Definitions of Client & Matter Level Billing Settings

One of the benefits of Centerbase is the flexibility to set different billing settings at the client or matter level. This article will discuss the meaning of each billing setting available at the client or matter level. 

Billing Settings Hierarchy

There are three levels of billing settings in Centerbase: system level, client level, and matter level settings. 

• When determining which billing settings to use, Centerbase will first look at a matter. If a matter has "Use Client Settings" set to True in the Matter's Billing Settings, Centerbase will then defer to the client Billing Settings. If "Use System Settings" is set to True in the client's Billing Settings, Centerbase will use the System Defaults. 

Setting Definitions

You must click the Edit button on your settings page before being able to update the settings.

Auto Apply (Matter Level Only)

• Use Default Settings
  • This setting determines if default auto apply settings from the System Settings will be used.
  • This setting is set to True by default.
• Automatically Apply
  • This setting determines if Unapplied Payments or Unapplied Credits are automatically applied to a bill once it's posted. 
• Automatically Apply Trust
  • This setting determines if funds are automatically transferred from the matter's trust account to pay the bill's current balance. 
  • Centerbase allows for multiple trust accounts on a matter. If you have more than one on a matter, select which trust account you want funds to be pulled from. 

Billing Entries (Matter Level Only)

• Non-Billable
  • This setting determines if all fee entries associated with a matter are set to non-billable. This is commonly used for internal administrative matters. 

Payment Processor Settings

• Use Default Settings
  • This setting determines if default payment processor settings from the System Settings will be used. 
  • This setting is set to True by default.
• Pay Button
  • This setting determines if a Pay By Card button is available for clients to pay by Credit Card on emailed bills. 
• Custom Billing Payment Options
  • This setting determines if a client paying by Credit Card has an option to pay the Outstanding Balance, Current Charges or Other Amount on a bill. 
• Payment Behavior
  • This setting determines how a payment is applied to bills associated with matters that have previous balances. The payment can either be applied to the oldest or newest bills first.
• Trust Account for Deposits (Matter Level and Accounting Package Only)
  • This setting determines when trust replenishment funds will ultimately be deposited when a trust replenishment is required on a bill. 

Email Bill Settings

• Use Client Settings (Matter Level Only)
  • This setting determines if the Matter will inherit the Email Bill setting and list of email recipients from the client's Billing Settings. 
• Email Bill
  • This setting determines if a checkmark will be displayed for a bill in the Email Bill column of your posted bills page. 
• Recipients
  • This setting determines who an emailed bill is sent to.
  • You can have multiple email addresses either separated by commas or one email address per line. 

Billing Entries

• Use Default Settings 
  • On a matter, this setting determines if Centerbase will use either the client (if set) or System Settings. 
  • On a client, this setting determines if Centerbase will use the System Settings. 
• Use Primary Code
  
  • If enabled, this setting will require users to select a Primary Code on billing entries. You can then choose which Catagory of Codes you want to use and the Label that will show up next to the codes on a billing entry dialog or the Timesheet. 
  • The Primary Code can pull in a default description on your billing entry.
  • A commonly used Primary Code Catagory is "L Codes" for UTBMS (LEDES) billing. 
• Use Secondary Code
  • If enabled, this setting will require users to select a Secondary Code on billing entries. You can then choose which Catagory of Codes you want to use and the Label that will show up next to the codes on a billing entry dialog or the Timesheet. 
  • The Secondary Code CANNOT pull in a default description on your billing entry.
  • A commonly used Secondary Code Catagory is "A Codes" for UTBMS (LEDES) billing. 
• Default Primary Code
  • All bill entries have to have a code. Select the default primary code you want to use if not designating a Primary or Secondary Code above. 
  • The user will not see the Primary Code when entering time into the Timesheet. 
• Default Hard Cost Expense Code (Only with Accounting Package)
  • All expense entries have to have a code. Designate a default Hard Cost Expense Code. 
• Default Soft Cost Expense Code (Only with Accounting Package)
  • All expense entries have to have a code. Designate a default Soft Cost Expense Code.
• Show Billable Hours
  • If enabled, this will display a Billable Hours field next to Worked Hours to allow timekeeper to adjust their Billable time as they're entering time. 
• Enable Internal Notes
  • If enabled, this will display an Internal Notes memo field next to the Description Field on the Timesheet for a Timekeeper to enter notes about a fee entry that they do not want to display on the client's version of the bill.
• Show Document Input
  • If Enabled, this will display a field on the fee and expense entry dialog for users to add a supporting document to the entry.
• Bill Round Quantity Method
  • This determines how/if rounding takes place. 
• Bill Round Quantity Min Hours
  • This determines the increment your time entry is rounded to.
• Apply Rounding On All Bills
  • This setting determines if all fee slips are rounded when a bill is generated. 

Payments

• Use Default Settings
  • On a matter, this setting determines if Centerbase will use either the client (if set) or System Settings. 
  • On a client, this setting determines if Centerbase will use the System Settings
• Terms
  • If you want to include payment terms on your bill, enter the number of days here. 

Interest

• Use Default Settings
  • On a matter, this setting determines if Centerbase will use either the client (if set) or System Settings. 
  • On a client, this setting determines if Centerbase will use the System Settings.
• Charge Interest
  • Enable to charge interest on a bill.
• Compound Interest
  • Select whether you want to use Simple or Compound Interest.
• Annual Rate
  • Enter your annual interest rate (10%, 5.75%, etc.) This must be a positive number. 
• Charge After Days
  • Enter the number of days you want to begin calculating interest after. 
• Gracy Period Days
  • Enter the number of days you want to forgive before calculating interest. 
• Minimum Interest Charge
  • Enter the threshold you want to begin billing the client interest for. Example: Don't charge interest to the client until their interest calculation is greater than $100.00. 

Bill To Fields

• The address fields will be used on a client bill unless a firm has specified a different field for the Bill To Address in the System Settings (System Settings> Advanced Billing> Bill Template Alternate Address Fields.)

E-Billing Matter Fields (Matter Level Only)

• The E-Billing Matter Fields detail information required for LEDES 1998B, LEDES 98BI and LSS fields. 

• You must set the Enable LEDES TYPE billing checkbox to True before you can edit the fields below.