Every minute counts in an industry where compensation corresponds with time spent completing tasks. When attorneys waste time with inefficient procedures or fail to capture their time due to ineffective time tracking processes, they squander valuable billable hours, which translates to lost revenue for the firm.
To increase billable hours and maximize profits, law firms need time tracking software that allows for quick and easy accounting of every minute. The right software provides the tools necessary for evaluating time spent and identifying opportunities for increased billing. Tracking every minute equates to more revenue for a legal practice, and with the right time tracking software, firms never have to lose a minute of billable time.
When choosing the right time tracking software, lawyers should consider a number of essential factors. While the legal marketplace is filled with time tracking options, most fail to offer all of the essential features. This post will evaluate the best choices for time tracking software so law firms can make every minute count.
Track Time from Anywhere at Anytime
In this mobile world, lawyers need time tracking software that they can access from wherever they happen to be working. Whether they are attending a mediation at another law office or meeting with a client in the hospital, lawyers need the ability to immediately input their time spent on tasks.
Without accessible software, lawyers may procrastinate with their time tracking and attempt to rely on their unreliable memories. This results in inaccurate time entries, which leads to inaccurate invoices and unhappy clients. Accurate time tracking is extremely important to preserving the attorney-client relationship, and that requires time tracking software designed for the way today’s attorneys work.
With TimeSolv legal time tracking software, legal professionals can track their minutes from any device at any time of day. Even when no internet connection is available, their mobile app allows for immediate time entries. When a connection becomes available, the system will automatically sync, so timekeepers can effortlessly move between office computers and mobile devices.
The desktop app can also be used offline, without even opening a browser. Whether an attorney needs to track time from a PC, Mac, iPhone, Android smartphone, or tablet, TimeSolv software is ready and available to assist.
Run Multiple Timers
Attorneys typically work on numerous matters within a day, and it’s a rare occasion that they can complete one task without being interrupted to address a pressing need in another case. It can be challenging to keep track of time spent when jumping between different matters, so law firms need software designed to effortlessly run multiple timers.
With TimeSolv legal time tracking software, lawyers start a running clock at the beginning of a task. They can then pause or stop the timer when interruptions pull them away. The software even offers multiple timers, so lawyers are fully prepared to accurately track – even when working on more than one case. Starting one-timer automatically pauses another, minimizing the risk of overbilling one client.
Reporting Functions
Effective time tracking software offers reporting features that help law firms stay on budget, organize their available time, and assess the health of the practice. The data generated from these reports can be analyzed to inform firm leaders about the number of hours worked and billed daily, weekly, and monthly.
When law firms continuously move in the wrong direction, it hurts productivity and frustrates firm members. With reporting functions, leaders can quickly access data about the health of the law firm to effectively strategize and avoid losing one minute of time.
With TimeSolv’s reporting functions, law firms can instantly run more than 30 detailed reports. They can then use this information to establish limits on the number of hours that can be billed for specific tasks. When these milestones are reached, the TimeSolv software notifies the timekeeper, as well as authorized supervisors, so necessary adjustments can be made to stay on budget.
Project Management Tools
Many law firms use Legal Project Management (LPM) to manage client matters, which breaks cases down into various stages for better organization and administration of each step. By using LPM, firms can proactively plan how much time will be spent on a matter for enhanced efficiency and profitability.
Effective LPM requires software that helps attorneys evaluate all necessary tasks and strategize the best direction for implementation. The right software also offers the ability to set time budgets and oversee the progression of tasks.
TimeSolv legal billing software provides the project management features that law firms need, including the ability to:
- Break down each matter into specific tasks
- Establish milestones
- Assign individual timekeepers to each task
- Define time budgets for each timekeeper to complete the task
- Set notifications for task completion or reaching budgetary limits
From Tracking to Invoicing
When choosing time tracking software, law firm leaders should also look for options that streamline the process between time tracking and invoicing. After all, what use is accurate invoicing without an effective invoicing?
Invoicing can put a huge strain on law firm productivity when done inefficiently. Without the right time tracking and legal billing software, it can be unreasonably time-consuming, causing firm members to waste valuable hours sifting through time records and creating billing statements from scratch.
Unfortunately, many attorneys fail to consider billing capabilities when choosing time tracking software, but the two go hand-in-hand. Software like TimeSolv combines time tracking capabilities with a quick billing process, so law firms can send out bills in an efficient and timely manner. TimeSolv offers numerous invoicing features, including:
- Customizable templates
- Split billing options
- Scheduled invoicing
- Electronic billing
- Efficient approval processes
Make the Best Choice for Time Tracking Software that Increases Billable Hours
TimeSolv time tracking software offers law firms the tools they need for mobility, accuracy, and strategic planning. To learn more about why you should choose TimeSolv for your law firm time tracking needs, click here to start your free, no-obligation 30-day trial. With TimeSolv, you can ensure that your law firm is making every minute count.
About Erika Winston:
Erika Winston is a freelance writer with a passion for law. Through her business, Personal Touch Edits, she helps legal professionals deliver effective written messages. Erika is a regular contributor to TimeSolv and a variety of other publications.
