Dear TimeSolv users,
Thanks again for your business and for your support. TimeSolv has some exciting news to share with you.
What’s coming?
Please note that TimeSolv will be transformed from the previous application to a completely new web application developed on latest technologies and on an agile development platform. Our initial goal is to include selective features based on customer needs that we can provide in a timely fashion, however once the new application is deployed, we will continue to provide a lot more features requested by you.
Agile development platform
We are very excited that once we have moved to the new platform, our development performance and capabilities to provide new features are going to grow tremendously. The new agile development platform is an integrated environment where instead of writing Java or C# code, developers create new applications by plugging components using a graphical interface. The application code gets generated automatically. Many features that would require a lot of development such as workflow, document management, mobile development, and many other features are pre-canned and can easily be plugged in very quickly in the application.
Another exciting capability we will offer will be self-hosted application customized to a firm’s specific business needs.
New features
1- Greater ease of use
You will find that the new user interface is uncluttered and better organized to for ease of use. Details of items such as time entries or invoices can easily be viewed by mouse over without even requiring a click.
Since the time entry screen is used most frequently, it has been improved for faster time entry by improved search and easy to use of abbreviations. Now you can just type in an abbreviation and the corresponding narrative would show up just like in TimeSync. In addition, you will be able to see a calendar view of your time with daily, weekly, and monthly totals. We believe this feature will have a big impact on billable hours because now you can see how much billable time you have entered for each day, each week, or each month. For entering multiple time and expense entries for the same client and project/matter, now you can click on “Save and Duplicate” instead of having to reselect client, matter/project, and tasks.
Administration features have now been moved to each functional area. For example, if you need to change the settings for time entry, settings are listed right under the time entry tab.
2- Flexible search
Throughout the new application, search is much more flexible. For example, you can search with any partial string in drop-down menus and matching entries are highlighted. Even while editing a draft invoice or searching for time entries, you can search for a specific time or expense entry by pretty much any field including the words in descriptions. Moreover, you have the flexibility to search by time and expense entry status such as new, submitted, billed, etc.
3- Multi-step approval workflow
The approval workflow is now going to be on steroids. For each time or expense entry, approval steps can be defined at the project/matter or timekeeper level for a sequence of up to 10 approvals by multiple individuals.
4- Customization of default settings down to client and project/matter level
This new feature will provide completely new levels of customization capabilities. For example, now you can decide if the task code or the subtask code should be required or optional at the matter level. You are also able to define cover page narratives again at the matters/project level.
5- More flexibility with invoices
Now draft and final invoices can be downloaded in multiple formats such as Word, Excel, PDF etc. Many customers had requested the ability to download invoices in MS Word to modify them for specific needs such as contingent matters. Editing of draft invoices has now been divided into separate tabs for time and expense entries to allow a user to focus on a particular area of the draft invoice requiring changes. In addition, there is now an option for an original time entry to be permanently updated to match the change on the draft invoice. This feature would enable users to directly make changes only to the bill entries or to make changes to the original and the bill entries.
E-mailed invoices now can be customized to include your personalized e-mail message down to the client or the project/matter level.
6- Reports
Reports are now organized in a more logical grouping. For example all the reports related to time and expenses under one section. You will be able to see all the reports and their descriptions without having to click to multiple pages.
7- Greater Security and tracking
Security features have been improved without making it cumbersome to use the application. For example, if login information is entered incorrectly multiple times, the user will be prompted to enter a captcha to make sure that the repeated attempts are not driven by a computer hacker.
Not only we have improved access security, but also better tracking of what’s going on within your data. Now you will also be able to see who modified a particular page and at what time. For example, you will be able to see who entered a particular time entry and what was the time when it was actually entered. This is again a simple thing but a lot of customers have issues when time entries show up unexpectedly and they want to track those changes.
8- Project/Matter Calendar
The Project/matter calendar has been completely restructured for ease of use with drag-and-drop capabilities. Now you can view daily, weekly, and monthly calendars for timekeepers and project/matters. Features include the ability to assign timekeepers to a calendar event with specific view or update permissions.
9- Notes
Now you can enter as many notes as needed under a particular client or a matter/project. Again you will be able to see who had created and modified each note and at what time.
10- Conflicts check
TimeSolv has implemented multiple usability enhancements to provide information in a more logical fashion to make it easier to comprehend results of conflict search. In addition, the search capability has been improved.
11- WorkSolv
Major improvements have been added to WorkSolv functionality for managing projects and delivering projects on time and on budget. Now, projects can be controlled to have a budget based on fees or hours at the project level, at the task level, or at timekeeper level within the task. A Project manager now can turn on the option to limit the timekeepers to work within the budget. Any time a timekeeper exceeds the budget, the time entry screen will provide them with a warning letting them know that they are exceeding the budget.
In addition to budget at the project level, a project manager can define a budget at a task level and multiple people can work towards the task within the constraints of time (in hours) or fees (in dollars or applicable currency).
If a project requires more stringent controls, the budget for each timekeeper can be defined within the task. For example, a research task can be performed by Jack and Jill where Jack is given 10 hours and Jill is given 20 hours to perform the task.
Future development
New features will include support for mobile platforms such as iPhones, iPad, and Android devices. In addition, features will include document storage, ability to attach receipts to invoices, practice management, CRM, and many more customer requested features. The bottom line is that a lot more coming. With the new agile platform, we will also provide customized solutions to meet special business needs.
Our commitment
We are committed to providing you the best value backed by the best level of service so that you are able to easily achieve results and not be bogged down by challenges of using a software tool. We will continue to expand on this commitment in the future and we thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you.
Author: Raza Hasan, raza@timesolv.com
