This section will answer some of the most commonly asked questions by our current users. For more detailed information on any of these questions see the Help under each category.

Review Tables and Add as needed - See Help in each table for assistance. Add Timekeepers and set up security for each one. - See Help for assistance.

Enter all your Clients and Matters (Add your firm non-billable Client and matters i.e. Administration, CLE, Vacation/Sick etc.) - See Help for assistance.

Enter All your Initial Entry Information - See attached Sheets for assistance. Your PowerLaw Client Product Specialist will verify the balances from your prior system, against the new balances in PowerLaw. Once signed off, your system will be opened for Posting.

Enter your Vendors - (The Miscellaneous Vendor has already been created in setup) - See Help for assistance.

Enter any invoices that need to be paid. - See Help for assistance.

Enter any Contact information that is not associated with a specific Client/Matter - See Help for assistance.

Your PowerLaw Client Product Specialist will make sure you haven't missed a step. We will also verify your balances and make sure your system has been set up correctly.

You have access into Initial Entry until you Post. Once ANY posting has been done, Initial Entry is review ONLY. If you have to make a correction to General Ledger balances, they will have to be done as a Journal Entry in the General Ledger with a date equal to or greater than your system date.

Your Firm name was entered as part of setup by Your PowerLaw Client Product Specialist. The Firm Name can't be changed by anyone other than PowerLaw. Your address, email, phone number, etc. come from the Office Table and may be edited by you as needed.

Yes, you can delete as long as there is no activity on the account. You may edit/add at any time. Remember if you add any accounts they must be added to the Financial Reports. Your Financial Reports that were provided with the system only contain the original Chart of Accounts.

Yes, you can enter unused numbers in any order. The system will always start with the next highest unused number from the last one entered.

Every firm is different so it's really up to you. Some examples are: You can setup your numbers based on your Type of Law. Example: 1000 series are Litigation, 2000 Real Estate, 3000 Probate, etc. Under each client number you assign a matter. Example: 1000-001 General Business, 1000-002 v. J. Jones etc. You can identify the same client with a different client number based on the Law Type and still bill as a combined bill if you wish. You can also just number in order, not distinguishing the Type of Law by the number. Each Client and Matter has a Type of Law in the setup anyway. Again it's really up to the firm, these are just some suggestions.

Well, I think if you ask your Malpractice Insurance Company you will have your answer. PowerLaw provides a complete check through the system and takes very little time. You can do multiple searches at once, and the search can be printed and put in the file if you choose. Best advice, Better Safe than Sorry.

You can have multiple stopwatches open at the same time, but only one running at a time. You can click back and forth as needed. The telephone rings click on the start stopwatch to record, when the calls complete, click stop. Click on another to record time working on a document, stop when done, etc.

As long as they have NOT been billed it's a simple couple of steps. Go into the Calendar for the dates of the duplicate entries. The list of time sheets will display for that day. Highlight the duplicate time sheet and click on Unpost. Once unposting the Delete button will enabled and you may delete the entry. Repeat the steps until all duplicate entries have been deleted. If they have been billed, you MUST reverse the bill (and any cash that may have been applied to that bill) and then repeat the above steps. NOTE: If you are reviewing your time sheet reports daily or even weekly, you should be catching duplications prior to the billing process.

It is if you want to track your productivity. You should be recording all hours you put in everyday whether billable or non-billable. PowerLaw has provided you with Productivity Reports for tracking your hours and realized rate.

You always want to be sure to enter ALL checks into the PowerLaw system. Enter in an invoice for the check written and post the invoice. Go into the vendor, Secretary of State (or whatever Vendor applies to the check) and click on Open Invoices. Select the invoice you just entered and posted that relates to the manual check. Click on Manual Check at the bottom of the window. Be sure the check number and check date match the check and click OK. Now click on Post Checks. You are done.

When your check run is done a window displays asking if "Checks Printed Correctly?" answer No. A list of the checks will display. Click the box under "Printed Correctly" next to the checks that printed OK. Change the check number to the check number of the next check (3 numbers prior to the one displaying) and click on "Reprint Check Run." Answer the printer prompt and the program will reprint using the correct next check number that printed on paper in the prior run. If all looks OK when printed click Yes on the "Did all checks print correctly" prompt.

When your check run is done a window displays asking if "Checks Printed Correctly?" answer No. A list of the checks will display. Click the box under "Printed Correctly" next to the checks that printed OK. The "Next check number to print" will display. Make sure this matches the next check number on the next good check, (if it doesn't match change it to the next correct number) and click on "Reprint Check Run." Answer the printer prompt. The system will automatically Void the checks (the check numbers between the ones you checked as "Printed Correctly" and the "Next Check Number to Print") that were destroyed when they got jammed. If all looks OK when printed click Yes, on the "Did all checks print correctly" prompt. Review the Check Register to be sure you did everything correctly. If everything looks correct then post the checks.

When you have debit transfers they are entered like a manual check. First you must create an invoice and post it. Then go into the Vendor and the Open Invoices and process as you would a manual check except you check the box "Is Electronic Check". The system will assign an E# to the invoice payment. Be sure the check date matches the date of the Debit Transfer was the information is completed and verified Post the check.

PowerLaw has a built in feature to keep your General Ledger in balance. Once your system is balanced it should NEVER go out of balance. If your Balance Sheet is out of balance is most likely due to you adding a new account(s) that is/are not in the report structure. Print your Trial Balance, verify that it is in Balance (If it is NOT, CALL PowerLaw IMMEDIATELY!). Use the Trial Balance to check the accounts on your Balance Sheet and/or Income Statement reports. Add the accounts that are missing and reprint your reports.

Anyone who has dealt with Client Funds Trust Accounts knows the importance of thorough and accurate tracking. The Client Trust Accounts are very carefully tracked and regulated in the system. If the client has authorized the removal of Client Trust Funds, you need to first process a check for the amount of the bill. You can then deposit the check into your operating account as an advance deposit. When the bill is printed the amount of the advance deposit payment will display and deduct from the balance due. PowerLaw verifies Client Trust Balances prior to writing checks to ensure the funds are available.

Yes, if you want to track the actual time and value of the work performed. This will give you an accurate overview of the fee charged and whether you charged an appropriate fee. Your client might also request a detailed accounting of the hours worked. Whether it's for productivity tracking or for the client, it's a good idea. You would set these up as Fixed Fee Bills. At least one time entry has to be entered in order to generate these bills. The value of time entered will record as a markup/down depending on the amount of time entered.

Possibly. Within the Client/Matter setup in Billing Methods there is an option to enter early payment discounts. You have the ability to offer clients percent discounts if they pay you within specified days from the date of the bill. You have full control over this option and at the time of the Cash Receipt the system will identify whether the client met the deadline. You can accept the discount or not. The discount is then treated as an accounts receivable write-off.

Yes, PowerLaw has Percentage Billing. When you set up the matter you can set individual parties with individual percentages. The number is unlimited as long as the sum of all is 100%. Each party receives a bill identifying their portion. The system will track the payments by party and identify who has not yet paid. Within the Client/Matter setup under a matter go to the General Information Tab. Above the address is a Percentage Bill Check Box. Check this box and then add each parties name and address information under "Addresses to split percentage bill with" and the percentage for each party. All time is entered into the one master matter and at the time of billing will be split amongst the parties identified. Once billed all accounts receivable is tracked under the individual parties.

This is a very easy step. Go into Accounts Receivable and then Posted Bills. Click on Retrieve Bills. Locate the bill (you can sort in various ways by clicking on the column header). Highlight the bill and uncheck "Use Original Bill Format", select the new bill format using the dropdown and click on Reprint Bills. Note: The original format is always stored.

When you print a bill with advance deposit applications they are recorded in the Reconcile Advance Deposits option under Accounts Receivable. You click on Create Cash Receipt and you will go into the Cash Receipts Menu. Click on the Matters/Bills Tab and you can review the application, click OK. Repeat until all Advance Deposits have been applied. Post Cash Receipts.

This can be deposited along with your normal client deposit and entered into the Cash Receipts option. Click on Add, enter the receipt date and the amount of cash, select the payment type, enter who paid you in the received from field and check number if it applies. Click on the Firm Related Accounts tab. Click Add and double click where indicated to enter the general ledger number or click on the dropdown to select the account. Enter the credit amount and click OK.

First start by going into the matter. Go to Case Management, Matters, bring up the Matter. Click on the Billing Information Tab, click Add, under the Attorney Rates Tab, enter the Attorney and the special rate with the effective date, all time on and after that date will be calculated using this special rate. For the cost click on the Cost Code Rate Tab, enter the Cost Code, cost per unit or a markup by percent or dollar on the value entered when entering costs for that cost code.

Invoice are entered the same way for trust as they are for a regular invoice except for the checking account selected. From Accounts Payable go to Invoices. Enter the Vendor and other invoice information. Under Type of Invoice be sure to select Trust Check. This will change the Checking Account to the Trust Account. If you used the Miscellaneous Vendor, enter the Payee information. Go into Add Hard Costs and enter the matter and cost code information (PowerLaw will verify that the funds are available). Once the information is complete, post the invoice and then process your checks. Remember if this is a manual check you pay it through the Vendor Menu, open invoices and manual check. (Always verify the checking account, check number and check date.

First start by making sure all the 1099 information has been entered for the Vendors. Click on Accessories. Go in Vendor 1099's. The system will print only the 1099's that meet the required dollar amount, a list will display. You can view the 1099's by clicking on the "View Selected 1099's" Tab. If there are any problems with missing Hard Cost information they will display under the "Hard Costs with Unknown Box" Tab. Correct any problems, select the 1099's to print (Click and drag or use the Select All option) click "Print" NOTE: You don't need to purchase the 1099 forms, they are built into the program and print on plain copy paper for the required number of copies identified.