User Responsible for Held Invoices

The Invoice Delivery On Hold feature enables companies to enforce the completion of assigned tasks and still let billing clerks complete their billing responsibilities. This feature allows billing clerks to upload invoices, but holds delivery of those invoices to the client until all incomplete tasks for the applicable matter are resolved.
Tracker provides several tools to help firms manage the resolution of incomplete tasks. For example, billing clerks have the ability to trigger emails to the responsible attorney(s) and their delegates, reminding them that the uploaded invoice will not be delivered until the incomplete tasks are resolved. In addition, Tracker sends automatic reminders to responsible attorneys if tasks are not completed within seven days of the invoice being uploaded. Once all of the incomplete tasks for a Delivery on Hold invoice are resolved, Tracker automatically delivers the invoice to the client. Thus, this feature enables companies to enforce the completion of assigned tasks and still lets billing clerks complete their billing responsibilities.

Select a Policy for Resolving Incomplete Tasks and Set the Email Notification Option

Your firm should decide on a policy for resolving incomplete tasks. This policy will dictate how you should complete the
Invoice Delivery on Hold* Email Notifications
field on the firm's profile page. The following table includes an analysis of the policy choices as well as instructions for completing this field:
Method for Resolving Incomplete Tasks
Analysis and Recommendations
Instructions
Attorneys and their assistants or paralegals enter data (such as matter data, status reports and budgets) into Tracker
(Recommended) This method is recommended for the following reasons:
  • The attorney and, secondarily, his or her assistant or paralega, has the most direct access to the information. Thus, it is most efficient for them to input and monitor that information.
  • The lead attorney and his or her delegates receive alerts when an incomplete task becomes due so they are aware of the incomplete task(s) even before an invoice is uploaded to the system.
  • Clients are producing objective evaluations of attorney performance from the data entered in Tracker so the attorney and his direct support staff have a self interest in making sure that the data provided is current and accurate.
Select
Send email to responsible attorney
for the
Invoice Delivery on Hold Email Notifications
field.
There are no other requirements.
Billing clerk who uploaded the invoice will contact attorney to obtain data (such as matter data, status reports and budgets) then will enter data into Tracker
(Not recommended) This method is not recommended for the following reasons:
  • Even if the attorney does not want to enter the incomplete data in Tracker, the attorney's secretary or paralegal can enter this information for the attorney, and can immediately respond to incomplete tasks as they arise.
  • Your client can run reports to determine if billing clerks are entering matter data (which raises the concern for clients about whether the billing clerks have accurate information).
  • There may be highly sensitive information in the matters to which billing clerks should not have access. You should consult with your clients to make sure that it is appropriate before giving them access to matters so that they can enter matter data.
Select
Delay email to responsible attorney for 7 days
for the
Invoice Delivery on Hold* Email Notifications
field.
Other requirements include giving billing clerks access to matters.
note
Attorneys are responsible for the data entered in the system. Your clients expect that matter information, budgets and status reports in a matter come directly from your lead firm's attorney (and their law firm evaluations are based on that assumption). Consequently, even if the lead attorney does not directly enter that information, the lead attorney must have specified or dictated the information to the person entering the data.