Adding Time Entries

Adding a new time entry can be done in a number of ways depending on how much data has been setup in the WorklistWorklist items are defined in Tools > Worklist > Management. They allow you to setup a pre-populated time recording entry for regularly used client matters. They also allow you to define a narrative so you can simply enter time by selecting a worklist item and a duration with no other need to select details for the time entry. or the NicknameNicknames are configured in Tools > Nicknames. They allow you to pre-populate a client matter for regularly used time recording entries. They can be fully or partially populated, though there is no narritive defined so you can do this at the point of recording time. You can also use a nickname item to create a Worklist item. lists. Using either of these options can speed up the process of time recording, especially where time is recorded regularly for the same client or client matter. Alternative methods allow for adding time entries manually, converting Time gaps or using the Timer.

For desktop time recording, it is always advised to have the Worklist enabled. This can be configured in Tools > Worklist > Management.

An alternative method is to create nicknames for clients, these can be added in Tools > Nicknames.

ClosedBasic Time Recording Tips

There are some simple steps that need to be completed when recording time, here are some handy tips to speed up the process of time recording:

  1. All of the fields are pick-lists, simply click the ellipsis button and scroll through the list to find the required entry. Clicking on the required entry will select it and populate the field. Alternatively, type directly into the field to filter available options in the list, e.g. where the client name or matter type is known.

  1. The NarrativeThe narrative is a text field that will allow you to enter details about the time entry. This field will accept alpha, numeric ansd some special characters, as well as applying Glossary terms and the spell-check function. It may be that the firm has set this as a compulsory field. is generally required and will most likely need to be spell checked. This is done by clicking the Spell-check button as highlighted in the image below.

  1. Any fields that are defined in Settings > Device Specific Configuration as a Secondary list item, will be displayed by toggling the Show more options section of the Add Time form.

  1. Time can be added manually using the Time Grid (Clock button to the right of the duration field) to set the duration, rather than clicking the increment buttons ( - / +). The image below shows the grid picker and the available pre-defined time values that can be selected.

  1. Where the time entry is being created for an alternative day (yesterday, tomorrow, a day last week), you can switch the date via the Calendar button (left of the duration field) directly in the add time form. On saving the time entry, this will then save it to the selected date.

  1. Time entries that have been added and are used on a regular basis can be used to automatically create a Worklist item. This is done by clicking the Grey Star button in the time entry row. This will change to show a Gold Star button which indicates that it is now a Worklist item. The image below shows these Worklist states for the time entries.

ClosedAdding Time Using Worklist Entries

There are 2 methods to apply a Worklist entry as a time entry:

ClosedFind Worklist Item

  1. In the Timesheet, click in the Find worklist item field.

  1. Start to type the required client's name into the field. This will filter the results on screen and best match all of the clients that the current user has access to, where a Worklist item exists.

  1. Where the required Worklist entry is returned , click on it to select it.
  2. Now the time entry can be created by doing any of the following:
    1. Click the ADD TIME button:

    >>>

    1. Click the START button:

    >>>

    1. Edit the default duration and then click the ADD TIME button.

    >>>

  1. Each of these processes will launch a new Add Time form, with the defined Worklist fields pre-populated. Alternatively in the case where a timer is started then a running timer entry will be displayed in the Timesheet.

 

ClosedSelect a Listed Worklist Item

  1. In the Timesheet click the ellipsis button to the right of the Find worklist item field.
  2. This will display a list of the users active Worklist items.
  3. Scroll through the list to locate the required Worklist item and click on it to select it.
  4. Now the time entry can be created for the Worklist client matter by doing one of the following:
    1. Click the ADD TIME button:

>>>

  1. Click the START button:

>>>

  1. Edit the default duration and then click the ADD TIME button.

>>>

ClosedManual Time Entry Applying a Nickname

Nicknames allow users to give names to a client and the associated matter, e.g. J.Brown_Will. Selecting this would resolve the nickname in the form and set the client (J Brown) and matter (Will) fields automatically. In some instances where the nickname has been defined further then sub-fields can also be populated.

Unlike the Worklist items the narrative cannot be pre-defined, so this will have to be manually added and spell checked on adding the time entry.

To add a time entry by applying a Nickname, do the following:

  1. Select the ADD TIME button to open a blank Add Time form.

  1. The Nickname field will normally be displayed in this section of the form fields. (Where it is not displayed expand the Show more options section, as it may have been moved here if the Settings > Device Specific Settings has been edited to contain this option in the Secondary list).
  2. There are two methods that can be applied in the Nickname field:
    1. Click the ellipsis button to the right of the Nickname field to display the pick-list of defined nickname entries.

    1. Click in the Nickname field and start typing the nickname where it is known. This will filter the list of nicknames to only show those that match the input text.

  3. With both of these options, click on the required nickname entry to select it from the pick-list. This will populate the fields that have been defined in the nickname item.

  1. In some instances, the UDFUser Defined Fields. These are the fields that are defined by the firm and are configured in AdminWeb by the system administrator.'s may be displayed within the Show more options section of the Add time form, depending on how the user has configured the Time options in Settings > Device Specific Settings > Time tab.

  1. Where the form is partially populated, the missing data options will need to be manually selected. Mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk in the field label. Click on the ellipsis buttons and click on the required options from the pick-lists to select them.

  1. Enter a narrative and spell-check where required. Once spell checked, correct any unrecognized words which are highlighted in red using the built in dictionary. The dictionary is accessed by left mouse clicking over the unrecognized word, a pop-up list of suggested corrections is displayed, as well as the options to ignore or to Add to dictionary.

  1. If you wish to save or submit the time entry now, click the SAVE button or the SUBMIT TIME button. Alternatively...
  2. Click the CANCEL button to clear and close the Add time form.

 

It is possible to manually enter a Nickname into this field that does not exist in the list. In doing this it will not be resolved to populate the client and matter fields. What it does allow, is for users to record time for new clients that do not currently exists in the system. Notes can be added to the Narrative.

Once the client and matter has then been added in CDAdmin and then the same nickname is setup in Tools > Nicknames and associated to the new client matter, the time entry will then be resolved and can be submitted later.

ClosedManual Time Entry With No Nickname

  1. To launch a blank Timesheet, do one of the following:
    1. Set a duration in the header functions by clicking on the increments buttons and then click the ADD TIME button.

    1. Simply click the ADD TIME button and then set the duration in the Timesheet.

Pick-lists : To select each field, click the ellipsis button to display the pick-list, then scroll the list and click on the relevant item to select it. (Each of the fields marked with a red asterisks (*) are mandatory.)

Show more options : Some fields may be displayed in the Show more options section in accordance with the users selections in Settings > Device Specific Settings > Time tab. These will need to be completed where they are mandatory fields.

Narrative : In the Narrative field, enter the relevant details, glossary items can be applied where defined, then click the spell-check button.

Any unrecognized words will need to be corrected. Either do this manually or left mouse click on those words highlighted in red and select an alternative from the list, or add to the dictionary where the spelling is correct.

Once all of the fields have been defined, click either the SAVE button which should mark the entry as READY or, click the SUBMIT TIME button to submit the entry as complete. If you don't wish to save the entry, click the CANCEL button to close the form without saving.

ClosedConverting a Time Gap to Recorded Time

Time gaps are only displayed where they are enabled and configured in Settings > Device Specific Settings > Time tab.

By default the Time gaps are enabled and set to insert an entry in the Timesheet where nothing has been recorded for a 15* minute period since the last recorded time entry.

*

To convert a time gap to be a time entry, do the following:

  1. Where a time gap is displayed there are 2 initial options that can be selected. Add time or Hide time.

  1. To convert the Time gap into a time entry, click on the add time button in the Time gap row.

  1. This will launch the Add Time form, however the duration field displays the Time gap duration rather than the standard default duration defined in Settings > General Settings > Calendar, Date & Time.

Should the duration need to be changed it can be edited by clicking:

The - / + increment buttons

Manually typed, OR

By selecting an alternative pre-set duration from the GridPicker.

  1. If a nickname has been defined for the time entry, then it can be selected and all of the pre-defined fields for the nickname will be populated. However if the entry is not fully defined, then any further mandatory fields will need to be selected via the associated ellipsis button.
  2. If a nickname has not been defined for the required time entry, then each mandatory field will need to be selected via the ellipsis buttons until all of the mandatory fields have been populated.
  3. Where CDWeb has been configured to require a Narrative, enter this and ensure that it is spell checked and any unrecognized words are corrected or added to the dictionary.
  4. Click the SAVE button to complete the process and convert the Time Gap in to a time entry. Alternatively to retain the Time Gap, click the CANCEL button to close the form without saving the entry.

 

ClosedTime Recording Via a Timer

The timer can be launched in the time sheet with or without any client details defined via the Worklist.

ClosedUndefined Timer

  1. This is as simple as clicking the START button in the timesheet header functions.

  1. A time entry row is then added to the timesheet with the duration field accruing 'RAW' time. Only the Narrative field can be edited in this row while the timer is running as long as the timesheet is in Expanded Summary view.

  1. Once the timed activity has been completed the timer can be stopped via the STOP button and then the entry can be edited following the Nickname or Manual entry methods described above.

  1. Once the entry is completed and the SAVE button is clicked rounding will be applied according to the client and matter details. (Prior to this the time simply records time using the Global Rounding Value as set in CDAdmin and Settings > Calendar, Date and Time.)

ClosedDefined Timer

  1. Once a Time entry has been added using any of the methods above, a timer can be started to record further activities that are performed for that client matter throughout the day. This saves adding additional time entries to the time sheet. It allows for real-time time recording, (this is known as RAW time).

 

Just as with any other method of time recording where rounding is applied at matter, client or timekeeperThis is the person who is working on behalf of the client. They are also known as a Fee Earner. level, rounding is applied to the time entry on stopping the defined timer. In some instances this may not actually increase the duration of the time entry.

The following is an example of a timer being used to accrue time on a defined time entry during the course of a day: (Assume that time is recorded in 15min increments at matter level)

  1. The timer is started from the Timesheet for a defined client matter and accrues 10mins of time and then it is stopped = Time Entry now rounds to show 15mins in the timesheet.
  2. Later in the day the timer is started again = the timer starts running from 10mins and accrues additional time.
  3. The timer is stopped after accruing 37mins = Time Entry now rounds to show 45mins of time in the timesheet.