Setup user preferences

Setting up user preferences for time & expense entry

Use the Time & Expense Entry tab of the
User Preferences
 dialog to select options for data entry and for using the timer.
From the
Setup
 menu, choose
User Preferences
, and go to the Time & Expense Entry tab.
note
  • If this tab is not available, you do not have security privileges to change Time & Expense Entry preferences.
  • Your firm’s administrator can specify default user preferences when setting up new staff in the application (Setup > Firm > Preferences tab). Staff members with security privileges can later change these preferences if they want. To restore the firm’s defaults at any time, select the
    Reset to new Staff defaults for Firm
     link.
  • Your firm’s administrator can also set or edit existing staff members’ user preferences in Setup > Staff by selecting the Setup User Preferences button on the Main tab.

Settings and field defaults

You can select a default value in many of the time and expense fields to speed up data entry. You can also mark the
Skip
 and
Hide
 checkboxes for fields that you don’t use or for which you have selected a default value. If you do select a default value, you can select a different one during time and expense entry, when necessary. Mark the
Description
 checkbox where applicable if you want an item’s description to appear alongside its code.
Entry Field
Default settings
Sheet Date
Select Most Recent or Today’s Date.
Client
Select a default client if you frequently enter time for the same client.
Engagement
Select a default engagement if your firm frequently uses the same engagement for time and expense entry.
Project
You can choose skip and/or hide the
Project
 field during time entry.
note
This field is available only if your firm is licensed for the Project Management module.
Project Solution Button
If you have a solution set up on a project, the Project Solution button enables you to launch the solution directly from the Time & Expense Entry grid. You can skip and/or hide the button during time entry.
note
This button is available only if your firm is licensed for the Project Management module.
Task Selection Button
The Task Selection button in the Time & Expense Entry screen opens the Task Selection dialog, where you can select a task and edit project information. Mark the
Skip
 and/or
Hide
 checkbox for the Task Selection button if you prefer to display the Task column for entering task information.
Task
This user preference displays the
Task
 field in a column in the Time & Expense Entry screen, where you can select a task from a drop-down list. Mark the
Skip
 and/or
Hide
 checkbox for the Task column if you prefer to use the Task Selection button instead to open the Task Selection dialog.
Task Solution Button
If you have a solution set up on a task, the Task Solution button enables you to launch the solution directly from the Time & Expense Entry grid. You can choose skip and/or hide the button during time entry.
note
This button is available only if your firm is licensed for the Project Management module.
Activity
Select a default activity.
note
Only activities with a status of Active are available.
Date
Select Sheet Date or Today’s Date for the default transaction date.
Staff
Mark the
Description
 checkbox to display the Staff Description column on the Overview tab of the Time & Expense Entry screen.
Time Rate
Timer
There are no default time rates or timers available. However, you can mark the
Skip
 and
Hide
 checkboxes to skip these fields during data entry.
Comment
Enter a default comment to use on transactions.
Biller Note
Enter a default biller note to use on transactions.
Custom Fields Button
Mark the
Skip
 and/or
Hide
 checkbox to skip or hide custom fields during data entry.
CPE Course Selection
Mark the
Skip
 and/or
Hide
 checkbox to skip or hide the CPE Course button during data entry.
Location of work done
Select a default office where work is done.
Other Location
Enter a default location where work is done.

Timer rounding

Rounding option
Description
No rounding
Recorded time will not be rounded.
note
When you select the
No rounding
 option, all other rounding options are unavailable.
Standard rounding
Rounds time up or down by the specified increment.
Always round up
Rounds time up by the specified increment.
Rounding increment
Enter the amount by which to round recorded time. The amount is converted to hours or minutes, depending on whether you select
Enter hours
 or
Enter minutes
 for the Entry option.
Round each elapsed time
Rounds recorded time each time you stop the timer.
Round accumulated elapsed time
Rounds only the accumulated time, regardless of how many times the timer was started and stopped.

Timer behavior

Timer behavior
Description
Allow simultaneous timers
Allows more than one timer to run at the same time.
Start Timer for Projects
Starts a timer whenever you click a Solution icon in the Manage Projects screen, or in the Projects or Tasks portlet.
note
This checkbox is available only if your firm is licensed for the Project Management module.
Start Timer for Phone Calls
Starts a timer whenever you start a Phone Call interaction.
note
This checkbox is available only if your firm is licensed for the Client Management module.

Entry

Entry option
Description
Enter hours
When you click this option, the column in the time entry grid is labeled Hours. This is the default option.
Enter minutes
When you click this option, the column in the time entry grid is labeled Minutes.
Implied decimal for hours or units
Automatically adds
.00
 after the number you enter in the Hours column of the Time entry grid or Units column of the Expense entry grid. If this checkbox is not marked, the decimal is inserted two places to the left of the number you enter.
Auto display Task selection
Opens the Task Selection dialog automatically whenever you select a project during time and expense entry, prompting you to update project and task information.
Auto display Custom Fields entry
Opens the Custom Fields dialog automatically, where you can enter information for any time & expense entry custom fields that your firm has created.
Auto display CPE Course selection
Opens the CPE Course Selection dialog automatically for any entries with an activity of the CPE type so that you can select a CPE course for the transaction.
Auto fill from last entry
Automatically fills applicable selections from the previous transaction for the current transaction as you move through the fields.
Automatically check spelling
Checks spelling of entries on the Time & Expense Entry screen.

Display settings

Display setting
Description
Display billed time and expenses
Displays billed time and expenses (view only) in the data entry grid.
Display hash totals
Displays hash totals below the data entry grid.
Start-up tab
Determines which tab of the Time & Expense Entry screen opens by default.

This article applies to:

  • Product: DT Practice