Preventing Users from Entering Time for a Previous Month After Prebills Have Been Printed

The “Date Restrictions” option is designed to help control this issue. To set minimum/maximum date restrictions, access the File Maintenance Manager and choose TOOLS, Date Restrictions.  The following screen will appear:

Enter the minimum and maximum date you will allow for Fee Entry and choose whether or not you want to enforce this limitation on the edit of existing transactions.  Note that you may also enter a minimum/maximum date for Expenses.

The dates entered will control the date range allowed for entry of new transactions (the work date - not the date on which it is entered).  If you choose to enforce these restrictions while editing, the User will also be unable to edit any field other than the Description field on a transaction that contains a date outside the date range specified. Note that date restrictions do not apply to individuals set up as Unrestricted Users.

An example of the “Date Restrictions” option in use is to require that all time for the month ending 08/31/2012 be entered no later than 09/04/2012, at which time you will run Prebills.  On September 4, right before you run the Prebills, go into the File Maintenance Manager, access TOOLS, Date Restrictions, and change the value in the Minimum Date field to 09/01/2012.  You do not have to enter a maximum date although some firms use this to prevent Timekeepers from erroneously entering time for future years.

TIP: The Minimum/Maximum Date Range is read upon initial entry into Orion.  Therefore, your changes will take place only after an User has exited the program and re-entered.