Setting up your system for Electronic Billing

There are a few things that need to be done when initially setting up your system for Electronic Billing 

Enabling Electronic Billing

First, Electronic Billing must be enabled.  This can be done under System Settings -> Electronic Billing General

• Check the box next to Enabled to turn it on
• Certain fields are required for different types of Electronic Bills.  
  • LEDES98B:
    • Firm Tax ID
  • LSS:
    • Firm Name
    • Firm Location
  • LEDES98BI:
    • Firm Tax ID
    • Default Invoice Currency (this can be overriden at the matter level)
  • All other fields are optional, but can be filled in if needed for certain clients.

Timekeepers

Certain user fields are required for different types of Electronic Bills and need to be setup on any user who is going to have time entries on an electronic bill.  This can be done in System Settings -> Users

• LEDES98B: 
  • Initials
  • Full Name
  • LEDES Classification Code
• LSS:
  • Initials
• LEDES98BI:
  • Initials
  • Full Name
  • LEDES Classification Code
  • First Name
  • Last Name

Clients / Matters

Certain Matter and Client fields are required for different types of Electronic Bills.  These can be accessed on the Matter by clicking the Cog icon, selecting Billing, and scrolling down to the E-Billing Matter Fields section

• LEDES98B:
  • Client Number - This points to the Client ID or Client Number field on the bill's Client contact.  This is typically auto-generated when a client is added to the system.
  • Matter Number - This points to the Matter Number field on the bill's matter.  This is typically auto-generated when a matter is added to the system.
  • Client Matter ID - This represents the ID the client has assigned to this matter (not necessarily the same as the matter number the firm has assigned). Must be specified on the matter
• LSS:
  • Claim Number
  • Claim Representative
• LEDES98BI
  • Client Number - See details in LEDES98B above
  • Matter Number - See details in LEDES98B above
  • Client Matter ID - See details in LEDES98B above
  • Client Tax ID
  • Invoice Account Type - Can either be "O" for "Own Account" or "T" for "Third Party"
  • Invoice Currency

Billing Codes

• LEDES and LSS both use Task, Expense, and Activity codes.  Code sets can be downloaded from the following websites:
  • http://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/resources/uniform_task_based_management_system.html
  • http://UTBMS.com
• If you are missing billing codes, just click NEW>Billing Code to add additional codes.  Note: its important that the code name starts with the LEDEs code, that way you can easily add it using the drop down during time entry.  When you are creating new billing codes, you set the billing code type, then select the Category to define the type of code it is, either Task, Activity or other custom class, such as B code for Bankruptcy.  Additional classes can be added from the Item Manager in the PC Admin tool if needed for additional code sets.  You also must specify the LEDES code (such as E101, L450, and A105).
• Any matter that is going to be generating Electronic Billing files will need to be setup to use a primary and secondary code.  
  • Go to the matter, click the Cog icon, and select Billing.
  • Update the matter to use a Primary and Secondary Code.  The secondary should be set to the Category of A Code.  The primary code can be set to either L Code (Litigation), B Code (Bankruptcy), C Code (Counseling) or P Code (Project). 
  • Any Time Entry that will be included on an Electronic Billing file will need to have a primary and secondary code specified from among the standard code sets.
  • Any Expense Entry that will be included on an Electronic Billing file will need to have a billing code specified from the E Code set.

Following these basic steps should get you ready for Electronic Billing with LEDES98B, LSS, or LEDES98BI files.  For information on Advanced Configuration of Electronic Billing, see the following article:

https://support.centerbase.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007457331-Electronic-Billing-LEDES-LSS