Scale: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 23:14, 5 November 2024

Billing scales are essential tools in law practices for structuring and managing charge-out rates, ensuring consistent and fair billing practices for various types of work and clients. They allow firms to set differentiated rates that reflect the complexity of work, client type, and experience level of legal practitioners.

Definition and Function

A billing scale represents a structured set of hourly rates assigned to different members or categories of fee earners. These predefined rates are applied to time records, helping to streamline billing by accurately reflecting the value of time spent on client matters.

Customisation and Control

Billing scales can be tailored to fit the unique needs of a law practice. Default scales are typically configured to apply automatically upon the installation of the software. Each scale can be uniquely named, activated, or deactivated, ensuring that only relevant, active scales are used in ongoing billing processes.

Member-Specific Rates

Within each billing scale, practices can assign individual rates to specific members, making it possible to categorise fees based on roles, experience, or other criteria. Billing scales can also set a maximum rate limit per member, helping prevent overbilling and supporting transparent client billing.

Effective Dates and History

Billing rates may need to be adjusted over time. The "rates as at" field on each matter selects the applicable rate period, ensuring that historical rates are respected for work completed within specific timeframes. ContactsLaw also keeps a full history of rate adjustments, complete with effective and expiry dates, enabling clear oversight of billing changes.

Disabling Unused Scales

When a billing scale is no longer relevant, it can be disabled, effectively removing it from future billing operations, quotes, and invoices. This feature prevents obsolete scales from cluttering the system and ensures only current billing rates are available for selection.

Preferred Scales

A preferred scale can be nominated for a particular subscription, causing the scale to be suggested by default.

In sum, billing scales in ContactsLaw are a powerful way to structure rates within a law firm, promoting billing accuracy, transparency, and customisation in line with the practice’s needs and client expectations.

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-Billing scales play a crucial role in managing charge-out rates within a law practice. These scales help establish different hourly rates for various types of work and clients, ensuring a structured approach to billing.
+Billing scales are essential tools in law practices for structuring and managing charge-out rates, ensuring consistent and fair billing practices for various types of work and clients. They allow firms to set differentiated rates that reflect the complexity of work, client type, and experience level of legal practitioners.
-=== Definition and Function ===
+== Definition and Function ==
-A billing scale defines a set of rates for members and fee earner types. These rates assign value to time records, ensuring accurate billing.
+A billing scale represents a structured set of hourly rates assigned to different members or categories of fee earners. These predefined rates are applied to time records, helping to streamline billing by accurately reflecting the value of time spent on client matters.
+[[File:Default Scale.png|none|thumb|500x500px]]
-=== Customisation and Control ===
+== Customisation and Control ==
-Billing scales can be customised to suit different needs. They allow for the creation of default scales, which are automatically applied to new instances of the software. Each scale has a unique name and can be toggled on or off as required. This feature ensures that only active scales are used in billing matters.
+Billing scales can be tailored to fit the unique needs of a law practice. Default scales are typically configured to apply automatically upon the installation of the software. Each scale can be uniquely named, activated, or deactivated, ensuring that only relevant, active scales are used in ongoing billing processes.
+[[File:(1) Scale - Customisation and Control.png|none|thumb|500x500px]]
-=== Member-Specific Rates ===
+== Member-Specific Rates ==
-Within a billing scale, specific rates can be assigned to individual members. This is particularly useful for categorising rates based on experience levels or roles within the practice. Billing scales can also set a maximum allowable rate for members, preventing overcharging.
+Within each billing scale, practices can assign individual rates to specific members, making it possible to categorise fees based on roles, experience, or other criteria. Billing scales can also set a maximum rate limit per member, helping prevent overbilling and supporting transparent client billing.
+[[File:(2) Scale - Member-Specific Rates.png|none|thumb|500x500px]]
-=== Effective Dates and History ===
+== Effective Dates and History ==
-Different rates may apply during different periods. The "rates as at" date on matters determines which period to use. ContactsLaw stores a full history of any changes made to billing rates, allowing for the setting of effective and expiry dates.
+Billing rates may need to be adjusted over time. The "rates as at" field on each matter selects the applicable rate period, ensuring that historical rates are respected for work completed within specific timeframes. ContactsLaw also keeps a full history of rate adjustments, complete with effective and expiry dates, enabling clear oversight of billing changes.
+[[File:(3) Scale - Effective Dates and History.png|none|thumb|500x500px]]
-=== Disabling Unused Scales ===
+== Disabling Unused Scales ==
-When a scale is no longer needed and no new rates are defined, it can be marked as disabled. This prevents new quote templates, quotes, and invoices from using the scale.
+When a billing scale is no longer relevant, it can be disabled, effectively removing it from future billing operations, quotes, and invoices. This feature prevents obsolete scales from cluttering the system and ensures only current billing rates are available for selection.
+[[File:(4) Scale - Disabling Unused Scales.png|none|thumb|500x500px]]
-=== Preferred Scales ===
+== Preferred Scales ==
 A preferred scale can be nominated for a particular subscription, causing the scale to be suggested by default.
+[[File:(5) Scale - Preferred Scales.png|none|thumb|500x500px]]In sum, billing scales in ContactsLaw are a powerful way to structure rates within a law firm, promoting billing accuracy, transparency, and customisation in line with the practice’s needs and client expectations.
-== '''Practical Example''' ==
-Consider the creation of a new billing scale for a legal practice. By navigating to the billing section and creating a scale, default charge-out rates can be set. Members can be added to this scale, with specific rates assigned to each. If a senior practitioner is associated with this scale, a maximum allowable rate can be set, ensuring no member exceeds this limit.
 [[Category:Billing]]