Fee Entry

Fee or time transactions are entered by choosing the FEE ENTRY Button from the ORION Desktop Program Group Task Bar. New fee transactions may be entered freely. Saved transactions can be edited as long as they are not part of an active invoice, have not been posted, and, as long as the time belongs to you or you have proxy rights to the Timekeeper to whom the time belongs.

Fee transactions must be entered into an existing and open Client-Matter in order for the time to be RELEASED to Work-in-Process. If the Client and/or Matter has not been set up or is closed, you will receive an information message indicating that the time will be saved as an UNRELEASED transaction.

Fee Entry Button

Adding Fee Transactions

To add a Fee transaction, choose the FEE ENTRY Button from the ORION Desktop Program Group Task Bar. The following screen will appear:

If at any time you would like to clear the screen without saving your entry, select the F9 key or choose the CLEAR Button. Following are details on each of the fields to be completed on this screen.

Date
The date will default to the system date, but you may change it. If you have set this field to be retained under the Options (discussed later in this section), the date will be the same as the date of the previously saved transaction in this session. To look up a date, you may use the F8 Look-Up Function or click the POP-UP CALENDAR Button and a calendar will be displayed. The date can also be set by using the following function keys:

1. Using the “+” or “-“ keys will increment the date forward one day or backward one day.
2. Using the “T” will set the date to “Today”.
3. Using the “M” will set the date to the first day of the current month.
4. Using the “H” will set the date to the last day of the current month.
5. Using the “Y” will set the date to the first day of the current year.
6. Using the “R” will set the date to the last day of the current year.

Client-Matter
The Client-Matter field is used to identify the transaction for a Client-Matter and is a required field to be saved as Work-in-Process. Enter the Client and Matter number for the transaction you are entering. If you do not know the correct number, you may use the F8 Look-Up Function or click the LOOK-UP Button.
The following screen will appear:

Phase-Task

The Phase-Task field is a required field but is accessible only when entering time for a Matter previously set up for Task Billing. If the Matter you are entering time for is not set up for Task Billing, ORION will not display this field. If a Matter has been set up for Task Billing, enter a Phase and/or Task Code appropriate for the time entry. If you do not know a valid code, you may use the F8 Look-Up Function or click the LOOK-UP Button. The following screen will appear:

Activity
This field may or may not be optional, depending on whether or not the Client requires the use of Task Billing codes, and, if the Client requires Task Billing codes, how they are set up. Otherwise, the Activity field is used to enter the abbreviation for what will appear in the Description field. To locate a valid Activity Code, use the F8 Look-Up Function or click on the LOOK-UP Button.  An Activity Code can represent up to 800 characters of text. Additionally, the Activity Code can have a value of its own. For example, the Activity Code for preparation of Last Will and Testament could be established as “LW” with a value of $1,000. When “LW” is entered in this field, the value for the transaction would appear automatically in the Amount field. A window will appear to ask whether you want the Activity Code amount to be used instead of the ID/Rate Code amount.  An Activity Code can also be setup to “prompt” the User for information. This information is then inserted into the Description field along with the text associated with the Code.

Timekeeper
Enter the initials for the Timekeeper for whom you are entering time. If you are a Timekeeper, this field will default to your ID. If you are not a Timekeeper, the person you are entering time for must be a valid Timekeeper in the system. You may use the F8 Look-Up Function or click the LOOK-UP Button for a list of valid IDS.

Rate
When setting up matters, you can set a default Billing Rate Code to be used when a Timekeeper enters time. The first time a Timekeeper enters time for that Matter, the program will use the default Billing Rate Code. If you are in the unrestricted mode you can, however, enter a different code in this field. The system will then prompt you to see if you want the new code for that Timekeeper to be the new default Billing Rate Code for that Matter. You may use the F8 Look-Up Function or click the LOOK-UP Button for a list of valid Rates.  You can also set up a Fixed Hourly Rate to be used. If a Fixed Hourly Rate has been set up in the Matter file and a fee entry rate differs from the fixed rate, a prompt will appear asking you to verify that the correct rate is being used.  As you enter time (or display time already saved) you will see a Rate field display. The three codes that can appear here are: P, S and O. P stands for “Person Rate”, S stands for “Service Rate”, and O stands for “Other Rate”.

Time
Enter the amount of time for this transaction. The time you initially enter will be recorded in the ORION data file as the original time. The time should be entered with the pertinent units your firm uses. For instance, if the minimum time unit is 6 minutes (or one unit = 6 minutes), and you are entering a transaction representing 6 minutes of time worked, you would enter .1.

Amount
This field will reflect the rate multiplied by the time units. It can also represent a flat fee, if the Activity Code is for a flat fee service. This field can be changed; however, negative amounts are not permitted.

Description
When you are in the Description field, you can increase entry speed with appending other Activity Code descriptions to the text by entering the Activity Code and striking the F3 key.  You may check the spelling of this field or search and replace specified contents of the field by right-clicking and choosing the appropriate option.

Copy Last/Duplicate Field
You may duplicate a new time slip from a previously saved entry by choosing the COPY LAST Button. This function will copy all fields from the previous entry with a status of NEW RECORD.  Another feature intended to maximize the efficiency of data entry is the DUPLICATE FIELD option. While entering a new time slip, you may copy any field individually from the previous entry by right clicking and choosing the DUPLICATE FIELD option or by using the combination of the CTRL+D keys.  To save the transaction as entered, you may either select the F10 key or click the SAVE or NEW Buttons. The SAVE Button will save the transaction before closing FEE ENTRY. The NEW Button will clear the screen to allow entry of another transaction.

Editing a Fee Transaction

A fee transaction, including the original time, can be edited as long as the time is yours, you entered the transaction, or you have proxy rights to the Timekeeper for whom the transaction belongs to. The system will track when the original time has been modified and produce an audit trail. A billed transaction cannot be edited.  NOTE: Editing a fee transaction is not the proper manner in which to write up or write down time. This should be done from within the Billing Preparation Program. Original time should only be changed if a mistake was made entering the time.  To edit a saved transaction, click the Find Record # Button found to the right of the Record number field. Enter the record number of the transaction you want to edit. Once the record is displayed, make any necessary changes and either select the F10 key or click the SAVE Button to save your changes. To clear the screen without saving your changes, select the F9 key or click the CLEAR Button.  As discussed in subsequent sections, you may also edit a fee transaction from within the Time Manager Listing.

Deleting a Fee Transaction

A fee transaction can be deleted as long as the time is yours, you entered the transaction or you have proxy rights to the Timekeeper for whom the transaction belongs to. A billed transaction cannot be deleted.  NOTE: Deleting a fee transaction is not the proper manner in which to write down time to zero. This should be done from within the Billing Preparation Program. Transactions should only be deleted if entered in error or if they are duplicates.  To delete a saved transaction, click the Find Record # Button found to the right of the Record number field. Enter the record number of the transaction you want to delete. Once the record is displayed, use the combination of the CTRL+DELETE keys or click the DELETE Button and verify that you want to delete the record. To clear the screen without deleting the transaction, select the F9 key or click the CLEAR Button.  As discussed in subsequent sections, you may also delete a fee transaction from within the Time Manager Listing.

Setting Options for the Fee Entry Button

The Entry Options allows you to set various data entry options for the FEE ENTRY Button. These options are intended to maximize the efficiency of data entry. The Entry Options are accessed by selecting the Options Button from the FEE ENTRY Toolbar. When you choose the Entry Options, the following screen will appear: