Task guide
Set and revise a matter budget
A budget per matter, in its own currency, with optional phases, every revision kept, and the partner told as the spend approaches it.
Set the budget
- Open the matter, then Budget.
- Enter the total in the matter's currency.
- Optionally split it into phases, such as pleadings, discovery and trial. The phases may not add up to more than the total.
Revise it
Every revision needs a reason. The budget keeps every figure it replaced, with who changed it and when, so the history of what the client was told is never lost.
Spend against the budget
Unbilled time and billable disbursements are the matter's work in progress. The budget compares them against the figures you set and shows the variance.
The firm sets the percentages at which the responsible partner is told, such as 75, 90 and 100 per cent. Each alert is sent once.
The budget report
The report lists every matter with a budget, its spend and variance, a page at a time, so a partner sees which files are running over.
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Read next
- Open a matterRecord the enquiry, add the client and parties, clear the conflict check and complete the opening checklist, then open the file.
- Record timeRun a timer or fill the week grid, with each entry rounded, valued at once and checked against the rules the firm sets.
- Billing arrangementsSet how a matter is charged, hourly, fixed fee, fixed fee by milestone, retainer or scale fee, with one arrangement in force on any day.