Emails and Alerts
Whether users receive accrual-related alerts depends on how your company has configured the Accruals module. Law firms can be required to post unbilled amounts either monthly, quarterly, or at the end of the fiscal year. Some companies configure their systems so that company users review the unbilled amounts posted by the firms. Other companies set up a review period but turn off alerts to company users. Other companies do not have a review period. Instead, Company System Administrators monitor firms' input of accruals during the firm input period.
There is no requirement that company users review unbilled amounts.
If your company uses accruals, Tracker automatically generates and sends announcement emails to law firm users.
- Accrual announcement email:An announcement to law firm users when their first unbilled amounts are due.
- Accrual reminder email:If you require a law firm to submit unbilled amounts, the firm will receive notification emails when the unbilled amounts are due.
- Request for review of unbilled amounts:If your company requires a review of unbilled amounts, company users receive emails and alerts when it's time to review the unbilled amounts.
Email Notifications to Review Unbilled Amounts
Timing of Reminder Emails
Tracker sends an email alert at approximately 12:01 AM Pacific Time on the Co. Input Start Date. If unbilled amounts have not been reviewed and approved by the Email Reminder date, a second email will be sent. Tracker does not send any additional email notifications after the Email Reminder date.
Recipients
Matter Administrators can check the Matter Options to see what type of user has Financial Data Edit Authority (for example, Matter Editor or Matter Administrator).
Accrual Announcement Email
Firms receive an announcement email when their first unbilled amounts are due. Company users do not receive an announcement. This announcement email can also be sent or resent manually to individual firms.
note
By default, when your company enables the Accruals module, Tracker requires unbilled amounts from all law firms. If you do not change the settings, every firm with which you work on Tracker receives the accruals announcement email at the beginning of the next accrual period. Therefore, it is important to turn off the unbilled amounts requirement for any firms from which you don't need unbilled amounts before the announcement email is automatically sent out.
The accrual announcement email can be an automated mass email or a manual email to a specific firm.
Automated Mass Email
Tracker automatically sends the accrual announcement email to any law firm that is required to post unbilled amounts at approximately 1:15 am on the Law Firm Input Start Date. If unbilled amounts have not been entered by the Reminder Notification Date, a second email is sent on that day.Tracker does not send additional email notifications after the Reminder Notification Date, even if unbilled amounts have not been provided.
Tracker sends the announcement email to the following firm users:
- Primary and backup billing contact
- The two additional All Matter Access users
- The firm's lead and backup system administrator
To view the names of these users, click
Firms
> Our firms
and select the firm. The users are listed on the firm profile.note
The individuals in these roles are designated by the firms during their system setup. Company users cannot change which individuals will receive the email.
note
If the accruals module is enabled during an accrual cycle, you should configure your firms' settings before the announcement email is sent. If Tracker activates your accruals module after the Law Firm Input Start Date but before the Law Firm Input Due Date during an accrual period, the announcement email will automatically be sent on the day the module is activated, at the earliest of the following times: 1:15 am, 6:15 am, 12:00 pm, 9:15 pm . Therefore, it is important to turn off the unbilled amounts requirement for firms from whom you do not need to receive unbilled amounts (Steps 5-8 of the Accrual checklist) before the next time accrual announcement emails are sent.
Manual Email to a Specific Firm
You can manually send or resend the accrual announcement email to a specific firm.
note
Tracker sends the automated accrual announcement email only once.
- SelectFirms>Firms Listin the left navigation.
- Select the name of the firm you want to send the email to.
- In the Firm Name Information About Firm collapsible section, scroll toAccrual/Unbilled Amounts Requirement.
- SelectImmediately Resend Law Firm Announcement Email. The email will be sent again even if it was sent to the firm previously.
Sample announcement email
The following is a sample of the announcement email. Variables are indicated with square brackets
[
]
. tip
A Tracker Coordinator or company system administrator can edit the content of the email.
From: serengetiunattended@serengetilaw.com on behalf of [Tracker Coordinator email address]
To: [law firm recipients]*
Subject: [company short name]: Announcement of Accruals in Tracker
Our law department will begin using Tracker to automate the accruals process and reporting of accrual data to our finance department. From this point forward, our law firms will be submitting unbilled amounts [at the end of each month | at the end of each quarter | at the end of our fiscal year] through Tracker. Your firm should submit an unbilled amount for every matter. (Even if you have no unbilled amounts for a matter, you should enter a “0”.)
Specific instructions about what you need to do are at the bottom of this email. In addition, when the next accrual cycle begins, the system will send you email alerts that unbilled amounts are due. To view a calendar of when unbilled amounts will be due from your firm, click on the link below, and then click
View Calendar of Events
.We appreciate your participation as we convert to a fully electronic process. It will be a more efficient and reliable means for our law department to obtain the financial information needed to satisfy our reporting obligations.
Sincerely,
[Tracker Coordinator Name]
[Company short name] Tracker Coordinator
Accruals Reminder Emails
If accruals are required, the unbilled amounts must be entered during the law firm input period. Firms receive a maximum of two reminder emails to enter their unbilled time.
Your company can require company users to approve the unbilled amounts, allow company users to review the unbilled amounts, or prevent company users from editing the unbilled amounts after the law firm input cutoff date (this last option assumes company users will monitor the unbilled amounts entries during the input period). If your company requires that unbilled amounts be reviewed, then company users receive a reminder email after the end of the law firm input period.
note
Invoices are held until after the accrual period. To ensure the accuracy of the accruals data, Tracker holds all invoices submitted during the company review period until after the end of the accruals period as a matter of course.
Sample email message
The following reminder email is sent on the Law Firm Input Start Date at the beginning of the accrual period to the firms for which accruals are required. Variables are indicated with square brackets
[
]
.From: unattended@serengetilaw.com on behalf of [Tracker Coordinator email address]
To: Primary Billing Contact and Secondary Billing Contact*
Subject: [company short name]: Accrual data due in Tracker by [due date]
[Company short name] is required to prepare accruals, and consequently, we need you to enter any unbilled amounts incurred from [beginning of fiscal year] through [end of accrual period]. Your firm should submit an unbilled amount for every matter. (Even if you have no unbilled amounts for a matter, you should enter a “0”.)
This DOES NOT mean that you have to prepare or post actual invoices. Instead, there is a special page in Tracker where you can enter unbilled amounts, or you can also upload a spreadsheet of such amounts. The accrual amounts must be entered in Tracker on or before [law firm input due date]. Failure to enter unbilled amounts by that date may result in your actual invoices being reduced or rejected. No extensions can be granted to this due date.
Click on the link below to access the accrual input page. This page also contains detailed help instructions about entering unbilled amounts and uploading a spreadsheet of unbilled amounts.
[ Link to the firm's post unbilled amounts page ]
NOTICE: INVOICES POSTED AFTER [law firm input due date] WILL BE HELD UNTIL [date accrual is generated]. Our law department will be reviewing unbilled amounts and preparing accrual reports for our finance department from [date range of company accrual review period]. While you can save invoices into the system during that time, these invoices will be held for review until after the accrual review period is complete. (This policy ensures that accrual amounts are accurately documented and provided to accounting.)
If you have any questions, contact [Tracker Coordinator name, email address, and phone number]. Our law department appreciates your assistance with this important financial reporting obligation of [company short name].
[Tracker Coordinator name]
This electronic mail transmission contains confidential information and is intended only for the person named. Any use, copying or disclosure by another person is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender via return e-mail.
Company Email Reminders
If your company has configured the Accruals module to require company users to review unbilled amounts, company users receive email notices and action items alerts when unbilled amounts need to be reviewed.
Tracker sends the email alert at approximately 12:01 A.M. Pacific Time on the Company Input Start Date. If unbilled amounts have not been reviewed and approved by the Reminder Notification Date, a second email is sent. To view the Company Input Start Date and Reminder Notification Date, check the Calendar of Events. Tracker does not send any additional email notifications after the Reminder Notification Date.
The table below describes which company users receive emails and alerts:
Accrual Review Configuration | Users Who Receive Notices | Type of Notice Received |
|---|---|---|
Require company user approval of all unbilled amounts | Company users who have been designated as financial data reviewers receive the emails and alerts. During System Setup, the Tracker Coordinator can choose one of the following options for financial data reviewer:
| Email and Action Items alert sent on the Company Input Start Date. |
Allow company user review of all firm unbilled amounts | None | None |
Do not require or allow company user approval/input of firm unbilled amounts (unbilled amounts auto-approved) | None | None |
Sample company email reminder
The following reminder email is sent during the Company Review Period to the company users who must review and approve unbilled amounts (those users with Financial Data Edit Authority). Variables are indicated with square brackets: "[ ]".
From: unattended@serengetilaw.com on behalf of [Tracker Coordinator email address]
To: Financial Data Reviewer
Subject: Financial Data Review Due by [Date ]
[Company short name] will soon be preparing financial reports, and consequently, you need to review and if necessary update the following information for your matters on or before [Date]:
- Unbilled Amounts Review for accruals
Click the link below to access the Financial Data update page:
[link to Company Financial Data update page]
If you have any questions, contact me at [Tracker Coordinator contact information].
[Tracker Coordinator name]
This electronic mail transmission contains confidential information and is intended only for the person named. Any use, copying or disclosure by another person is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender via return e-mail.