. Electronic Billing (LEDES, UTBMS, LSS)
Often used by firms that have banks and insurance companies as clients. Current includes LEDES98B and LSS formats.
Example:

6. Electronic Billing (LEDES, UTBMS, LSS)
Find and import Matter fields from old system: CLIENT_ID, LAW_FIRM_MATTER_ID, CLIENT_MATTER_ID
Find and set user fields from old system: TIMEKEEPER_ID, TIMEKEEPER_NAME, TIMEKEEPER_CLASSIFICATION
Find and set the law firm’s ID: (usually their Tax ID number).
Determine how they handle INVOICE_DESCRIPTION
Blank
Name of the matter
FINAL INVOICE
Custom message on each bill
Find and set which matters and/or clients use E-billing. Setup the billing code settings appropriately.

7. Rate Tables
Find billing rates from old system and create them in Centerbase
Client rates, Matter rates, or both?
User rates, Group rates, or both?
Import/set rate tables on matters/clients
Setup non-billable matters
Mark as non-billable.
Exclude from generate bills.

8. Invoice Recipients
Determine where they store the bill-to address for bills/matters/contacts in their current system so it can be properly imported into Centerbase:
Bill To Contact Name
Bill To Company Name
Bill To Address
Determine where they store recipients for bills/matters/contacts in their current system
Client Accepts Bill by ?
Bill to Address(s)

9. Other Billing Settings
Trust replenishment
Interest rates
Fee rounding
Origination

10. New Tools Available Importing to user lookup fields (Timekeeper)
Customizing bill templates (CSHTML + CBSettings)
Post Processing Tools (System Settings -> Utilities)

11. Validation Total Formulas
Import the total/balance fields from the old system into a custom number field on billing entries, payments, invoices, etc.
Setup a custom formula field that calculates the difference between the Centerbase total/balance and the old system’s total/balance.
Search for any items where this formula does not equal zero.
Places to Use the Total Formulas
Make sure the total of each billing entry matches the previous system.
Make sure the total of each bill matches the previous system.
Make sure the balance of each bill matches.
Report Comparison
Make sure Total WIP and WIP by Matter is correct.
Make sure Total AR and AR by Matter is correct.
Make sure Total Trust and Trust by Matter is correct.

12. Red Flags Billing Entries without a billing code or matter
Billing entries not marked as time or expense
Time Entries without a timekeeper
Billing Codes without a class and type (time/expense/UTBMS codes)
Expense Billing Codes without an expense type (hard/soft)
Negative Billing Entries, invoices, or payments
Invoices with a negative balance (overpaid)
Payments with a negative balance (overapplied)
Negative Trust Balances
Aged AR all showing up under Current Age

13. Conclusion
It all comes down to numbers and expectations