Attorney Retainer Tracking Feature

Welcome to our guide on the attorney retainer tracking feature in our product. This feature is designed to help attorneys manage client retainers efficiently, providing insights into time spent on client matters, retainer status, and payment adjustments. In this help page, you'll learn how to set up retainers, track time, and understand the dashboard that displays retainer status.

Setting Up Client Retainers

To start tracking attorney retainers for clients, follow these steps:

1. Access Client Retainer Settings
   • Log in to your account and navigate to the 'Client Retainers' section.
2. Add a New Client
   • Click on 'Add New Client' to create a new client profile.
3. Set the Monthly Retainer Fee
   • Enter the monthly retainer fee for the client. This is the amount the client agrees to pay for a certain amount of legal work each month.
4. Assign Attorneys
   • Assign one or more attorneys to the client. These are the attorneys whose time will count towards the retainer.

Tracking Time and Retainer Usage

Once the client retainer is set up, our app automatically tracks the time attorneys spend working on that client's matters. This time is deducted from the monthly retainer fee. Here's how to track retainer usage:

1. Start Time Tracking
   • Attorneys can start tracking their time manually or use our app's passive time-tracking feature while working on a client's case.
2. Review Time Logs
   • The app maintains a log of all time entries for each client. You can view these logs to see how much time has been recorded against the retainer.
3. Check the Dashboard
   • The dashboard provides an overview of retainer usage. It shows the total time spent, the amount deducted from the retainer, and the retainer status (whether it's been reached, exceeded, or there's credit left over).

Understanding the Retainer Status Dashboard

The retainer status dashboard gives you a quick snapshot of your clients' retainer usage. Here's what the different status indicators mean:

• Retainer Reached
  • This status indicates that the time spent has reached the monthly retainer fee. Additional work beyond this point may require extra payment from the client.
• Retainer Exceeded
  • This status shows that the time spent has exceeded the retainer fee. The client may need to pay extra for the additional work.
• Retainer Credit
  • This status means that there's remaining credit on the retainer. The client can carry this credit over to the next month or use it for future work.

Managing Retainers and Adjustments

Based on the retainer status, you can manage retainers and make adjustments as needed:

• Invoice Clients for Extra Work
  • If the retainer is exceeded, generate an invoice for the additional work. Our app provides easy invoicing based on time logs.
• Carry Over Retainer Credit
  • If there's credit remaining on the retainer, you can carry it over to the next month. Adjust the retainer settings accordingly.
• Review Retainer Trends
  • Use the retainer status dashboard to track trends over time. This can help you adjust retainer agreements, manage workloads, and plan billing more effectively.

FAQs

Q: Can I set different retainers for different clients?

• A: Yes, you can set unique monthly retainer fees for each client in the 'Client Retainers' section.

Q: How do I adjust the retainer fee?

• A: Navigate to the 'Client Retainers' section, select the client, and edit the retainer fee. You can also update attorney assignments as needed.

Q: Can I generate reports on retainer usage?

• A: Yes, our app provides reporting features that allow you to generate detailed reports on retainer usage, time logs, and billing.

Q: What happens if the retainer is exceeded?

• A: If the retainer is exceeded, you can generate an invoice for the extra work. You can also adjust future retainer agreements based on the client's needs