Set up and manage client firms

Your clients are the law firms that instruct you. In Cost Consulting each client is a firm, and each firm can have one or more attorneys you deal with. Every matter is linked to a firm, so add a firm before you create a matter for it. You manage firms under Clients > Firms and group them under Clients > Firm Categories.

The firm list

The Client Firms page lists your firms in alphabetical order. Type in Search Firm to filter the list, and select a firm to open it.

A new practice starts with one sample firm, ABC Firm (Demo), with a sample attorney and a sample matter. You can use it to try things out.

Add a firm

1. Go to Clients > Firms and select Add Client Firm.
2. Choose a Firm Category.
3. Enter the firm's Name and your Account Reference for the firm.
4. Optionally, enter the firm's Tax Reference.
5. Leave Is Active? ticked.
6. Under Firm Details, enter the Contact Person, Email Address, Mobile Number, Phone Number and Fax Number you have.
7. Under Billing Address, enter the firm's address and Code.
8. Select Save Firm.

Only the category, name and account reference are required, but the other details save you typing later:

• The firm's name, address and phone number appear on the invoices you send it.
• The Account Reference and Tax Reference print on the bill of costs (they are left off when you print a bill in statement format).
• The name and address fill in the firm details on the bill's print screen.

Edit a firm

Select a firm in the list to open Edit Firm. The left panel holds the same fields as when you added the firm; change them and select Save Firm. The right panel lists the firm's attorneys.

The buttons at the top open the firm's View Statement, View Invoices & receipts and View Progress Report pages. These are described in Client information, invoicing and reports.

The Is Active? tick box

Is Active? records whether you still work with the firm. Clearing it does not hide the firm: it still appears in the firm list and in the Client Firm list when you create a matter.

Add and edit attorneys

Attorneys are the people at the firm who instruct you. When you create a matter and choose the Client Firm, the Client Attorney list shows that firm's attorneys.

1. Open the firm from the firm list.
2. In the Firm Attorneys panel, select Add Attorney.
3. Enter a Title (optional), the attorney's Name and their Email.
4. Select Save Attorney. You return to the firm, with the attorney in the list.

To change an attorney, select them in the Firm Attorneys list, edit the details and select Save Attorney.

Delete a firm or an attorney

Use the red Delete button on the firm or attorney form, then confirm with Yes, delete it!. Cost Consulting only deletes records nothing else depends on:

• An attorney cannot be deleted while any matter uses them as the client attorney.
• A firm cannot be deleted while it has any matters, any receipts, or any attorneys. Delete the firm's attorneys first, then the firm.

When something still depends on the record, nothing is deleted and you see the message This record can't be deleted because it is linked to other items in the system. A firm you have billed will always have matters, so keep it and clear Is Active? instead.

Firm categories

Categories group your firms so you can filter by them. The Firm Category filter appears on the firm's progress report and on several of the reports under Reports. Every practice starts with two categories, External and Internal, and every firm must have one.

1. Go to Clients > Firm Categories.
2. To add a category, select Add Category, enter a Name and select Save Category.
3. To rename a category, select it, change the Name and select Save Firm Category.

A category can only be deleted when no firm uses it.