Setting up user preferences for time & expense entry

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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 click the Time & Expense Entry tab.

Notes

  • 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, click 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 clicking 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.

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